32 weeks

Well, last week I promised I'd post my maternity portraits when I got them back, so here you go!

This week, Caroline is around 4 pounds and 17 inches long, and I can definitely tell she's getting bigger. My tummy starts to feel pretty heavy in the evenings after I've been carrying it around all day! I saw my chiropractor, Dr. Wolff, on Wednesday, and he said that the lower back tension I was feeling lately was probably due to the baby dropping. Sure enough, Caroline appeared to be head down and a little lower than usual that day. Considering she had been breech the night before, I don't expect that she'll STAY head down at this point, but he recommended doing lots of squats and lunges to get her head "stuck" down there so she wouldn't flip around again! I'm not sure if it's worked or not. I haven't felt for her head in a couple of days, so I'll have to lie down later and poke around to see if I can find it.

Last night, Jimmy and I went to a "childbirth refresher" class at the hospital. Since I've read every natural childbirth book out there (even some weird-sounding ones, like Hypnobirthing -- hey, it had some really great relaxation ideas!), there wasn't much new information, but it was a great refresher for Jimmy regarding ways he can help me relax while I'm in labor. I also absolutely LOVED the instructor, who is also a L&D nurse. She said she's never had a laboring mother who even WANTED a natural birth (most ask for epidurals immediately), and I told her I'd ask for her when I get there. She was excited at the prospect of actually being able to attend someone through a natural birth, and I'm thrilled to death to know a nurse who won't be pushing drugs on me the whole time I'm in labor! So that was worth the price of admission, right there! Hopefully, she'll be working the day I deliver.

We also got a tour of the hospital birthing center while we were there, and I'm really impressed with the facility. You labor, deliver, and recover in the same room, so you never have to move. The baby is never taken from your room unless you request that it be taken to the "newborn lounge" (a.k.a. nursery) between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. so you can get some sleep. The lights in the room can dim, they have a VCR/DVD/CD player and refrigerator in every room, and there's a fold-out couch for dads to sleep on, which is a vast improvement over the vinyl recliner Jimmy had to sleep in when Anna was born! There's also a great solarium/family lounge down the hall for anyone who is hanging out waiting for a baby to be born, and they have rooms with jacuzzi tubs available if you want to use one while you're in labor. Overall, a very nice place!