Welcome Farrah Oakley

I've been spending the last two weeks enjoying everything about our new, precious, perfect baby girl.  There's a lot to get accustomed to, a lot to learn, and a lot to keep my mind on.  I also have a lot of posts to add in the near future, including Farrah's birth story, a postpartum update, and Farrah at one and two weeks old, a before long, three weeks and then a month!

But here is a quick welcome post to Farrah Oakley Brooks.

2 Weeks Minus 1 Day Left (38 Weeks)

This week, my 38-week appointment was a day early because my doctor is on vacation as of today.  My blood pressure was, again, high when taken by their machine, but normal when the nurse took it manually, at 116/82.  My weight gain is up to 38 lbs.  I have been experiencing swelling in my feet and ankles for the last day or so and I expressed my concerns to my doctor.  She said that since there is no protein in my urine and my blood pressure is good, the swelling is normal for pregnancy.  I still have not dilated any more past 1 cm.  By measuring my stomach, the baby is still measuring a little small but growing, and her heart beat was still good according to my doctor.


And the biggest news, we have a C-section scheduled.  It's scheduled for June 25, 2015 (one day before her due date)!  I'm excited to have a date to plan for (since I'm a big planner anyway), and now I can count down the days!  Thirteen days until we meet baby Farrah Oakley Brooks!  Unless I go into labor before then, of course.  I was concerned that if I went into labor, I would have to have an "emergency" C-section, but my doctor reassured me that it would not necessarily be an emergency C-section, but rather an unscheduled one, which I would not have to be heavily medicated for.  If at all possible, I would like to be aware and awake during the delivery of our baby so that I can hold her and remember us meeting her from the very first moment.  Also, the birth photography plans will be slightly altered, but as soon as we are moved to postpartum, we will have our birth photographer take photos of our newest, precious family member!


In the next two weeks, my time and attention will consist of summer heat, ball games, Father's Day, two sweet aunts of mine coming to clean and "nest" for me, my sister's 30th birthday, one last doctor's appointment, and 8 more days of work!  After that, we will be welcoming our baby into this world, and I cannot wait to meet her, see her sweet face, kiss her, hold her, and tell her how much I love every single little piece of her!


Cravings: Ice cream, water, milk, cereal, pancakes.


Symptoms: Lower abdominal cramping, especially when getting up from sitting, and especially from laying.  A few Braxton Hicks contractions, which to me feel like menstrual cramps and a tightening of the stomach.  Sleepiness.  Waking at regular intervals of about 1.5 - 2 hours to pee at night.  Snoring, yuck.


Mood: Calm.  For as close as we are to meeting our sweet babe, and with the likelihood of having a C-section, I surprising am not feeling worried or overly anxious.


Missing: Keane when I'm at work.


Excited for: The maternity photos we got back.  The nursery that is finally finished and all ready for our baby girl, and exactly how I had imagined it!  Meeting Miss Farrah.  My new phone.


Body changes: My belly is growing out, out, out.  Swelling in my feet and ankles - at times I seriously do not even recognize them, at all.  A fuller face.


Sleep: I've been sleeping okay except waking regularly.


Movement: Farrah moves a lot these last few weeks. Often and late movements. Usually up high and she still has hiccups that I feel really low but not as often.

Maternity Photos

We received our beautiful maternity photos from our dear friend, Jamie, with Jamie St. Clair Photography.  I love them and am so glad we took the time to capture this special time in our lives, with Farrah, before even getting to meet our little girl.  This time has been going quickly, and it is continually amazing to me what my body goes through to grow this baby of ours.  I am feeling about as ready as I think I can feel for her to enter our world.  And to be honest, because I don't really know exactly what to expect, I cannot comprehend exactly what I am supposed to be preparing for.  I know that the love that I will have for this girl of ours will be beyond anything I could have prepared myself for.  I know the changes our lives will experience, I could not have pictured.  I know that the nursery, all the baby items, and the anticipation are all that I could possibly do to prepare for the next step, and all of that I have done, with love and excitement.  Now, we wait.  We wait to meet our baby daughter soon, so very soon.

3 Weeks Left (37 Weeks)

After my 36-week appointment last Friday, I experienced quite a bit of cramping, aching, and spotting for the two days following.  I made it through our busy weekend, consisting of a wedding and a Cardinals game (our last family outing before the baby arrives), but barely.  By Saturday night, I was considering calling the doctor and expressing all my pains and concerns I was having.  Plus, I had a lot of stress and worries about finding out Farrah is breech and having to completely re-process the entire birthing process in my mind, but this time considering a C-section, something I had given zero consideration to before.  I took a bath, a nap, talked to my mom, and stayed off my feet.  I took a vacation day to spend with Keane and the kids on Monday, and I felt so much better by then.  I am officially "very pregnant" and am doing less and staying off my feet more.


We had an appointment for the acupuncture (acupressure?) technique on Tuesday, and it was supposed to flip the baby within 48 hours.  The chiropractor who practices this technique, and has for 11 years, said they have successfully turned all breech babies so far this year.  However, at my 37-week appointment today, I found out that Farrah is still breech.  I am still only dilated to 1 cm.  We may attempt the acupressure technique again next week.  Of course, Farrah could turn on her own, and may without any intervention, but it may be worth the extra attempt. 


At this time, we are planning to give Farrah until her due date, or around then, to turn, but we will tentatively schedule a C-section in the case that she doesn't turn and stays breech.


I gained 3 lbs since last week; I'm blaming it on the fact that I didn't take my shoes off.  My blood pressure was 122/75.  I didn't ask what Farrah's heart rate was or what she measured, but her heart beat sounded good and strong and loud!


Cravings: Water, Milk, Ice Cream, a lot of things, really.  I had really been craving pancakes, so on our way to the Cardinals game last weekend, we stopped at Bob Evan's and I had myself four hot cakes, mmmm!


Symptoms: My hands/fingers are swollen.  I have really bad heartburn.  I am tired and close to falling asleep on the spot at work.  I'm very thirsty.


Mood: Tired.  Overwhelmed - especially because we are trying to hire someone at work before I leave for maternity leave and we are down to the wire.


Missing: I'm already missing my pregnant body.  I know that sounds weird, but I'm down to the last few weeks of being pregnant, and I know that I am going to miss things about it.


Excited for: Getting my maternity photos back that we got taken last week!


Body changes: I feel like my body is struggling to carry on each day.  It's hard to get up, walk, sit down, lay down, roll over, stand...


Sleep: Sleeping is the same.  I have been sleeping good from exhaustion, but with interruptions every hour or so to get up and pee, and let me tell you -- my entire body aches each time I get up throughout the night.


Movement: Farrah has been very active since last week's doctor's appointment and after the acupressure appointment.  I'm not really sure when she sleeps, to be honest.  I suppose when I sleep.  That's a good baby!

4 Weeks Left (36 Weeks)

Four weeks left -- did I really just type that?  How can it be?  It's funny how I'm toward the end of my pregnancy, and for all these weeks, I couldn't imagine being so close to 40 weeks.  I have a feeling that Farrah will arrive early.  Maybe I just want her to arrive early, so it's wishful thinking. 


I definitely feel pregnant.  I also feel like I really look pregnant, besides the obvious basketball-size belly that I have.  My inner thighs are sore, my pelvis region is sore, my baby is trying to kick her way out of my uterus, and my feet are warning me that they can't support this extra weight any longer.


I had my 36 week appointment and had an ultrasound to check Farrah's growth and fluid.  She measured to be 5 days smaller, at 35 weeks, 2 days.  She weighed 5 lbs, 11 oz.  Her heart rate was 154 bpm.  My doctor said her growth was fine, and her fluid measured great.  My weight gain stayed the same from the week before, surprisingly.  At first my blood pressure was 136/95 but the nurse retook it and then it was 120/78. 


My doctor checked my cervix and said I was dialated 1 cm.  We found out that Baby Farrah is breech right now.  Our doctor said that we can hope that she turns on her own, have my doctor perform a "version" where she physically tries to turn the baby (this method has less than 50% chance of turning the baby, especially for first-time moms, it is uncomfortable, and if the baby does turn, we would have to induce right away), we can try alternative methods (which our doctor suggested an acupuncture technique), and if all else fails, a c-section is in our near future.  I don't think we are going to go with the version, and I think we are going to attempt the acupuncture method since it is harmless, in hopes that it turns Farrah and gets her head down and ready to deliver!

I got to see her little face and it makes me want to kiss her little lips!






Cravings: Gummy Life Savers, Milk.


Symptoms: Swelling.  Indigestion.  A few Braxton Hicks.  At first I just felt cramping, and then I would notice that my stomach was hard.  Now I am beginning to feel the muscles pulling tight in my stomach, and it's noticeable to feel how hard my entire stomach is.  It isn't painful, just slightly uncomfortable, but at the same time, I think it's awesome how my body knows how to prepare itself for the end of this gestational period. 


Mood: Exhausted.  Slightly emotional at times.  Nesting may be kicking in - now that I have all the furniture in her bedroom, I'm ready to get everything in its place.  And I have a lot of papers that need filing away and laundry to be caught up on.  However, I can't work as hard or for as long as I'm used to, so it's frustrating that I cannot get as much done as I wish.


Missing: Not aching, and having more energy.


Excited for: Getting a new phone in a little over a week so that I can take nice photos again, of my baby belly, the baby room, and the baby when she gets here!


Sleep: I'm hot at night, and I wake up almost hourly, and I have to roll out of bed which hurts all the muscles in my body, to pee, and then I reposition myself on the opposite side I was laying on, only to do it again the next time I wake...which was literally 13 minutes later one night.


Movement: Farrah gets the hiccups still, and she sticks her feet and butt out a lot.  I think she's trying to make more room, but unfortunately, her momma has a small torso, so cramped she must stay until her delivery.