On Monday night, we had the last of our three prepared childbirth classes. First, one of the obstetricians from the practice came in to talk with us and answer any questions we had about labour, delivery, or anything else. He reminded me of Uncle Nick in his facial expressions and demeanor. Then, nurse Julie talked about postpartum care in the hospital and at home (breastfeeding, caring for the umbilical cord, circumcision, carseats, bottle feeding, etc.). She talked about asking others for help, and caring for not only the baby but ourselves and our relationship with our partner. We formed small groups and went over some scenarios (shaken baby syndrome, SIDS, colic, etc.). The class went on for over 2.5 hours, but it seemed to go by so quickly. At the end, Julie gave each couple a certificate for having completed the course and we all hugged her "goodbye." I think especially Darryl was sad that the class was ending.

One thing I was glad to be reassured about is that they now encourage the baby to "room in" with the mother. That is, if you would like your baby to be in your room the entire time you're in the hospital (if you can care for him/her), you can! But if you need some rest, the staff will be happy to wheel the baby to the nursery for as long as you like. Also good to know is that they really encourage breast-feeding and will let you try and breast-feed as soon as you like. I signed Darryl & myself up for a breastfeeding prep class on May 5th at that hospital. Apparently the lactation consultant who does the class is really excellent. We found out that: William will be circumcised, by whichever OB is on call, probably on the morning of the day he is ready to go home; the umbilical cord dries and falls off in 3-4 days (this is less time than I thought); I will only be in the hospital for about 48 hours if I don't have a c-section.

One activity that Julie had us do (which I was planning to do something similar on my own as well) is to write a little wish for our child. It starts "My Dream and Prayer for you is..." and you write from there. I would like to post what Darryl & I each wrote (once I check with Darryl if it's okay). We both love William so much!!!

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Right now, as I type, William is being very active and seems especially fond of kicking my bladder!

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So, how am I doing at 32 weeks? It seems to still be hard to get as much sleep as I need. The cats aren't really bugging us much at night anymore, so I guess it must be due to tossing and turning, and also to the fact that I need to take a restroom break at least twice a night now. I feel like my quality of sleep is not too bad, and I generally tend to get a good number of hours' worth of sleep, so...... I don't know!

My tummy still is kind of nauseous. I think I've narrowed it down to being full. Because William (well, mostly my uterus with the placenta and amniotic fluid) is taking up so much room in my abdomen, all of my organs are squished up into my thorax. This includes my stomach. So, although I am still as hungry as usual, if I eat more than a bowlful of food, I will feel nauseous. My lungs are also squished and I notice that I get out of breath quite quickly: even when we are just singing songs in church!

William is really active nowadays! He is almost constantly moving at times. This includes poking me in the ribs (it doesn't exactly hurt, but sometimes it is strong enough to be a little surprising), and stomping on my bladder (not fun!). Because of the size of my abdomen and the pressure on my bladder and pelvic floor, I usually feel bloated. However, I'm quite sure that William hasn't dropped yet. I think I have felt William hiccup, because occasionally there are repetitive little 'bumps' that occur in my tummy. The other day, I was half-sitting on the bed, reading, and I would rest my book on my tummy. Every time I did that, William would kick there! I still don't know where William's head and where his behind are--I can't quite make that out by feeling my abdomen.

It's uncomfortable to sit for too long, or to lie down for too long. Standing is better, though my feet/legs can get to hurting because of the added weight. A couple of weeks ago, I broke our scale (one of the mechanical, non-digital, kind--the spring broke) (!!!!), so I have no idea how my weight gain is progressing. It is definitely difficult to bend down and do things like: tape up the trim in the nursery with painter's tape, pick up the cat bowls after they eat, tie my shoes, etc. Also, while sitting I really can't slouch. There is nowhere where my abdomen can bend at all!

All of this may sound like I'm complaining--I am uncomfortable at times, but I really believe that I'm having a superb pregnancy and I'm thankful that everything is going so well! So, I don't feel that I have a reason to complain. I love to feel William move, and every day I am more and more excited in anticipation of his arrival!

Week 32

"By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long. Her fingernails have grown in completely. Some babies have a head of hair already, while others have only peach fuzz. Your baby is taking up a lot of space in your uterus, but those tight quarters shouldn't reduce her activity level. You may have heard that it's normal for babies to slow down later in pregnancy, but that's not true. If you notice any reduction in your baby's movements, call your healthcare provider."

How your life's changing:

"Your blood volume (the plasma plus red blood cells) is now about 40 to 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant to accommodate the needs of you and your baby. (This extra amount also helps make up for any blood you'll lose when giving birth.) You're also gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and adding pressure on your abdomen, you may be dealing with heartburn more often or feeling a little short of breath. To help with shortness of breath, try eating smaller quantities more often (rather than three daily feasts) and sleeping propped up. Those smaller meals should help with the heartburn, too.
As your baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in your growing belly causes a change in your posture and a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are making your ligaments more lax, and your growing uterus may even press on some nerves. All of this can contribute to low back pain and possibly to some pain in your buttocks and thighs as well. Let your caregiver know if you have severe pain or feel numbness or tingling in your legs."

-- from: www.babycenter.com