Week 23

Well, time keeps going by pretty quickly which has some good and bad to it I guess - good that we keep getting closer to Grace's arrival, and that is what I'll focus on!

In week 23, I had two dr appointments - Dr. Silver and Dr. Wilkinson.  Dr. Wilkinson, my eye doctor, said everything looks great - no change in my vision or eye pressures, and no retinopathy, which is fantastic!

Dr. Silver is very happy with everything.  I met with Sam (nurse midwife) first - I went through questions with her, including:

• Anything I could do since I'm having trouble breathing/am very congested?  (Answer: YES - it's important for me and Grace to get oxygen!  She suggested claritin D, nasal spray, humidifier, etc.)
• Anything I can do for my carpal tunnel? (Answer: yes, though it will go away and won't cause permanent damage.  Dr Silver suggested wrapping it with an ace bandage at night to help reduce swelling.)
• Labor and delivery scenarios for me?  (Answer: she reassured me that our bodies are meant to give birth; encouraged me to go to a class; and told me a range of scenarios that were reassuring - e.g. if at any time Grace isn't doing well, they'll do a c-section within 5 min; they'll have me on a dextrose drip to manage blood sugars; etc.)

I found out they will give me another RhoGAM shot at 28 weeks (they are only good for 12 weeks), they'll start doing non-stress tests at 30 weeks, and will start checking my cervix at 35 weeks.

My belly measured 24 in (she said that is just fine considering my height) and Grace's heart rate was 130 (just great!) - of course she was moving A LOT so it was hard to find it! :)

I asked Dr. Silver if I should be worried about my weight - he told me to stop weighing myself, explaining I will not be able to control that; he encouraged me to just focus on eating healthy foods.  I haven't weighed myself in 3 days and it's pretty nice!  :)

I can also say that:

• The ace bandage at night is helping a TON.
• Taking claritin D, along with 1/2 benadryl at night, using saline nasal spray, using nasal strips, and a humidifier is helping tremendously with my breathing and congestion.  I haven't felt so good in terms of breathing since becoming pregnant!  Hooray!
• I feel much calmer about labor and delivery - and no more movies or tv shows about it until after Grace gets here! :)

I can feel Grace moving a LOT more regularly - sadly, Blake can't feel it yet. :(  Soon enough, I'm sure.

In terms of development, from http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-23-weeks_1112.bc?read_more=1&scid=mbtw_preg23:1043&pe=2UvuHCR&st=MjAxMTAyMjE= :

"Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

See what your baby looks like this week."

... and from http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/week/article/23rd-week-pregnancy-pg3#bm7:

"For Your Partner 

Your Relationship with Baby

The first few months of fatherhood can often be the most difficult. Your baby arrives, and along with him or her comes expectations of what being a father will be like. Many of these expectations involve holding your baby and immediately feeling a strong connection and a powerful sense of love. While that will undoubtedly happen, it may take a bit longer to connect than you originally thought. Instead of a few days, it can sometimes take a few months. 

Even once your baby is born, you might feel a little empty inside. Of course you know the baby you're holding is yours, but he or she may not yet feel like your baby. (You know that you love your baby, but you just may not quite feel it yet.) This isn't unusual, and often fathers find themselves feeling afraid, stressed by financial pressures, and exhausted from lack of sleep. This can all lead to many new dads feeling inadequate or useless as fathers. These difficult feelings can be exacerbated if you're working outside the home while your spouse is taking care of Baby full-time. 

The sad truth is many fathers have this experience but are afraid to talk about it. A lack of discussion can foster a sense of shame and may promote a feeling that bonding confirms a "bad" father (or mother). Instead of getting upset and giving up, strive to remain involved and you'll lay the groundwork for developing a bond with your baby. (Know that if you experience these feelings, it doesn't mean you're a bad father or that you don't or can't love your child.) 

In time, you and Baby will build a distinct and unbreakable connection. One day, you will look your little one's face and see a certain expression or hold her, and something will flutter in your chest. Before you know it, you will feel such a strong connection you'll have trouble remembering life when you didn't."

OK hope you all had a nice Presidents' Day weekend!  Week 24 starts tomorrow! :)