It's the Final Countdown!

I had my last doctor's appointment this past Wednesday. Everything is looking good, though I've not yet begun to dilate (which was a bummer). Though, I am 80% effaced and the baby has dropped. Because I'm on insulin, the doctor does not want me to go past my due date. So, at last week's appointment, we scheduled an induction. If the baby is not born before then, I will be induced Wednesday, May 13.

So, no more than ten days to game day! :)

Baby Chimeziri at 38 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri has really plumped up. Theoretically, she weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which we'll soon be able to test when we hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

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Baby Chimeziri at 37 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri is full-term! This means that if she arrives now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though my due date is still three weeks away. On average, a baby at 37 weeks weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. I wonder if hers will be curly? :)

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Isn't She Lovely?

I had an ultrasound this past Friday to see how big the baby is getting. She weighs approximately 6 pounds and 4 ounces (though that can be off by up to 1 pound either way). They sent me home with this adorable picture of her face. I saw it right away, but Henry still can't see it. So, it'll be interesting to see who sees her face and who doesn't. :)

I also found out at my doctor's appointment last week that they will not allow me to go past my due date because of the insulin I'm on. So, that means she'll definitely be here between now and May 14! I can't wait to meet this little beauty! :)

Baby Chimeziri at 36 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, she will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, my practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn her by manipulating her from the outside of my belly.

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Baby Chimeziri at 35 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in my womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

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Baby Chimeziri at 34 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If Baby Chimeziri chose to be born now, I'm happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

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Baby Chimeziri at 33 Weeks!

This week Baby Chimeziri weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

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My Second Home - MeritCare

Today was my second NST (non-stress test) which I have to do every Tuesday and Friday between now and the baby's birth. Because of my gestational diabetes and especially because I'm on insulin, they want to monitor the baby frequently to make sure she's not in distress. I go to MeritCare, get hooked up to the baby monitor and wait for the baby's heart rate to increase at least 15 beats twice in a 20-minute period. Friday was my first NST - and it took over two hours! Today went much better; I was in and out within an hour. Plus, today's NST was at Southpointe Clinic (Friday's was at the Family Birth Center in the hospital) which was much more comfortable. I had a nice reclining, leather chair and could watch movies, read or talk on the phone while I had the test done. Plus, they had a fan in the room! Baby was looking very good today. Now, we just have to survive the flood! :)

Bunches of Blessings and Wishes for Baby Chimeziri

This past Saturday, March 21, I had my first "official" baby shower with family and friends. It was hosted by my sister-in-law, Sarah, and her mother, Merritt, in Minneapolis. It was absolutely wonderful! I had a great time catching up with family and friends I haven't seen in a while - including my aunt Debbie from Wisconsin, my aunt Mary in Minneapolis, and my grandmother's sister, Harlene. We played some great games - my favorite being where everyone expressed at least one wish for Baby Chimeziri. Afterwards we enjoyed some delicious food, including a pasta salad I couldn't get enough of and a totally awesome, homemade red velvet cake (thanks, Sarah!). It was a very charming and enjoyable afternoon. Baby Chimeziri also received a lot of wonderful gifts. I'm very fortunate to be surrounded by such generous people. By the way, for those of you who were at the shower and are wondering what Henry's gift was, it is a Dunk 'n Cheer Basketball toy for him and the baby to play with together. :)

My lovely hosts, Sarah and Merritt.

It's baby's bath time! This tub came with a set of washclothes, a hooded towel and a very cute baby robe with a hood that has giraffe ears.


A savings for Baby Chimeziri! Sarah and Merritt gave Baby Chimeziri this beautiful silver piggy bank in the shape of an elephant. As guests made their wish for Baby Chimeziri, they dropped a coin in the bank to get her savings started (and for good luck!).

Baby Chimeziri at 32 Weeks!

By now, Baby Chimeziri weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in my tummy. Though I should probably be gaining about a pound a week (roughly half of which would go right to the baby), I've yet to put on one pound during this pregnancy. But, there's still two months to go. Baby Chimeziri should gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

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Baby Chimeziri at 31 Weeks!

This week, Baby Chimeziri measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's moving a lot, too, so I have had some trouble sleeping because her kicks and somersaults keep me up. But, no worries: all this moving is a sign that she's active and healthy.

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Insulin: Round 2

A quick update on my gestational diabetes and how I'm trying to handle it. After emailing my blood sugar levels to my certified diabetes educator today, I was quickly asked to meet with an endocrinologist or physician's assistant this afternoon. I met with the P.A. this afternoon and we decided to add a fast-acting insulin to my regime. So, I'm now taking NovoLog before breakfast, lunch and dinner, finishing my day off with the Humilin N before bedtime.

So, from two shots a day to four. Whatever...it's not forever and it's for the best health of the baby and me. So, we'll see how the upcoming week goes and if this helps keep my blood sugar levels normal.

The Baby Bump at 30 Weeks!

Is this a baby bump or gigantic fat roll? How much bigger could it really get? I'm not sure how excited I am to find out.

Baby Chimeziri at 30 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

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A Very Eventful Tuesday!

A quick update on what's happening with me and the baby...

As I wrote about last week, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. After a week of trying to control my blood sugar levels with diet and exercise alone, I learned yesterday that I'll need to begin taking insulin. I'm not overly excited about giving myself a shot twice a day, but I gotta do what's best for me and the baby. For now, I'm taking 5 units of Humilin N before breakfast and bed. After one week, my CDE will evaluate my blood sugar levels to see if the dose needs to be adjusted. That was the first bit of excitement for the day.

The second bit of excitement came last night when I was making dinner. I'd been having some pressure and tightening feelings in my stomach since the afternoon. So, while making dinner decided to call the Birth Center just to see if that was normal. They asked me to come in to be evaluated. Turns out I was having contractions! They gave me some medicine to stop the contractions and ran a couple tests. When the tests came back okay, they sent me home with instructions on how to prevent another bout of pre-term labor. Luckily, I was not dilated at all, but was told to take it easy for a while.

So far today, I've been feeling okay - very tired from the late night last night. I'll just continue to take it easy and see how things go. This baby's got a little more growing to do before she's ready to enter the world! :)

Baby Chimeziri at 29 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, I'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, I'll be sure to drink my milk (or find another good source of calcium as my new meal plan allows). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in her hardening skeleton each day.

See what Baby Chimeziri looks like this week.

Our First Baby Shower!

Last week I made a trip to the MN office of the American Diabetes Association (who I work closely with and where my boss has her office). The lovely ladies there threw me my first baby shower. Check out some pics of the fun we had!

Sugar, Sugar Go Away!

Working for the American Diabetes Association, I know sugar doesn't cause diabetes, so the title of this blog isn't entirely accurate. However, it does kind of let you know how I'm feeling. I found out yesterday that I have gestational diabetes - a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and almost always ends once the baby is delivered. I was shocked, to say the least. I don't know why, but it never crossed my mind that I might develop this.

Anyhow, I met with a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a dietitian today. I'll be checking my blood sugar levels four times a day and following a meal plan based on carb choices. It'll be an adjustment, but at least it's only from now until the baby comes! And, working for the American Diabetes Association, I've got plenty of resources and support at my disposable (I found tonight's dinner in a cookbook on our office bookshelf!). Plus, this experience might help me understand a little better what someone with diabetes goes through every day.

Anyhow, that's the latest development with me and baby. Stay tuned for more!

Baby Chimeziri at 28 Weeks!

By this week, Baby Chimeziri weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open and close her eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing, but it won't be long before she's batting those beauties at us.

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Fun Birthday Facts About Baby Chimeziri

If Baby Chimeziri is born on her due date:

• Her birthstone will be Emerald (Love, Success)
• Her Astrological Sign will be Taurus
• Her Flower will be Lily_of_the_Valley or Hawthorn (Yellow, Red and Green)
• She will be born in the Chinese Year of The Ox
• She will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2025, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year. Can you imagine?

Baby Chimeziri at 27 Weeks!

This week, the baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, her brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Any tiny rhythmic movements I may be feeling can be chalked up to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so I just relax and enjoy the tickle.

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Hee, Hee, Hee, Hooos - Breathe!

Today was day one of our crash course in lamaze - 12 hours in one weekend. It was definitely more interesting than I expected it to be; answering a lot of unknowns I had up to this point, including some I would have preferred to have stayed unknown. :) But, truth be told, there is power in knowledge and I'm maybe not so scared now about labor and delivery as I was before.

Of course, the whole day was worth it when we had a chance to practice relaxing massage techniques at the end of the day. Now, the trick is to get Henry to do that every day! :)

My Baby Bump!

There's definitely a baby in there - and I'm starting to feel her move more and more every day!

Baby Chimeziri at 26 Weeks!

The network of nerves in her ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both mine and Henry's voices as we chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

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