When you can't sleep

Last pregnancy, this wasn't quite an issue, but this time around, I am finding it hard to sleep through the night.  Yeah, I have to go to the bathroom at least once a night, but that's once.  I'm randomly waking up for an unknown reason.  Now, if I make the mistake of not turning over or getting up for no reason, it takes me around an hour to get back to sleep.  So what do I do to insure that I go back to sleep promptly to try to have enough energy to keep up with a near 1 year old?  This.

1) Again, don't get up and walk around unless you need to potty.  Get up, go, climb back into bed.

2) Roll over.  If you seemingly woke up for no reason, staying in the same position will probably become uncomfortable very quickly.

3) Keep a cup of water right next to your bed.  Take a drink and lay back down.  Many people get a dry mouth over night (especially when pregnant and your body goes through water like crazy) and drinking some water will help you not stay awake thinking of how thirsty you are.

4) Don't be afraid to add pillows to aid your sleeping position.  I only use one but could probably use more to help me be more comfortable.

5) Keep your eyes closed.  This is important.  It might just help you trick your body into thinking you never woke up.

6) If all else fails and you simply can't get a good nights sleep for days or even weeks then it starts to affect your daily life, don't be afraid to take some Benadryl.  It is a pregnancy safe medication (category B) that doesn't pose a risk to your baby (category A and B are safe, anything C or lower is not recommended).  In fact, taking it every once in a while to get a needed nights sleep is recommended by some doctors.  Getting sleep is just important for you as it is for your baby.  Just don't take it all the time and get to the point where you have to take it to go to sleep.  I don't recommend that.

At least one of these things usually works for me and keeps me from being up for an hour trying to fall back asleep.  Are there any tricks that work best for you?  I'm always taking new ideas to try, especially if they'll keep me from waking up in the first place :)!

Learn how to take a chill pill

I'm a little confused.  So many third trimester symptoms have come to just hang out with me.  I can't tell how easily I tired out.  Then there's the massive heartburn.  And discomfort's always an issue.  All of these things help me not feel guilt when I bake.  I figure I deserve a treat if I don't feel well.  Makes sense, right?  But its got me wondering, how many women have a tumultuous second trimester? 

It is common for this to be the best, most exciting time of a pregnancy.  You're feeling great and you get to enjoy your newly large belly.  Sometimes you even get to start partying in anticipation of the new baby.  Of course, my favorite part was the 20 week sonogram.  However, this pregnancy isn't really giving me a resting period.  With Bella, I was always pretty comfortable.  I was super fortunate and didn't have morning sickness or growing pains.  I had some heartburn but that was the least of the symptoms I could have gotten.  At least, I think so.  This time around, the pregnancy isn't very textbook but in the other direction.  Instead of a picture perfect pregnancy, I'm enjoying all of the little aches and pains that can show up in a pregnancy. 

Of course, it can always be worse.  Don't ever think that it can't.  I'm pretty sure I'm fortunate enough to not have to worry about gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, thankfully.  Its the little stuff that nags you until you feel like you're just going crazy.  So, I'm on a small mission to find out the things that make me feel better.  So far, you have the obvious answers such as eating, resting, and drinking lots of water.  But I'm looking to add some other things to this list.  A pregnancy survival list if you will.  This list is going to come in handy even more so in December and January when I'm as big as a house and might really find it difficult to be comfortable. 

So, here's the beginning of my "Shut up and relax" list:

1) Go lay down. (duh)
2) Eat (or bake) a treat (whatever that may be for the day, i.e.: something Paula Deen makes).
3) Drink grape juice and pretend its that wine you crave so much.
4) Take Bella for a walk, even if its just around the house.
5) Stop doing house work for a few hours.  It'll be there when you get back.
6) Call a friend.  Seriously, it makes you feel better.
7) Watch Handy Manny with Bella.  You know you like it just as much as she does.
8) Go through the baby clothes.  No matter how tedious some people think it is, you know you love it.
Note: This list is tailored to the things that I love to do. It will need to be tailored to your own needs if you ever choose to make your own list.

When is it too much?

In the past few days, I believe I've been feeling some Braxton Hicks contractions come and attack my belly.  It's a sticky situation because it could be that I'm right and I need to be sure that they are just Braxton Hicks and not the onset of premature labor.  However, I could also be feeling some pressure from Jude moving around and pressing against a certain part of my belly.  The word from doctors (including my own) is that if you feel 4 or more of these "contractions" in an hour, call the doc or go to the ER. 

Now, these can be brought on by a number of things, most of which I do.  For instance, getting dehydrated can cause your uterus to contract.  Every so often I have this issue.  It isn't common for me since I keep my 32 oz jug with me all of the time and have to fill it 2-4 times a day.  I also have other things to drink throughout the day as well.  But every so often, usually while I sleep, I don't get enough water and now I'm paying the price.  Another factor that can cause Braxton Hicks is a full bladder.  Well, with all the water I drink, that's bound to occur.  I'm not gonna avoid that. 

Braxton Hicks can also be brought on by a lot of activity, whether it be from you or the baby.  Right now, I'm dealing with both.  Jude has started to move more than before, much like Bella used to, and I'm constantly on the move, even while at home.  With an almost 1 year old who is learning how to get around more and more every week, I don't have much of a choice but to move around with her.  This is another thing that pretty much can't be avoided.

The worries I have are that too many Braxton Hicks could cause a problem or that they are a sign that there already is a problem.  I haven't quite decided yet if I am going to call my doctor this next week or not.  I know that these "contractions" can be normal but I also want to be sure that I'm not dilating.  That would NOT be good.  I love feeling my baby move.  I'm just wondering when it's all too much.

Looking back

I took a couple of minutes just now to look at my previous posts.  I decided, I talk a lot.  In talking a lot, I get many things off my chest that sometimes I didn't even know were there.  I feel like this is common place for bloggers.  Your blog is a journal for everyone to see.  The only problem with that is that sometimes there are things you shouldn't talk about.  I don't think I've entered that realm quite yet.  And after a while, I am guessing that you become very good at knowing just what to type so as not to embarrass yourself :)!

Anyway, I couldn't help but get teary-eyed rereading some of my Bella blogs.  Slowly, these Bella blogs have become Bella blogs and Jude blogs.  Then, as they get older and begin to play together, they will become Bella and Jude blogs.  Its weird to think how much my life has changed already and it has only been 6 months since I started this little blog.  I'm sure I'll have so much more to say here, even if it is only to myself sometimes ;).

Warning: Baby poop is discussed.

So when do you stop worrying about something?  I am wrestling with this idea as we speak.  Bella changed formula recently to sensitive from the hypoallergenic kind.  Now, I can't even wrap my mind around when something might be wrong or she's just being fussy or cranky.  This also goes for her diapers.  Most of you reading this are moms so you know that poop can look different even when you feed your kid the same thing.  Well, Bella's standard is green (of varying shades) and either quite thick or quite thin with what looks like mucus. 

Of course, the mucus scares the bajeezus out of me because that is what Bella dealt with when she had her milk allergies going out of control!  Now, I'm really glad there's no blood, so that gives me hope that nothing is actually wrong.  But how do you know?  She does fuss a good amount.  Not like she used to, but Bella gets cranky.  This leaves me wondering if she's teething, if she is having tummy issues again, or something else is bothering her.  Right now, I don't really have anything new to talk to her doctors about because they know what I've been seeing recently since this change. 

We have a month and change until her year check up, so I am trying to hold out as long as possible.  I don't need to freak out just because she's cranky sometimes, despite my usual being to do just that.  So, I'm on the watch.  Maybe, just maybe I'll let this one go for the next month and we'll either have nothing to worry about or she's still got some tummy issues and things will just get worse. 

Let's keep in mind, though, that Bella has been eating solids without problems in the digestive department.  If you can eat carrots, Cheerios, bananas, and chicken (etc.), then why would a sensitive formula give you trouble?  FYI, the difference between Alimentum and Sensitive is that Alimentum breaks down the milk proteins so much that its virtually impossible to have an allergic reaction and Sensitive cuts out the lactose to reduce gas and fussiness.  The milk protein allergy generally goes away as an infant gets older and their digestive system beefs up.  We'll see how it goes.  Though, I think it's safe to say that she won't be having cows milk anytime soon!

Stop worrying about your stupid registry

I have now decided that I hate my registry.  I feel like it is constantly mocking me with things I should and shouldn't have on there.  It hasn't even been an entire week since I found out this baby is a boy!  I think we finally nailed down our nursery colors and so I changed the bedding to a set that Steve liked a little more than the laguna stuff.  Now its all forest creatures, which is super cute!  Even though that makes things a little less stressful, I find myself constantly going back and editing the registry to whittle it down to what I would really like to have.  I know I want to get all of the room decor and bedding.  I also want the clothing accessories such as socks, mittens, and hats, because it IS going to be cold outside when Jude arrives.

Everything else on those two lists are things that I would like but can live without.  Some of it I wouldn't even bother getting and some of it I would retrieve at a later date.  So what's worth even keeping on the registry?  Hell, what's actually gonna be bought off of it?  It feels stupid to worry about a registry when you don't even know if you'll get anything off of it.  Nor should you worry about getting something off of it.  With a first baby, registries are awesome!  Everyone is so excited for you having your first baby and its time to get you started off on the right foot!  Subsequent children get gifts, but you've already gotten so many of the things that make up your daily arsenal of infant and children's products that you don't need a whole lot.

So, as frustrating as that is, it really isn't something that's worth worrying about.  This is a great mantra to repeat to yourself when you're worrying about something frivolous.  I'll be doing as such in the future and instead focusing my energy on more important things :)!

Fun with Registries

Alright, I registered for stuff!  I had a lot of it planned out already anyway, but I updated bedding and blankets and some clothing to reflect that we're having a boy!  I was surprised that I ended up picking so many things, but granted, some of them I just liked and don't have to have.  In reality, there are a lot of things that I don't have to have.  It would be good to have extras of some things like towels and another high chair (or booster since Bella will be big enough!). 

Of course, I need boy clothes.  I do already have a small head start from things my mom had stashed (for whatever reason, seeing as she has all granddaughters until now) and a friend who's willing to let me pick out some of hers since her kiddo is too big for a lot of his clothing now.  I find it more difficult to find cute boy clothing, mostly due to one fact: I hate overalls.  I think they look silly.  I also am a fan of lighter colors and a lot of boy clothes are brighter and have big characters on them, etc.  I have a feeling I will have good luck with the clothing I'm swiping from Heather though.  I've seen it in pictures and I assure you I have seen many cute things!

I would like new bedding for the crib I'm going to need.  I think we're going to go with a laguna/sea theme.  I'm super picky with boys bedding because so much of it is too cartoon-y in my opinion.  Either the colors are really bright or the characters look ridiculous.  But the bedding I picked out has a more muted color scheme and decent characters.  I really liked the idea of green for the nursery walls since the kids will share a bedroom for a while.  So, this laguna theme bedding is a perfect fit!  Bella will keep her pink birds bedding even though it won't quite match, but that's fine because she's a girl and I love pink!  Besides, I guarantee you there will be a princess corner of that room.  I'm sure there will be plenty of Star Wars paraphernalia to counter act it.

I mixed up my registries this time.  Instead of going solely with Target, I also registered with Babies R Us.  Target has a limited selection of bedding and I wasn't really a fan of any of it.  There's also the fact that Babies R Us has a load of everything.  You can find pretty much anything you want!  Now, I learned that when you actually go to purchase from a gift registry there, the lists they give you are a little confusing.  It can be a pain to try and find something if you have no clue where it is and the lists don't give you much clue of where to go.  But, again, Babies R Us has a lot of great things, so I registered for most of my items there.

I can't lie, even though it feels a little weird to register for a second baby, I loved every minute of it.  Picking out baby stuff is the bomb!  Whether I get any of it or not is no big deal, I'm just glad I got to have fun running around with a scanner!

Meet Jude Alexander!

FINALLY!  I have made it through the past 5 weeks.  I have waited with great anticipation to have this sonogram and see my baby again.  And of course, to find out if we were going to have a boy or a girl.  Well, in the sonogram room, while Randy was looking at the baby I made it known, again, that I thought we were going to have a girl.  Then when he started looking at the crotch area, I saw 3 white lines!  I thought, "OK, its totally a girl!"  That was when I said that out loud and got a good laugh from Randy.  He then informed me of the extra limb hanging out past those three white lines. 

The lines were really just the outline of his testicles.  I had to laugh, too, of course.  What a ridiculous mess up to make, but not an unreasonable one :).  After all, I am not an experienced sonographer!  Anyway, He went on to take more pictures, a couple of which show Jude's eye and its open.  It looks kinda creepy, but cute anyway because he is my kid after all.  It won't be quite so creepy later.

Jude is also measuring a week bigger than our due date.  This, of course, scares me a little because I would really prefer he not come as early as Bella did.  Its most likely that he will be around 2 weeks early, especially since he is measuring big, but I'll live so long as he isn't any earlier!  At least his room isn't measuring big.  In that respect, we are right on track!  So everything looks perfect and we couldn't be more pleased!  A healthy baby makes a happy mommy!

Neuroticism at its best

So, I have become more and more neurotic everyday this week.  I am neurotic anyway, but I'm a little out of control.  I called Bella's pediatrician for the exact same thing I called them about last week.  At the time, it seemed like a major problem.  Yeah, it isn't.  And I felt like an idiot waiting for them to call back over nothing. 

This leads me to wonder if I need something to do.  A mom's group.  Perhaps do something at church?  I don't stay at home all day, everyday, but it is getting to the point that more than a few hours at home is driving me crazy.  Or maybe I need to learn how to calm myself when I start to feel a little crazy.

I would say I could bake, because that usually helps, but we are trying to save money and I would like to not gain too much weight this pregnancy :).  So now I search for ideas!

PS: I can also cling to my grape juice that is keeping my strong desire for red wine at bay.