38 Weeks, Last day of work, 4th of July, Drs Appt, Classes

Gender: Engaged Head Down Girl!

Movement: She's been having a lot of hiccups and is still loving to give me knudges here and there.

Sleep: Sleep has gotten harder to accomplish. With the combination of unbearable heat and a heavy tummy it's hard to make it through the night! We have even woken up in the middle of the night to turn the AC on and have the fan right on us! I definitely need a pillow under my belly and can no longer sleep on my back :(

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.

Cravings: The funnel cake on the commercial for IHOP...I think it's cause I'm afraid I won't make it to the OC Fair! Neal promises me that I'll get my funnel cake! But for now...the commercials will have to do!

Symptoms: She has dropped a little which is letting me breathe easier but making it a little harder to walk and get around. Still getting braxton hicks here and there...

Current Mood:  I'm really over this heat shinanigans...but we're super excited for her to be here!

Random Updates: 

Friday was my last day at work...and wow, was it a busy one! After a long day at work I was really looking forward to just coming home. Neal had the day off and he's such a sweetheart cause I came home to a super clean house and cars! From top to bottom it was spotless! He told me to go into the bedroom to check out how clean he got it...and when I walked in found presents for me and Savannah!

For the longest time I've been asking for a rocking chair so feeding could be much easier during the middle of the night...and just so we could have a quiet space other than sitting in front of the tv...but Neal kept saying he thought we really didn't need it and it was just going to be an extra piece of furniture...But he had something up his sleeve all along!!!

Along with the rocking chair he got me one of the best cards ever and a mani/pedi spa to enjoy while we waited for Savannah to arrive! It was the best thing to come home to! We blasted on the AC as I enjoyed rocking in the chair and he sat on the ottoman sharing a Sprinkles cupcake!!!

Nursing Bra: On Saturday we went to La Mirada to the famous Total Woman to get fitted for my nursing bra. To my surprise...she fitted me for a smaller cup! Hope this bra is worth it cause it was $74!!!!!!!

4th of July: We had an amazing but horrible heat for 4th of July weekend. We slept over in Mission Viejo so Neal and his Dad could play golf on Monday. I got to spend much needed quality time with the cousins and later that afternoon we all had a bbq at Ate Sue's house. It was SCORCHING hot...even with the pool right next to me! The kids really enjoyed it though and loved being in the water.

Here's Katelyn, Samantha and Madelynn on their way to the street fair.

We headed back to have dinner and watch fireworks and I was so hot and uncomfortable I didn't even have the energy to take any pictures! The food was amazing though...we had chicken kabobs, veggies, potatoes, corn and I treated myself to a virgin strawberry margarita!

DR's APPT: On Tuesday we had our weekly appointment. Her heartbeat sounded great and I got props for my belly dropping from the doctor. She did an internal exam and I'm still at 1 cm dialated but her head is definitely more engaged into the pelvic bone. The doctor mentioned stripping my membranes next week (sounds horrific!). Basically hormones are released when the bag of water is separated from the uterus. These hormones may soften the cervix and prepare the uterus to contract. It may start contractions and help the cervix open. Our next appointment is next Tuesday...could it be possible that we'll get to meet her next week??? :)

Baby Care Basics: Tuesday afternoon I got a call from the hopsital saying an opening for Baby Care Basics came up...(it's a class we've been trying to get into but was full). The class was from 7-9:30 pm...so off we went!

They went over things like what to expect from a newborn: appearances, sounds, symptoms, etc. They went over a lot of products, how to bathe, how to swaddle, how to dress them in certain weather conditions, etc...

We were also taught how to properly clean and change diapers...

And how to do the 5 S's. (Swaddle, Side, SHH, Sway and Suck). Neal was a pro at this....he did a way better swaddling than me and everyone around us!



Breastfeeding Class: We said we were only going to take the 2 classes: Childbirth and Baby Saver..but since we ended up doing the Baby Care Basics...we figured we might as well take the last class they offered...Breastfeeding! It was actually very informative but overwhelming at the same time.

Here's Neal playing with a relief nipple cream! Nothing is free these days! That little sucker cost $2!!! Hopefully I never have to use it but it was highly recommended!

Here was the fake boob and baby that was used throughout class...AMAZING how our bodies work!

And here's their special little lactation room if you would like to come back and have a one on one session after the baby is born.

Here's Neal and Baby Jane reunited!!!

Breastfeeding Facts
Health Benefits to Babies Who Breastfeed

• Children receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
• The varying composition of breastmilk keeps pace with the infant's individual growth and changing nutritional needs
• Have fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea in the US (20-35 million episodes of diarrhea occur in children under the age of 5, resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations and 400-500 deaths in the U.S.)
• Protection against gastroenteritis, necrotizing entercolitis
• Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
• Reduced risk of childhood diabetes
• Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning),
• Protection against allergies,   asthma, eczema, and severity of allergic disease
• Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed.
• Protection against meningitis, botulism, childhood lymphoma, crohn's disease and ulcerative entercolits
• Decreased risk of tooth decay (cavities)
• Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech,  straighter teeth and enhances vision.
• Breastfed infants develop higher IQ's, and have improved brain and nervous system development; IQ advantage of 10-12 points studied at ages 8, 12, and 18.  (Breastfeeding is considered the 4th trimester in brain growth and development...there are specific proteins in human milk that promote brain development))
• Reduced risk of heart disease later in life
• Increased bone density
• Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual  development of babies
• Breastfed babies enjoy a special warm bonding and emotional relationship with their mothers    
• Antibody response to vaccines are higher
• Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
• The colostrum (first milk) coats the GI tract, preventing harmful bacteria and allergy -triggering protein molecules from crossing into baby's blood
• Decreased risk for vitamin E and Iron deficiency anemia
• Decreased risk for acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, pyloric stenosis
• There are factors in human milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus....and many others
• Less risk of childhood obesity

Health Benefits to Moms Who Breastfeed

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• Reduced risk of breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers
• Reduced risk of anemia
• Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life
• Reduced risk of mortality for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with total time of lactation
• Helps the mother's body return to its pre-pregnancy state faster - promotes weight loss...1/2 of calories needed to manufacture milk is pulled from fat stores... can burn from 500 - 1,500 calories per day.
• Helps delay return of fertility and to space subsequent pregnancies
• Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child
• Breastmilk is free- reducing or eliminating the cost of formula (in the thousands of dollars/per year)
• Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing healthcare costs to family in Doctor office visits, prescriptions, over the counter medicine purchases, and hospitalizations
• Moms miss less time off from work due to child related illnesses
• Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding

 I'M ON A MISSION!!!!

We are also hospital ready! We have our bags AND Savannah's bag tucked away in our car in case she feels like coming any time soon!

Her carseat is just waiting for her :)

I'm not sure how Socks feels about me being home all day yet. She's been adjusting to everything really well though...she loves it when we fix Savannah's closet to see if I'll give her a toy or if she can steal a sock or two! The first 2 days we were home it was almost as if she was mad at me cause I kept trying to wake her up to keep me from getting bored. But now she seems to enjoy the little walks we get to do during the day and LOVES me for turning the AC on!!! :)