If it's false labor, it can't be real pain

Mackensie had her strongest round of false labor yet on Saturday night. The contractions were strong and frequent enough to make her think that it might be the real thing, but once she got out of bed and moved around, they stopped. Still, it's an encouraging sign that the end is near. We go to the doctor again tomorrow, and we're hoping she tells us that Mackensie has begun to dilate.

-P

Week 38 checkup

Mackensie's week 38 checkup was yesterday, and there's not much progress to report. For those who know what these things mean, she's 50% effaced, but 0 cm dilated, and the baby's head is still relatively high. That was a bit of a surprise, since it seemed like the baby had dropped considerably over the last couple of weeks. The doctor did show me how to find and feel the baby's head, which was pretty cool.

All of this could change overnight, but as it stands right now, we may be here for awhile.

-P

Week 37

36 Week Check-up

No news is good news. I'm fine (except for some swelling), and baby is fine. Starting this week, I'll go in every week until the baby is here. The doctor will officially start looking for changes in week 38, but he was very forthcoming that it could be any day now or it could be four+ more weeks. The nurse did say that she will be sending my file to Kettering Hospital this week "just in case."

-M

(Gulp)

Getting in some "tummy time"

Everest is keeping Ben's spot warm...

Nursery pictures

So here's the nursery. The crib is the one that my brothers and I used, and the two dressers were my mom's when she was a kid. All three have been refinished or repainted by Mackensie. Also, the rocking chair belonged to my grandma.

34 week check-up

What a great doctor's appointment for my 34 week check-up! I met the last doctor in the practice that I needed to meet, and he was very nice and considerate. I would be happy for him to catch my baby. I am measuring right on track for 34/35 weeks, and the baby is in a head down position. "A diver, not a jumper" - as the doctor said. He also shared good news that the knife-stabbing pains I have been having over the last two weeks are just a result of the baby moving down. The baby has dropped a little, but the doctor told me there will be many more shooting pains over the next six weeks.

The best part of the appointment was when I asked if I should be thinking about birth control. The doctor said, "It's too late." We laughed.

I'll go back on Feb. 20 for my 36 week check-up.

-M

Diapering

I've offhandedly mentioned that we're going to try cloth diapering, but I thought it might warrant its own post. We decided to try a product called Fuzzi Bunz. We bought a set of 12 off Ebay, and if we like them, we'll buy some more. The outside layer is made of a waterproof fabric, which comes in a variety of colors and patterns.



These are "pocket style" diapers, which means that the absorbency comes from an insert that you stuff into each diaper. We are trying two kinds of inserts: microfiber cloth and hemp. The insert is separated from the baby's skin by a thin, soft layer of fleece, which wicks the wetness away from the skin and into the insert.



There are multiple rows of snaps on the diaper to ensure that you get a snug fit around the waist and the legs. The whole thing ends up going on and looking very much like a disposable diaper.



Seems easy enough right now. We'll see if that turns out to be the case when the boy gets here.

Week 34

The baby is now about 5 1/2 pounds, his lungs are fully developed, and he's already capable of having dreams. (What on earth would a fetus dream about?) Mackensie goes to the doctor again this week, so hopefully we'll have more good news to report.



-P