Week 24

AHHH! I turned 25 this week. On the day I was born I took time to reflect on where I am in life. The other thing I do every year is make a phone call to my mother. I always like to hear the story of when I was born. In case you’re interested…

I was born on July 2, 1983. It was a Friday, the hottest day of the year. The story begins on Wednesday. My older brother was born very quickly so there was some concern that this labor and delivery would follow suite. On Wednesday my mother began experiencing labor. My father rushed her to the hospital. He got pulled over on the way. He was driving 90 miles per hour! My mom was in labor, but it wasn’t an emergency yet. They got to the hospital and waited. And waited. They didn’t want to send my mom home, but nothing was happening. It must have been a long day. A long couple of days. Mom went home on Wednesday and came back on Friday when labor started again. That afternoon she gave birth to me, a beautiful baby girl.

Doctor’s orders were to lay me in the sun to treat my jaundice. I spent afternoons for the rest of the summer in nothing, but a diaper and a sunbeam. I hold my mother responsible for my sun-worshipping addictions today. I’m truly a summer baby.

I went to Summerfest (a music festival) in Milwaukee on Wednesday. My friend and I saw Credence Clearwater Revisited, O.A.R., Meriwether, and several other unknown bands. We had a great time. I was careful not to get too close to the speakers. I was also very alert so as not to get run into by someone that was over-served.

All day I was so cautious. Then when I got home, somehow I tripped! I remember turning to the side so as not to fall on my belly. I skinned my knee and the top of my foot. I was so scared that I hurt the baby. I know I didn’t bump my belly, but I felt like a terrible mother. I tore my capri pants and got blood all over them. By the time I took a shower and cleaned my wounds it was really late. I lay in bed and cried until I felt my little boy move. Thankfully my prayers were answered quickly.

Friday was a beautiful day. A big group of friends went to a park. There was lots of sunshine, fresh air, and playing in the water. It was my first time wearing a maternity swimsuit. I felt less self-conscious than I usually do while wearing a swimsuit. No need to worry about how my tummy looks.

Saturday I got stuck watching my mother’s rummage sale. On the plus side my sister came by. She brought me a box and a diaper bag full of baby boy clothes. Everything is so cute! I washed and sorted everything and it’s eagerly waiting for baby. Make sure you wash baby clothes in mild detergent. Look for one without dyes or perfumes. It wouldn’t hurt to run an extra rinse cycle on the washer either. When you dry baby clothes, don’t use dryer sheets.

I am really growing! I gained four pounds this week! My belly (at the largest) measures 35 inches. I started at 29 inches. It looks like I’ve gotten bigger than that! At my natural waist (the smallest) I was 24 inches pre-pregnancy and now I measure 31 inches.

My exercise regimen has changed again. I am walking even slower now. I’ve increased the length of time that I walk to compensate. Concentrating on stretching, relaxing, and toning is my goal. I’m not worrying about lifting more weight. I haven’t even checked my body fat percentage. I’ll worry about that postpartum.

I finally broke down and bought maternity jeans today. I’ve been wearing maternity pants for quite some time, but the jeans are so ugly. I found a pair today that weren’t so bad. The jeans I had been wearing were regular jeans. They just sit really low and are a bigger size than I usually wear.

During this time in pregnancy amniotic fluid increases almost four and a half cups per week. Baby is about 13 inches long, from head to heal, and weighs about one pound, twelve ounces. His fingernails have become noticeable and air sacs are developing in the lungs. This week ends the second trimester. Only about three months to go!

Please view my other blogs:

• Our wiggle worm
• Crafting, sports, pilates and…waddling?!
• Things are a’changing!
• It’s a boy!
• Communicating with your big belly
• Keepin’ it all straight
• Terra’s Announcement
• Terra’s Trip to the Midwest
• My Little Secret
• Terra’s First Few Weeks

Please view my profile on Mommy.com here .

The doctor will want to know whether you baby smiles yet, imitates your facial expressions or has started cooing and babbling. He’ll want to know whether your baby follows faces and how he responds to being held and soothed. Here is a breakdown of what the doctor will be looking for when you take your infant for a two-month well-baby check up.

Motor skills and body development

He’ll ask if your baby is able to grasp a toy if you hand it to him, or if he’s able to figure out putting his fingers in his mouth to soothe his crying. Let him know if your baby can lift his chin off the ground, even for a few seconds, when he’s on his tummy.

The exam

Head : The doctor will examine the fontanels (the soft spots), or gaps between the skull bones, on your baby’s head to make sure they are closing at the appropriate rate. They are open when your baby is born both to let him fit through the birth canal and to give his brain room to grow. They’ll close up between 12 and 18 months.

Ears :
Most babies have their hearing checked immediately after birth. The doctor will check your baby’s ears now for fluid retention with an instrument called an otoscope. He may make sure that your baby responds to various sounds, including your voice.

Eyes : The doctor will look for blocked tear ducts or discharge and will use a bright object to attract your baby’s attention so he can track your baby’s eye movement and check for crossing. He’ll use an instrument called an opthamaloscope and a light to look in your baby’s eyes.

Mouth : Your baby’s mouth will be checked for a form of yeast infection common in infants called thrush. It looks like little white bumps on his tongue or gums. The doctor may ask about drooling to see if your child has started teething.

Skin : The doctor will do a check for birthmarks and rashes. He may look to see if initial jaundice has cleared. By now, this is usually not a concern.

Heart and lungs : The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for abnormal heart rhythms. A heart murmur is fairly common in infants and not something to be concerned about.

Abdomen : By putting gentle pressure on your baby’s stomach, the doctor can feel for tenderness and enlarged organs. He’ll also be able to tell if your baby has an umbilical hernia—a condition where a bit of intestine breaks through the abdominal wall. It usually goes away by itself by age two.

Hips and legs : The doctor will move your baby’s hips and legs to check for proper alignment and to check the joints.

Genitals : Tenderness, lumps and infections are key here. In girls, the doctor will ask about discharge. For boys, the doctor will make sure that the testes have descended into the scrotum and that there isn’t a fluid filled sac, called a hydrocele.

The shots

This well-baby visit ends with your baby’s first round of immunizations. In the U.S. that includes DtaP, HepB, Hib, IPV, Prevnar and RotaTeq. (RotaTeq is actually a sweet tasting liquid and not a shot.) Expect your baby to cry and want a hug after these. Afterwards, he’ll probably be feverish, possibly lethargic and even a little less hungry for up to 48 hours. You may see some bruising at the injection sites.

Well-baby checks are more daunting for the parent than the baby. But, they are vital to your baby’s health and development, allowing doctors to catch problems early. Make sure you arrive armed with information and answers and bring questions of your own.

References

Cleveland Clinic well-baby check-up

Mayo Clinic well-baby exams