Happy Holidays

from VJ

Smiling VJ

More photos of "the Veej" - Weeks 3-7

Dear Friends and Family,

Welcome to the past month of VJ's life. As you will see, he is changing, growing, and developing by leaps and bounds all the time. We cannot believe that VJ is already 13 pounds, nearly twice the size of his birth weight. Once a week, Mom has to go through his clothing supply to take out outgrown garments. More importantly, when she looks through some of these pictures above, she already thinks she is looking at an entirely different baby from the one she has now! (Mom has taken to talking about herself more and more in the third person these days - it apparently helps the baby to acquire his language skills and make sense of who is who...)

In addition to his ever-changing size, you might also notice his changing hair color and head shape. We have apparently given birth to a chameleon: in the bright sunlight, VJ has strawberry-colored hair like his father. In indirect sunlight or bright neon lights, his hair color changes to a rich auburn shade, which reportedly closely resembles that of his great grandfather, Bernard Davis, who also sported dark reddish brown locks. Finally, in warm and shaded lighting, our baby looks like he has dark brown hair ... like his mom's.

Many people comment on the fact that VJ (aka "Veej" or "THE Veej") looks just like his father - and this is true. Nevertheless, Mom likes to point out that he does have olive skin coloring AND he was born with a mongoloid spot, which we assume was inherited from his Asian (Philipino) side of the family.

Some of the things that these pictures do NOT feature is how fast the circumference of his head has grown lately. Only in the past few days, it seems like just his forehead has doubled! Sometimes Mom exclaims that she thinks she can see the head growing right before her very eyes. This, of course, is all very normal.

Something else these pictures fail to convey is what a mellow baby we have in our home. Normally the Veej is quite calm, likes to observe the world quietly, and smiles and coos often on demand. Practically the only time when Baby is grumpy is when he is hungry - and then he demands food adamantly and impatiently. He has a crazy loud bellow, and, according to his nurse, his muscles are so strong that they enable a "death grip."

Speaking of his nurse, VJ just returned from his two-month pediatrician appointment on December 8. Then we learned that our baby is in the 65th percentile for weight and height. While visiting the doctor, VJ also got his 2-month shots, which were not too painful. He mostly struggled with them about 6 hours after the fact, but we learned that Baby Tylenol can work wonders by knocking a kid out...

Another VERY exciting recent development is VJ's ability to present a "social smile," which he most often flashes early in the morning when he is getting his diaper changed. Dad and I feel that he is happiest at this time, because he has stored up a lot of good sleeping time over the prior night.

VJ does smile at other times of the day though. Mom was surprised to learn that VJ already has it in him to be a flirt with total strangers. Just recently when we were at a snack stand, Mom caught VJ catching the eyes of and smiling at total strangers. Who knew that our baby would become such a charmer so early in life.

Finally, a comment about some of these pictures above. As you will see, VJ was a "moo cow" for Halloween. (Mom laughs at the notion that he was cow, milking a human (Mom), whenever he breastfed on Halloween day). We are also very proud that the Veej is living through such a historic moment and has become an "Obama generation" baby. Finally, for Thanksgiving, VJ traveled up to San Francisco to meet many of his relatives on his Grandma Helen's side. Most noteworthy was VJ's introduction to his Great Grandma "Lola Lola" Maria, who is 91 years old. During this trip we learned that VJ makes a very good road-tripper. He was calm and quiet in the car seat and slept most of the ways to and from the Bay area.

Well, we can't wait to keep you updated with the ever increasing changes and developments in our baby's life. If you are not on facebook yet, we highly recommend joining and becoming a "friend of Scott's", because he is constantly sending videos and pictures of the baby there. In fact, he posts so many videos of the baby (perhaps about 3 a day?), that Mom can hardly keep up with them herself. The latest prize addition to Scott's facebook page, though, is a brilliant smile that VJ shot us early in the morning two days ago.

way overdue

pics from week 2 of vj's now 6-week-old life:

2-week checkup

VJ and I are going to the doctor's today for his 2-week check-up. We are hoping that he has gained a little weight this week and is at least back up to his birth weight of 7lbs 10 oz.

I'm actually hopeful that he has gained even a little more weight than that. This week we noticed that the little monkey has gained a bit of double chin. Hopefully that is a good sign that he is aready plumping out and starting to grow up nice and healthfully.

Getting to the doctor's is going to be my first real challenge without Dad, who went back to work on Tuesday (3 days ago). After giving birth, the hospital recommended that I not drive for two weeks - that is, until this past Tuesday. Today will be my first time driving since then - trying to manage getting the baby in the car seat all by myself, driving alone with the baby in the back, and then carrying him in the carrier/sling into the doc's office.

I don't think it will be that hard, but probably will take more time that I expect. We'll keep you posted. The picture here, by the way, is VJ on Dad's lap last night. We just learned in a book called Happiest Baby on the Block that holding the baby on his side or stomach is a good way to soothe him. (Not a good idea for putting the baby down to sleep though, just for when he is awake and alert)

VJ's First Week in the World

To see a full-screen version of this slideshow, plus two home videos
(as part of the slideshow), click here!

The Eyes Have It.

These are Daddy's eyes for sure.

a lymerick written for vj by grandpa bernie

VINCENT JULIAN

Vincent Julian was born the other day.
A warm "Welcome" to him we say.
We wish him health and happiness
And plenty of love and success
All along his way.

VJ is here!!

VJ was born this week on Tuesday morning at 1 am. Mom went into early labor during her sleep before waking up on Monday morning. (She didn't know she was having contractions, but was tossing and turning all night long) At 6 am her water suddenly broke, so she and Dad went to the hospital. Everything checked out fine, so Dad and I were allowed to return home to wait for full labor

Everyone said it, but nothing can prepare you for how much time and energy it takes to care for a newborn. It's so overwhelming (lots of feelings of love, worry, concern, fatigue - both physical and mental, etc)! This "parenting-a-newborn thing" sure is one hell of a roller coaster ride. So so so much work.

But the little one is doing pretty well. He has a small case of jaundice, so we might have to admit him into the hospital this week-end... We hope to send more details about VJ and his birthday when things settle down. Dad and I are both feeling very proud and are already completely smitten over the little guy.

Here is his first picture:

36-week belly

 

It was bound to happen eventually: my new breast pump

A big purchase that we made recently was a breast pump. Once again, I am proud to say that we got a great deal off of craigslist. I bought the hospital grade double breast pump from Medela for about $85 (New, I think they cost around $300). At first Dad and I were skeptical about buying something so special second-hand; we were mostly worried about hygiene. But our birthing class instructor - and my sister-in-law - taught us that none of the parts of the breast pump one buys ever touch the milk or breast. When you buy a breast pump like the one we did, it does not include the tubing and bottles that come into contact with your own milk/body. These extra parts you buy separately - and new, so the consumer can rest assured that everything is clean.

In any event, in commemoration of the big buy, here are some pictures of our new purchase. Now, to figure out how to use this thing (I think we still need to get the accessories before we can actually really see it up and running - not to mention that I'm not making milk yet, so there really is no way to test it on me yet, at least). Doesn't this thing look crazy complicated?

Great Thread on OBs in LA area

It's too late for us now, because we have already settled with the mid-wives at UCLA (which on the whole we think are pretty great), but I found this great thread on mothering.com offering some useful insights on supportive obstetricians of natural childbirth in the area. I'm putting the link here for my own records:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=419487

I found this on-line when I was actually looking for tips/suggestions on a good pediatrician in LA for our soon-to-be-born baby boy. I still haven't found that yet... and am a total loss on where to start (none of my friends have babies). If anyone out there has any suggests, we'd love to hear from you. Thanks!

My Belly at about 26 weeks!

We took this picture at the West LA Obon Festival this year, already more than 8 weeks ago (on July 26). To see our pictures from that day, have a look at our google photo album! I just fixed this pic up (blurring out the edges) with picasa. You can tell my extremities are kind of swollen (lot of typical pregnancy bloating) by just looking at my hands...

Incidentally, I think this photo proves that my stomach was already pretty big, even before that picture, down below, was taken around 30 weeks.

Around 30 weeks?

We found this picture on Scott's phone, and I like it a lot. Scott and I just figured out that it was taken more than 4 weeks ago, around August 17. I am convinced that when this was taken, my belly was already much bigger than it looks in this picture... I am carrying the baby low (everyone says this is because the baby is a boy), so maybe there is a chance that my right leg is covering up some of the bellly bulge in the picture. In any event, this pic shows how happy Dad and I are relaxing on a beach in Redondo. We had just picked up a crib that a friend of Scott's gave to us (his friend's kid has already outgrown it)!!! After we met Scott's friend, we went to the beach for about an hour to kill time before heading to one of our final Bradley birthing classes.

10 Easy Things I Never Thought Would be a Challenge

As I head into the home stretch (we only have about 6 more weeks before this little boy is coming to us!), I am seriously struggling with the increasing size of my belly. (FYI: I weighed in today at my 34 week check-up at almost 170 pounds- Ugh!) Here are TEN very VERY mundane things that I can no longer do without putting a lot of thought and/or energy into:
1) Roll over in bed
2) Stand up from a sitting position (and by the same token, Sit up from a reclining position)
3) Breathe
4) Stand on one leg (to change clothes)
5) Get in and out of a car...
6) Sit with my legs crossed (seriously, they are too swollen to fold over anymore!)
7) Sit with my legs even together (they don't allow room for the big belly)
8) Go even about 30 minutes without having to go to the bathroom
9) Sit in reclining chairs, bucket seats, and on bar stools
10) Stand upright for more than 5 minutes

32-week Sonogram: My Baby's Face

Yesterday we got an ultrasound to confirm that VJ is situated head-down in the uterus, ready to go for the birth already. The good news is that he is - so there should be no worries about our having a breach baby, and thus having a C-section (for that reason, at least). We also got a glimpse of VJ's face - although it was very VERY hazy.



Here is a transcription of our dialogue:
(Dad Scott is hanging out in the back, playing the important yet silent role of camera man/)
I am saying to our mid-wife: "Is that the top of his head?"
"Yeah," the mid-wife whispers. "Look, he's looking around!" I exclaim.
She responds, "Yeah," again and then chuckles.
Then the image changes, and I ask: "What's that?" She says, "His Face." [PAUSE]
"Ohhhh, I see!" (I see it, but it is VERY VERY hard to make out any real features. VJ's face is on its side; his chin is on the far left of the ultrasound monitor. The most visible thing on the sonogram is his right eye.)
"You see?" "Yeah!" Then the image changes again. Our mid-wife is about to show us VJ's healthy beating heart. The video winds down now, after 30 seconds.
From what I can tell, our little guy has a very square jaw - don't know where he got that - and big eyes (I DO know where he got those).

Weeks 30 and 31

Time is flying - and I mean FLY-ing by now. I was still getting over the shock over having just reached week 30, when I got an update today from babycenter.com about this week, week 31.

For the week 30 visit to the medical center, Scott and I got to meet another mid-wife. (I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before, but we will be meeting with each of them individually during our next health check-ups over the coming weeks before the delivery).

We were VERY pleased with this last one that we met. She was very patient and listened carefully to all of our questions. Also, she did not seem surprised by our 2 ongoing questions/concerns about the Hep-lock and Routine pitocin for 3rd stage labor. Even in contrast to the last mid-wife, whom we also liked, this week's mid-wife did not try to convince us that we should just go along with the institution's policy. After stating the pros and cons, she simply indicated that this was a decision that was up to us.

The mid-wives at our medical center say that it is the baby who picks which mid-wife will deliver him. (Since there are 4 mid-wives who rotate at our hospital, we won't know which one will deliver the baby until the day VJ decides to come out). Based on our last visit, I'm hoping that VJ picks this mid-wife! (Scott was very pleased with her too).

Now that we are in week 31 already, I'll summarize the major developmental milestones for VJ this week. Apparently he is now 3.3 pounds, he is heading into a major growth spurt this week, and he can turn his head from right to left. Also, he is moving much more now - which I don't need to read to figure that out.

Last night at our baby birthing class, my instructor was so surprised when it came up that I have not felt my baby hiccup-ping in my stomach yet. She seemed incredulous. I was surprised that she was so surprised. I didn't know that that was so common by this stage of development. I'm determined not to worry about that for now though. When VJ is ready to hiccup, I'm sure he'll let it rip~! : )

Post-script: I just had a look at some on-line postings/pregnancy e-forums, and found out that some women/babies don't get the hiccups at all... while other women have babies that get the hiccups several times a day! I was also surprised to read that fetuses can start getting the hiccups as early as 9 weeks after conception. Most of the mom's that wrote about their babies having the hiccups said that they didn't start feeling this activity until at least weeks 30-32....

Swimming with the Baby

Last week I started swimming every other day as a way to relieve the strain of carrying all of the extra weight I have been building up. It has been great. I swim for about 40 minutes per visit, and continue to feel really great, even hours after the swim. I have never liked swimming so much as I do now. A woman I met at the pool says that the water pressure is great for swelling too. I didn't know that, but given how much better I have been feeling afterward, I'm not surprised.

In order to start swimming I had to buy my first pregger swim suit (ugh). Here is a picture. Again, this is not me in the picture - it's a model for Target, where I bought the scary thing. (I'm actually much bigger in the tummy now than the woman in this pic.)

Also, I decided to join the YMCA. I decided to go with them after first making a visit to Bally's, which had a "special deal" going on. Turns out their deal was not so special, once you added in all the long-term obligations and restrictions. I next visited the Y after that and was so pleasantly surprised. The Y has a financial assistance program for low-income applicants like myself, which makes the pricing much more reasonable. Also the YMCA that I will be joining in West LA has FREE child care (at least 1 hour per day for kids aged 6 weeks to 1 year, and then 2 hours per day for kids up to age 10!), free group exercising classes (including yoga), and free Mommy and me swimming - among so many other things. I've been very eager to sign VJ up for swim lessons once he's born, so I am very happy about all the Y's programs for kids and families.

Until then (when the little guys is swimming in pools rather than Mommy's amniotic fluid), I'll just keep enjoying the Y on my own. (They also have better parking than most clubs around LA too).

Dodgey Stomach and General Gripes and Complaints

This week - Week 28 - was a bit rough. For the first time in the pregnancy I got a bit ill and, as my mom says, I "fed the fish." (Although since I wasn't on a boat when it happened this time, I guess I fed the septic tank) Anyway, it happened the evening after we had gone to a Dodgers game, sat in the sun for several hours, and eaten a "world famous" Dodger Dog. (Great game by the way, Dodgers kicked some Arizona behind and we got to see the new player, Manny Ramirez, score his second Homer at the Dodgers Stadium.) After the game we went to Korean, which is basically what got fed to the porcelain gods. (Trust me, after this recent experience, I won't be eating Korean food for a very VERY long time.)

After a difficult Sunday night, I had a hard time keeping food down for about the next 12 hours. Fortunately I never risked getting dehydrated, and started feeling a little better the next day. We had an appointment with the mid-wife on Tuesday and were able to hear that the baby's heart beat was still nice and strong - so, apparently - hopefully - no damage there. (Throwing up is pretty common for pregger ladies anyway, right?)

Still, I was feeling kind of nauseous for the rest of the week - until about Thursday. I also caught some kind of bug/cold that had me sleeping a lot this week also. I only started feeling "normal" (as normal as a pregnant woman in her 3rd trimester can feel, right?) again on Friday.

VJ has been kicking a lot, so we know he is getting along well in my ever-expanding, cushy yet tumultuous stomach. As for me, putting aside all the excitement of my Dodgey stomach, sore throats, and excessive nasal drip, I definitely felt a difference in size and my general "well-being" this week. For the first time in the pregnancy, it has been getting hard for me to turn over in bed, and when I lay on my right side, my stomach can begin to ache as the weight of the baby seems to tug quite strenuously on my chest. When I get up from laying on my left side, the area between my rib cage and heart seems to ache. To try to diffuse some of the pressure, I have been putting a pillow under my belly/baby so that it doesn't fall so far/pull so hard in order to reach the bed.

I want to say that I enjoy being pregnant, but this week has definitely challenged me in ways that make it hard to be properly gushy and enthusiastic. I try to remind myself that we are really lucky - the pregnancy has been relatively smooth and healthy. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to having my body back all to myself in a few months.

Signing In: My pregnancy at 27 weeks...

So I realize that in my last two posts I kind of got long-winded. I would like to pardon myself with the excuse that I (we) just feel so passionate about having our preferences honored when it comes to this birth. In any event, if all that medical blather got kind of tiresome, my apologies.

It IS nice to have the record of what we are going through though. Tonight for the first time since I started this blog, I went back and read a lot of the earlier entries. What amazes me most is how quickly everything has gone by - and especially how fast this baby has been growing inside of me. I canNOT believe, for instance, that the baby was ever "just" an inch. (At 27 weeks now, he is apparently about 14.5 inches long and 2 pounds in weight!) It is also nice that all the queasiness and morning sickness is long behind me. That was something I thought I would never get past.

This week actually marks my entry into the third trimester, so sadly, my "honeymoon trimester" is apparently behind me now. In contrast to the second trimester, which is supposed to be the easiest, the third trimester is said to be difficult again, because the baby will be growing very quickly, and this is naturally associated with lots of new pains and discomforts.

We calculated that with only three more months to go, VJ should probably gain roughly 2 pounds per month until October! That means this month he will double in size. (Assuming that he will be around 8 pounds at birth)

And, of course, given all the growth, I too am getting bigger faster! Today I am wearing a preggers blouse that I only bought, it seems, a few weeks ago, but it is already almost too tight and uncomfortable. I barely got to wear the dang thing! Same goes for a couple of pairs of slacks I bought, originally thinking I was NEVER going to fit into those things. How I was really wrong on that one! Now, in only a few weeks, they have gotten unbelievably too too tight - which makes me kind of sad (ahhh, sigh).

Along with getting bigger, I have also slowed down ALOT. Last Friday, I tried hiking a trail that I used to hit at the beginning of this pregnancy in an effort to stay in shape. It is unbelievable how the trail seems so much steeper and daunting now. It really was a challenge to climb the hills - I had to take it very slowly and psyche myself out with all kinds of mind games in order to get over them this time around.

So, that is about all that is new for now. In less than two weeks we will have another OB visit - this time with a mid-wife. Our hope is that she will be a little more open to our wishes for less intervention than our OB has been. Since she is affiliated with the hospital though, we have been warned that she might be a "MED-wife" as opposed to the type of MID-wife that we are really hoping for...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pitocin in 3rd Stage Labor

In my last blog entry I wrote about things that disappointed us about the policies of our hospital. We were surprised to learn that our OB insists that her patients use a hep-lock in case of medical emergencies (4% of births). Scott and I feel determined that we don't need one. If our birth does result in a "medical emergency" (aka. the need for a C-section), we learned that I should be "knocked out" through the administration of anesthesia with inhalational agents anyway. The hep-lock will still be unnecessary.

The other big thing that disappointed us (that I promised to follow up on in the last blog) is our hospital's use of pitocin, a synthetic hormone, in third stage labor. This has different effects from the use of pitocin in second stage labor, which I will discuss briefly, first.

Many mothers are administered pitocin during first stage labor if the delivery is "failing to progress." (This drug is also often used to induce labor if the baby is overdue.) Studies show that this drug is used most often after a woman has been given an epidural, which can retard her labor considerably. If the labor slows too much, the doctors recommend the pitocin to stimulate stronger contractions of the uterus to push the baby out more quickly. Sometimes the use of pitocin is quite painful (as it is meant to stimulate stronger and more frequent contractions) that can override the numbing effects of the epidural. Unfortunately, if the pain is too much, a mother will be administered another stronger epidural, which, in turn, might cause her to need even more pitocin. Putting the harm that this MIGHT cause the baby aside, this "downward spiral" or "snowball effect" of epidural -> pitocin -> epidural -> pitocin can easily put the fetus in distress. If overused, the unborn baby can start to develop a fever, altered heart rate, and other symptoms, which lead more and more doctors to diagnose the need for emergency c-section deliveries. (A description of the snowball effect as highlighted in the recent movie, The Business of Being Born, is discussed in this review.)

We (Dad and I) are hoping to avoid this kind of scenario by having a natural childbirth. Of course this "downward spiral" is only ONE of the many reasons why we have elected to TRY to avoid the meds at the hospital - especially during the first and second stages of labor, before the baby has been delivered.

In addition to the first two stages, we would like to avoid as many unnecessary interventions as possible during the third stage, which involves the delivery of the placenta. Although many hospitals now use pitocin as a matter of procedure to help the third stage along, we have decided that we would prefer not to have this drug administered. Our doctor, unfortunately, does not see why we wouldn't want this intervention. (Although it is a common request nowadays to forgo the pit during stage 3, as indicated by a birth plan toolkit on the ever-popular web site, babycenter.com, our doctor said that she has "never ever heard of such a thing.") She argues that administering pitocin is hospital policy, and that there is no reason why we should object to something that is so "harmless." She argues that pitocin is "exactly" like the natural hormone, oxytocin, that our body already produces, so how can it be problematic.

I have been doing a lot of reading on this. And I agree that there are certainly medical benefits to using pitocin in 3rd stage labor if the mother fails to deliver the placenta naturally. (Pitocin can help her avoid bleeding out, for example.) But I have also come across compelling arguments that claim that use of this synthetic hormone is only necessary in rare emergency situations. The fact that our hospital insists on delivering it to all women no matter their need only suggests to me that the hospital is just trying to wrap up the deliveries quickly (time is money, and quick turn overs are advantageous to the business-side of hospital policy), without having to look back, waiting for slower, more natural deliveries, and, worse yet, worrying about the potentiality of law suits.

While there are certainly risks during 3rd stage labor (as there are at all stages of childbirth!), I have come to find that there are also risks to using pitocin. I will list the potential disadvantages that I have found (and my sources) so far here: (this list is far from exhaustive, and I would love to hear about additional problems/risks that might be included)

1. Sometimes the effects of this hormone shot can actually trap the placenta inside the uterus. The mother then has to be put under sedation while the doctor goes in after the placenta and scrapes it out of her. (McCutcheon-Rosegg, 182)

2. Second-time mothers can have unnecessarily violent post-partum contractions with this hormone that are often reported as more uncomfortable than labor. (182)

3. In a natural (drug-free) childbirth followed by immediate breastfeeding, stimulation of the nipples and suckling stimulate the body's natural hormone, oxytocin, in turn causing the uterus to contract after the placenta out. Oxytocyin is the body's natural form of pitocin. If everything functions properly (which it does 96% of the time), the new mother does not need the synthetic hormone. Unnecessary shots of this fake hormone can give the woman a painful “double whammy” of artificial contractions on top of natural ones. It is a nuisance that can be avoided. (224-25)

4. Because pitocin is an anti-diuretic, its use can lead to water intoxication, which in turn brings about an irregular heart beat, hypotension, nausea and vomiting, excessive swelling, and difficulty nursing. (England and Horwitz, 253)

A trip to the OB - and a trip to a "Hospital of the future"

On Monday, Dad and I went for our 5-month visit to the doctor. The trip started out a little rocky; when I had to do my usual weigh-in when we first got there, I found out to my horror that I have already passed the 150 lb. mark!!! : ( (To be exact, I was 151.0 lbs) I was so horrified about my blossoming weight that I even shed about 3 tears.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think I would change a thing. And I told Scott that I would rather consume too much than too little, in order to ensure that VJ is getting all of his proper nutrients and vitamins. I have been following a strict nutrition plan and getting my exercise (prenatal yoga), and I feel pretty committed to following the "diet," even if it might be causing me to gain a few extra pounds. (The program, which recommends a hearty intake of milk, lean meats and eggs, is apparently good for decreasing the mother's risk of pregnancy-related problems such as preeclampsia, toxemia, and premature labor.)

The doctor said that VJ's heartbeat is very strong and told me not to worry about the weight too. She mentioned that at this stage of the pregnancy that there is a lot of water retention, and when she looked at my ankles she said they are indeed swollen. So a couple pounds of that weight is water. (I hear from my yoga instructor that pregnant women tend to retain more water during the summer heat as well). My only main concern is whether I will be able to get this extra poundage off, once our little baby gets here.

The visit was interesting on a lot of other fronts as well. Since Scott and I have been taking the Bradley class, we have really become quite informed on the different procedures and interventions that hospitals take, and we wanted to ask about our own hospital's policies. We are aiming for as natural a childbirth as possible.

On the whole, we have been very pleased to find out that our hospital (which is apparently ranked #3 in the country AND has just opened the most advanced medical facilities in the country) is quite cutting-edge and supportive of progressive (women-centered) birthing scenarios. For example, the hospital allows women to get up and move around during labor, which is suppose to encourage a speedier birth. (Rather than making her lie on her back, and hooking her up to monitors and IVs) The hospital also supports laboring, delivery, and recovery in the same room, and, as long as the baby is fine, he gets to stay with us immediately after the birth. This is important, because, if possible, the baby should really be breastfeeding during the first hour after he is born. The breastfeeding stimulates the body's production of oxytocin, a natural hormone which stimulates the uterus to push out the placenta and stop bleeding. Without the hormone, a pregnant woman is at higher risk of hemorrhaging or bleeding out.

Another thing we really like is that the hospital assures that it will not feed the baby any formula or give the babies bottles or pacifiers UNLESS we ask them too. This is reassuring, because we had heard that in some hospitals, it is the opposite; even if you ask the hospital NOT to give these things to the baby, some nurses will try to do so anyway. We don't want the hospital to do this, because it confuses the baby about how to nurse. If exposed to the bottle/fake nipple, the baby learns a different, easier method of feeding. The baby has a harder time adapting to breastfeeding AND breast milk especially if it has been exposed to the other man-made alternatives.

Scott and I definitely want VJ to be breastfed, although we heard that it can be challenging at times. Besides all of the health benefits (and there are many), we learned that it is a couple thousand dollars cheaper per year to breast feed. That alone sold me immediately!!

One thing that we are hoping to avoid at the hospital though is the "Hep-lock" (the heparin-lock flush injection) which hospitals like to put on birthing mothers so that, in the event of a medical emergency, they can deliver necessary drugs and fluids to them. Such cases arise in about 4% of childbirths though, and administering the hep-lock in advance assumes that the nurses aren't going to be able to administer an IV quickly enough. (Scott and I think that if an emergency arises, they will be able to put in an IV just fine, with plenty of time. Maybe the hospital is just afraid of getting sued, so it takes this better-be-safe-but-annoying approach).

WE wanted to avoid the hep-lock because the risks don't seem to outweigh the discomfort and pain, that ultimately obstruct the laboring process. When we talked about this with the OB though, we were disappointed to hear that the hospital was very much against our not wearing one. She even suggested that if we choose not to wear one, we might as well go ahead and have a home birth. (As if the hep-lock is the deciding difference between hospital care and mid-wife assisted home births!)

There was one other thing that we weren't too pleased about with our hospital's apparent policies. I'm getting tired of writing for now though, so I'll talk about it in my next blog posting.

Incidentally, I have avoided naming our hospital here, but to find out more about it, have a look at some of these pages: Utube video (that won't embed in my blog), local ABC televised news report, and the general fact page at the new hospital's web site.) The story behind our hospital, which was just transferred to a new, state-of-the-art facility, is quite impressive. I am just hoping that all of this technology (which I'm sure is extremely helpful in certain high-tech medical situations) is conducive to the type of natural birth that Dad and I are hoping for. We feel strongly that too much medical technology in the majority of healthy birthing situations is UNhelpful, and can even lead to unnecessary, and even dangerous, interventions).

Baby Birthing Music - Relaxation and Sonic Stimulation

VJ is 24 weeks old this week in gestation. Apparently that means his hearing is fully developed and he can recognize his mom and dad's voices, in addition to being able to "enjoy" music. We are looking forward to playing some tunes for the little guy in utero so that he might have some familiar music to relax to when he makes it to the real world! (I know it sounds crazy, but we are just too excited about VJ being a part of our lives now. Also, some studies have *tried* to indicate that "prenatal sonic stimulation" may yield some of the same benefits that have been more scientifically-established by the prenatal consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. According to early-pregnancy-tests.com, "such purported benefits include enhanced attention spans, improved sleep patterns, increased cognitive development, and sharper language skills...")

Based on our excitement - and the idea that it certainly can NOT hurt (if not played too loudly) - I've been playing the song "Over the rainbow" by the Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (aka "Iz") to VJ every morning after breakfast! I wrap the head phones around my ever-increasingly-rotund belly and turn on the ITunes player...

Speaking of music, Dad and I are now trying to put together a playlist to upload onto our mp3 players for the big day, when VJ is born. We have read repeatedly that labor goes more quickly if the mother is relaxed, and one way to accomplish this is for her and her birth coach (i.e. Dad) to practice relaxing every day to "feel good" music that they can enjoy during the birth. In support of this idea, one of the hospitals that we recently visited for a birth tour provides boom boxes in every room where couples can play CDs and/or hook up their mp3 players.

It is actually really difficult to find "newborn appropriate" music that seems to fit the occasion of a baby coming into this world!!! I have gone through a lot of my favorite and mellow tunes in my ITunes library, and have found surprisingly that many of the songs I enjoy - even if they are ultra mellow - have some kind of dark or sad edge to them. Many of Jack Johnson's songs for instance, are about depressing events and death! Other songs I like that are kind of folksy are also "blues-ey" which normally is very enjoyable. But somehow they seem to sad - or "blue" - for a new born baby.



The very best music I have come up with so far is the Hawaiian music by IZ. (Here is a video on Youtube that plays one version of his awesome song "Somewhere over the Rainbow")

So we have asked friends and are now trying to make up a list of potential singers whom we might enjoy. I haven't gathered (ie. bought, borrowed, or downloaded) a lot of the songs yet, so I am trying to keep track of good suggestions here so I won't forget them in the meantime. So far we have:

Bob Marley (and general reggae)
Enya
Eva Cassidy
Iron and Wine
Jack Johnson
Neil Simon
Nora Jones
Paul Simon
"Talk to Her" Soundtrack

Any more suggestions? If so, please let us know. I hope to add to this list as we get more ideas.

The Kicker of the Week!

During the last two weeks, VJ has started to let his Mom and Dad know that he is definitely alive ... and Kicking. His kicks have become very noticeable now - and even Dad has had the opportunity to feel one, rather rare, emphatic thud from the boy while we were relaxing and watching TV the other night. (Note: The picture here is not my belly! I lifted it from this photo contest. Gotta at least give the props)

The kicking is rather irregular now, but for the past week, I have definitely felt the little tyke pound around in my stomach at least once a day. Sometimes the kicks (and/or arm movements?) feel more like bubbles of gas in my tummy, or like nervous butterflies. Other times though, his movements are very discernible and strong. I feel a soft pounding on the inside of my tummy in very even-paced, rhythmic patterns. Apparently the movement won't be regular yet for another couple of weeks. For now, I tend to feel them right when I wake up, before I eat, and right before bed. Also about a couple of other times during the day, he does squirm around in there to let me know he's awake.

When I told my girlfriend recently that he never kicks when I am ready for him to, she said that is because the little guy has showmanship. Sometimes when I am reading or otherwise preoccupied, I'll feel him squirming around, so I'll stop to enjoy the moment. But when I stop everything to feel him move, he stops everything TOO! Then when I move on and become distracted once again, he decides it is now an appropriate time for him to "move on" and start kicking me again. What a tease he is!!

This is definitely one of the upsides of being pregnant. Whenever he kicks or pounds on me, I just feel this giant, immense wave of affection toward the little creature. Scott has mentioned that he feels a little bit envious of the new bond that VJ and I share, because he doesn't get to be a direct part of. He said he wonders if VJ is going to be a "Mama's boy" because we are getting to share more and more these days - exchanging body movements, stomach poundings, and, well, eating and sleeping schedules... (I don't think Scott has anything to worry about that though - I can already tell that he is going to be one big, doting, loving and protective Papa)

21 Weeks Along - Progress Report for Mom, Dad, and Baby

So, I am happy (yet somewhat terrified) to report that we are 21 weeks along now in the pregnancy - more than half way there to D-day (aka. DDDDelivery day). I can't believe this pregnancy is moving along so quickly. When it first started out, I thought time was standing still. But now...

We're going to be parents, like, tomorrow. I don't feel ready yet. We are doing a good job of getting things together to prepare for the little guy's arrival. But, as far as making the emotional transition into being a real Mommy - and for the rest of my life? It's not happening this fast is it?? We only have 4 short months left.

While I don't feel very ready psychologically, I do feel like Dad and I are doing a pretty good job getting ready on a practical level. Dad has been helping me do exercises almost every night so that we will be ready for pre-labor, and so that I'll be more fit for the whole process. He encourages me to eat my vegetables, and he goes on walks with me. (VJ isn't here yet, but Dad is really making sure we have a strong family!) I've also been taking yoga every couple of days to try to stay strong and flexible...

Anyway, about VJ's progress. According to babycenter.com our baby is 3/4 of a pound this week, and almost a foot long. He has been kicking, but I barely feel it. I want to say that I've only felt about 8 total HINTS at a kick since last week (and ever). But soon, his kick should be getting more intense and noticeable.

Dad and I have signed up for a Bradley Method class, and we have already attended 2 lessons (weeks) of this 13-week course. I can't say we have learned a lot just yet. The best aspect has been that we spend at least 2.5 hours together each week, just focusing on taking in information about the birth together. It is also reassuring to meet and hear some of the other couples' concerns.

The last class was almost 2 hours on nutrition, which is obviously very important, but the information is pretty much all on line. (The Bradley Method recommends that pregnant women follow the Brewer Diet, so as to avoid premature labor, preeclampsia, toxemia, and general poor development). We got special charts to take home to keep track of our food intakes. I have been trying to follow the guidelines since then, but to be completely honest... it's too much food. I just can't eat as much food as this diet recommends in a day. I feel pretty confident though that I am taking care of the really important stuff - like adequate nutrition from very good quality foods (milk, eggs, veggies, cheeses, etc.)

One thing new and very important that I learned was that the 8th month is the most important when it comes to brain development for the fetus. That was interesting to know....

MomsJustKnow.com

I just shamelessly cut and pasted the list below of things to buy for a newborn. I stole it from my friend's amazing starter website www.momsjustknow.com because I wanted to keep it at arm's reach as we prepare for VJ's arrival.

What do I need to keep my baby happy & healthy at home?
o nasal aspirator
o diaper rash ointment
o 2 packages of disposable diapers
o 2 dozen cloth diapers (for burp cloths)
o gentle baby soap
o no tears shampoo
o 2-4 pacifiers (you will lose them)
o blunt baby nail scissors
o baby brush and comb set
o alcohol wipes (for the cord)
o 4-6 bottles (4 and 8 ounce size)
o bottle brush
o 2 nursing bras (if nursing)
o disposable or washable breast pads (if nursing)
o breast pump (if nursing)
o 6 bibs
o 2-4 hooded bath towels
o 4-6 wash clothes
o 4 bassinet sheets
o 2 waterproof mattress pads
o 2 quilted crib pads
o 3-4 crib sheets
o crib bumper
o 2 comforters (depending on season)
o 2 crib blankets (depending on season)
o 6-8 snap t-shirts or onesies
o 4-6 lightweight sleepers
o 6-8 receiving blankets
o 6-8 baby gowns with pull-ties
o 4-8 pairs of booties or socks
o 1 sweater
o 1 snowsuit (depending on season)

So far we have managed to already gather a small storage supply of baby stuff (but not many things on this list yet!), so that we won't be too overwhelmed with all the expenses when VJ finally comes in October. Mainly through steals I have found on craigslist, we have bought VJ a car seat, baby boppy, some clothes (night gowns/PJs, socks, hats, and onesies), 3 receiving blankets, and a co-sleeper. Tomorrow Dad and I are going to buy a crib with mattress and baby bumper - and then on Saturday we will buy a Exersaucer we found (for $4 - amazing)!

Oh yeah, AND last month, we just bought a new car for the little guy! Since Dad and I both drove trucks until now, we had to buy a baby-friendly automobile in which to put the car seat. Man, this kid is clearly already ruling our lives, and he is barely a 20-week-old fetus! (Obviously I am not complaining too much about this though - Mom got a new car!) This is a picture of our gorgeous new, pre-owned Honda - as it was advertised by the car dealer.

The list of things to buy is endless. The next crucial things on my list to buy are a snap-n-go stroller for our car seat, a bathing basin, and ... I thought I'd never hear myself saying this, but... (omg) a breast pump!

VJ's first home movie: Heartbeats and Ultrasound

Executive Producer: ST Carolan, aka "Daddy"
To view movie, please click on the arrow at the center OR at the bottom left corner of this image.

In this scene, VJ plays the role of an unborn fetus in which he displays his long legs and relaxed demeanor. VJ seems to be hanging cool with his head propped up and his feet kicked back on the wall of Mom's uterus, while showing off his strong heart beat to the audience.

Just kidding. This is VJ's second trimester anatomy screening on June 6, 2008. He really wasn't on a movie set in Hollywood - but down the road a few blocks at the UCLA Medical Center's Obstetrics Department. You can see toward the end of the film, that mom's belly was shaken by the ultrasound technician with the goal of getting VJ to move around. You'll see him kick his leg around and raise his hand just as the video ends.

Please be sure to turn your volume up as high as possible to get the full effect of his very strong heart beat. Enjoy the show~!

Mom's note: Once again, our little guy amazed us with "perfect scores." According to our doctors, he is developing very nicely, showing good growth, no visible problems, and plenty of amniotic fluid to hang out in. Apparently he likes to suck his thumb, as he often has his thumb in the mouth when we ultrasound him. The ultrasound techinician said that he is very very active in the womb.

Straight A's for our little guy, VJ!

Today I learned what it feels to be a proud parent, sharing some good news about our boy with Dad. We got a call from our geneticist to let us know that our little tyke passed his amniocentesis with flying colors. No major genetic defects! Horray!

I was unable to take the call so she left a message, which ended up being very fortunate. I was able to replay it for Dad later in the day. He seemed so pleased. Like I said, it really was like standing outside the principle's office after we had just heard her tell us our kid was a super star. We are very very proud parents. He got his first awesome report card.

Bradley Method vs. Hypnobirthing?

Argh, I can't make up my mind. I am really interested in taking classes to prepare Dad and me as best as possible for a natural childbirth. There are two notable methods that are taught these days, each with obvious "pros" over the other. I can't make up my mind - but have to very soon. In fact, a lot of the week-end Bradley Method classes that I have been looking into today are already fully booked up.

Anyway, I wanted to keep track of a web site with a great conversation string where mothers weigh in with their experiences with either or both of these methods. What I have gotten from these mainly is that the Bradley method is a child birthing class while the Hypnobirthing class is more about learning how to relax properly and overcome one's fears of birthing. The Bradley method classes include much more peripheral yet relevant information on, for example, proper nutrition, pre-natal exercise, developing a birth plan, and preparing for breast feeding. Although it does emphasize the *necessity* of relaxation during childbirth, many mothers write that it doesn't do such a good job of teaching it (spending only a superficial 15-20 minutes on it).

Meanwhile hypnobirthing is more of a relaxation class, which ultimately is apparently the most important factor in learning how to overcome/withstand labor contractions without feeling a need for medication. If relaxation/avoiding meds is your main objective, than the hypnobirthing class seems to be considered more effective. But if carrying out a well-rounded pregnancy - from good pre-natal health, helpful birthing techniques, and adequate preparation for breastfeeding afterwards - Bradley seems the better way to go.

Obviously there are clear advantages to learning both methods. If I were wealthy, I would just sign up and take both sets of classes. But at about $300 per registration - and with the Bradley class involving a time commitment of 12 weeks of meetings - it seems too extravagant for us to do something like that - especially given our pitiful budget. Also, while reading about the first two methods described above, I learned that their is a third method called "Birthing from Within," which lots of people are also raving about. And there is something called "hypno babies" and even "hypbirth" - which are both already different from "hypnobirthing" and, etc. etc. etc. It's all so overwhelming....

Meanwhile, Scott and I just visited some friends with a 6-week old newborn, and they warn us that we will spend months and months preparing for the actual birth, but then Boom - all of a sudden the birthing portion of having a baby is over, suddenly the parents face the arduous path of taking the baby home, adjusting to the baby, a new life of sleeplessness, and the psychological tolls of self-doubt and "good" parenting. So, in addition to the classes on birthing, it seems more classes on breastfeeding and childcare might be mandatory. ... (?)

Not to mention that I had originally wanted to hire a Doula to help us get through the whole process too...

Amniocentesis: Part II

So, I want to just skip to the good stuff: when preparing for the amnio, we found out that our baby is a BOY!!! (I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!) =)

To conduct the amnio, an ultrasound has to be performed so that the doctor can see where the baby is. The point is to avoid pricking the fetus when inserting the needle to pull out some of the amniotic fluid. In other words, the ultrasound shows the doctor where it is safe to prick the belly and puncture the amniotic sack without ever touching the baby inside.

At first, the person doing the ultrasound couldn't figure out what sex he was because his umbilical cord was sitting right in between his legs, and we couldn't get a good view. It seemed like it took a long time, but finally the technician was able to jiggle the baby enough so that we could see. (Incidentally, the technician informed us that we had a really active baby in there. He was moving all over the place) I had tears in my eyes when I learned. Of course, I think this is because I was really happy to hear that we had a boy. But also, it just made our having a baby (inside me!) that much more Real~!

This is one of the many pictures we got after the ultrasound. The baby is about 5.5 inches long here. The line shooting up from his face is his left arm, which he always happens to have in the "air" when we do our ultrasounds! We got a couple of other pictures, which I won't put up here. First, we got one of the babies testicles with an arrow pointing to them. I figure I don't want the kid to grow up mad at me for showing the world his privates, so that pictures is staying under wraps. Also, we got a 3-D picture of the baby too. I won't put that one up because, to be honest, he just doesn't look too great in that picture. - What I mean to say is, that the image is kind of spooky. The image is just clear enough to make out a lot - but still weird/vague enough to give everything this kind of gooey, macabre edge to it. I think it's an image that only a mom and dad (and maybe close relatives) would want to see anyway.

So, in addition to announcing our baby's sex, I also wanted to describe what the amnio was like. I have to say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I was anticipating. I'm usually not that squeamish about these things, but I had been pricked one too many times in the arm recently for the many pre-natal blood tests, and I was starting to get really tired of that. (It was starting to really hurt! More and more every time!) Another reason I was all frightened was because I had done a lot of reading, and descriptions of the procedure seemed so vivid and dramatic. I had also seen a video of amniocentesis on YouTube, and it was really graphic. (I don't recommend anyone watching any of those videos before going in for an amnio - really, it doesn't help at all) Apparently the procedure shown on YouTube is from the 80s, and it isn't accurate anymore anyway. But knowing that didn't make me feel any more relieved about how awful the test looked. Finally, I knew that there was a chance of miscarriage. And with that in mind, I thought there must be no way that this procedure could be minor, routine, harmless, or "unpainful".

But it was. First the doctor gave me a shot of anaesthetic, which really was harmless. As he was giving it to me, he informed me that that first prick was really going to be the extent of the pain... which was a big relief. Really, it was much less bothersome than the blood test pricks one gets when blood is drawn from the arm... The whole process only took about 3 minutes - if that. Also, I was very grateful, because my particular doctor tried to engage me with some light conversation, which helpfully distracted me from the actual process. Finally, when everything was all done, he stuck a bandaid on my tummy and told Scott to take me out to eat! : )

As for side-effects, I really didn't feel any of those either. The doctor said to be careful of cramping or bleeding mostly. But fortunately, I have felt quite normal since then (three days ago now). (Although I might mention that that night I slept extra long and hard - I really slept in the next day too!) I've been taking it easy for the past couple of days. The doctor warned me and Scott from my doing much exercise, lifting objects over 20 pounds, or doing practically anything that would put pressure on my belly. As far as I'm concerned, this so-called "bed rest" thing has been just fine with me though. I haven't really lifted a finger since the procedure - and it's been a great excuse for not having to exercise too : ) Finally today, though, I took a nice long walk so that I'll be ready for Yoga by next week. By the way, when I finally took my band-aid off a day-and-half later, one of the injection points was a little blue, like I had a small bruise there. It's already clearing up though.

Amniocentesis, Part I

Today Scott and I had an amniocentesis. It was a pretty nerve-wracking experience.

First of all, we were worried that our insurance was ultimately not going to cover it. Two days before the procedure, we got word from our insurance company that it would not cover an amnio unless the doctor deemed it a "medical necessity" in the paper work. We had never been told in those terms that it was a "necessity" so to speak. Our doctors and geneticist had simply explained that we faced high risks for having a genetically "flawed" baby, especially given our "advanced" ages (particular mine) over 35. We were told that the amnio was developed for parents in our "high risk" category of "advanced age" in order to determine that the state of health of our unborn baby. When I reported this to the insurance agency, I was told that this type of explanation did not clarify if the amnio was a "medical necessity." Making matters worse, the agent on the line emphasized to me that he could NOT guarantee that our insurance would reimburse any of the costs whatsoever.

How frustrating!!! (Someone could dedicate a whole blog to this topic of how obnoxious the insurance companies really are - but that will sidetrack me too much to start going off here, and now)

So anyway, to make a long story "short," we finally cleared that problem up with a few more phone calls and discussions. Finally we determined that on the insurance front, everything was probably going to be okay.

The second major quandary that we faced was stressing out about the safety of our fetus... (and even though the amnio is over now (and I feel fine) we're not quite out of the woods on this one yet.) Just yesterday a new acquaintance (with a newborn of 6 months) was telling me that she refused to have an amnio done - even though she was 41. She had had an experience witnessing a friend miscarry after having an amnio, and that had scarred her terribly. That was enough to make her decide not to put her own pregnancy in the same sort of jeopardy.

She kept asking me WHY I was going along with the amnio given the increased risk of miscarriage.

Personally, hearing about her friend's miscarriage immediately following her amnio just scared me to death. I started to really debate what exactly was the "medical necessity" of this procedure on various fronts - not just from the financial point of view of getting our insurance coverage.

I'm still not 100% decided on the answer to this. Should I have really put the pregnancy at risk - espeically knowing that our preliminary test results had been positive - and that neither Scott nor I had any major histories of genetic problems in our families. We thought about postpoining the amnio, so that we could deliberate the issues a bit longer. But we new that there was only a short window during the pregnancy when an amnio could be done at all. If we missed that window, then it would be too late. Finally, Scott and I decided to go ahead with the procedure anyway and to just try to keep as positive an outlook as possible.

More tomorrow on what the procedure was actually like - ugh!

The Baby Seat

Today Scott and I made our second "big" purchase for our baby: a baby seat. I got a great deal, which I found about 5 blocks away, advertised on craigslist. The babyseat we got was a Graco Car Seat SNUGRIDE in the gender neutral color of "WINDSOR- Green." It kind of looks like the image I included here.

The seat was only $35 - a steal - gratefully, since it will only work until our baby is 20 pounds. Then we will have to find yet another seat. Even though it was "used," it was practically brand new. I confirmed from the owner that it had never been in any accidents either.

The seat is really cute, but I was surprised how it, alone, already is kind of heavy. It's gonna be really heavy once we get a newborn in there!!

Another great feature about the seat is that it can be fitted up with a matching car-seat frame to make a stroller. I added this car-seat frame to one of the registries that we have been encouraged to set up. (More about our many on-line registries to follow.)

Our little lemon

Today there are a couple of important birthdays. Our little tyke has just turned 14 weeks old, and his/her cousin, Jackson, out in the big wide world, is one year old!!! Happy Birthday Jack!

I copied this picture from babycenter.com, which illustrates the size of our fetus. It's hard to believe that in only 10 short weeks, our little tadpole has come from being the size of a poppy seed (at 4 weeks) to now being the size of a lemon. He/she is 3 1/2 inches long now and weighs about a half ounce.

It is also apparently a big time for Mom (me!) now too. I have just entered the second trimester, when life is supposed to (emphasize "supposed to") get much much better. Just in time for Mother's Day (thanks little guy)... I have to admit that I don't feel nearly as queazy as I did several weeks ago; but I am still very turned off by surprising smells - like coffee - which I used to love. Also, I'm still waiting until I can be less tired. It is very VERY easy for me to sleep about 10 hours per night and then still want a nap during the day. It takes a lot of energy to grow a lemon! ; )

Anyways, it's good to know the baby is coming along just fine. In the past week I have had another ultrasound (this time successful), visited the geneticists, and had blood and urine tests. One more test is scheduled to see if I might be a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis -this will be conducted through yet another blood test. Then, in about four more weeks, we will have an amniocentesis. Man, this thing requires a lot of poking and prodding!!

I'm not someone inclined to prayer (Meditation is normally more my speed), but for the first time ever, I just want to ask anyone who is willing to say a quick prayer for the health of our baby!!! We want this lemon to grow into a full blown, healthy pumpkin within the next few months or so! Go baby go!

10 Weeks and 5 days - Our first trimester screening

Mom had an ultra sound today and found out that our baby has a strong heart beat and is really big. In fact, "he" is 5 days bigger than average, so the OB has moved his due date up to October 29 (Previously it was Nov. 3). Mom heard the heart (and actually saw it too - it was amazing - located somewhere near my belly button at this point). My heartbeat was measured at 160 per minute.

Incidentally, Mom has a strong intuition that I am a boy. I make her eat a lot (too much), am stubborn, and BIG. (Already sounds like one - or both - of my parents!!! hmmm) How does she know I am stubborn? Well, I was apparently sleeping during the ultrasound, and refused to wake up long enough for the technician to measure my "Nuchal Translucency" (NT). (Below, Mom cut and pasted what the NT is according to a definition on the Net). Babies are supposed to be in a certain position for the technician to measure the NT, but no matter how much she jiggled my Mom's belly to try to wake me up, I refused to budge. (Again, sounds like one of my parents!) This sleepy time is apparently normal (although Mom was slightly worried, the doctor said that this happens all the time). We are rescheduled to go back next week to try again before the NT disappears in another two weeks. Hopefully Dad can go with us then, and he can proudly hear how strongly my heart is beating! We are really fortunate because the hospital is only about a 5-minute walk from Dad's office, so he can just pop over for the ultrasound during his lunch hour.

Cut and Pasted from Toronto's Mount Sinai Web Page (Image is from here)

Nuchal Translucency/Early Anatomy Ultrasound:

A nuchal translucency ultrasound measures the fluid at the back of a baby’s neck between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy.

All babies have some fluid there, but babies with chromosome abnormalities such as Down syndrome, Trisomy 13, and Trisomy 18, tend to have an unusually high amount.

The most common explanation for a higher fluid level is some variation in normal development, but it can also indicate heart defects and certain rare genetic syndromes.

When during pregnancy is the ultrasound performed?

The test is performed ... between 11 weeks, 2 days and 13 weeks, 3 days of the pregnancy.

Measurements taken during the test are based on the crown-rump length of the baby, which is calculated by the ultrasound machine. Measurements taken outside the stated time frame generally cannot be used for screening tests.

7 weeks along

Okay, this week I am finally at the stage where I resemble the little guy in the picture to your right (in my profile).

Some major accomplishments for me this week are that I have doubled in size since week 6. I have moved up in the world from "lentil-bean size" to looking more like a blueberry. Although they are not quite functioning like they will when I am born, I have developed a pancreas and an appendix since last week too. (Dad is pretty jealous of me, actually, since he doesn't have an appendix anymore. He told Mom he wants me to make some spares for him!) I still have a little tail, which was formed when my spinal cord and brain were made, but this is the one part of me that is getting smaller all the time. This is a picture of what I kind of look like this week inside my mom's womb.

What's going on with Mom, you ask? Well she is hanging in there. Her best medication for morning sickness is to complain a lot! But actually she could be a lot worse. Another thing she likes a lot is hiking up hills. Doing exercise that raises her heart rate always makes her feel better... The biggest struggle for her is to have energy, especially into the evening. Since all of her energy is going into making my organs grow, she isn't very good at participating in pleasant conversation or thinking very analytically either - especially, say, from about 7 pm on every evening. Sometimes my growing body also makes her very cranky - when she isn't feeling well, unfortunately, she does not have a lot of patience for small talk.

Above all, Mom is getting ready for her first OB visit. She will be heading to the UCLA medical center obstetrics ward in a couple of weeks. Even though it is a couple of weeks off, she is thinking about it a lot now, though, because she was informed that the 8-week mark is a key date when planning a visit. Apparently most miscarriages happen by the 8th week, so if she and I can make it just a little bit longer without incident, she can go see the doctor and find out all kinds of things about me and my future from the doctor.

Big New Big News!

Yesterday was a big day for my Mom and Dad.
First of all Dad got a great new job up at UCLA, so he won't have to commute down to Irvine anymore. Mom and Dad calculated that he is gonna be able to save up to $15 a day, given the steep gas prices in LA these days. What's more, Dad got a 10% salary raise as well, so now he and Mom can save even more money for my future college education. (well they actually have to just save enough money for a new car and baby seat first). Dad is real happy about the job because he thinks it's gonna be challenging - something that he has been longing for in his career for a while lately. He also tells his friends that he's happy he'll be much closer to Mom during the pregnancy. He'll just be ten minutes down the road now, if she needs him!

The other big news of the day is that my grandparents showed up in LA today, and Mom was able to break the news to them that I'm on my way. They were pretty surprised, but seemed pretty happy. Granddad told Mom that she has to be very careful to take care of herself now that she is responsible for two people. Grandmom says she's happy too, but she would prefer if Dad and Mom got married right away.

feeling good, feeling awful

This week-end I experienced the worst and best feelings I've had since this whole thing began. Still haven't gotten sick yet (sick sick, I mean), so that is good at least. Scott and I went to a diner for brunch Saturday, and I ordered some chicken soup with matzo balls. Nothing else looked good and I was feeling pretty queasy, so I went with the plainest food I saw on the menu. In the end, I couldn't stomach more than two or three bites, and I ended up eating all of Scott's omelet instead. (What a sweet nice guy!) Fortunately, he liked my soup though. This sounds pretty mundane, I realize, but it is really difficult to describe in detail how I wanted to run out of that diner screaming mad because I felt so nauseated by the whole ordeal... And then, the crummy mood/feelings continued pretty much all day until yesterday morning. After the soup episode, Scott and I tried to go for a walk, but it was so cold and windy, and I already felt wretched, so I immediately told Scott I wanted to go home, NOW!!

Yup, I guess this pretty boring stuff. But now that I am in the middle of being sick and feeling really gross, cranky, and fat all the time, I can't believe there are going to be at least 8 more months of this. Of course, I'm truly delighted about the little tyke, of course! But, man, I didn't know how hard this stuff (dealing with morning sickness and watching your stomach balloon out uncontrollably) would necessarily be...

On the bright side, yesterday, I felt great. I tried some B6 pills for the first time, and then Scott and I went to the beach to exercise. He ran and I rode my bike (we separated) for an hour, and it was the first time I felt like I wasn't even pregnant. Exercise generally helps the sickness, but the amazing thing yesterday was that I continued to feel pretty good all day yesterday - the whole entire day. I had much more energy that usual too.

Well that was just about the most banal blog posting that I've written so far, but in sum that is the state of my progress. Getting bigger by the day, and learning about the wonders of vitamins. I really recommend B6 to all cranky sickly pregnant women out there - just be careful to watch your dosage. (I read last night that there is such a thing as B6 toxicity, which can result in numbness and nerve damage for mom and potential harm for the baby.) I'm going to make sure to limit my intake to no more than 50 mg per day - and only on days when I'm not feeling well.

Anyhoo, next time, I'll write about trying to find a good OB/hospital.

Proud Parents: A picture to last a lifteime

This is a picture of our pregnancy test (pictured near the bottom) and the instruction sheet explaining the readings. Ours, of course, is "+" (on the left) for positive. If you look closely, you can see Pops tried to add a fourth potential diagram/pregnancy reading (called "Maybe") to the possibilities of results one can get from the test. (If this baby has half his sense of humor, we will be blessed!)

3/14: 125.3 pounds

This is Mom's Monologue about her big fat ****:
Yup, I am gaining weight. (Two days ago, I weighed myself and I was at 124.6). It is not clear though if this is due to the baby or a change I've made in eating habits.

Last year, I was on a major diet, and I lost about 15 pounds. Today, I am still about 12-13 pounds less than I was last year (even with child). Until about a couple of weeks ago (before I knew about the little tyke), I was still following a lot of the old diet guidelines, making sure that I kept my intake of carbs and fat in rather strict proportion to my intake of protein. (I was following the Zone Diet, which really does work for shedding off extra pounds!)

Now that I know I am "hatching" an egg inside me, though, I've been lest strict about following the previous proportions. Mainly because I want to focus more on consuming more grains and vegetables - which, according to the diet I was on - were pure "carbs" (translation: something to strictly limit). The old diet was great for losing weight, but I am not convinced it will be good for nourishing a growing fetus properly... (It puts no emphasis on consuming the right amounts of vitamins or minerals, for example.) In any event, since I've committed myself to exercising more, I'm hoping that I'll still be able to manage my weight and keep "in shape" - despite my decision to change my eating habits (and eat more carbs).

Speaking of diets though, I have noticed one thing. I AM definitely hungrier lately - to the point where last night, I woke up in the middle of the night (around 5 am) with my stomach growling. That has never happened to me before. I couldn't get back to sleep until I had gone on a snack run... I also notice that I feel better (less morning sickness) when I have something in my stomach ... So, eating - and eating healthy - is the name of the game these days.

Incidentally, this is an interesting chart that I copied directly from baby2see.com, which has an interesting weight gain calculator and tips on what type of eating/weight gain is to be expected and healthy. I think this chart is interesting because, as Pops was asking me recently, how much can that baby weigh at this point? Why would you be gaining weight already, if the baby is so small still? At the time when he asked, I didn't know the answer - but I knew there must be one. The chart explains where the other weight gain comes from; apparently, in addition to the baby itself, the mama gains weight increased body fluid, blood, breast growth (ooh!), etc. etc.:

Where do the pregnancy pounds go? Maternal stores of nutrients and muscle development 7 Pounds Increased body fluid 4 Pounds Increased blood 3 - 4 Pounds Breast growth 1 - 2 Pounds Enlarged uterus 2 Pounds Amniotic fluid 2 Pounds Placenta 1.5 Pounds Baby 6 - 8 Pounds Total 26.5 - 30.5 Pounds Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists On a Trimester Basis: First trimester: 1 pound per month (4lb) in the first 12 weeks. Second trimester: 1 pound per week for the next three months (12 - 14lb) in total. Third trimester: around 1 pound per week (10lb) over the last 12 weeks. But remember, these are average figures for large numbers of women so just because your weight gain pattern is different, it doesn't mean anything is wrong.

My Cousin Jack and My future names

Mom just got pictures of my cousin Jackson. I'll probably be pretty out of it for a while once I reach planet earth, but Mom is really looking forward to the day when we can play and get to know each other. I'll be able to learn a lot from Jack, since he will be a full year and a half older than me. (He already knows how to walk and even sweep floors)

Pops and Mom are so excited that I am "alive" that, despite themselves, they've already started joking about my future name. They spent a lot of time last night over dinner coming up with boy names - Pops really likes the name Vincent or Vicente, because it's an old family name. Pops isn't 100% sure that is definitely what he wants, but Mom can see that he feels pretty strongly about it. So she says she'll go with that if that's whats important to him. Also, she has a good friend named Vinh, and Vincent could lead to a nickname that reminds her of her friend, so she's down with that kind of name. She says maybe she can pick the middle name.

Mom likes Philipino names a lot, and that is where the Vicente translation came from for Vincent. She also likes the name Arturo, which comes from her granddad from the Phlippines, Arthur. Our roommate, Darin had a lot of suggestions too, but then we got distracted by initials. For example, if we named the kid Vincent Arturo, his initials would be VAC - and we're not sure if that is so good. Darin says "no way." Scott and he think the initials VXC would be cool, but that doesn't leave too many options! (Mom is not so crazy about the name Xavier...)

Obviously there is a lot to think about. We haven't even gotten started with girls names yet. Anyways, we clearly have a ways to go before we really need to pick something out - there is plenty of time to think about the options.