Naisa's learnings and some things I think

I'm sitting here, "playing" with Naisa, who has pooped in her diaper and returned to normal.

And I'm waiting for her to voluntarily lay down on the changing pad... She is running back and forth in the kitchen because it makes noise when her feet fall. And walking on her knees is the new thing.

Yesterday we were looking at a book with pictures of food before breakfast, and Naisa said she wanted pizza for breakfast. "Pee-da." We had it for lunch. Except Ben, who is on a strict grain and dairy free diet.

She also said "oran" (orange).

I learn a lot from people. I see a lot about the vaccine debate on facebook because I follow natural-crunchy-based mommy blogs, but also mainstream babycenter. In every attempt I've seen to push vaccines, a fear-based approach is used. Pharmaceutical-sponsored studies are referenced--Why we need this vaccine or that vaccine.. .

But, my problem with these arguments is that all they do is say we need them or we'll die. Our bodies cannot handle these diseases so we *must* get the vaccine. Even though the vaccine is imperfect, and fails for some percentage, is reactive to the body, contains metals

The best approach is not fear based. It is understanding the disease. Understanding what happens when a child gets it--who is more susceptible to severe reactions, and how we can limit the susceptibility. So these are the things that I research. I am not going to voluntarily expose my child to a disease, never! But I am going to have to tools in my cabinet so that if my child comes down with something serious I will be able to work with it.

Sometimes I wonder if vaccines were invented for convenience. People weren't eating the healthiest of diets, so they were more susceptible to adverse reactions. Many of the diseases we vaccinate for now were normal 50-60 years ago. And people made it through them because their bodies were healthy and they were eating a healthy diet (not low fat! not processed!).

So we had milk kefir, egg yolk, avocado, cacao powder and banana smoothies for b-fast/snack.
And I still need to take my fermented cod liver oil. oh joy.

26 weeks and it's. . .

So we had our ultrasound, finally!!
We had a stressful drive to Charlottesville--it was snowing, blowing, and foggy. worst thing ever. Add that we were a little behind on leaving because I had to do bloodwork in the morning and Ben couldn't shower until I got home. And we didn't know exactly where everything was, so we had to follow directions.

We got there, everything was fine, of course. Just a stressful ride.

We went in for the ultrasound, and she took my blood pressure twice--one arm was really high and my left arm was normal. 118/71.

Then the ultrasound tech put the goo on my belly. It rolled right off. And she squirted some more on. It rolled right off.
"What do you have on your belly?"
I didn't have anything…I told her I put tallow on it a couple days ago. Apparently I was super moisturized. and that doesn't happen normally. That was funny, and calmed our nerves just slightly.

So then we finally saw the baby. She scanned around for a little bit, and said what we saw:

"It's definitely just one."

And I was like. Ok, that's fine. Darn. Ok. We can handle that.

Then Ben and I discussed revealing the gender. I said no, he said yes, then we decided to find out .

The technician said she could tell right away, and then scanned now my belly (the baby is sitting breech), and I could tell too.

"I think I see a penis." hahahahah

But that's what it was! A boy.
She said he was measuring a head size-wise (as accurately as they can tell from an ultrasound.) around 2lb 6oz. in the 69th percentile. So right on schedule.

The placenta was up high and looked nice and thick. I just wonder why the heck I'm measuring so far ahead!?!

Then we drove home, stopped to get groceries, pick up Naisa, and we were exhausted. I woke up with a sore throat today. Yay. I swear the only thing that makes me sick now is stress.  I haven't been sick since last year around this time. I'm tired.

Time to make dinner.

The Prego Blues

I have the pregnancy blues. It took less time to reach this point in his pregnancy, probably because I'm more growing so much quicker. We are 26 weeks pregnant. On the cusp of the third trimester. I am worn out!

There are multiple (no pun intended!) reasons for this. Because my womb is already up in my lung space, it is harder to breathe. Then getting up from the couch/floor/bed is a big groan, because all the air is pushed out of my lungs the moment I lean forward. 

My back aches on the right side. In my personal opinion, I think it has to do with the position of the baby on that side. 

I am hungry All. The. Time. Like I just felt another hunger pang. And so, that makes me have to use the bathroom all the time... Not just number 1...

The cod liver oil. This is the grit-your-teeth-and-bear-it thing that I have decided that I will do for the good of the babies and my own health. And the first day was hard. And then it got harder. And then it got easier. I have perfected the swallowing technique: inhale, ingest spoon of cod liver oil, start hugging water, still don't breathe out of nose, shove dry bread into mouth. Begin chewing ferociously. The bread is key. It absorbs the extra saliva that arrives when one has a gag reflex. I chew it until it is swallow able. Then I'm fine. 

The reasons I take this delectable treat (ha. Ha.) are many: optimal absorption of real vitamin D, vitamin A, omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA(I think that's the other one). These things are vital for baby brain growth! And its great for my immunity, so I can remain healthy through this pregnancy. It's one thing to be pregnant with your first child and be sick. It's another thing to have a year and a half year old and be sick. Thankfully I haven't really been sick since before Naisa was born.

Ugh, weight gain. I've already told Ben that if there is only one baby, I'm just one of those women who gains a lot of weight during my pregnancies. But, since I'm convinced its twins, I feel ok about the weight gain... And then it goes straight to my legs. And my pants no longer fit. And I only want to wear stretchy things. This, I feel, I am entitled to, because, guys, during pregnancy, you only get bigger. This is not a weight maintenance time. Don't expect numbers to go down. Thus, a nice quality pair of stretchy leggings will do. The clothing designer who thought that pregnancy clothes should not be stretchy didn't really honk that one through. Bellies grow...so do arms, and legs, and breasts, and hips!

Water retention. So, guess what? This is a normal part of pregnancy. Sitting for too long will make your ankles swell( like a car ride) elevating your legs makes them feel better, but some of the swelling just sticks around until you give birth. Then you have a couple sweaty days and peeing nights (or the just way around), and it comes off.

Varicose veins. Those pretty blue river that adorn your grandmothers legs are now in style to the expectant mother! Due to blood volume doubling, and, you guessed it! fluid retention, veins like to ripple through your outermost layer of skin! The also show up for excess estrogen for non pregnant women. And spider veins.

But! But but but!

Every kick, thump, roll, and punch, is a sweet reminder to enjoy the flavor o this pregnancy. Don't worry, I am.

-Grace

 

26 weeks at Ben's parents' house

The Waiting Game

So, the wait is on... Again

We had our 24 week appointment on Tuesday and my uterus was measuring 30 weeks. We had discussed using the Doppler to possibly hear two heartbeats, so she used two Dopplers, first finding one, then the other, then listening with both to hear for a difference. Two heartbeats were found, one at 125 and one at 152. 

 Then we decided to use the office ultrasound to see if we could tell I there were two babies in there. Apparently it is harder than it looks to peer inside a Uterus when babies start to get big. At first we found a head near my ribcage and then another (facing up!) pointing down, but returning to the first head, it wasn't as easy to find again. We found a hip, but not a head, so it was inconclusive from the u/s. but it's still a 90/10 situation. 

We have scheduled an ultrasound with an obstetrician who the midwives work with consistently and we will know then. I am convinced there are two...my appetite certainly thinks so. And the size of my abdomen plus the amount of kicks I feel daily, and their locations. 

If you are reading and are praying , we'd appreciate your prayers for a couple different things. In the event of twins, you have an ultrasound to heck out a couple things: are the babies in the same sac or different ones. Are they connected to the same placenta or are there two. Hess are important factors because one or the other can raise the risk level of your pregnancy and Require more monitoring.

Pray for babies that are in two different sacs, with two different placentas. And also pray he placenta is nowhere near the cervix, because this can mean automatic c section if the cerci is covered. I desire to do an water birth, if at all possible, with this birth just as with Naisa.

The other thing I have coming up is a fasting blood sugar test. Thankfully I do not have to drink the GMO glucose drink they routinely have at OBs. But I do have to (somehow) make it brought he might without eating, and skip breakfast and have my blood drawn. I do have a plan for that night- seltzer water flavored with freshly  juiced lemon- but every night it seems I need a fourth meal to sleep efficiently.

Blessings.

This is 24 weeks.

This is what bed time looks like nowadays.