33 week baby belly!

Baby L is approximately 17 inches long and weighs 4.5 lbs. Hard to believe we still have 7 weeks to go! Or at least we think...

For those of you who didn't hear, we had a "trial-run" in Labor and Delivery on Wednesday. Early Wednesday morning (about 1am) I woke up with really horrible chest pains. They were so painful that I wanted to cry! I was awake until about 4am - I tried taking Tums (in case it was heartburn), walking around the house, sleeping upright, etc. and nothing seemed to help. We tried calling the on-call doctor, but the extension wasn't working, which was extremely frustrating. I didn't really feel like going to the ER and having to sit around for hours. Eventually my body was just so tired that I fell asleep. I woke up a few hours later and although tired, I didn't have any more chest pains so I headed to work for a 1/2 day.

I called my doctor as soon as they opened (8:30am) and told the nurse what I had experienced. She said she would talk to Dr. Webb and call me back. She called back about 30 minutes later and said that Dr. Webb wanted me to go to the hospital to Labor and Delivery. This totally freaked me out!

My principal came to my classroom and covered until the guest teacher arrived so I could head to L&D. Patrick left work and met me there.

They were expecting me so it didn't take long to get a room. Instead of being in the Birthing Center Triage (it was full) they gave us an actual L&D room, which was kinda nice.

The nurse hooked me up to the monitors and monitored me and the baby for about an hour. Baby L was kicking around and having a great time! Her heartrate was great and she was definitely making a ton of movement - so no concerns there! However, the nurse said I was contracting, about 3-4 an hour. She called Dr. Webb and within about 5 minutes she was in my room. She examined me and didn't seem too concerned. She did however tell me to take it easy for the next few days.

We still don't know what caused the chest pains - it could have been the contractions or heartburn, made worse by the fact that I have an awful cold. I have been taking Zantac for the last two nights and haven't felt any chest pains, but I can definitely feel the contractions. However, the worst thing right now is my cold. My body just isn't strong enough to fight it off like it usually does. It is pretty limiting what I can take to relieve the symptoms, which is frustrating too!

But really, the most important thing is that the baby is healthy! Who knows?! She might come early or she could just as easily wait until the 40 week mark. It was quite the experience - and actually kinda nice to get a "trial-run" before the big day is actually here. I will admit I was pretty nervous the other day - I can't imagine how I will feel when I am in labor:)

Aren't these wonderful??!!!

Patrick and I took a short walk yesterday afternoon since it was absolutely beautiful outside! As we were leaving, Patrick noticed this wonderful photo opportunity:

I just love these pictures! They totally capture my 32-week pregnant belly:)

Baby Class, Day 2

The topics covered today were primarily focused on baby:

- Newborn basics (changing a diaper, swaddling, bathing)
- Breastfeeding
- What to expect in those first few weeks

Overall, we learned a lot! There were definitely some parts that were rather boring, but I feel better knowing that we have taken the classes and know everything we can know before she arrives.

We have one more class that we are registered for - another breathing/relaxtion during labor class and we want to take an infant CPR/First Aid class as well.

It is so nice to check another thing off the to-do list!

Baby Class 101, Day 1

Patrick and I attended our first baby class today from 9-5. Our instructor realized that the sun was shining and 8 hours in a window-less room wasn't much fun so she was able to get through everything by 4. Woohoooo!

Topics covered:
- General pregnancy stuff (backache, leg cramps, etc.)
- The stages of labor (this was very informative!)
- Pain medication (bring it on!)
- Several videos of real-life birthing experiences (probably would have been okay with one)
- A closer look at instruments/tools that we might see during the labor/birthing process
- C-sections
- Post-partum care (surprisingly this part scared me more than the labor/birthing part)

We got to tour the Birthing Center and delivery room. I love that we will be in the same room for the entire process - labor, delivery, and post-partum. I love that there is plenty of room for our family and friends to stop by and visit:)

We also practiced some breathing techniques during contractions as well as positions that might ease the pain. Of course, we acted like little kids and giggled throughout, but we have our "bag of tricks" as the instructor put it, and we can practice a bit more at home:)

Overall, a great learning experience! Tomorrow is Day 2 of Baby Class, which is more focused on caring for a newborn. I will be back with an update as well as some new belly pics!

Thanks to a few generous friends (Nicolle - you are so awesome), Baby Lynch now has more clothes than her mama:)

The first two pictures are of the closet - and this is just the 0-3 and 3-6 month stuff! In the baskets we have socks, booties, hats, shorts, outfits, etc.

The first drawer is stacked full of onesies, the second drawer is filled with pants and jeans, and the last drawer is completely full of pajamas.

She is one lucky girl! I think she will have a new outfit everyday for the first year of her life:)

10 weeks to go!

According to Babycenter,

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs.

At 30 weeks I definitely feel more uncomfortable. I have been experiencing lots of weird aches and pains, including the most horrible leg cramps in the middle of the night. With that said, she is definitely growing stronger and I can feel her kicking throughout the day, which is truly the most amazing thing ever!

I will be back with 30 week belly pictures!

In other news, my best friend Martha had her little boy today! I am soooooo beyond excited! I can't wait to meet him tonight. I have been so emotional today thinking about her and just the miracle of life. Last night we got together for dinner and it was so crazy realizing that the next time I saw her she wouldn't be pregnant anymore. Congratulations Martha and Tim and welcome to the world baby Ethan! We love you guys soooooo much!