For the Baby

Some of my favorite foods during the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy (besides my Sunday donut and Sunday night pumpkin pie). I didn't really like food much during the 1st trimester... but I sure did eat a lot during the 1st. Hope Baby J develops a liking for these things early on:

OJ, Organic Milk, Eggs:


Good portable snacks. Prunes & Almonds:

Canned Atlantic Red Salmon (Wild Caught). I use this instead of canned tuna or farm raised salmon.:

Cereals (notice the "Hemp" Plus Granola... says on the back that there is only 3 parts per million of THC... not a significant amount):

Bananas, Fuji Apples, Tomatoes, Peanut Butter, 2% Plain Greek Yogurt, & Cheese:

Veggies going into my salad:

Red Bell Pepper, Orange Bell Pepper, Tomato, Carrot and Celery Salad with Balsamic Dressing:

Spinach, celery, carrot salad:

Other ways I'm preparing for this baby:

Childbirth Education Series coverpage (Teacher: Kathy Killebrew):

Phases and Satages of Labor:

Transition... this is where almost all ladies will ask for and really want an epidural, but you can see in my notes that our teacher said that if you can get to 7cm, it doesn't get any harder after that and you are "almost done!"... "Think about one contraction at a time". Are those tears coming out of the corners of the ladies face? I'll probably be begging for pain relief, but hopefully my "coach" (hubby J) will refuse my request:

Taking lots of notes... now I'm a student of Pregnancy and Childbirth:

Nutrition, Labor, and Technology Choices:

On Becoming Baby Wise, Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep:

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth:

My Exercise Ball (I just sit on it... it's supposed to help with Labor):


Aches and Pains:
* I've been having some thoracic back pain. Mostly near the most acute part of my curve and I think I can feel a hook or bump in that area. I think this is due to my surgery and all the extra weight in front. If I stretch or lay down, it feels better and usually doesn't start till mid day.
* Right pelvic/hip pain. I think most people would call this sciatica, but I read today that sciatica is more of a pinched or injured nerve and causes pain down the leg. I have no numbness or pain down the leg, but just a pain in my right illiac crest (upper back pelvic) region. It's right where my 2nd back surgery scar is (where the doctor took bone from my illac crest to put it next to my spine for fusion.
* Stomach aches... mostly when I eat heavy (creamy) or sugary foods... I think. I haven't pinpointed the exact foods yet. This isn't too bad.
* I'm thirsty all day long... which means I'm drinking all day long and going to the bathroom all day.
* Waking up at 3am to go to the restroom. This is normal and good practice for when the baby wakes up at night to eat.