Baby Projects

 A few of the things I have not been able to resist making during my time off this past month:

Tie Dye Onesie

Tie Dye "Moby" Baby Wrap

Golden Baby Snuggle Wrap

(This pattern comes from Stitch Me Softly!)

The baby booties (below) can be found as a free download on Ravelry.

"Lil' Footies" Baby Booties

 

 

 

Little Birds painted mirror

Papier Mache Moon Lantern

The baby things

Hmm, are we ready for baby's arrival?..

Change Table

Diapers on the line on a breezy, 24 degree day in March!

Moon rattle wristlet

Bassinet, found secondhand, with toy bunny

Whale bathtub and hooded towel

...I think so! With under two weeks till due date I am still feeling a strong compulsion to clean the apartment, do laundry and have everything tidy and easily accessible when we get home from the hospital. It also feels like it's time to get the garden started; I plan to do lots of potted herbs and some greens outside the apartment. Haven't gotten to the plant nursery yet though! 

Mom and I went for a final shopping trip to pack my bag with everything we'll need at the hospital and I am super pleased that it's all ready to go. I needed a final push to just do it (Thanks Mom!), even though it left me feeling fatigued for a few days after!

The diapers have all been pre-washed in hot water about 4 times. That's the prefold inserts and the pocket diaper liners. The actual pocket diapers I only washed twice, as fleece is already pretty absorbent.

I have been watching Youtube videos of how to tie-dye lately; my newest obsession. Today I went for it and dyed the strips of cotton Jersey fabric I'm using to make a "Moby" style baby wrap. I also dyed one of my plain white 0-3months short-sleeve onesies. Pictures to follow! 

I have been feeling generally great. Baby is head down, and still kicking with great frequence. Sleeping is the most difficult task right now, as I'm sure all pregnant women their last month would concur. I put off going to pee as long as I can!  Walking after getting out of bed is also a great challenge, and leg cramps persist at nighttime. 

I have been pretty hungry lately, maybe moreso than earlier in the pregnancy, with cravings for chocolate, cookies, decaf coffee, and still lots of juice and fruit. Weight gain is nearing the 30lb mark.

We've been watching lots of movies when Patrick is off (he's been working like crazy at the farm!) and I've been taking the dog out to run on the trails at the farm where he works. 

Still doesn't seem real that we'll have a baby in the next couple of weeks. Though the mini one hasn't dropped or "engaged" yet and first-time mothers often go past their due date, we are hoping for April 6th, at night, when there shall be a magical full moon. We may as well try and put in our order!

Life is very exciting.

A Labour of Love

Finally, my four-month-long blanket project is completed, with three weeks to spare. May our baby spend many warm, colourful, and tactile hours with this.

P.S. Our baby has reached FULL TERM STATUS at 37 weeks! We made it! He could be born healthily at any time now. We're just hoping he waits a little longer so Patrick can save just a bit more money.

Diapers, Ina May and the final countdown.

Springtime rapidly approaches, and sometime, anytime, in the next 4-5 weeks we will have a baby. 

Patrick took this past weekend off for us to have a last solid couple of days of time spent together. It was our version of a babymoon; we slept in, cooked, watched movies, took the dog for an adventure… it was pretty great!

On Friday our obstetrician told us the ultrasound had been great, and there are no problems. He is just a small baby; in the 30^th percentile.  She said the blood flow from the placenta was perfect, and matched how it was last ultrasound. 

I sorted out the cloth diaper conundrum on Friday as well. Mom and I visited a shop near the city and spoke with the owner who had lots of information and suggestions. I originally planned to use a newborn size pocket cloth diaper rental kit from her for the first 8 weeks, then switch to the regular one-size Babyland pocket diapers I was going to buy more of (I already have a few). She ended up convincing me to buy, instead of renting anything, a different type of pocket diaper (Charlie Banana) which is a higher quality that works better and can be resold later, and also is made so it can actually fit newborns.  I went with 6 of those and 12 organic cotton prefolds with 2 Bummis (aren't all the names just great?) newborn covers, which should last us fine for the first couple of months.

In other news, we decided to have a doula at our birth, and have met with her once already. We first met her when she sat in on of our prenatal classes along with another doula. She is not fully certified or trained yet, but is passionate and seemingly experienced, and most importantly, easy to talk to. We both felt from the start that if we used a doula, it would need to be someone we felt a positive connection with immediately. I am really pleased about it. We’ll probably meet with her a few more times before the birth. She gave us some great books, including Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, which is transforming Patrick’s and my whole understanding of childbirth. I spent the entire morning reading this in bed today. It’s a must-read for anyone.

Back to the baby laundry! I’m washing all our 0-3 and newborn size clothes and receiving blankets today. We finally have a washer. 

And keep moving, tiny one. Keep kicking me in the ribs all you want, I know I'll miss it some day. You don’t have as much room as you used to, but savour these last weeks in your little cocoon…

35 Weeks

This journey feels like it's been long, but in relevance to the complexity of the human that has developed during it, it seems so incredibly short, or timeless.

We saw our little guy a few days ago, when we had our third ultrasound of the pregnancy,  to check size and blood flow due to my lower fundal height measurement. The tech was able to confirm for us without any doubt that he's a boy. He was adorable! He's upside-down, and constantly moving. She couldn't get a clear shot of his face, as his busy hands were covering it, but did get a view of his buttony nose (nostrils) and mouth from the front.. He also had one of his (very small and cute) feet very close to his face. I have a much better understanding of what he's doing now when I feel his bum against my ribs (almost constantly). We saw his spine, his ribs, his legs, his bladder, his strong heartbeat. We will find out how the ultrasound went when we see our obstetrician on Friday, but if there was a problem we should have already found out. Till then I am trying my best to eat as much as possible and gain those last five or six pounds for baby.

Yesterday was the baby shower my mom held for me with my sister's help, and it was super fun. There were lots of white and blue balloons, yellow ribbons, and a cute "baby shower" banner with baby Winnie the Pooh characters on it. Some lovely friends and family came over and we ate wonderful food (vegan "egg salad" and chickpea salad on baguette with sprouts, hummus, Tofutti cream cheese dip, tons of veggies and fruit, pasta salad, toasted seasoned cashews and peanuts, cookies, vegan chocolate dream squares, date squares, fruit crisp...) and drew names for beautiful gifts that my mom had put in a basket. I received so many amazing and thoughtful baby gifts, and even a hand blender and a cd from my husband who showed up later. Even though I feel so aware of the baby and the due date, after being surrounded by so much support it felt like this is really happening. Not that it takes much to get me emotional, but this definitely did. As I haven't felt a single contraction to date, it feels pretty strange to know (rather, hope) that in a matter of weeks my body will know to give birth to the baby. And then we will have a little boy, a boy who we won't ever not have again.

It is so great to be off work; I constantly feel the urge to just get all the last minute tasks done, all the nesting, buying the baby equipment, all the food prep, and the relaxation. Just getting over a cold today, which slowed me down a little, although I could of course still knit so everything was fine. One square to go for the blanket!

Baby boy, keep up all your kicking; you are doing so good. You have a very lucky family and a beautiful world ready to greet you. The night you are born, I will recite Goodnight Moon to you, okay? xoxo Mama oxoxo

Last day of work!!!

So begins the last month of preparation for our little guy! And little is apparently what he is. Our obstetrician saw that my fundal height had been a little behind for the past month or so but in the last couple of weeks started to to fall a bit more behind (31 cm at 34 weeks). She assured me I shouldn't worry and the size of the baby has nothing to do with how I've eaten or anything. But she is sending us to get another ultrasound before she sees us again, just to measure baby again and double check that everything's fine. Ultimately, he'll likely arrive as a six-pounder. No complaints there.

Today I work for four hours and am then free to knit and nest as much as possible in the next month, or however long until babe gets here! The lifting is getting really hard, especially with the nerve pain I'm getting in my sitting bones. Not to mention just awkward with my winter jacket and big belly in the way.

I have gained just over 24 pounds as of today.
Now if they would just call about that ultrasound, I'm excited to see our baby one more time before he's born!

<3

Mmmushroom Soup

Mushroom soup is controversial... it is right in the league of things like olives and raisins, those food items that one either- as they say- loves, or hates. All of the aforementioned foods fall into the former category for me, and I like to think it's because I have slightly gourmet tastebuds.  I happen to worship the glory of the mushroom, in all its salty, flavourful richness, and always have. As someone who even enjoyed those cans of cream of mushroom soup as a kid, I admit my love for them is not fickle, but as I've learned to cook over the last several years I have gained new appreciation for the methods that best honour the flavour and texture of these beauteous gems from the world of fungi.

This recipe is something that does capture these qualities, in creamy, luxurious soup form. As I have craved little during this pregnancy other than lots of pure fruit juice and a good bowl of soup, I cannot help but give the recipe, titled "On Golden Pond Mushroom Soup", from La Dolce Vegan by the famous Sarah Kramer a respectful mention. Creamy, mushroomy, dill-y perfection. It definitely outshone the mashed potatoes I also made for dinner, and my baby now has the hiccups (whatever that may mean!). I am very excited that I have leftovers for tomorrow.

32 weeks, 5 days

Coming up on 33 weeks! Belly has grown substantially in the past two weeks, as I’ve had confirmed by everyone I know.  Fundal height measured 30 cm, at the last appointment when I was 32 weeks, which is quite normal.

I often try to figure out what position the baby is in, and usually can’t. It just doesn’t feel like it could be the shape of a human. I try to use the hiccups as a guide to where the head is sometimes, and it still doesn’t always make sense based on where I’m getting kicked. Maybe it’s some other animal instead of a human!

I’ve gained about 23 pounds so far. I am more into smoothies now than any other time in the pregnancy which is fabulous because the Vega powder we use has tons of protein and iron and other stuff, all in one scoop. It’s like extra multi-vitamins in food form.

The more I think about the fact that there are 7 weeks left, the weirder I feel. I am enjoying this last bit, because I have the knowledge that without a doubt, a bomb is soon going to drop on our lives and change it forever. I am of course nothing but excited for this, but am still going to enjoy the last few weeks getting everything ready (I have so much left I want to make!) and resting.

I have been able to cook more during the last few weeks because my iron stores have begun to replenish themselves. The difference I feel since starting the supplement is amazing. Still breathless, but less heart pounding, better sleeps and much higher overall energy.  I have made things like granola bars; Shepard’s Pie with lentils, bulgar, and veggies; vegan mac and cheese;  Miso Soba Noodle Soup; and lots more salads.  It is great that I’ll be finished work at the end of February so I can keep this up while Patrick continues to work like crazy to the finish, so he can have a few weeks off when the babe is born.

I need to get off the computer now, I am making Squash-stuffed Canelloni for dinner! Happy kicking and hammock laying, my precious little baby!

You’re mine and I made you

Dear Baby,

We have been together for almost 30 weeks! Only eight or so more until we become separate and part of the same world.  You are spending a lot of your time these days curled up sideways. I love looking down and imagining you in there, and will cradle you lots when you’re outside my uterus and in my arms.  You sure move and kick lots, sometimes turning upside down, and I often feel your small arms, hands and feet moving along the walls of your little home, especially when I rest my arms there; you seem to like resisting pressure.  I hope you’re still content in there, even though there’s less and less space as you grow bigger.  You often get the hiccups (just like me), much to my amusement.

Your father and I keep reading Goodnight Moon to you every night. I promise to keep reading it to you before bed after you’re born. I think you’ll recognize it.

When I think of you, I sometimes get a feeling like a balloon swelling up inside me that I have no control of, filling me almost over capacity with delight and happiness.  I am indescribably excited to hold you for the first time and count your little fingers and toes, and see your eyes, nose, ears, mouth, knees, and belly for the first time. So is your dad.

I’m making you a moon lantern, a colourful quilt, a cosy sweater, a snuggly wrap, some paintings, a gi for you to wear when we introduce you to our friends at the martial arts gym where your dad works, some fun hats, and even custom onesies. There will be a friend who makes you a mobile with fuzzy felted creatures to look at when you lie in bed.  There are so many colours in the world and I can’t wait for you to see it all.

I don’t know when your birthday will be or how the delivery will unfold, but I am counting on one that keeps you as safe as can be, and brings you into the world unharmed. And that’s what will happen; there will be helpful people to ensure it.  Just make sure you flip upside down, with your back facing my front, and we’ll both be fine!

Babies are born all the time, but you’re mine, and I made you. Perhaps it is in my biology to feel this way but it doesn’t make it less exciting. You and the task of helping you along your path already mean the world to me.  

Love, your mama

31 Weeks and Low Iron

Day two on blackstrap molasses.

We got a call from our obstetrician shortly after our family doctor made the referral, and ended up having an appointment with her just two weeks later. She seemed really great; easy to talk to, asking lots of questions and interested in the answers to them.  We hadn’t even yet finished seeing our family doctor, but as we’ll be seeing our obstetrician every two weeks from now on, we gladly cancelled our last appointment with her. One of the main things that happened from this new appointment was that I got another blood work requisition because my haemoglobin levels hadn’t been checked as they routinely should at 28 weeks (Just one more reason to never go back to this doctor).  Two days after I completed the blood work, my obstetrician called and told me that my blood count was low.  I felt this was a very helpful discovery, as it helps explain the exhaustion I’ve felt the last few weeks. Another symptom I’ve felt a little nervous about is the heart palpitations I seem to get a few times a day, notably when sitting down and without physical activity. It’s a strange feeling of too little oxygen in my blood and an acute awareness of my heartbeat, which is very fast these days.  So I’ve yet to really find out if it’s the low iron levels that’s causing that or not. It’s a little weird when I can’t get to sleep at night because I feel like I’m out of oxygen. Hopefully after a week or two of taking blackstrap molasses (two tablespoons of this will provide 70% of your usual daily need) and orange juice (vitamin c improves iron uptake) in the morning, consciously eating more iron-rich foods, and taking a ferrous gluconate supplement, I will start to see a difference in these symptoms.

Iron rich foods include:

-fortified cereals

-Oatmeal

-Tofu

-Soybeans

-Kidney beans

-Sea vegetables

-Lentils

-Spinach

-Chickpeas

-Blackstrap molasses

-Raisins

Besides that, the prenatal classes have been great. We’ve had three so far and they are very comprehensive and the public health nurse who teaches it is great. The classes have me thinking much more about labour and what will work best for us. Sometimes I get stressed, as there’s a lot of information out there, but then I remember that the baby is the only thing that matters.  For the second prenatal class Patrick and I brought the snacks, as there was only a budget for snacks for the first session. I made white bean hummus with roasted garlic and dill with a lots of veggies, and mini cinnamon coffee cake muffins.

I feel a little chaotic as there’s much more I want to think and write about, but I have to go to work. Only four days to go, though, and then three days off to rest and nest. :)

 Thirty weeks and counting.

 The blanket (and the belly, as you can see) keep growing.

THIRD TRIMESTER

28 weeks

Having reached 28 weeks as of this past Friday, I am officially in the THIRD TRIMESTER! It amazes me to think about the progress this baby has made (and that any baby makes) in such a short time. Since it doesn’t seem so long ago that the presence in my belly was so teeny-tiny I couldn’t even be sure it was there, it’s crazy that a few months later I can’t forget about his presence because he’s made my belly so big. There’s no time now that I don’t feel him in there, either squished way up at the top of my uterus, trying to squeeze under my ribs, or somewhere else, turning around or kicking, or even just resting. I can feel his body by pressing lightly on almost any part of my stomach.

As I know is normal (or am learning so), in the last week or so I have started experiencing breathlessness really frequently. Where a gal’s diaphragm usually needs to go down and expand out for her to breathe in and out properly, the baby is now occupying that space. This makes me feel like there’s just not quite enough air to breathe, and as a result I get head rushes very easily, and a throbbing feeling in my veins, even when I’m lying in bed trying to get to sleep. It’s such a strange feeling, and I know it’ll only get more intense as baby gets bigger. As my mom says, it’s nature’s way of making me want to finally have the baby!

Our prenatal class from last week was cancelled because we had a snowstorm that day. So we start it this Thursday. It’s six weeks in duration so it’ll be the end of February by the time we’re done. At that time I’ll want to have perfected my Kegel routine. I still only do it randomly, and it’s usually at work that I practise, because I have to stand for large amounts of time. With being so easily winded now though I need to take sitting breaks pretty frequently! The hours are great; the standing and lifting 10-15lb baskets of apples, not so much. 

 I've noticed I'm not gaining much weight at all in the past couple of weeks. I'm not particularly worried, but I do want to gain a healthy amount. Since I currently eat tons of healthy food, I don't see how I can gain at a much faster rate. The baby has measured normal at all the appointments we've had, so I assume that's the most important part.

Happy moving, little baby! Enjoy it ‘cause you won’t have that much room to do it soon!