32 Week Ultrasound

Tonight we had our ultrasound to check Katherine's growth. She's perfect! The ultrasound tech measured all of her limbs and vital organs and checked the amount of amniotic fluid. It's fine. She also verified her original verdict that Katherine is a girl with a check "down there". There's no doubt about it! Katherine is currently in the "head down" position and will most likely stay that way. And as far as her being small...according to the measurements, Katherine weighs approximately 4 lbs 9 ozs! That's right on track! A profile of Katherine's noggin' is below. Ain't she cute?

Baby Basics Brunch

We attended our first baby class on Saturday. It was called the Baby Basics Brunch. As you might guess, they provided us with bagels, pastries, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, assorted juices and hot drinks. What better way to a pregnant woman's heart! The four hour class was taught by two women who have a background in nursing. While both were realistic, they had two different styles on baby care. It was nice to have both perspectives represented equally. They offered a lot of helpful hints about things like bathing, changing diapers, and general baby care. The class also included a question and answer session with a Pediatrician and a demonstration on the correct way to install a carseat. I think we both came away feeling more confident and knowing a little more than we did before. If nothing else, we were exposed to the wide variety of couples who will also be parents soon...including the guy who seemed obsessed with Shaken Baby Syndrome!

While it was fresh in our minds, Rob installed the carseat on Sunday. He did a great job. That sucker's not going anywhere! An updated belly shot is below.

31 Weeks, 3 days

Because of scheduling, our check-up last night wasn't quite 2 weeks from the last one. Anyway, they measured my uterus. It's still a little small. It did grow some though. It's now 29 cm! Katherine's heartbeat is strong as ever and she's very active in there. I'm scheduled to have an ultrasound and growth check on Monday just to make sure that everything is o.k. with Katherine. Most likely my uterus is on the small side because Katherine is on the small side. She's probably just following in the footsteps of her Mommy. Don't expect any 10 pounders coming from me! I have gained another 3 pounds though!

We have our first baby class at the hospital tomorrow.

Chiropractor

So I went to the chiropractor today. After evaluating me, he said that my left hip is definitely lower than my right hip and that it's also affecting my lower lumbar. See, I'm not nuts! He did some adjusting and wants to see me two times a week for a few weeks. It will take several visits/adjustments for me to really feel a big difference. He did notice that my right ankle is a little crooked. But considering the hardware that's in there, I'll take "a little crooked". The best part of the visit was laying on my stomach on the table. It adjusted enough to allow room for my belly while also keeping me supported. My hip felt great while I was on the table!

30 Weeks

We had our 30-week check-up last night. Everything is looking relatively well. I continue to put on weight (about 20 pounds so far). My routine glucose test came back wonderfully. Katherine's heartbeat continues to be strong, as are her kicks and movements. I have had a considerable amount of pain in my left hip. The Dr. says this is because of the softening of the ligaments, separating of the hips, and extra weight and pressure which are all part of a normal pregnancy. The hip pain has caused the most problem at night when I'm trying to get comfortable to sleep. It always feels like it's out of place and needs to be cracked or popped back in. I've already tried stretches, heat, and an occasional Advil. Yesterday the Dr. gave me the name of a trusted chiropractor. I have an appt. to see him tomorrow. We'll see if that helps.

The Dr. also measured my uterus from bottom to top as a normal part of the check-up. It's measuring a little small (27 cm). He said it should be about 30 cm, corresponding with our pregnancy weeks. It's nothing serious, just something that we're going to keep an eye on. Basically, it comes down to the baby becoming too cramped as she puts on weight in these last two months. But, depending on her size and my size, it may not be an issue. Worst case scenario: we deliver a little early. Our check-ups are now every two weeks as we come down the home stretch.

We've had an uneventful pregnancy, thus far. If this is the worst of it, I'll take it.