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And so the real countdown begins. Today I’m 37 weeks, which means that if Kes arrived today, he’d be considered “term” and no longer premature. He wouldn’t need any special care… But Kes isn’t coming today. I keep hoping my water will break (which I guess only happens to 15% of women before they go into labour) or that real contractions will start. These “baby contractions” (as David calls them) are annoying, often keeping me from sleeping. Ugh. I don’t want three more weeks of this!
I’ve started getting the baby’s stuff set up–finally! I went through all of my shower gifts, wrote thank-you notes, and sorted everything. I moved our rocking chair into the master bedroom and set up a little “bed” in a woven basket with pillows, towels, books, and a few blankets. (The books are to keep the baby flat and not let her sink and suffocate.) We don’t have a crib, bassinet, or even a portacrib, so we’re doing the best we can. (We might switch to using a dresser drawer if we decide the basket situation is still too soft.) I filled my new plastic dresser with diapers, burp cloths, bibs, towels, etc. And I set up a “diaper station” in our room, too. Wow, I feel like I accomplished a lot. Do you suppose this is the “nesting instinct” they talk about? (Did I mention I also put together a blanket project my sister gave me back in December with two pieces of fleece? It’d just been sitting in our house–as two separate blankets–for the past ten months, and now it’s a completed throw. Yay!)
Next on my list after putting all the 0-3 month baby clothes in a dresser: Start on birth announcements! Mom’s volunteered to help, and we figure if we start now, all we’ll have to do is fill in the details when Kes arrives. That would take a load off my shoulders, especially now with Mom and Dad leaving in six weeks. We have some ideas for birth announcements, but we welcome any ideas you might have, too!
Yesterday I was the “guest of honour” at Baby Kes’ baby shower, and I’m still overwhelmed by the love and gifts showered upon Kes and me. My friends and family had organised a cross-continents shower, with gifts coming from as far away as Korea. Wow!!
The funniest part of the shower–not funny “haha” necessarily–was that it was in the same place, attended by many of the same people, as had been my bridal shower almost exactly a year earlier! They pronounced me a good Nigerian wife for giving my husband a baby within a year of our wedding, and we all laughed (though I was embarrassed by this public pronouncement).
The shower attendees were even more international than the gifts, coming from the U.S., Canada, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Nigeria, and India. I hadn’t realised that baby showers were an American thing, but I assured my good Irish friend–who’s getting married in April to a Nigerian man–that we’ll throw her a baby shower when the time comes, even if it’s not cultural! One surprise was seeing my classmate Aaron, who’s just returned to Nigeria after having schooled and lived in the U.S. for seven years. He dropped off his wife and picked her up afterward, so I got to have a nice chat with him.
My “theme,” if you want to call it that, for my baby decor and toys is African animals, and the shower centered around that. The shower started with a game led by a fellow Nigerwife (and my former English teacher). We had a list of animals and had to come up with the different names of their family members: mother, father, baby, and group. Did you know that a group of penguins is called a parade? Or that a mother bear is called a sow? We had lots of fun and learned a lot about how little we know. 
I was overwhelmed by gifts. I loved each and every one (including Pampers and wipes, which are pretty darn expensive here), and I’m thankful to everyone who contributed to make Kes and me feel special! Some of our highlights were:
–a bib that I cross-stitched for a friend’s baby seven years ago, that she returned for my own baby;
–a windchime in the shape of a monkey (excuse me, infant–the name of a baby monkey);
–stuffed animals, especially a fleecy dog and several giraffes (including a purple one);
–a hospital bag full of goodies and necessities for delivery;
–pain-relieving spray (I’m serious!);
–a jungle animals diaper bag;
–two Curious George onesies.
All in all, we had a wonderful time, full of laughs and excitement. And now I’m even more eager to Kes to arrive!
Well, I’m not quite 36 weeks yet, but I saw my doctor today for what will now be a weekly visit. Everything looks great. My blood pressure is still fine (100/70), no warning signs at all. The baby is small–not bad small, just easy small–and has already “lightened” (dropped into the birth canal). Woohoo! I realise I could still be waiting another five weeks for this baby to come, but when the doctor examined me–which wasn’t nearly as awful as I’d been prepared for–the signs were all positive. Of course no one is guaranteeing me an early baby, but she said everything indicates an easy birth and probably on time.
Yes! Kes is on her way! Please keep praying. And if you’d like to be notified immediately once Kes arrives, please let me know so I can put you on an email list or phone chain. (I doubt I’ll be up for blogging much right after delivery!)
Don’t hold your breath. I’m not even “term” yet. But you never know!
I had a hard time deciding whether to post this here in my regular blog or in my baby blog because it fits both. So maybe I’ll copy it over.
The problem is that I can no longer keep them separate this way! Obviously, I can still write “only” about the baby, but I can’t “only” write about everyday life anymore!! I’ve finally reached the point of not being able to really concentrate on anything long enough to get much work done. Part of it is just, as I said, lack of concentration. But a lot of it is this enormous fatigue. As soon as I sit down with the computer to work, or even to email or spend some time on Facebook, I want to lie down and take a nap–even if I’ve just woken up!
I’m told this whole experience is normal and will only increase in severity until delivery. Boy, and then talk about being consumed with Baby! But at least then I’ll have a few weeks off and won’t have to worry about my work efficiency. Should I quit early, or should I continue to struggle with not getting enough done to warrant my status of “working”?
I’m really going to make people sick of me if all I can think about or talk about is this baby coming. Yesterday I got to eight months, so if I were to deliver this week, my baby would probably be just fine. And I’ve heard lots of stories of women delivering early! (But most of the stories are about women delivering their first babies significantly late. My nephew Rowan was 12 days late. But David says my doctors won’t let me get beyond 10 days post-due before they induce. What a relief!)
Help! How am I going to work in this state??
34 weeks and no news. Kes should be about 5lbs now (2.4kg) and 18in (46cm). Wow, that’s getting big! David says first time babies (at least here) are generally about 3kg, but both my sister and my sister’s first baby Naomi were almost 4kg! Good grief. I don’t think I could handle a baby that big!
I’ve reached the point of having trouble sleeping at night. Kes thinks it’s her time to play, so she’ll nap all evening and then start bouncing around right when I’m ready to try sleeping. So frustrating! It could be like this for the next 18 years, though! Plus I’m finally reaching the point of knowing I can’t sleep on my back or my tummy. I’ve known it in my head for awhile, but now I feel it, too.
And this back pain is just killing me. It’s not sharp like there’s something wrong, but just always aching as long as I’m sitting up. Ugh.
And the past two evenings I’ve noticed cramps. David says they’re Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are practice contractions. Dude. If it hurts this much during practice, what’s labour going to be like? JUST KNOCK ME OUT!
Mom finally let me go through the baby stuff, since she doesn’t know now if I’m going to get a shower or not. I guess she was waiting for my friend Sharon to come, but we have no idea now if or when Sharon’s coming, so we went aheaad and looked through what I’ve got. It’s wonderful! I can’t believe all the cute clothes and blankets Kes will get to enjoy! (Okay, so Kes won’t even notice, but we will get to enjoy them!) Seeing all these gifts has definitely made more excited for the baby’s arrival–instead of dreading it.
Our neighbour Aunt Dorothy–the unofficial doula around–gave us a 30-minute pep talk on Monday to get us prepared for what to expect in labour. She gave us a list of things to pack in our bags and told us some Nigerian oddities. For instance, after deliver, the new mother is automatically given hot tea to drink. Please, no! I’ll be hot enough! The delivery room is piping hot, and no one even considers turning on the fan! Good grief. I have a lot to look forward to.
Saw the doctor again today, and everything’s still going well! Kes is facing the right direction now, my BP is still just fine, and everything else is OK too. Yay! What a relief to get some acid-reducer prescribed for me. I’ve been in agony on and off–mostly on–for months now. Tums just ain’t cutting it anymore. When I sit up, my back hurts. When I lie down, my chest is on fire. *sigh* Only seven more weeks.
I’m really excited to be receiving some baby gifts! The problem–or at least, I see it as a problem–is that my mom has put an embargo on my gifts. She’s rerouting them into her own stash and not letting me see them yet. I don’t know when she’ll finally let me have them, but I’m anxious to know what I’ve gotten! (Kes is anxious, too.) So frustrating!
I still haven’t gotten any training on labour and delivery… No lamaz here, or anything else like that. I don’t have a coach or anything. It’s gonna be pretty weird. At least I’ll have Mom.
I went to see my doctor yesterday for a complaint, and she said she might as well give me my regular antenatal check-up while I was there. So she took my blood pressure (fine), measured my tummy (29cm), and listened for the fetal heartbeat on the Doppler. And after feeling around, she said, “The baby’s turning! That’s good!”
So Kes is now pointing more the right direction, which is a relief. I hope things keep going okay.
I was told last night that if I don’t think I look pregnant, I should look at myself, especially from the side. I thought this was funny after earlier in the evening being asked if I’m only 9 weeks along!! (One friend didn’t know I was pregnant at all, which was even funnier.) Maybe now that Kes has repositioned himself, people will be able to tell I’m carrying him!
No real news on this front. Kes is still lying transverse at 31 wks, and I’m convinced that’s why I don’t look as pregnant as most women at this stage. I’m not worried about it. I figure Kes will turn in his own good time if he feels like it, and if not, it’s up to my doctor to make a decision. I’m certainly not opposed to having a C-section if my doc advises it. But…we’ll see. There’s still nine weeks for Kes to move her little butt the right direction.
So there’s really no point in taking photos because it doesn’t look like I’m getting any bigger. 
And my next doctor’s appointment is two weeks away, so I don’t even have an ultrasound to report on. *sigh*
But Mom’s started stocking up on diapers for me, I just found out yesterday. Once we move this weekend, I’ll probably start doing the same. You can’t always find Pampers–which are the best quality diapers around by a long shot–so it’s better to get lots and lots when they are available. (If you have issues with my using disposable diapers, please remember that we have no reliable source of water here, especially once the rainy season stops and we can’t collect rainwater.) I also noticed yesterday while shopping that one of the larger stores in town has three cribs for sale! I don’t have one yet and won’t get one quite yet, but it’s nice to know they’re available–although probably really expensive. (And Mom says they probably don’t meet the safety standards of American cribs, with the distance between bars.)
My friend Brandi may be delivering this week. She’s due Oct 6 but has preeclampsia, so they’re considering inducing. I haven’t heard the latest, but she’s 37 weeks, so she’s pretty much term. From this distance, it might be weeks before I hear if she’s delivered Cash safely.
I also just found out recently that a high school classmate of mine, Sara, delivered recently, at about 34 weeks, because of some complications. They delivered the baby by C-section. I’m still waiting for more information about that, too!
I figure if Kes were a steak, she’d be medium well-done by now. In more conventional terms, we’re 30 weeks along, which means 75% of the way! Yeehaw!
We went to see our doctor yesterday–for a really quick appointment. Since I’m substitute teaching, I didn’t get out of school early enough to catch my doctor during her normal clinic hours. So I barely saw her before she left the hospital for the day. We met in the maternity ward this time, instead of in the private clinic, and she did an ultrasound. Kes is still lying transverse (sideways), but she’s not worried yet. The placenta is low but not problematic yet either. So we’ll just have to keep waiting and see!
David offered to take me for a 3-D scan this week, since he’s doing his radiology posting at the teaching hospital. I was flabbergasted that they even have such a thing in our little town. And I turned him down. Can you believe it? I wouldn’t mind the scan, but really, the only reason we’d get it is to find out if Kes is a girl or a boy. And…honestly…I think it’s more fun to be surprised. So hang in there. Just ten more weeks before we find out!
31 August 2007
Well, this week hasn’t been terribly exciting as far as baby news. Kes and I have completed 29 weeks and so are into our 30th week! He should be about 1.3kg now (2lbs). Wow! So cool. I cannot believe how active she is most of the time. God, please don’t give me a child with ADHD! I just don’t have the patience!
Yesterday, while I was substitute teaching 10th grade English, my students brought up the subject of overpopulation. They asked my opinion, and I said, “It’s a problem.” I wanted to avoid getting into a sticky discussion because, remember, this was English class, but they then asked me how I thought the problem should be solved. I said, “Good question. What do you think?” One young man said, “Sterilisation. We should sterilise everyone in North and South America.” I laughed. He then asked if I was going to have kids, if I ever got married. I told him that I am married, and that yes, I do plan to have kids. He seemed to think this was the wrong answer. Then he said, “I’m never going to have kids. I’m going to adopt. In fact, I don’t even plan to get married. I’ll just live with my adopted kids.”
I asked him to put it in writing for me and sign it in blood. The guy’s a joker.
Okay, so sue me. I’m adding one more life to the world’s population. I’m furthering Nigeria’s status as the most populous country in Africa. Anyone got a problem with that?
