Sunday, May 20, 2012

My Birth Story!

The final belly shot!




If you had been reading my blog, you knew that I was supposed to be going in to HP Regional Hospital on the morning of the 17th. I was supposed to call at 6am that morning and they would tell me what time to come in to be admitted. Well, that didn't happen like it was supposed to! 
Apparently, Dr. Eisenberg meant to tell us we were having a NIGHT induction instead and we were supposed to be at the hospital on the night of the 16th. So, as I'm finishing up last minute to-do's and I've just taken off my make up and my contacts and am getting into bed, I get a phone call from the hospital asking me why I never called in to come be induced! I was in shock. I thought I had one more night in my own bed!! But no, my doctor had told me wrong so I had to call Ben who was just finishing up at work and we packed up the car and headed to the hospital Wednesday night.
We got to the hospital around 10:30PM. The way a night induction works is they give you cervadil to ripen your cervix and you keep it in all night and in the morning they take it out and start the IV with pitocin. 
So after answering a million health questions, strapping me to the monitor that reads the baby's heart rate and my contractions and getting some blood drawn, the nurse puts a tampon-like thing with the cervadil on it up near my cervix and I go to sleep. She had ordered a sleeping pill for me because they really want you to be well rested for the next day but I was so tired I didn't even need it. 
The sleep wasn't very comfortable but since I'd woken up so early that morning and had made myself walk around Target and do a lot of laundry, I was exhausted and slept pretty deep. 


The next morning (Thursday, the 17th) I was woken up at around 7:30am by Doctor Patel. He told me that they were going to start the IV soon and they were going to break my water. Then he left and our nurse, Kelly, came in. She let me freshen up a little and she talked to us which made us feel really comfortable. I was really nervous and was lucky to have her as my nurse because she was GREAT and talked me through a lot of labor. 
Kelly started my IV in my forearm which didn't hurt as bad and allowed me to be able to use my hands throughout labor which was nice. Then she started the pitocin which would simulate contractions. Then Doctor Mattern came in a checked to see how dilated I was. 
I was still only 1 or 2 cm dilated but I was now 80% effaced which meant that the cervadil had done it's job successfully. She took this long stick looking thing and broke my water with it.
Now, what you see in movies is completely different from what really happens when you have your water broken. In the movies, the star is out and about somewhere and has that "oh no my water broke!" moment and that's that. Well, in real life, it gushes out... and then continues to leak until you've given birth to the baby. Not fun at all! So basically, you feel like you have peed yourself because it's a bunch of clear (and a little bloody) realllllly warm fluid and then every time you move or laugh more fluid will spill out. Just another one of the joys of labor!
So they break my water and then it's just a waiting game. The contractions started and on the monitor you can see the strength of each contraction measured in numbers. The numbers go up as the contraction gets more painful and as it's wearing off it gets lower. In the first few hours the contractions got up to the 50's (starting at like the 30's) and then early afternoon they were more like the 80's.
I didn't want an epidural because of countless reasons so I opted for pain medicine through the IV. In the beginning stages, it was a really helpful because it made me loopy (I basically felt drunk) and I didn't concentrate on the contractions. However, as the day progressed, they really only helped for about 20 minutes and then were pointless for pain. They could only give you them every 4 hours so I had about three doses total.
At one point (about 5:30pm or so) the pain was a lot worse (up in the 90's) so I had Kelly check to see how dilated I was. She had just checked me like an hour before and I was at 5cm so I was praying that I was more than that. She kept telling me all day to let her know if I start to feel more pressure than pain and I thought what I was feeling was pressure so she checked. Unfortunately, I was only 5 1/2 cm. 
Within the next hour, the pain got so unbelievable that I was almost to the point of screaming. The pain was at a point that felt way worse than before and the pain itself felt 'different' for lack of a better word. I had been managing the pain really well up until this point by breathing and mind control. A lot of pain is a mind game so I kept telling myself that it was temporary and as long as I survived the peak of each contraction, it would be over soon after. 
Since the pain was so much stronger and closer together and I was finally to the point where I thought I might start crying (I'd been really good until that point and hadn't shed a tear!), a new nurse had come to check on me since Kelly was helping with another delivery and I finally asked about an epidural. The nurse said that it would numb me and that they'd have to tell me when I was having contractions since I wouldn't feel them. 
If you know me, you know I am terrified of needles and don't like the idea of being numb and was SO determined to have a natural birth, so asking for the epidural was hard for me. But I was practically screaming at Ben to get it and so the nurse goes to get the anesthesiologist. 
This is where everything went downhill for me. The anesthesiologist took FOREVER to get to me since he was the ONLY one and that day had been crazy busy (they had SEVEN c-sections that day when they normally only did two!) and since I was at the point of getting an epidural, it was my breaking point so I really was not handling waiting very well. He finally comes in, they make me get in the opposite position that I was in that made contractions feel better (ugh!) and he does the epidural (ouch!) and I'm supposed to lie completely flat and it should take like fifteen minutes to kick in. 
So I'm lying there, practically screaming every time I have a contraction and the nurse keeps telling me that they are going to get farther apart and not as painful each time. 
Well, I'm waiting... and waiting... and she keeps telling me that it will take effect any minute. 
LIAR! Ah, it doesn't.
So she keeps telling me to wait five more minutes, five more minutes... making up excuses like gravity and blah blah and I'm just getting more mad and sending Ben outside to get her every five seconds because I'm not getting numb and nothing is feeling better. So finalllllly she says that it must not have taken and that she will get the anesthesiologist and see what he says. 
He says he needs to do another one and of course he is in the middle of doing something else so I have to wait a little bit and then when he comes in, he is not nice (not that he was in the beginning...) and is trying to blame the first on me saying my positioning when placing wasn't that good (well, if it wasn't, why did you stick me in that position? sigh.) and is forcing me into the worst position possible again and so he does it and I lay down again. 
And again I am waiting and my right leg is slightly numb but that's about it and the nurse is reassuring me saying that having an epidural not work the first time RARELY happens so there's nothing to worry about for this second one and that the contractions should slowly be getting better.
Well they aren't... again. And Ben asks her if they should check how dilated I am and she says she is going to once the epidural kicks in.
But it's not kicking in and I am feeling like I'm going to die. It was just awful.
By this point, it is 7pm and Doctor Sansing (thank god!) and my nurse Kelly come into the room.
Dr. Sansing immediately checks to see how dilated I am.
She checks me, looks up and says "Well, I can tell you why the epidural isn't working... You're fully dilated and it's time to push!"
That was the single most scary/exciting/full of relief statement I have ever heard in my life! 
I immediately start crying and the look on Ben's face is just priceless. If only I had known I was at 10 cm then I would've avoided the whole epidural process completely!
Both nurses had literally just told me their shift's were ending so I'd be getting new nurses but once Dr. Sansing said that to me, they immediately started getting me and the bed ready to push. 
They put the bed up, propped up my legs and Dr. Sansing put on all her gear and got below me. 
Each time I had a contraction, Ben and the two nurses would pull my legs toward me chest, I held my breath and put my chin to my chest and they counted to ten while I pushed with all my might. They did this two or three times during each contraction.
Dr. Sansing first rotated Jude since he was sideways and he needed to be face down and then he was finally coming out! 
She had to do an episiotomy unfortunately because he had his hand near his head and then I also tore. Luckily, the epidural had finally kicked in at this point (and I mean, JUST kicked in) and I didn't feel the cut. 
Once his head was out, it was SUCH a relief and so easy. The rest of him slid right out and all of a sudden Ben is cutting the cord and they are handing me this slimy, crying baby. 
It was so surreal. I can't even begin to describe all the emotions I was feeling. I couldn't believe that this baby had been inside me for 9 months and I literally just pushed him out of me. It is such a life changing and empowering moment and I was SO proud of myself for doing pretty much all of it without an epidural. 
As I'm holding the baby, I didn't even realize that the placenta came out and Dr. Sansing is stitching me all up. Ben got some pictures of the placenta and it is so gross and I can't believe that it was inside me! 
They let me hold Jude for about an hour, both our parents came in and we took pictures and then Ben went with the nursery nurse and they weighed Jude and did all the technical things. 
He weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 21 inches long! We were surprised he weighed that much since the doctors had been concerned he wasn't going to weigh much. But he is nice and healthy and very long! He has a lot of hair, dark eyes (we can't tell what color yet - either blue or brown), an adorable little nose, long toes, cute lips that he loves to suck in the bottom one, and tiny ears (like me!). He is very skinny but we will plump him up for sure!




















So, all in all, it was the best experience of my life because I pushed through the pain and ended up with an adorable baby boy. Jude is just so perfect and I love holding him and just staring at him. He came out with a full head of hair too so that thing about hair causing heartburn is definitely true! He is SUCH a cutie pie :)



Saturday, May 19, 2012

40 Weeks... kinda...



So I wrote this post on the 16th thinking I would update and take a belly shot really quick before going to the hospital on the 17th... however, we ended up at the hospital on the 16th instead so that never happened! But I still wanted to post this since it has all my thoughts about what was about to happen on it! I will post another entry about the actual labor and why we went to the hospital on the 16th instead :)

How far along? 40 weeks! Today is my due date and the day of induction!
Total weight gain/loss: 28-30lbs give or take 
Maternity clothes? Hopefully today is the last day!
Stretch marks? None on my belly! very lucky for that one!
Sleep: I've been tired a lot but can't sleep because my mind won't stop. The induction is constantly on my mind and keeps me up.
Best moment this week:  Spending mother's day with both of my families. (Not to mention it was good just to get out of the house!)
Miss Anything? Being able to eat regular food. It seems like everything doesn't sound appetizing these days. 
Movement: He loves to move around, especially when I want to sleep or when he's hungry!
Food cravings: Haven't really had any other than Cookout on Tuesday after the doctor- I just had to have that foot-long hot dog
Anything making you queasy or sick: Meats, pizza sauce, random things 
Gender: boy
Symptoms: Heartburn has gotten a little better! Basically having trouble with being either really hungry or having a loss of appetite, diarrhea (ugh), breathing, getting in a comfortable position and being moody/lonely
Labor Signs: NONE! I tried a lot of walking but nothing seems to work.  I was hoping to not have the induction but it looks like it's the only option as of today.
What I'm most scared about for labor: having my water broken, having to get pain meds (epidural in particular), the pain itself, tearing/being cut, having a painful IV, being in labor for a really long time, having complications in labor, getting an emergency C section.... guess I'm scared of pretty much everything! 
Belly Button in or out? In/flat
Happy or Moody most of the time: Moody unfortunately. Being alone can have that effect though. 
What I'm going to miss most about being pregnant: Feeling him move inside me... especially the hiccups!
Looking forward to: Meeting Jude today (hopefully my labor doesn't last until tomorrow!)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The End of a Pregnancy and the Beginning of Motherhood = TOMORROW

Tomorrow is D-Day! (unless I go into labor between now and then)


Tomorrow morning at 6am I will call High Point Regional Hospital and they will tell me what time to come in and be admitted for my induction. They will put me on an IV and start me off with pitocin and then they will break my water. If all goes smoothly, I will deliver naturally.


I cannot express how I'm feeling because I honestly don't know. You could probably pick any emotion and that would be right in some way. Scared, Happy, Ready, Excited, Hesitant, Terrified, Sad, Overwhelmed, Not Ready, Tired, Sick, Etc.


The best part of tomorrow is meeting Jude. Finally.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

39 Weeks!




Update: So I went to the doctor on Wednesday and was hooked up to a machine that monitored his heart rate and such for a while. Dr Patel and I talked a little and he said that he wanted to avoid inducing as much as possible, especially since I don't want any pain meds and induction is more painful, and said that if he hasn't come by my due date though that I will FOR SURE be induced on the 17th. He said that the placenta just is getting old and not doing it's job as well so Jude shouldn't stay in there past my due date. He checked to see if I was dilated... and I wasn't! That was depressing. So now I'm just a sitting duck, waiting for this baby to hopefully decide he wants out before the 17th. I have another appointment on Monday so maybe I will be dilated a little more then. I was hoping to have him in time for Mother's Day but it isn't looking like he is coming anytime soon so I doubt that will happen. I asked him if there was anything that I could do to make Jude come out sooner and his was response was this - "The truth is, castor oil just makes you poop. Sex is man's answer for everything but it just doesn't work, and walking only helps once you are already having contractions." So the answer was no. He said I was doing everything I was supposed to and that Jude is just being stubborn. So on the downside, the odds of me being induced are high (and that scares me!) but on the plus side, I will have my baby boy next week for sure!


How far along? 39 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 30 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yep! Not much longer hopefully!
Stretch marks? still none on my stomach
Sleep: Lately I've had a hard time getting to sleep. I'll stay up long past Ben who is snoring next to me and play either solitaire or cubes on my phone until the wee hours of the morning. When I do finally sleep, I'm waking up constantly to pee and then Ben wakes me up again when he leaves for work. Then I end up sleeping until noon or one sometimes. It's very weird but I guess I should try and sleep as much as I can until next Thursday.
Best moment this week: Knowing there is an end point to waiting and getting the house pretty clean! 
Miss Anything? going out with my friends (actually, having friends! ha), being able to walk easily, not having heartburn allllll the time, not being hungry all the time, not breaking out so much and being able to fit into most of my wardrobe!
Movement: I've read that by this point, his movements should be much smaller but I guess since he is so small himself, that isn't true for Jude. He likes to flip and kick me all the time and he gets the hiccups ALL the time now.
Food cravings: Chocolate pop-tarts and marshmallows! Mmmm!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Spicy foods, Mexican, a lot of meat. Pizza sauce gives me heartburn.
Gender: He is still a boy and was at our last ultrasound too.
Symptoms: Heartburn like WHOA, pulled groin muscle (ouch!), hungry all the time, moody, nesting, OCD, some contractions at the beginning of the week (none since), my hair has become more and more greasy which is weird... I used to wash it every other day because it's so thick and now I have to wash every day otherwise it looks gross and breaking out
Labor Signs: had some contractions Sunday and Monday after walking Corona but nothing became of them unfortunately. 
What I'm most scared about for labor: So many things! I'm scared I'll be induced, have to have a C section, that with either of those I'll have to have an epidural since the pain will be worse than regular childbirth, getting an episiotomy, etc
Belly Button in or out? in but weird looking 
Happy or Moody most of the time: moody but I'm sure if I go into labor on my own I'll be in pain but happy!
What I'm going to miss most about being pregnant: Feeling Jude moving on the inside! Also being able to protect him more easily.
Looking forward to: Meeting Jude in less than a week!!!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

The Nursery... REVEALED!

So I know I've posted a couple pictures here and there of previews of the nursery.. and now (minus needing to be vacuumed) it is FINALLY clean and everything is in its place! The only thing that still needs to be done is to actually put pictures in the frames but I am still waiting on the CD from Alison for our maternity pictures (should be here tomorrow!) and I want to put pictures of Jude up as well so for now they are empty! But very soon they shall be filled! 


I wanted a travel-themed nursery for sure but I also love to read and am very big on the whole being creative and doing what you love and believing in yourself so I combined all of these aspects and this is what happened. I think it turned out really great. I made a lot of the frames and the "Keep Calm & Travel On" picture and Jessica made me the Jude nameplate so kudos to Jess! 


If you'd like to know where anything came from to buy yourself, just leave me a comment and I'd be happy to let you know! Enjoy :)


Crib & Glider -- "Oh the Places You'll Go" bedding and clock, Aviator bear in glider, Jude nameplate Jess made and Dumbledore quote!

"Oh the Places you'll Go" Sheets, rail pad, and sheets (and blanket hanging on end)! -- Yes, I know nothing can actually be in the crib but he won't be using it for a while since I have a sleeper for him next to my bed so for now, it will house stuffed animals! 

Another angle with the eiffel tower growth chart and infant to toddler rocker Anne gave me.


Up close of the Dumbledore quote and nameplate!

Another angle

Up close of the eiffel tower growth chart!

Crib, bookshelf, windows w/ curtains, rocker and step stool w/ storage
Up close of the bookshelf with picture frames
Dresser, Bookshelf and closet -- The closet is gross and really needs to be painted but that's hard to do when your pregnant so for now it will just have to have peeled paint :(

Blurry picture of everything stuffed in the little closet... couldn't even open the doors completely because the step stool is in the way but you get the picture! He has clothes from newborn to about 18-24 months already! :)
Close up of the top of the dresser! Found this globe at a yard sale for a dollar! Frame, Globe, Slumber Buddies frog (he lights up stars & moons on the ceiling and plays music!), "love" blocks and the corsage from my first baby shower with a quote from Harry Potter above it all!

More of the room-- Crib, Glider, old TV stand I spray painted and made into a little storage thing, mirror & shelves and the changing table -- Corona had to be part of the picture :)

Glider, storage, shelves, ultrasound picture frame, hamper, diapers galore, changing table, "Oh the Places You'll Go" picture frames and Dr. Suess quote :)

Lamp, Picture frame & Jude blocks I made, Frog cool mist humidifier, "Keep Calm & Take a Nap", "Reach for the Sky!" toy story quote plaque, "If you can dream it, you can do it" Walt Disney plaque, green chalkboard piggy bank, and classic Peter Pan book!

Had to do a close up of the glider and aviator bear because it is just sooooo comfy!

Another angle with the door open -- Changing table, diaper pail and the door has a chalkboard elephant on it and a little pouch  to keep chalk in. 

With the door closed there are photos going behind it :)

Close up of hamper, diapers, changing table with loads of diapers/wipes/storage on it and the diaper pail!

Dr. Suess quote and "Oh the Places You'll Go" frames :)
with the door open leading to the hallway. There is a J above the door!

Chalkboard Elephant, some ribbon from a present and the pouch with chalk in it on the door :)













So there it is folks! Hope you like it :)

Thursday, May 3, 2012

38 Weeks!



BIG NEWS: 
I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and the doctor asked if I had an ultrasound lately and I said no so they scheduled one for me for Wednesday. Looking back, she did seem a little too  reassuring when she kept saying they just want to check his size, that's all. Maybe she could tell? Anyway, when I had the ultrasound done, the tech told me that he weighed 6lbs 3oz which was within normal but definitely on the lower side for me being pretty much 38 weeks. She even showed me where that was on a line graph thing. But she didn't seem worried so I thought it wasn't a big deal. So I go to the room to wait for the doctor and I swear I waited like twenty minutes (and at this point, you have to be half naked every time so it's a little uncomfortable to just be sitting on that table thing in the nude) and when the doctor came in, he seemed worried. He showed me a piece of paper with a bunch of numbers that I had no idea what any of it meant but he said that the reason he took so long to come in was because he was speaking with one of the other doctors about those numbers. He said that Jude's weight is only 21% in the normal range. He said that it's not HORRIBLE but definitely didn't make him happy. He said if he was in the 10% range that I'd no question been induced right away. He checked to see if I was dilated but I was still at one centimeter but I was starting to thin out. He said that I have to go back next wednesday and they are going to hook me up to a fetal monitor for a while and check some things and see if I'm dilated. If I've dilated any more or if they find anything on the monitor, they will induce me next Thursday for sure. Basically, Jude isn't growing enough/properly inside of me and he needs to be out to grow better. He is hoping that I go into labor on my own though. He said that they definitely won't let me go late so as of now, I know the longest I'll be able to go before they induce me is the 17th (my due date) but the odds that I go that long are slim. I asked the doctor if there was a reason Jude isn't growing normal, like if I did something... he said that it's normally when women smoke like two packs a day. But he also said it's the positioning of something and the baby doesn't get enough oxygen or something like that... not sure the technical mumbo jumbo. But it still makes me a little sad that even though I tried really hard to eat better and enough, I still have a baby the size of someone who smokes while pregnant! What can a girl do though? :(
So right now, I am praying that I don't have to be induced because of MANY reasons (I wanted a natural birth but pitocin stresses out the baby and makes labor more painful so it might be harder to go without pain meds- and on top of that, if I get an epidural it slows down labor which means a snowball effect of needing more pitocin, then needing more epidural because the pain gets worse, over and over until the baby eventually is under so much stress they end up doing a C section. Not cool either way! Of course this doesn't always happen but believe me, I've done my research and if you don't believe me - watch Ricki Lake's documentary "The Business of being Born" - you learn A LOT!). 
So basically, if any of you have any tips to help me go into labor in the next few days, I'd love to hear them! I know nothing works for sure but hey, I'll try anything not to be induced! :)



How far along? 38 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: About 30-31 lbs as of yesterday 
Maternity clothes? only a little longer!
Stretch marks? still none on my stomach
Sleep: Tuesday night I had THREE separate dreams where Jude was born.. I think it's a sign he wants out!
Best moment this week: getting most of the house clean and buying some of the stuff we didn't get off our registries with gift cards :)
Miss Anything? Being able to walk normally and get in a good position sitting or lying down
Movement: A lot of movement still but it's starting to hurt! But he also gets hiccups which is adorable.
Food cravings: Fruit still and chocolate
Anything making you queasy or sick: eggs, mexican, meat
Gender: Boy!
Symptoms: The heartburn is still god awful and I had to sleep sitting up again the other night... Round ligament pain underneath my belly and groin area is awful... 
Labor Signs: None!
Belly Button in or out? in but getting pretty flat
Happy or Moody most of the time: depends on the day. Who knew nesting could make a pregnant girl so happy?
Looking forward to: meeting Jude sooner than planned!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Top 10 Pregnancy Must Haves!

As my time being pregnant draws to a close, I wanted to post about all the great things that I've come to use all the time being pregnant (or a lot throughout certain stages) for all the newly pregnant women out there. I hope these things help you as much as they've helped me! 






1. Boppy Pregnancy Pillow:


This is an absolute MUST HAVE! I got it in my second trimester and loved loved loved it! It is great for just snuggling and wrapping your legs around and as your belly grows it gives you great support there as well. It has definitely helped a lot in my third trimester where it is very hard to find comfy positions to sleep in. 






2. Tums:


I can't even begin to tell you how much of a best friend Tums has been to me these past nine months. If you are lucky enough not to get heartburn, I loathe you. For the rest of us unlucky pregnant women, it is pure hell. I think it may have been the worst side effect EVER. And it's not just your average heartburn... this heartburn is the kind that as your pregnancy progresses, makes you sleep sitting up, makes you literally swallow stomach acid and makes you thankful the Gods created yummy tums that taste just like candy. I know it says only eat 8 in a 24 hour period on the container, but think of all those extras as extra calcium for your little bambino. (and if your heartburn gets as bad as mine did, your doc can prescribe you another type of med you can take WITH tums for a heartburn double whammy killer)




3. Refillable Water Bottle:


The picture is the one that I actually have that I bought at Walmart for about $15 bucks but any refillable water bottle will do. I carry it with me EVERYWHERE I go because being pregnant makes you THIRSTY and your doctor will make you drink a gazillion glasses of water a day so you might as well refill a water bottle and save the environment on all that plastic from disposable ones. :)












4. Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks:


While I don't actually think it's done anything for stretch marks and I don't use it as much as many, it DOES really help for the itching that happens when your belly is growing a lot during the second and third trimesters. Nothing actually can help with stretch marks (sorry, ladies!) since that is a hereditary thing and happens further underneath the skin where lotion doesn't get to. But at least with this your tummy won't feel like it's been dunked in itching powder!






5. Whole Fruit Fruit Bars:


Whomever invented these lovely fruit bars needs a trophy. Not only are these GOOD FOR YOU, but they are delicious! I went through a fruit phase (it started with strawberries then on to melons) and loved the strawberry flavor and dark cherry flavors. YUM! It was especially great because strawberries weren't in season when I wanted them all the time and I could grab a fruit bar before heading out the door for a quick snack. 








6. Yoga Pants:


While maternity pants are great, you just can't beat a nice pair of yoga pants. They don't have to even be maternity yoga pants if you can put the band under your belly. The best thing you can possibly be while pregnant is COMFORTABLE! And let me tell you, I would wear yoga pants every day if they were socially acceptable everywhere. A lot of the times though you can pull them off at work for black work pants.. at least I did. (and even my coworkers, too)






7. Skinny belts:


I love skinny belts for the pure fact that I can put one on above my bump and you can actually tell I'm pregnant and not one big blob of fat. I feel frumpy if I'm not wearing one above my bump. It helps remind me that I have a figure underneath all the weight I've gained from pregnancy and not to mention there are so many CUTE skinny belts out there. 






8. Non-underwire bras:


While this picture isn't the exact one I have, any non-underwire bra will do. If you're like me, you will try to wear bras with underwire for as long as possible because you are amazed with finally having large boobs and want them to at least look good. But if you're holding the baby high like I am, you will find in your second trimester that his feet or other body parts have taken refuge in your rib cage which means that underwire is SUPER uncomfortable. I promise you, the minute you switch to no underwire, you (and your boobs) will breathe a sigh of relief. AHHHH, feels good.




9. Babycenter App:


This App is AWESOME and I used it pretty much every day. It reminds you of to-do's you may have forgotten about, has great articles and has a weekly update for you that tells you whats developing with the baby and compares it to a fruit/veggie in size. Babycenter.com and thebump.com have both been my go-to sites for baby info!










10. Oh Baby, The Places You'll Go Book:


This little (it is a smalllll book in size) book is ADORABLE and great to read to your belly- in fact, it was written to be read to your little bambino! The story is based off of the Dr. Suess Oh the Places you'll Go but this one is about meeting all the wonderful Dr. Suess characters and momma meeting baby! I've read it to Jude a few times and every time he starts kicking me so I know he likes it! I've even read that if you read Dr. Suess to them in the womb, they recognize it in some way outside of the womb. The power of reading is one I love! :)






There ya go future mommies! Hope you find something in this list that helps you like it has helped me! If I think of anything else I will be sure to add it to the list!