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Baby - Updated 9/15/08

Posted by E-George on April 2, 2008

I’m consolidating baby-related business here. It was recently brought to my attention that I’m not providing adequate informational updates for friends or family to make informed opinions about what’s afoot. I’ll evolve this page as I have free time, so don’t get hurt if it isn’t completely filled out right this instant.

Quick Links: Amazon.com Baby Registry • Target Baby Registry • General FAQ • Midwife Appt Updates • Reading List

General FAQs

Some initial questions were answered here.

  1. Do you want a boy or girl?
    Either is OK by us. We are not preferentially inclined at this time.
  2. What are your nursing plans?
    I plan to breastfeed. It’s a natural, economical, and reasonable solution to the feeding question. That said, I’m flexible, and should circumstances beyond my control prevail, bottle feeding (i.e., formula) will obviously take over. The point being: I do intent to feed my child.
  3. Are you registered anywhere?
    We’ve registered with Target and Amazon.com.
  4. When is your due date?
    Estimated to be 30-Sep, give or take two weeks.
  5. What are you going to get for a second vehicle?
    We are not going to be buying a second vehicle, at least not initially. The one we have is fine. Matthew has been motivated to bicycle to work, or work from home, leaving me with general access to the car. If that situation changes, we’ll evaluate and choose properly then. For now, I’m confident we can make the one-car-family arrangement work. August 10, 2008. We will buy my brother’s 2002 Infiniti QX4.

Midwife Appointment Updates

Visit # Est. Gestational Week Weight Measurement Prevailing Symptoms
1 10 140 lb n/a Fatigue; insomnia; persisting nausea; vomiting; frequent bathroom visits; sensitivity to smells; loss of will to live
2 14 146 lb 13 cm Fatigue; occasional insomnia; persisting nausea; frequent bathroom visits; sensitivity to smells; moodiness; irrational cravings for oranges; clothes not fitting; occasional drooling.
3 18 152 lb 17 cm Baby movement; Fatigue; occasional insomnia; frequent bathroom visits; sensitivity to smells; irrational panic attacks about parental adequacy; heart burn; distractedness/inability to concentrate. Noteworthy: Matthew got to hear the heartbeat.
4 22 157 lb 21 cm Baby movement, more like baby Jujitsu; frequent bathroom visits; heart burn; onset of waddling. Noteworthy: Matthew got to hear the heartbeat. Again. Baby moved around too much for me to hear it on a regular stethoscope.
5 27 167 lb 27 cm Baby movement - midwife says the baby is head-up; frequent bathroom visits; heart burn; low level headaches - suspected mild anemia; sensitivity to the heat; noticeable drop in IQ; strange fits of emotionalism. Noteworthy: Both of us got to hear the heartbeat today. And, because of the baby’s position, I got to feel where it’s head was in relation to the rest of the body. Then it kicked me for poking it in the head.
6 31 175 lb 30 cm Lots and lots of baby movement. The baby seems to be head down, which I can confirm every time it left-hooks my bladder. I was borderline anemic, but I’d been taking a natural iron supplement since last visit so no more worries there. Continued deterioration of IQ. Weight gain needs to be slowed down some. Have a vicious cold/cough combo, and got some info on how to relieve it. Noteworthy: Matthew couldn’t make this appointment, so my mother came along to meet the midwife. She got to hear the heartbeat.
7 33 175 lb 34 cm Still lots of baby movement. The baby is definitely head down, but is in a posterior position, where it’s back is against my back. That’s bad juju, so we’re hoping it’s going to roll over here soon and be in the normal position for uterine escape. My midwife was happy to say that everything was progressing just as she likes to see things progressing, so three cheers for being average and predictable!
8 35 179 lb 35 cm I thought the baby had dropped because I could breath again and I was going to the bathroom lots of times a day for no damn reason, but the midwife says the baby is sitting higher today than at our last visit. Drat. Also, the baby is in a head-tucked position along the right anterior side, but she’s not worried so I’m not worried. The visit was at our house today, so she could (a) find it, and (b) look around to assess the layout. My hips have grown unreliable, so if I sit for too long when I get up I have to plot my route such that I can grab hold of things to help support me, or I end up hobbling slowly to my destination kinda sideways, like a chimpanzee. Noteworthy: Matthew can now hear the baby’s heartbeat by simply putting his ear to my stomach!
9 36 181 lb 36 cm Frankly, what can one say after 9 visits to the midwife. The baby continues to grow. She continues to be pleased with our progress. My blood pressure was a little elevated for her tastes so I need to start being more active. I was experiencing remarkable hip discomfort, but soon discovered it was a result of the way I was walking and sitting. Some conscious alterations in posture and viola(!) considerable less pain. We’re basically prepped for the at-home birth process. We have all the supplies. Now all we need is the baby upon whom to expend said supplies. Maternity leave starts Monday, 15-Sept.
10 38 184 lb 38 cm The baby has moved from my right side to the left and is a decent position. Not quite posterior. Not quite anterior. Just entirely interior (HARHARHAR!!! oh man… that’s funny….). All the elbows and knees and feet are exerting themselves along the right side, now. Blood pressure is a notable concern this time: 134/104. Got sent home with a BP monitor to test myself 1-2 times per day - with strict instructions not to become obsessive. Had one serious bout of insomnia on Sunday night that yielded only 2 contiguous hours of sleep between 10:30p-12:30a, and not another wink after that. Last night, I slept like the dead, waking only when the bladder had reached 110% capacity. Starting to feel anxious to get this process completed.

Reading List

  • The Holy Scriptures, by God
  • Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy, by Vicki Iovine
  • Active Birth, by Janet Balaskas
  • Sharing birth: A father’s guide to giving support during labor, by Carl Jones
  • Your Pregnancy Week by Week, by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler
  • The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Sheila Kitzinger
  • Birthing From Within, by Pam England & Rob Hororwitz
  • Optimal Foetal Positioning, by Jean Sutton and Pauline Scott
  • Breastfeeding matters, by Maureen Minchin
  • Back Labor No More!!, by Janie McCoy King

Filed Under: Misc - Comments:



  • anna said,

    You’re a brave and confident woman! I don’t think I’d have the will to post my weight on a website, although I have to say I love the fact that you’re willing to share all of it. Because all of us who love all three of you want to know every detail!! Well, the women do anyway. The guys will just want to know whether you’ve lived through it or not and what the baby’s name is. Or maybe just where the celebratory bbq will be held. :) One thing I’ve learned from Titus & Liana is that sometimes babies are great and you think this parenting thing is pretty manageable. Then sometimes they’re not so great (read Titus) and it really does take a whole community to make it through. I’m here for you every step of the way and am willing to help with it all!! Don’t ever be afraid to call……….

  • John Tiesi said,

    I know you will gain weight and I also know that you will also lose it after the child is born. Just make sure you and baby are healthy and happy!

  • Dan Segalman said,

    Matt and Elisa,
    I just came across the part of your web site mentioning that you are expanding into the baby business. Yin and I invested exclusively in little girls with generally positive results, but I understand that the other kind have advantages as well.
    Congratulations.

    Dan

  • E-George said,

    Hi Dan! It’s great to hear from you! I figure, we have a 50-50 shot, but my parents already have 3 boys and 1 girl, so I think another girl would be nice.

  • Anna said,

    I have to say that it was a mixed blessing when the babies turn head-down. You don’t get kicked in the bladder as much, but then again, the constant head pressure on the bladder isn’t much fun either. :) But it’s a LOT easier to breathe. :) hang in there !! that baby is going to be beautiful!

  • beef said,

    keep a look out for noticeble movements on the surface. for some reason, i doubted that such a thing could actually occur. Let’s just say, the first time i saw an actual movement on megan’s belly - i was quite spooked. um, that’s a baby in there. :) try sitting out in the sun with your belly exposed for a bit. talk about action! (well maybe not so good in the abq sun but works great in the seattle sun)

    wheee! only a few more weeks.

  • E./George said,

    There has been some surface anomalies noticed. I’ve been taking a chewable Papaya enzyme to help control heart burn and that usually sets off a firestorm of activity. I can’t speak for Matt’s reaction, but mine was one of halfway entertained and halfway disconcerted.

  • beef said,

    wheee. orange juice provides lots of entertainment for megan. also, it’s quite interesting when he moves to one side or the other and Megan’s belly is noticably misshapen.

  • beef said,

    i’m antsy. Got to be getting close! Went out to dinner with Damon and Nicole late last week, she’s ready to be done with this portion of the nonsense also!

    Otto says hi. Well, more like he coos a bit and then farts.

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