Crafting for baby boy
This last Sunday, I was able to finish up some crafting and laundry for our son.
Did I mention we are set on our name for him? Val Joseph!
We have had the same names since TTC in 2009. We like shorter names and we both always liked Val. Plus Val is English and means strong.
How appropriate for our ONLY normal embryo! Strong and brave....valiant.
I wonder if his name will get popular since Val Chmerkovskiy won Dancing with the Stars this season? LOL
Joseph is for my husband's father. He died in 1999. My father's middle name is Joseph, so it was a perfect match.
Did I mention we are set on our name for him? Val Joseph!
We have had the same names since TTC in 2009. We like shorter names and we both always liked Val. Plus Val is English and means strong.
How appropriate for our ONLY normal embryo! Strong and brave....valiant.
I wonder if his name will get popular since Val Chmerkovskiy won Dancing with the Stars this season? LOL
Joseph is for my husband's father. He died in 1999. My father's middle name is Joseph, so it was a perfect match.
I made this cardigan onesie to take him home from the hospital in. It took much longer than expected, but check out this website if you want to make your own. There's only about $3 worth of materials here, which is awesome! |
Since we will be putting him downstairs in the pack and play bassinet or Rock n Play swing to sleep, I wanted to have a place where we could store things for changing him.
The pack and play has a changing table fold out thingy. Here's what I did.
I got cardboard boxes and covered them in fabric. I got the shelving thing from Walmart. I bought badge protectors there too and hot glued them to the front. Then I printed card-stock labels to slide into the badge protectors.
The top holds a basket of diaper cream, q-tips, lotion, and baby powder. I put the wipes container and extra wipes there. Obviously, this set up will change, but I just wanted to get it set up. I plan on putting the pack and play next to the shelving unit.
I got the orange blanket on Etsy from the seller firstcrushdesigns. It has a sports background that has basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs, and footballs on the back. It is minky on both sides. It cost like $44 cuz I got the big size.
I bought the football fabric at Walmart and followed this website to make the no-sew crib skirt. I didn't sew anything and used heat bond hemming tape. I also got that at Walmart. I put the velcro tabs onto the mattress frame.
For the teething covers, I did the same thing with the tape and then I put sticky velcro to secure the 2 sides together. I couldn't really find a tutorial online, because I didn't want to get out the sewing machine and deal with that shit. So I just stuck them on...yes I know when I wash them, they might come off, but I did hand sew some of the them and just got annoyed.
The burlap letters were from Walmart. I cut out letters from Microsoft Word and cut them out onto freezer paper. I then ironed the freezer paper with the shiny side down. The shiny part acted like a mild glue. I then used acrylic paints to blot onto the areas that were cut out.
I used chevron tape from Walmart to make the stripes. We were going to mount the letters above the crib, but that would be stupid since it could hit him on the head.
I bought the football fabric at Walmart and followed this website to make the no-sew crib skirt. I didn't sew anything and used heat bond hemming tape. I also got that at Walmart. I put the velcro tabs onto the mattress frame.
For the teething covers, I did the same thing with the tape and then I put sticky velcro to secure the 2 sides together. I couldn't really find a tutorial online, because I didn't want to get out the sewing machine and deal with that shit. So I just stuck them on...yes I know when I wash them, they might come off, but I did hand sew some of the them and just got annoyed.
The burlap letters were from Walmart. I cut out letters from Microsoft Word and cut them out onto freezer paper. I then ironed the freezer paper with the shiny side down. The shiny part acted like a mild glue. I then used acrylic paints to blot onto the areas that were cut out.
I used chevron tape from Walmart to make the stripes. We were going to mount the letters above the crib, but that would be stupid since it could hit him on the head.
I bought this from Etsy too. The seller is Butterflykisses4baby. It was $30!
I plan on using it for his newborn photo shoot.
28 weeks testing
I was scheduled for a non-stress test, so I figured I'd kill 3 birds with one stone and do my RhoGAM shot, bloodwork, and 1 hour glucose test at the same time.
You're supposed to register every time you have to go to the hospital for labs or testing. So I always call a few days beforehand.
I called on Thursday for Saturday. In the previous times I've called, they accept "pregnancy" as the reason for my testing.
Well, wouldn't you know, today wasn't the case.
"What's your reason for testing?" the registration woman said.
"Pregnancy" I answered.
"That's not good enough."
"Ummm, okay. Well, high risk pregnancy."
"What makes you high risk?" she snapped.
LOL "What do you want to hear? There's several reasons: infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, artificial reproductive technology? Are any of those good enough?" I laughed.
"Okay you're all registered." she said.
Well, that pissed me off. so I called the Labor and Delivery floor to tell them about that and ask what exactly am I supposed to say to the registration desk.
Apparently, that registration woman called L&D and asked them about me. I asked her what I should say and she said they'd talk about it on Saturday. She was very nice saying that she did think the woman was rude and could've spoke in a better tone.
I wanted to make sure they could get my RhoGAM ready since the paper stated it could only be used 72 hours after being made.
You're supposed to register every time you have to go to the hospital for labs or testing. So I always call a few days beforehand.
I called on Thursday for Saturday. In the previous times I've called, they accept "pregnancy" as the reason for my testing.
Well, wouldn't you know, today wasn't the case.
"What's your reason for testing?" the registration woman said.
"Pregnancy" I answered.
"That's not good enough."
"Ummm, okay. Well, high risk pregnancy."
"What makes you high risk?" she snapped.
LOL "What do you want to hear? There's several reasons: infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, artificial reproductive technology? Are any of those good enough?" I laughed.
"Okay you're all registered." she said.
Well, that pissed me off. so I called the Labor and Delivery floor to tell them about that and ask what exactly am I supposed to say to the registration desk.
Apparently, that registration woman called L&D and asked them about me. I asked her what I should say and she said they'd talk about it on Saturday. She was very nice saying that she did think the woman was rude and could've spoke in a better tone.
I wanted to make sure they could get my RhoGAM ready since the paper stated it could only be used 72 hours after being made.
So I ask her about getting the other bloodwork done and the glucose test. I want to make sure that I can do all of those at the same time.
When you drink the glu-cola for the glucose test, you are not supposed to leave the lab. But L&D said that I could since I'm just going upstairs to lay down on a hospital bed with monitors on me.
I even called the lab and they said it was fine and I was to tell the girl at the front desk when I came in. Had everything in line because I fucking KNEW if I went in there on Saturday, they'd act all dumb.
Well what do you think happened when I went on Saturday? The lab was acting like that glu-cola cost $10 billion.
"You can't drink it and leave."
"I'm just going up to L&D to lay. I have to get my RhoGAM shot up there too."
"Do they monitor you? Do you need the RhoGAM bloodwork done too?"
"Ummm, yeah. I have nurses that literally put monitors on me and I cannot move. They come in to check up on me. I already have had RhoGAM twice with D&Cs. I know that I'm B negative."
"How long is the non-stress test?"
"1 hour at least. I literally just lay there."
"Well, you can't leave once you drink it. We HAVE to watch you."
"I understand that. But since I'm being watched and monitored with 2 machines, can't someone wheel me up there after I drink it? I don't want to be here for 3 hours."
"After you do your test, you can come back down and then do the 1 hour glucose test."
"I don't want to be here for 3 hours, that is why I called ahead of time to make sure it was okay. I was told it was. "
"Let me call up to L&D."
eyeroll........
Then this older lab worker lady chimes in "My granddaughter had to get the non-stress tests too. They just lay there and they are monitored for an hour. If she said it was okay, I bet it's fine."
I'm thinking...okay people listen to this old bitch. She knows what's up.
"Okay they said the test is 30 minutes long. She will be monitored. Are you sure you don't need the bloodwork to check if you are B negative?"
"I'm never up there for 30 minutes...it's always longer. I was told this was all okay. I literally knew that there'd be a problem and that is why I called ahead of time to make sure. Yes, I know I'm B negative."
"Let me ask my supervisor."
eyeroll......
Supervisor comes out and says: "See the problem is that when you drink the glu-cola, you cannot leave because we have to monitor you. If you walk anyway, that could change the result of the test. Then you have to get re-drawn after the hour is over"
"I'm going to be monitored..I need to get my RhoGAM shot up there too. Can't I just get wheeled up there in a wheelchair? I just don't want to be here for 3 hours when I'm going to literally just lay down on a hospital bed for an hour. I was told that I could get re-drawn up in L&D too."
"Okay, we can do that."
So I get my the other bloodwork drawn, the glucose before I drink the glu-cola, and then the phlebotomist tells me I'm going to get pricked twice.
"I've been doing fertility treatments for years, so I'm used to getting pricked."
I think because you're young, medical professionals assume you've never had any surgeries, lab work or testing.
The supervisor gave me the glu-cola and I was expecting a pop colored drink: this was orange.
It tasted good I thought: like kool-aid without a lot of water in it.
"You'll have to be back down in the lab at 1:05 to get your blood drawn."
"L&D said I could be drawn up there while I'm laying the bed."
Just let me leave...I'm responsible. They must be used to idiots.
So I walk to the wheelchair that was outside of the lab door and then she wheeled me onto the elevator.
I've never felt so stupid then to get wheeled up there. Oh well.
Once I got up there, I went to my room, got set up to lay there.
I was set up 12:17 pm and then the phlebotomist came up at 1:11 pm to drawn my blood.
I stayed doing the non-stress test and didn't end up leaving the bed until 1:45 pm. I think they were busy because after I drank that glu-cola, Val was kicking me like crazy.
The L&D nurse is my age and a friend of a friend, so I was telling her about the whole scenario. She said while I was doing the non-stress test, she got like a million calls about me.
"What did they want to know?"
"Oh they were asking: Where's Julie? Do you still have her up there? Are you watching her?"
Oh god, what the hell? Can't anyone be responsible?
I got my RhoGAM IM shot into my left quadrant and finally could go.
What a frigging ordeal for nothing.
Lesson: call ahead of time, get people's names written down, show up early, and don't let them talk you out of getting what you want done dammit!
When you drink the glu-cola for the glucose test, you are not supposed to leave the lab. But L&D said that I could since I'm just going upstairs to lay down on a hospital bed with monitors on me.
I even called the lab and they said it was fine and I was to tell the girl at the front desk when I came in. Had everything in line because I fucking KNEW if I went in there on Saturday, they'd act all dumb.
Well what do you think happened when I went on Saturday? The lab was acting like that glu-cola cost $10 billion.
"You can't drink it and leave."
"I'm just going up to L&D to lay. I have to get my RhoGAM shot up there too."
"Do they monitor you? Do you need the RhoGAM bloodwork done too?"
"Ummm, yeah. I have nurses that literally put monitors on me and I cannot move. They come in to check up on me. I already have had RhoGAM twice with D&Cs. I know that I'm B negative."
"How long is the non-stress test?"
"1 hour at least. I literally just lay there."
"Well, you can't leave once you drink it. We HAVE to watch you."
"I understand that. But since I'm being watched and monitored with 2 machines, can't someone wheel me up there after I drink it? I don't want to be here for 3 hours."
"After you do your test, you can come back down and then do the 1 hour glucose test."
"I don't want to be here for 3 hours, that is why I called ahead of time to make sure it was okay. I was told it was. "
"Let me call up to L&D."
eyeroll........
Then this older lab worker lady chimes in "My granddaughter had to get the non-stress tests too. They just lay there and they are monitored for an hour. If she said it was okay, I bet it's fine."
I'm thinking...okay people listen to this old bitch. She knows what's up.
"Okay they said the test is 30 minutes long. She will be monitored. Are you sure you don't need the bloodwork to check if you are B negative?"
"I'm never up there for 30 minutes...it's always longer. I was told this was all okay. I literally knew that there'd be a problem and that is why I called ahead of time to make sure. Yes, I know I'm B negative."
"Let me ask my supervisor."
eyeroll......
Supervisor comes out and says: "See the problem is that when you drink the glu-cola, you cannot leave because we have to monitor you. If you walk anyway, that could change the result of the test. Then you have to get re-drawn after the hour is over"
"I'm going to be monitored..I need to get my RhoGAM shot up there too. Can't I just get wheeled up there in a wheelchair? I just don't want to be here for 3 hours when I'm going to literally just lay down on a hospital bed for an hour. I was told that I could get re-drawn up in L&D too."
"Okay, we can do that."
So I get my the other bloodwork drawn, the glucose before I drink the glu-cola, and then the phlebotomist tells me I'm going to get pricked twice.
"I've been doing fertility treatments for years, so I'm used to getting pricked."
I think because you're young, medical professionals assume you've never had any surgeries, lab work or testing.
The supervisor gave me the glu-cola and I was expecting a pop colored drink: this was orange.
It tasted good I thought: like kool-aid without a lot of water in it.
"You'll have to be back down in the lab at 1:05 to get your blood drawn."
"L&D said I could be drawn up there while I'm laying the bed."
Just let me leave...I'm responsible. They must be used to idiots.
So I walk to the wheelchair that was outside of the lab door and then she wheeled me onto the elevator.
I've never felt so stupid then to get wheeled up there. Oh well.
Once I got up there, I went to my room, got set up to lay there.
I was set up 12:17 pm and then the phlebotomist came up at 1:11 pm to drawn my blood.
I stayed doing the non-stress test and didn't end up leaving the bed until 1:45 pm. I think they were busy because after I drank that glu-cola, Val was kicking me like crazy.
The L&D nurse is my age and a friend of a friend, so I was telling her about the whole scenario. She said while I was doing the non-stress test, she got like a million calls about me.
"What did they want to know?"
"Oh they were asking: Where's Julie? Do you still have her up there? Are you watching her?"
Oh god, what the hell? Can't anyone be responsible?
I got my RhoGAM IM shot into my left quadrant and finally could go.
What a frigging ordeal for nothing.
Lesson: call ahead of time, get people's names written down, show up early, and don't let them talk you out of getting what you want done dammit!
OB appointment at 28 weeks, 6 days
My weight was still 276.8, so I hadn't gained anything since the last appt 2 weeks ago. Blood pressure, fetal heart rate, proteins, and glucose in the urine were fine too.
My fundal height was 33 weeks. I've been consistently going up 5 centimeters each time.
I passed my glucose test!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! I heard it was downright impossible for anyone too. I got a 108 when the cutoff was 131. Yay to me!
I won't need to do the 3 hour glucose test and deal with those lab people again! Woot! Woot!
My OB said my red blood cell count was great and to quote her "Whatever you are eating and taking for vitamins, keep on doing! These numbers are excellent!"
I have been getting really itchy ankles and tops of my feet. My OB said that is due to the swelling. What I found that really eliminated it was using Tinactin...the foot fungus stuff! I do notice when I go to the pool, my feet can get itchy from the chlorine (I assume its the pool chemicals). So I'm glad it could do double duty.
My husband, father, and brother are getting the Tdap vaccine tomorrow. My mom already had hers done during work, and I plan on getting mine at 33 weeks on July 10. Our area does a clinic at the hospital were the shots cost $5. If you go to CVS or Walgreens, I guess you are spending $60 plus.
They recommend anyone that is around the baby to have the vaccine.
My fundal height was 33 weeks. I've been consistently going up 5 centimeters each time.
I passed my glucose test!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! I heard it was downright impossible for anyone too. I got a 108 when the cutoff was 131. Yay to me!
I won't need to do the 3 hour glucose test and deal with those lab people again! Woot! Woot!
My OB said my red blood cell count was great and to quote her "Whatever you are eating and taking for vitamins, keep on doing! These numbers are excellent!"
I have been getting really itchy ankles and tops of my feet. My OB said that is due to the swelling. What I found that really eliminated it was using Tinactin...the foot fungus stuff! I do notice when I go to the pool, my feet can get itchy from the chlorine (I assume its the pool chemicals). So I'm glad it could do double duty.
My husband, father, and brother are getting the Tdap vaccine tomorrow. My mom already had hers done during work, and I plan on getting mine at 33 weeks on July 10. Our area does a clinic at the hospital were the shots cost $5. If you go to CVS or Walgreens, I guess you are spending $60 plus.
They recommend anyone that is around the baby to have the vaccine.
High Risk OB appt at 29 weeks, 3 days
My blood pressure was good today. The non-stress test I did while there was good too.
So, my weight didn't change since last month when I was there. I thought that was no biggie since my regular OB noticed that last Thursday and said it was good I was "maintaining." I've gained 23.8 lbs so far.
This OB was not happy about no weight increase though.
"Your weight did not change since last time."
"Yeah."
"Are you trying to lose weight?"
LOL "No, definitely not."
"You should be gaining each time you are here."
"We eat a lot...she eats a lot. We had 2 burgers for lunch yesterday. We have ice cream every night. She definitely eats." ~my husband chimed in. Meanwhile, these were thick burgers made on the grill.
"2 burgers? I do not think that is a lot. Did you have 2 portions of fries too?"
"Yeah, I had fries, but like 1 1/2 portions." LOL
"She eats a lot of fruit, too."
Well, that was surprising! I never thought at 276.8 lbs that I would have a doctor saying I needed to gain weight!
He continued measuring all the body parts, umbilical cord flow, and fluid.
Everything looked normal! I asked the OB about Val having a big head and he said the body has caught up more with the size of the head.
Val is 3lbs, 6 oz now! WOW! He grew from 2 lbs four weeks. So amazing!
I will see go back in one month.
So, my weight didn't change since last month when I was there. I thought that was no biggie since my regular OB noticed that last Thursday and said it was good I was "maintaining." I've gained 23.8 lbs so far.
This OB was not happy about no weight increase though.
"Your weight did not change since last time."
"Yeah."
"Are you trying to lose weight?"
LOL "No, definitely not."
"You should be gaining each time you are here."
"We eat a lot...she eats a lot. We had 2 burgers for lunch yesterday. We have ice cream every night. She definitely eats." ~my husband chimed in. Meanwhile, these were thick burgers made on the grill.
"2 burgers? I do not think that is a lot. Did you have 2 portions of fries too?"
"Yeah, I had fries, but like 1 1/2 portions." LOL
"She eats a lot of fruit, too."
Well, that was surprising! I never thought at 276.8 lbs that I would have a doctor saying I needed to gain weight!
He continued measuring all the body parts, umbilical cord flow, and fluid.
Everything looked normal! I asked the OB about Val having a big head and he said the body has caught up more with the size of the head.
Val is 3lbs, 6 oz now! WOW! He grew from 2 lbs four weeks. So amazing!
I will see go back in one month.
Exercising
I have worked out every day (except when I thought I had a circumvallate placenta) and done several different pregnancy videos from YouTube. I do the workouts and then I lift one body part a day. I use 5 pound weights. It was very difficult to transition from my normal lifting to less than 10 pounds. I have been lifting weights since I was in 7th grade.
I had heard of some people buying workout DVDs...yeah, I'm not doing that. There's great stuff online for free, so why buy anything?
Some of these are specified 3rd trimester or 2nd trimester. I'm not on any activity modifications, so I can do these videos. Just make sure your doctor knows you are working out. I can't lay on my back to do any ab workouts or exercises, so the videos modify that with putting pillows behind you to create an angle.
Here's some of the videos I like. Most are under 15 minutes.
I had heard of some people buying workout DVDs...yeah, I'm not doing that. There's great stuff online for free, so why buy anything?
Some of these are specified 3rd trimester or 2nd trimester. I'm not on any activity modifications, so I can do these videos. Just make sure your doctor knows you are working out. I can't lay on my back to do any ab workouts or exercises, so the videos modify that with putting pillows behind you to create an angle.
Here's some of the videos I like. Most are under 15 minutes.