Phew! My Baby Is Not Actually a Large Chipmunk

During our last specialist appointments, we found out our 5 pound and 6 ounce baby grew to 6 pounds and 10 ounces in about 3 weeks. At the last visit, she last measured 7 pounds and 13 ounces.

Technician and Doctor: Wow, that’s a big baby!

Me: That’s what everyone says. Soooo…when do we start considering a C-section as the only option? How big is she going to get? 10 pounds? 15?

Doctor: I think you’re looking at an 8- or 8.5-pound baby.

Sooooo…basically…since most babies are 7.5-8.5 pounds, I panicked for nothing.* Thanks. Thanks a lot.

*Except for her massive head. The 93rd percentile, people.

Baby Scout made her debut at 8 pounds 6 ounces and 21 inches long. Imagine if she had showed up on her due date. Imagine if she’d been late. :: shudder::

The other comment we constantly heard was “Look at those cheeks!”

I do love her cheeks.

Don’t you love how her little elbow chub looks like a butt in this picture? Or is that something only a mother could love?

“I have two butts.”

Scout’s cheeks were chipmunk-esque in utero. Obviously, she was practicing trying to take in as much Pop-Tarty goodness as possible.

Favorite Comment From Last Post: “I had no idea Ozzy was a boxer.”—BluzDude

The Baby Came a Week Early…And There Was Much Rejoicing

Guess who decided to grace us with her presence a week early at 6-something AM on February 20th?

Congrats to Carrie, BlissfulBrit, and 1PointPerspective for guessing the correct day!

Let’s just call her Baby Scout to go with Boo and Radley.

Put Your Feet Up…Way Up

In the middle of this pregnancy, I switched to an office with doctors and midwives. At first, I was skeptical because I worried the midwives would push the all-natural approach.

Positive: The midwife would stay throughout the entire labor instead of popping in and out. They don’t discourage drugs, and they get the doctor if complications arise.

Positive: Upon telling the midwife that my stepsons were born at home and I had no intention of doing that, she said, “Don’t worry. We deliver babies in a hospital…which I will drive to in my car…not ride up to on my horse.”

Negative: The first midwife I met called me fat.

Then I began to worry that all midwives did was criticize my weight. The next few appointments went like this:

• “Your weight gain since the last appointment is a little on the high side, but it’s nothing to be worried about. Plus, Thanksgiving was in there.”
• Nothing said about my weight at the next appointment.
• Again, nothing said about weight.
• “You’ve only put on 2 pounds since your last appointment. Nice job!”
• And at yesterday’s appointment: “You’ve lost 2 pounds.” That was thanks to the cold I had this week, which is why the blog was especially quiet.

Now I suspect they may just be saying nice things because of how fragile pregnant women are in the last few weeks.

• “That you’re still exercising is good. That’ll help during labor.”
• “How tall are you? Taller women usually have an easier labor.”
• “Your baby won’t be huge. Maybe 8.5 pounds.”

And my favorite:

Me: My feet are starting to swell.

Her: That’s totally normal at this stage. Just put your feet up.

Me: I do that. I sit down and watch movies and fold laundry.

This is the incorrect way to put your feet up.

Her: No. You need to LAY down and have your feet above your heart.

Me: But then I can’t fold laundry…or do anything.

Her: Exactly.

A prescription/order to do nothing and be lazy. I love it.

Also from yesterday’s appointment: 0 cm dilated and 50% effaced at 37 weeks. That’s not the 8 cm and 80% I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.