swelling

It's official. My feet are swelling. Not huge like when I was pregnant with Noah, but they are definitely swelling.
So right now the boys are getting some tv freebie time so I can put my feet UP. Jamie is also bringing dinner home tonight. I may have to lay off the dinner prep until baby comes. We'll see.
Also I can feel my heart racing off and on throughout the day. Sigh. So I'm trying to keep chill and lie down when I need to.
This baby needs to come STAT.

some disappointment and some good stuff

So Jamie and I met with Dr. B today. After waiting over an hour to see him {and hoping it's my last appointment before we meet baby B} we finally sat down across from him in his office.
My blood pressure was high from when the nurse took it, so he took it again. When the nurse took it, it was 148/90 and then when the doctor took it, it was 130/80. The top number was slightly high for him so he said I need to get my blood pressure taken again next week and then we'll see where we go from there. In hindsight I shouldn't have had that cup of coffee this morning.

So no more caffeine for me, cutting back on sugar and trying to just take lots of deep breaths when my boys are both yelling at each other and me at the same time and I'm about to blow a gasket.
Hopefully that will help.

He didn't really have the doppler turned up so we couldn't really hear baby B's heartbeat very loudly, but he did keep moving it around as I knew B was moving quite a bit prior to the appointment.
He said the baby's head is down and engaged {hooray!} and he's more to my left side, than my right, but not posterior anymore {I figured he wouldn't be as he moves SO MUCH!}.

He said he could prescribe me some oral antibiotics to take care of the GBS so I don't have to get hooked up to an IV - hooray! That was definite good news and relieves some of the pressure I was feeling about getting to the hospital ASAP. I took my first pill tonight.

Unfortunately when I inquired about possibly getting a stretch and sweep he declined due to me being GBS+. I didn't want to be one of those know-it-all pregnant women and say that my midwives did 3 on me when I was pregnant and GBS+ with Jude. It's his prerogative and he just didn't feel like it was a good option with the GBS and the possibility of the bacteria creeping further up or being spread around or something. Now I'm just praying that God makes this baby come in good time and that I don't need any interventions.

He also prescribed me iron supplements which of course the pharmacy didn't have at the hospital so I'll have to get Jamie to pick me up some at another pharmacy. Hopefully tomorrow so I can start taking them.

And then I found out he's not counting my due date as September 1st!!! He's going by the day of my last period {as opposed to the ultrasound scan} which would put me at September 5th being my due date. WHAT?!? Psh. I'm still going by the 1st.
Anyway, so he mentioned at September 15th as a possible induction date {yech.} but if I'm still pregnant by September 15th I'll give myself a stretch and sweep.

Anyway so we booked my next appointment with him for the 10th and I told him I hope to meet him in the labour ward the next time I see him and not his office.

So I secretly was hoping for a stretch and sweep today, but no dice.
But I am encouraged to know that B's head is down and ready.

Oh and the doctor also asked how big my last baby was and said that this one is going to be a bigger one as well. My personal thoughts are that he's going to be 8lbs something, but I'm praying no more than that. I just think I was so much bigger when I was pregnant with Jude! But maybe I'll weigh myself after this because I'm pretty sure I have put on {or baby B has, at least!} more weight in the last couple weeks.

Anyway, so that's that. My 39 week + 3 day appointment. Or if you're going by the doctor's calculations, my 38 week + 6 day appointment. Psh.

baby B's room

But it's really our room. Luckily our room is quite large and we have the space. We just had to shuffle around Jamie's desk and our make-shift change table and add the pack 'n play. Babies really don't need much. All our boys started off their lives sleeping in our room. Noah lasted a mere 3 days {o hello Darth Vader-like sleeper!} but Jude was with us for a good 5 or 6 months!
We only ever decorated one nursery {for Noah} and we moved Jude and Noah into the same room when Jude was 9-10 months {the months that he didn't spend with us or Noah were in our office}.
It's up to each family to decide what works best for your kids and you {and your bank account!}, but for us we've found that saving space {room sharing} and money {by using hand-me-downs, borrowing items from friends or buying used} is the best way to make use of the things we've been given.

Right now we've got a bookshelf right by the door way. The top shelf has a banana fiber basket/tray with 0-3 month clothing including onesies, sleepers, socks, a few shirts and some comfy pants. The next shelf down has another banana fiber basket with things like diapers, wipes, diaper cream, q-tips and other little bottles of baby-type stuff.
Beside the bookshelf is our high-desk turned into a change table. Right now it just has a small change pad and some other ornamental-type stuff on it {my pretty lavender roses!} but I think I may end up moving the tray of diapers/wipes up beside the change pad as right now there's enough room. Baby B may quickly outgrow this tiny change pad {it was a freebie from another expat here in Kampala} but for now it'll work.
There is a pull-out drawer beneath that has things like diaper garbage bags, extra sleepers and a large tin of "bag balm".
Beneath the drawer is a cupboard that I have a small basket of toys that have been given to us from friends here and in Canada for baby B. I think there may also be a small stack of receiving blankets and burp cloths.
Beside the change table is our beloved pack 'n play that we had sent over with some students who came here in May/June. We got this brand new as a gift when I was pregnant with Noah so it's been well-loved and is now onto its third child! There is a bassinet insert which we'll use for as long as we can with baby B and a mosquito net that's hanging above.
I may move a chair into our room at some point to nurse in, but we'll see how things go. Initially we may have baby B in our bed with us for the first week or so to make things easier for nighttime nursing since it will require me getting out of our mosquito net, lifting up the baby's mosquito net and then bringing him back to our bed to nurse {back under the mosquito net} and then putting him back when I'm done nursing. It's tiring just writing it all out!
So that's all our baby stuff. Aside from the infant car seat we were given by our friends whose son has outgrown it, we just have one of those baby rocker-seats and a bumbo {don't even get me started on the recall. please. just watch your kids and stop putting the stupid chairs up high on top of things! honestly.} that we bought off our same friends.
We've been blessed with much and I am so thankful.
Here's to hoping baby B is a quieter sleeper like Jude and not another Darth Noah sleeper. :)
{the long-term plan is to keep baby B in our room with us until we move back to Canada - he'll be almost 10 months by that time - and then depending on our living arrangements to move all three boys into the same room! we'll see, though.}

cramping and other stuff

Last night I had some massive cramping/pain/twinges/contractions (whatever you want to call them) and baby B was moving like CRAZY. Eventually baby stopped moving as much but the cramping was still coming and going. I started thinking about my options;
In the morning Jamie and Nick were going to be leaving to drive an hour away to the airport to pick up Lisa. What would happen if I seriously went into labour?
I pictured myself giving birth at home unassisted.
I pictured Nick going to the airport by himself. But then what about the boys? So I figured out that I could probably call my friend Aletha to come and watch the boys.

Well eventually I fell asleep thinking about these things and didn't wake up until Jamie's alarm went off. No more cramping.

Now everyone is on the way (or at) the airport picking up Lisa and I sit in an empty house.
It's glorious. And it's likely to be the last time I will be alone like this for awhile.
The thought occurred to me that I could go into labour at any moment and give birth at home by myself. It sounds peaceful (really!) and given that everything went normally, it could be done. But then what if something went wrong?
I'm not sitting here freaking out. I'm actually assessing each situation with a clear mind and just pondering all the different outcomes that could happen and wondering...how (and when) will this baby actually make his entrance into this big, wide world?

In the end, I am not anticipating Mr. Uganda arriving before next weekend although he definitely could. Anything's possible, I suppose. But I am happy to know that my body continues to prepare and get ready to have this baby. I won't be this gigantor for forever! Hooray!

Stay tuned for a picture and explanation of the hows and whys of our room set-up in preparation for baby B.  Coming tomorrow!
Cheers!

THIRTY NINE

sorry about the white on white. makes it hard to tell how big the "bump" is. but holy moley! 39 weeks! how did i get here!?

also I'm trying to get creative with my outfits. my t-shirt options are limited as I don't really want to be showing off "under belly" or be constantly pulling down my shirt. so I've been rotating through about 4 or 5 shirts.
my scarf I purchased in Spain and I love it. It's often cool enough in the morning for trousers and a scarf, although this morning went straight to shorts (or short-pants as they're often called here) as I usually end up changing into shorts or a skirt by mid-day anyway.

I've been feeling lots of movement still! a few twinges earlier this week, but nothing since. my legs and feet feel heavy by the end of the days but thankfully no noticeable swelling - hooray! this is my first pregnancy that neither my feet nor my hands have swollen. absolutely amazing.
sleep has been a bit harder to come by, but once I'm asleep, I'm usually good until the morning.
I've been feeling quite a bit more tired during the later afternoon/evening but then often toss and turn once I go to bed. I must be still clocking about 6ish hours of sleep, though. which is more than I will be in a week or so.
I'm feeling fine with waiting until Mr. Uganda arrives on his own - although I am seeing my doctor on Tuesday and may inquire into a stretch and sweep as I had multiple (2.5!) s&s with Jude and that seemed to help things along.
I haven't lost my mucous plug (sorry if that's TMI) yet so I'm taking that as a sign that this baby is hanging in there 'til at least my due date. Jamie keeps hoping he'll arrive earlier. I feel confident that he won't. but whatevs.
I've been following a handful of bloggers who are also pregnant (or were pregnant) and due right around this time and it's been fun and exciting reading their birth stories (the ones who have had their babies recently) and making me excited for what's to come!
not much else is new other than I'm glad Nick is here so that if Jamie and I need to go to the hospital, we've got someone here to watch the boys. and Lisa arrives tomorrow morning so that's two people to help with the boys (which at this point is probably the thing I'm most anxious/concerned about) while I deliver at the hospital.
everything is coming together.

will update after my Tuesday appointment with more details of how that all goes.

ready, set, GO

So the pack 'n play is set up.
Lisa {our other STINTer} is arriving on Sunday morning with the missing piece that didn't get sent with Nick {just a small pole that helps to give the bassinet section of the pack 'n play more support}. She's also arriving with this that arrived at my parents this week:

It's a nursing-friendly kaftan that I bought off Etsy! How gorgeous and comfy does that look? I thought that since I'll be just hanging out around the house for the first few days/weeks, it might be nice to wear something comfy but not shlubby or too revealing. I'm excited.

My friend Aletha dropped off the car seat that her son has outgrown and now we are ready.

Mr. Uganda can come any time he wants now. Not that I'm feeling grouchy or grumpy or impatient. I'm feeling more content like I was with Noah. Except with no fear of parenthood. Since I'm already sorta doing that. I mean, I hear horror stories of how going from 2 to 3 kids is so hard, but then in some ways, it's got to be easier, right?

After he's born there's tons of paperwork. Paperwork for our organization and healthcare in Canada. Paperwork to get him a Canadian passport. Oh paperwork. I dislike paperwork.
But we've finally got Jamie's paternity leave sorted out and I feel so much better about all that and I think it's going to work out splendidly.

Didn't end up meeting or hearing back from the doctor so I guess we're just going with my appointment next week.

And now I need to rest. I tossed and turned until 12:30 last night when I just decided to get up and play solitaire on Jamie's iPad until my eyes got heavy {it only took about 10 or so minutes. I'm so addicted to that game on his iPad, but it makes me so sleepy.}

again...

So I heard back from Dr. B.
Unfortunately I have low iron and am GBS+. Again.
And he wants to see me tomorrow (but despite my text asking him when tomorrow, I haven't heard back, so it might be deferred until my appointment with him next week? not sure.) so in the meantime I'm probably going to get onto iron supplements which is not going to help with the C-train that I've been riding off and on for the last couple weeks. Boo.
Fiber is my new best friend.

But I'm still getting tons of movement from Mr. Uganda (as our friend James refers to him which I think is hilarious). And yesterday and today I had a couple bouts of some pretty intense "twinges". I hesitate to call them contractions as I don't want to make you think that labour is imminent, but more that my body is just getting ready. Makes me wonder if I'll go pretty fast once he does decide to come. At one point I put my head on the back of the couch, stuck my butt out, and swayed back and forth for a minute or two.

Jude and Noah wanted to know what I was doing. They thought I was being funny. Perhaps I did look it.

It also made me think that I needed to talk more to them about what will happen when Jamie and I go to the hospital, but I don't want them to think I'm going to the hospital every time I walk out the door (which they already do and Noah thought I was telling him because tomorrow I'm going to the hospital to have the baby).  But we went through what would happen if we had to leave in the middle of the night and how Nick/Lisa would be staying with them and helping them with getting dressed and eating breakfast/lunch/dinner, etc.

I even made "Big Brother Bags" last night for fun and put in a few snacks, stickers and a new card game for each of them (Memory for Jude and Crazy 8's for Noah) which they'll get at some point - either once we're gone or if they come to visit us in the hospital (depending on how long I'm there for).

A couple nights ago I lay in bed thinking, "I'm not ready!" Not that I'm scared, but more just a realization of how far along I am already! I'm 38.5 weeks! How did I get here so quickly?!?
But the bassinet/pack 'n play is set up and my bags are packed and Nick is here, so...I guess it's just a matter of time although I'm fully expecting to go over due again and not feeling so grumpy about waiting as I was with Jude.

There's the update! Today was our one year anniversary of living in Uganda. We all went out for breakfast. I had a delicious latte and a waffle with ice cream. Ya that's right. Ice cream for breakfast. Boo yah.

38 weeks

Well I may or may not be experiencing a sugar high/coma due to inhaling two glazed donut muffins that I made this morning. Whoo, someone's got the shakes.

Anyway, so I'm 38 weeks! My bags are packed. I've got some fun ideas to make up small little "fun" bags for both the boys to either enjoy at the hospital {if we're stuck there for awhile. Please Lord, no.} or at home before or after we get back.
Nick arrives on Monday morning and then we'll have our built-in person to watch the boys when we need to go to the hospital. I'll breathe a sigh of relief when he does arrive.

What else? I'm actually feeling quite well. Not feeling too impatient although in the evenings I'm feeling pretty tired {I looked at the clock at 8:45pm last night because I felt so tired and wondered what time it was! I did end up going to be around 9:30ish.}. I wake up to pee lots at night but usually can fall right back to sleep.

I'm happy to wait until this baby shows up on his own time. Not feeling so grumpy and expecting that he'll come early like I felt with Jude {which made being even more overdue than Noah exceptionally more of a letdown.}. Just content to wait - a bit because I'm slightly nervous of the labour/birth in a hospital and would rather just skip over that part and meet baby B already.
But it's good.

Oh I texted Dr. B again {yes. I have his cell phone number and he told me to text him for the lab results.} and haven't yet heard back about the GBS or the iron levels {correction on last time's post. apparently my hemoglobin levels were low but he hadn't heard back about my iron? I don't really know the difference, but whatever.}, so I'll just wait and see and maybe I'll hear back sometime this weekend.

No weight gain lately. Still hovering around the 16lb mark as total weight gain. Hoping for a regular sized baby this time around. No behemoths, please.

Okay, I should eat a piece of cheese or something to combat these sugar shakes!

test results

I sent Dr. Busingye a text today asking if he had received my lab results.

Low iron. Boo. 

He hasn't received any of the other results yet {like the GBS or urine analysis}. 

So we'll see. 

I'll probably have to go on some sort of iron supplements, but in the meantime, I should probably be more diligent to take my prenatal vitamins, yes? Yes. 

My bad.

appointment with Dr. B

So I met up with Dr. Busingye today. I waited for a bit, but was eventually able to see him about 30 minutes after the appointment was set.
While I was waiting, I could hear a woman moaning and crying out and screaming in pain - I didn't actually see her - likely she was in labour on her way up to the maternity ward? It kinda made me smile and kinda made me freak out. As if I need or want to hear anyone else in labour...sigh. Another reason to be a bit sad that I'll not be having a home birth.

But anyway, the appointment went fine. He seems nice, he went through my birth plan with me and re-took my blood pressure; the numbers had gone down from when the nurse took it so that seemed more acceptable to him.
Now I've never had a male doctor since I was little and no men {apart from my husband of course} have ever seen my nether regions but he did a swab to test for GBS and was very professional about it all. I guess it was bound to happen eventually if he's going to be delivering my baby!

Baby's heartbeat sounded good. I'm measuring at 37 inches (cm? I think it's inches) which is right on for 37 weeks and his head is down although he's slightly off-center though Dr. B said that's nothing to be concerned about. He moves a heckuva lot anyway so I'm not worried.

Afterward I went to the lab to get my blood work done {to test for HIV - apparently it's routine here, my iron levels and something else which I forget} as well as urine testing for my sugar levels I think and to take the swab in for testing. Unfortunately I hadn't brought enough cash with me so I had to leave and come back. Thankfully I didn't have to wait and was able to just go in and get it done right after.
There are definitely times I miss using my debit card to pay directly but for the most part, paying in cash is fine. As long as you have enough.

I got the updated price list for how much it costs to deliver at the hospital. We'll pay up front but then our insurance will reimburse us. 1.9 million shillings sounds like a lot, right? It's not. $775. To have a baby! That's crazy. And that's one of the pricier hospitals here in Kampala. When I think of my American friends who pay thousands of dollars to have their baby in the hospital, several hundred dollars is chump change. Sorta.

Now I need to lie down and rest. It's been a decent but slightly stressful morning - my first appointment that I drove myself to! I feel so independent. Ha.

thirtySEVEN

full-term! I can't hardly believe it! it feels so good to get to full-term. it's like i've really done it. i'm pregnant and having my baby in africa. crazy. but oh-so-good.

I've got heartburn {so thankful for the super sized package of TUMs my mother-in-law brought over for me} and this little guy moves SO MUCH {like he was keeping me awake with his crazy antics!}. i don't remember the other two moving so much and so late in the pregnancy, but really? i'm not complaining. it's reassuring that he's there and okay and very much an active, healthy little guy. and that is a good thing.

I love this sundress. I bought another just like it from the craft market a few months ago. you really can't go wrong with a dress for less than $10! and so.stinkin.comfy.

and the earrings are my newest purchase made by the young ladies of an organization here called Girl Child supporting young girls who are at risk for abuse and prostitution.

I have my first appointment with Dr. Busingye on Tuesday and will probably do the GBS test/swab then as well as getting more blood work done to see how my iron levels are. here's hoping that I don't test positive for GBS this time around, but even if I do, I'll be in the hospital regardless so getting the antibiotics are less of an issue than they were when I was planning on a home birth for Jude. still, I'd like to avoid an IV if at all possible. that was probably my least favourite part of Jude's birth!

my weight gain is about 16lbs so far so I'm quite pleased. here's hoping it'll come off pretty easily {although I'm not counting on it with me being older and it being my third baby, but ya never know!}.

off to MishMash's farmer's market again to buy another baby present and peruse the produce selection.

**pelvic pain has lessened. I have to be careful about my movements and ease into things, but it's not excruciating at this point. just uncomfortable. which is mostly to be expected.

***the fruit at 37 weeks is called a winter melon - apparently.

pelvic pain

I really hate to complain about pregnancy related things for 2 reasons;
1. my pregnancies are generally really easy and straight-forward and I don't usually have much to complain about!
2. woman everywhere struggle to become pregnant and I am thrilled to be pregnant.
That being said, I am in pain.
My pelvic/hip joints are causing a lot of pain. I walk like a 94 year old and going from sitting to standing to walking is quite painful. It's mostly on my left side but I think because it's pelvic, it's now causing a bit of back/butt pain as well. I don't remember having this kind of pain with either of my other two pregnancies. When I was carrying Jude, I do remember it being a more difficult and cumbersome than it was with Noah near the end, but it was nothing like this. I don't know if it's better for me to lie down or sit down or walk it out.
I did a bit of research {surprise, surprise} and it's not unusual to have this kind of joint pain. Generally "walking it out" does nothing to help and usually only serves to exacerbate the condition. So for now I'm going to take it easy and not feel guilty about putting on a few more tv shows or movies for the boys {although right now they are playing quite well together} if I need to. Thankfully, Jamie's around for the next little while and we don't have anything on the agenda.
I'm not one to complain about pain in general but I am hoping that yesterday and today are just bad days and that it's not like this for the next 4 weeks or else I'm in for a rough month.

thirty six

Thirty six weeks today!
A bit of heart burn. Feeling big. A bit more discomfort during sleeping, but my crappy foam mattress is working in my favour as it molds to my body and is more comfortable on my side. Lots of movement still from Baby B.
The boys are liking reading this book that Jamie's Nana & Grandpa sent over. It's cute and talks about some of the more common questions kids ask during pregnancy. At the end there's a page which shows the development of the baby and Noah really likes looking at this page.
It's our last day with Jamie's family before they head off tonight. It's been a combination of busy and relaxed and it's been great to have them here. I'm sure the boys will miss them as much as they'll miss the boys when they leave.
My belly is getting so big that I really only vary between a few shirts now as most show off the "under belly" that's really not at all that attractive.
We're heading out for some last minute errands like buying illegal DVDs and for Jamie and I to get some passport pictures to accompany the renewal of our International Drivers Permits that we'll send back with his parents.
It's crazy-town in here right now!

{1 week 'til I'm full-term. 4 weeks 'til my due date. At least 4 weeks until Baby B arrives! Hopefully no more than 5.}