40 weeks and counting

We have made it to 40 weeks! Today is the 'due date' and we are patiently waiting for our little angel. I am so excited, and nervous, for the big day. I know that I've been through all of this 4 times already, but you never really know what will happen. I also can't wait to see our new little person. I am still just amazed that there is a fully developed person inside me. I look at my tummy and I think about how this baby will be in our arms any day now. It's so exciting. I'll post the photos and birth story when the time comes.

Waiting and smiling

Well, I am still enjoying my pregnancy. I love it. I am enjoying every moment, big or small, uncomfortable or enjoyable. I have truely loved this entire pregnancy. I love feeling our little angel moving about and responding to me and Brent's touch. I love laying at night and feeling baby's hiccups. I laugh when I cough and it scares baby and makes him/her jump.

I am somewhat sad, because I am 38 weeks and I am almost done nurturing my baby from within. I love being the only one to hold and love him/her. I do want Brent to be able to, but right now it is my time. This is my special time where I can show my angel how much I love him/her.

I am looking forward to my labor and birth, though. Each baby has been different and I am excited to find out what this labor is going to be like. I have been exercising, eating healthy (for the most part - LOL), taking my vitamines and evening primrose. I currently have everything ready to go. I got my home birth supplies over to Eva's (my midwife). I got all my baby stuff washed and folded. We have several friends who are willing to watch our other monkeys while I am in labor. We are ready to go, and yet, I'm still not quite ready. I am still not wanting to give up my last bit of intimate time that I have with Brent before the baby comes. He has been so wonderful and supportive. I love him so much and can't imagine doing this without him. He is my love and my life. He is strong for me when I don't think I can go on.

I have been getting contractions at night, and sometimes during the day, but nothing serious. I enjoy working through them and teaching my body how to relax during a contraction. My natural reaction is to tense up and fight the pain, but that only makes it worse. I am training myself to relax and enjoy the progress that my body is making to prepare for the actual event. :)

I had better go, but I will keep everyone updated on our progress. When our little one comes, I'll get the pictures posted. I love you all.

35 weeks 4 days along

Well, my excitement has gone from rib tickling to rib kicking. LOL! Baby is moving around right now. Our baby loves to kick me in the ribs and push, making me arch back and try to get him/her out of where he/she shouldn't, and doesn't need, to be. :)

I am feeling great. My left inner hip/groin area has been hurting for a few weeks. A couple pregnancies ago I tried scooting a heavy box with my left leg and pulled my muscle. Every since then, that muscle has bothered me during my latter days of pregnancy. Other than that, things are great. My back hasn't hurt at all during this baby. I haven't had much swelling of the feet or hands. When my feet do swell, it's my fault for not drinking enough that day. I've been doing good with my water lately. I've been drinking my RRL/alfalfa tea, and taking my prenatals, kelp and evening primrose (just started ep this week).

My parents are coming out next week. The girls are very excited. They are going to be staying with them for a few days. We will also be going to the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forrest. Abby will be 4 on the 7th (they will be here on the 8th) and so they will get to be here for all that fun and excitement.

I did finally get some photos downloaded onto my computer. I got a couple photos of me as I looked the last of March. They are not very good (one has my head cut off - LOL). I'll get some of me now as soon as I can get my lazy butt to do so. LOL!

I'll make it quick

Ok, so I am going to make this post quick. I feel like crap and don't really feel like saying much. Brent has been sick for the last week. On Sunday I was 'lucky' enough to get his flu, or whatever it is. My body hurts. I had a fever, but it finally broke a few nights ago. Now I'm left with what feels almost like strep throat, jaw pain, a headache, earache and a stuffy nose. It kills me to sneeze, but I can't stop them. Usually I can plug my nose and it stops, but I can't make myself not sneeze. It hurts like fire. I took 5 cough drops last night, but they stopped working. I made a Dr apt, but the earliest was in 2 weeks. Hopefully I'll be better by then. LOL! Sadie and Abby have it now. I hope we all heal up quickly.

I'm just a bundle of good news. I have just felt so bad the last few weeks. I am looking forward to being healthy again. Some good news is that my kidneys haven't started hurting again. :) Baby is still kicking and having a grand 'ol time.

We went out and looked at a couple places today. One is a possibility. It was 3 bd 2 bth (the master was big and I could have a water birth. It was on 5 acres, so we could have chickens and maybe goats too (eggs and milk). I don't know, though. We are going to talk to a friend of ours and see if we can move out on his land for a little while. We'll see. I'm trying not to stress about it.

Looks like I've lost some weight with my illness. :(
weight: 152.0

In and Out

I woke up Sunday morning and I was in pain. My right kidney was hurting like something awful. It was like labor pains, but in the front and back of my kidney area. We went to church, and I sat through the pain. Around 5 pm it subsided. I thought I might be getting a UTI, so I drank a pitcher of cranberry juice and a lot of water (I usually drink lots of water anyway).

On Monday, Brent went to work about 9 am and I was feeling great. About 11 am the pain started up suddenly in my kidney and I had to lay down on the couch until it was better around 3 pm. Every exhale on the second breath was a stabbing pain in my kidney for an hour and a half. As soon as the pain started I got nauseous and there was no way I was eating until everything was better. I drank a glass of water with a vitamin C and garlic tablet every hour for 5 hours. I ate a little at 3 pm and then at 7 pm we all went to visit our friend Moroni and ate at his house (corned beef and cabbage - my last meal just before this started). Ironic, LOL!

I went to bed last night around 10 pm feeling pretty good. Well, I woke up at 1 am and my pain was back. It hurt like a knife in the right kidney. Brent woke up and was concerned and asked if I needed to go to the hospital. I said no (I didn't want to go). After about 30 minutes he said we were going, and I agreed. We were driving down the road and I saw the sign warning to 'Watch for Elk'. I started talking to Brent about how that would suck to hit an elk. We were talking about that (keeping my mind off the pain) and I looked off to the right, just off the road, and there was a big bull elk. I was like, 'Holy Cow! There was and elk'. Then I looked to the left and pointed to Brent a cow elk. We were watchful after that.

Now, this was the night of St. Patrick's Day and the cops were out. Brent was driving perfect, so what happened. We got pulled over in Show Low. Now I was getting annoyed, which only agrivated my condition. I was hurting and we got pulled over for no reason. He came to my side but my door doesn't open and our windows don't work in the front. HA! HA! Cop had to come to the driver's side. He gave Brent a warning (pregnant lady with abdominal pains going to the hospital helped). We had a light out on the back of the van! Thanks dude.

We finally made it to the hospital and I gave them my information (the computer went down, so she had to write it all down). I was admitted for the night. They put me on antibiotics and pain medication (Motrin with something else that burned in my IV). Around 6 am this morning, they took 5 viles of blood and then did an ultrasound on baby and my kidneys around 7:30.

Baby looks great. I was correct with my due date of June 1. They said, by the ultrasound, they are saying June 4, so I was close enough to be the same. We did try to find out the sex but baby was sitting on one foot (covering up the back) and one hand was covering up the front. LOL! We got to see baby's face. It was so clear and such a cute little person. I can't wait to hold my little one and kiss that little face. Baby is almost 3 lbs. Getting big.

As for me... they said they don't know. I have a UTI, but my right kidney is inflamed and there was some blood in my urine. They said it is either kidney stones or a kidney infection. They gave me antibiotics and released me. They said I'll probably have it start up again and I'll need to come back. I hope it's over. I sure don't want to go through this again. At least I know our baby is doing great. That's the big reason I went to the ER. If I wasn't pregnant, I probably wouldn't have gone until it got bad. (Sounds awful, but true. I hate hospitals.)

29 Weeks Tomorrow!

Wow! It's going by so fast. Everything is going so well. Baby is moving around a lot. I am feeling great. Things are better than any other pregnancy. I am really looking forward to the labor and birth. I have been exercising a little, but not as much as I need to. I did 30 minutes yesterday on a pregnancy video and some stretching and squats today. It has started the windy season out here in AZ (30-40 mph winds) so it is hard to get out and walk. I can't take the kids since it is so very windy. I'll do what I can.

Brent and I get to go out tomorrow and look at some places for rent. I don't care about the size. I just want somewhere, anywhere, that I can have my baby. I want a month, or so, to get things ready for our little one. I am so excited about everything. It was hard for me at first, being out here and Brent gone with work. Now it is getting to be a routine and I am starting to enjoy things.

The people we go to church with are just wonderful. I went to our monthly Relief Society meeting today and met a few more women that I hadn't been introduced to yet. We had a great time. Since Monday is the 166Th anniversary of the Relief Society, we learned about the history and what it is for. We talked a lot about the conference coming up in 3 weeks and what we will be doing. We ate scones with tea and then had cake. How fun. It's not often I get to go out and eat sweets while enjoying the company I'm with. :)

That's about all that's been going on. Brent is working. He should be done on Tuesday with the siding on the house he's at. I hope that will give us a little extra money. We'll need $1000 to move in to a place, if we find one. We have that, but it won't leave us with much. I'm not worried. Heavenly Father has provided for us so far, and I know that if we continue to follow his plan, he will continue to provide for our needs.

Weight: 154 (I got sick three weeks ago with the stomach bug and lost 5 lbs. I've gained 4 back.)

Herb and Drug Safety Chart

I found this on one of my Yahoo Groups and thought it would be good to keep on hand.

Herb and drug safety chart
Herbal remedies are considered natural alternatives to certain drugs, but they can also be dangerous when taken during pregnancy. While a cup of chamomile tea is perfectly safe for a mum-to-be, many herbs contain chemicals that can cross the placenta to your baby, and some can cause premature contractions. As with all medications, you should avoid taking any herb during the first trimester and use only minimal amounts for short periods of time thereafter, and then only when needed. If you wish to use herbs to treat a problem (rather than to ease symptoms of minor conditions such as heartburn), see a qualified herbalist. And always talk to your obstetrician or midwife before taking any herb or medicine during pregnancy. To make life easier for you, we have reprinted the following charts from Herbs for a Healthy Pregnancy: From Conception to Childbirth by Penelope Ody. Ody is the author of the best-selling The Complete Medicinal Herbal, and a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. Please note: Before taking any over-the-counter herbal remedy, remember to check its contents against the following list of plants to avoid in pregnancy, and carefully note all of the individual cautions given for the herbs in the following sections. You could print out a copy for future reference. Herbs to completely avoid during pregnancy:
Herb
Reason to avoid
Aloe Vera
The leaves are strongly purgative and should not be taken internally.
Arbor vitae (Thuja occidentalis)
A uterine and menstrual stimulant that could damage the fetus.
Autumn crocus (Colichicum autumnale)
Can affect cell division and lead to birth defects.
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
Contains high levels of berberine, known to stimulate uterine contractions.
Basil oil
A uterine stimulant; use only during labour.
Beth root (Trillium erectum)
A uterine stimulant; use only during labour.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosus)
May lead to premature contractions; avoid unless under professional guidance. Safe to use during childbirth.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
A uterine stimulant that in quite small doses also causes vomiting.
Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
A uterine stimulant to avoid unless under professional guidance. Safe to use during childbirth.
Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Causes uterine contractions so should be avoided during pregnancy; in parts of Europe it is given after the birth to prevent blood loss.
Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus)
Interferes with hormone production in the pituitary gland, so best avoided.
Clove oil
A uterine stimulant used only during labour.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Contains toxic chemicals that will cross the placenta; do not take internally.
Cotton root (Gossypium herbaceum)
Uterine stimulant traditionally given to encourage contractions during a difficult labour, but rarely used medicinally today.
Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
Uterine stimulant, oxytocic.
Dong quai (Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis)
Uterine and menstrual stimulant, best avoided during pregnancy; ideal after childbirth.
False unicorn root (Chamaelirium luteum)
A hormonal stimulant to avoid unless under professional guidance.
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Uterine stimulant; may cause premature contractions.
Golden seal (Hydrastis canadensis)
Uterine stimulant; may lead to premature contractions but safe during childbirth.
Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus)
Uterine stimulant; may cause premature contractions.
Juniper and juniper oil (Juniperus communis)
A uterine stimulant; use only during labour.
Lady's mantle (Alchemilla xanthoclora)
A uterine stimulant; use only in labour.
Liferoot (Senecio aureus)
A uterine stimulant containing toxic chemicals that will cross the placenta.
Mistletoe (Viscum album)
A uterine stimulant containing toxic chemicals that may cross the placenta.
Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects; avoid unless under professional guidance. Also avoid when breastfeeding.
American pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides)
Reputed uterine stimulant to be avoided during pregnancy.
European pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects; avoid unless under professional guidance. Also avoid when breastfeeding.
Peruvian bark (Cinchona officinalis)
Toxic; excess may cause blindness and coma. Used to treat malaria and given during pregnancy only to malaria sufferers under professional guidance.
Pokeroot (Phytolacca decandra)
May cause birth defects.
Pseudoginseng (Panax notoginseng)
May cause birth defects.
Pulsatilla (Anemone pulsatilla)
Menstrual stimulant best avoided during pregnancy; limited use during lactation.
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Uterine and menstrual stimulant; may cause premature contractions.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects.
Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
A uterine stimulant; use only during labour.
Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects; avoid unless under professional guidance. Also avoid when breastfeeding.
Squill (Urginea maritima)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects.
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects.
Wild yam (Diascorea villosa)
A uterine stimulant to avoid unless under professional guidance; safe during labour.
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthum)
A uterine stimulant that may also cause birth defects; avoid unless under professional guidance. Also avoid when breastfeeding.Herbs to use only in moderation during pregnancy:
Herb
Reason for caution
Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
Strongly purgative, so should not be taken in high doses or for long periods.
Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb.
Anise and aniseed oil (Pimpinella anisum)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid using the oil entirely.
Bitter orange (Citrus aurantiam)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb or in moderate use.
Caraway (Carum carvi)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb.
Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana)
Strongly purgative, so should not be taken in high doses or for long periods.
Celery seed and oil (Apium graveolens)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb.
Chamomile oil
The oil is a potent uterine stimulant to be avoided, but the dried or fresh herb is safe in moderation.
Chili (Capsicum spp)
Avoid high doses as they may lead to heartburn; can flavour breast milk when breast-feeding. Moderate culinary use is fine.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid the essential oil completely.
Cowslip (Primula veris)
Strongly purgative and a uterine stimulant in high doses.
Elder bark
Strongly purgative, so should not be taken in high doses or for long periods.
Fennel and fennel oil
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid using the oil entirely.
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb or during labour.
Garlic (Allium sativa)
Avoid high doses as they may lead to heartburn; can flavor breast milk when breastfeeding. Moderate culinary use is fine.
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica)
Possible uterine stimulant; use in moderation for occasional teas only.
Jasmine oil
A uterine stimulant best reserved for childbirth to ease labour.
Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng)
Clinical reports suggest that high doses in pregnancy can lead to androgynous babies (caused by overstimulation of male sex hormones); use for short periods only.
Lavender (Lavendula argustifolia)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb or for moderate use.
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
High doses can exacerbate high blood pressure; safe in moderation.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
A uterine stimulant traditionally used in slow and difficult labour; safe as a culinary herb.
Marjoram and marjoram oil (Origanum vulgare)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid using the oil entirely.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; best limited to the final weeks and during labour.
Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)
A uterine stimulant that may lead to premature contractions; avoid high doses.
Nutmeg and Nutmeg Oil
Inhibits prostaglandin production and contains hallucinogens that may affect the fetus; once erroneously regarded as an abortifacient. Safe in normal culinary use.
Oregano (Origanum X marjoricum; O. onites)
A uterine stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid using the oil entirely.
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Uterine stimulant that may also irritate the fetus in high doses; safe in normal culinary use.
Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; safe for moderate use.
Peppermint oil
A uterine stimulant; avoid the oil entirely, although low doses of the dried herb can be used.
Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; best limited to the final six to eight weeks and during labour.
Rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum)
Strongly purgative, so should not be taken in high doses or for long periods.
Rosemary and rosemary oil
A uterine stimulant in high doses; safe in moderation and normal culinary use. Avoid using the oil entirely.
Saffron (Crocus sativa)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; safe in normal culinary use.
Sage and sage oil
A uterine and hormonal stimulant in high doses, but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid using the oil entirely.
Senna (Senna alexandrina)
Strongly purgative, so should not be taken in high doses or for long periods.
Tea, black (Camellia sinensis)
Limit to two cups a day, as excess can lead to palpitations and increased heart rate.
Thyme oil (Thymus vulgaris)
Some reports claim that it acts as a uterine stimulant, though the research is disputed; the herb is quite safe in cooking.
Vervain (Verbene officinalis)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; best limited to the final weeks and during labour.
White horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Reputed uterine stimulant; safe in moderation in cough drops.
Wood betony (Stachys officinalis)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; best limited to the final weeks and during labour.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
A uterine stimulant in high doses; best limited to the final weeks and during labour.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/isitsafeto/herb&drugchart/