Baby Ryleigh Update

Well, today marks 38 weeks and 5 days of being pregnant with Ryleigh Jean (it's 4:50am on Tuesday) and I'm still pregnant. Baby girl is happy and comfy inside my large belly and isn't showing signs of coming just yet. Oh how I wish it were time to meet our sweet baby girl! My comfort level is dropping ever so quickly and my patience is growing a bit thin with waiting. I know, I know, I know that she will come when she is ready and it will be perfect, but oh my goodness, I'm ready to birth this baby girl right now! She's most likely around 7 lbs and 20-21 inches long. I have an appointment with my chiropractor on Wednesday afternoon and with my OB on Monday morning. I would LOVE it if I wasn't able to make it to those appointments because of delivery but oh well, I guess I'll just have to continue the waiting game.

Ryleigh-

Mommy, Daddy, your big sisters and the rest of our family and friends are super ready to meet you. Please come as soon as you are ready! We love you so much already baby girl!!

Love,

Mommy

Current discomforts: cramping in my right leg, hips falling asleep in bed, Braxton Hicks contractions, stuffy nose and sore throat (happened over night), itchy belly and overall just feeling anxious and ready to get this show on the road. I'm a bit nervous about natural unmedicated birth but I REALLY do want to do it. I'm praying that it works out for Andrea, my cousin, to be at the hospital with Chase and I to help coach me through the delivery.

Baby Bump @ 38 Weeks

How I'm feeling at 38 weeks: Thankfully, I'm feeling pretty good still. I am very ready to have baby Ryleigh in my arms but I'm not totally uncomfortable yet. I'm still sleeping pretty well and my hip pain is much better since I've been going to the chiropractor on a regular basis. I've started having some pain in the bottom of my right foot that I'm assuming is from wearing flip flops recently due to the warmer weather. The pain gets pretty bad at the end of the day but I'm trying to ice it and stretch the muscle as much as I can. I'd love to go on some good walks to help get labor going but I have to hobble and that just looks pitiful. haha!

Baby's Development at 38 weeks:

Pretty much all systems are a go at this point. Ryleigh's lungs are finishing up some development these last few days and then she should be ready to come on into this world. I'm hoping she'll be around 7 pounds when she's born. (Brantley was 7lb 10oz, Savannah was 6lb 10oz) She is growing still because this belly is amazingly large. It still amazes me how much my stomach can stretch to grow these sweet tiny humans!

Doctor's Appointment at 38 weeks: I had my 38 week visit on Wednesday morning. It went well. Ryleigh is still measuring right on track at 38cm and her heartrate was great. She is a total wiggle worm so Dr. S has a really hard time getting a good read on her heart rate. I have dilated just a touch more to 1 1/2cm and I'm still about 50 % effaced. Dr. S said not to worry about those numbers too much. Labor could kick in at any point no matter what I was on Wednesday. My doctor will be out of town for Spring Break next week so I'm going to skip my 39 week appointment in hopes that I'll have Ryleigh next week. But if not, I have an appointment to see her again on Monday, April 4th. I really hope I have Ryleigh by then and don't need to go to that appointment.

Labor Prediction: My guess is that I'll deliver her one day next week. That may be kinda inconvenient for Chase because of work conflicts but if Ryleigh decides she's done cooking around the same time her sisters were delivered, then it puts her at Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. I'd really LOVE to have her this weekend but I don't feel like it's coming in the next day or so. Making it past Easter would be nice but at the same time nothing could be sweeter than having our sweet baby in my arms. The only day I would prefer for her not to come is next Thursday, April Fools Day. Please no! I just don't think that sounds like a fun birth date.

Belly Picture for 38 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 36 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 36 weeks: My hip/back pain has gotten much better since I started going to a new chiropractor a few weeks ago. It's amazing how much easier it is to walk and move around now that my hips are in line. Ryleigh has begun to drop down into my pelvis now that it is aligned so that is a major plus. Until now she has been tilted to the side (transverse).
-I've started doing more and more exercises to get my body ready for delivery and they feel really good. I've gotten them from my chiropractor and The Bradley Method book that I've started reading.
-I've started having more BH contractions. I'll have a few each day but as soon as I sit down, drink some water and rest, they stop.
Baby's Development at 36 weeks:

Ryleigh is the size of a Honeydew melon or a Spaghetti Squash!!

• Baby's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his or her own.
• Baby's skin is getting smooth and soft and the gums are rigid.
• Baby's liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go too.

(WhattoExpect.com says that Ryleigh is about 6 lbs and 20inches long. She's getting close to birth size!)

Doctor's Appointment at 36 weeks: Yesterday's appointment went well. Ryleigh is measuring right at 36cm/36 weeks. She was moving so much that Dr. S couldn't get a heartbeat on her but we obviously know she's doing well in there. ha! This was the first week that my cervix was checked for progress. I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced or thinned out. That's right in the middle of where I have been with the big girls at 36 weeks. I'm hoping I'll be a bit more effaced at least by next weeks appointment. Effacement usually happens ahead of dilation. I also had some blood work done that showed I'm slightly anemic, so I've begun taking an iron supplement to prepare me for delivery.

Labor & Delivery: I've chosen to try a natural, unmedicated delivery with Ryleigh. My doctor thinks I'm a great candidate since I've had fairly easy deliveries before and this is my third baby. I've been reading The Bradley Method book to prepare myself. Chase and I will be attending the unmedicated birthing class at Brookwood on March 16th. Hopefully, we both feel much more confident after that.
-My doctor thinks I'll probably deliver a week or so early with Ryleigh like I've done with the girls, so we're preparing for Miss Ryleigh to join our family one day during spring break. I hope!!

Belly Picture for 36 weeks:

Bump Pictures @ 32, 33 and 35 weeks

Baby Bump @ 29 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 29 Weeks: Thankfully, Ryleigh and I are still doing really well. My belly is getting rather large. ha! I forget just how round my belly gets when there's a growing baby inside.
I'm still experiencing some pretty bad SI joint pain. Also, just a few days ago, I started having sharp pains in my groin. I had both during my pregnancy with Savannah so I'm not worried about it, but it is uncomfortable. I think I may be having some Braxton Hicks contractions but then again it could just be gas. Sorry! Anyways, they come in little spurts and aren't anything I'm concerned about at this point.

Baby's Development at 29 weeks:

- This week Ryleigh is about the weight of a butternut or acorn squash.
- She's starting to get a bit cramped in there so her kicks are feeling more like jabs. She is a wiggle bottom like her sisters, for sure!
- Even though she is around 16 inches long, she is still super skinny. From here on out she'll mostly put on the pounds, by at least doubling her weight by birth. Her body will be grow white fat cells to pump her up and give her surges of energy.
- I haven't felt her hiccup yet but I'm sure they're coming.

Doctor's Appointments: Last Thursday I had my 28 weeks doctor visit, which went really well. My blood pressure is still good and my weight gain is on track, even though I feel HUGE! We attempted a 4D ultrasound of Miss Ryleigh but there wasn't enough fluid around her face to get a clear picture. We're going to try again next week when I go back for my 30 week visit. Hopefully, the placenta will have moved up away from her face so that we can get some good pictures of her sweet little face.
I'm now visiting my doctor every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then I will go each week until delivery. AHH!! I can't wait to hold this sweet baby girl in my arms!!

Belly picture for 29 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 28 weeks

How I'm feeling: I'm doing great. Ryleigh Jean is growing like a weed. She weighs as much as an eggplant this week.

My doctor appointment went well this week. Now I start going every two weeks until 36 weeks.

 Belly Picture for 28 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 24 Weeks

How I'm Feeling at 24 weeks:

• Oh gosh, this is getting real and my belly is getting big and uncomfortable. At just 24 weeks, I shouldn't be this uncomfortable, but alas, I am. 
• My back/hip pain is still there and intense at times. I'm still going to the chiropractor for relief but it honestly doesn't seem to help much at all. 
• I am loving that I can now feel Ryleigh moving more during the day, which means she is growing and getting stronger. Her sisters still haven't felt her kicking but that is mostly because they haven't been patient enough to feel her move. ha! 
• I'm still sleeping pretty well (knock on wood)....but I know that will at some point change as it did with both of the girls in the third trimester.

Movement: As I said above, I can now feel and sometimes see Ryleigh moving around in my belly. It is still the coolest and strangest feeling ever. I love it! During my ultrasound on Thursday we could see her moving her arms and legs around like crazy. 

Baby's Development this week:

This is the 24 week video from the What To Expect When Expecting website. Doctor Appointment: I had my 24 week check up this past Thursday morning. During that appointment I had my follow-up ultrasound, the glucose test and saw my doctor. The ultrasound showed that Ryleigh's ureters are now within normal range and that there is nothing to worry about. She is perfect!! Thank you, Lord for healing her and creating her perfectly!! Ryleigh also cooperated this time and let us get a good profile shot of her tiny face. 

At this point we're thinking she's going to look much like her big sisters. I can't wait!!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Right now I'm looking forward to continuing to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We're already had three wonderful family meals and celebrations. I'll have to post about those next. I'm also looking forward to hopefully having a 4D ultrasound done around my next doctor appointment around 28 weeks. 

Nursery update: We have purchased the crib, car seat, stroller, and were given a Rock 'N Play Sleeper by my parents last night. Slowly we are starting to accumulate all the necessary baby items that we will need for Ryleigh's arrival. Our house situation is up in the air right now so we won't be setting up the nursery for another few months in the hopes of actually moving to the new house before Ryleigh is born. We shall see what the Lord has in store for us. We are prayerful about it and trusting in God's plan and timing in regards to moving.

Bump picture at 24 weeks, 3 days:

Baby Bump @ 19 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 19 weeks: I'm thankful to report that I'm still feeling pretty good at the halfway mark. I know I'm a week shy of 20 but since I've delivered both big sisters a week or so early I'm considering this my halfway point. ha! I'm still experiencing some pretty intense back/hip pain at times but despite the pain I know that it's worth it because my body is preparing again for delivery. I'm praying that this delivery goes as smoothly as with Brantley and Savannah. 

Baby Movement: I have been feeling her move at times this past week, mostly when I'm laying in bed at night. I know that the kicks and stretches will only get stronger as she continues to grow. Before long she will be jumping around like crazy and keeping me awake at night, I am sure of that. haha

Gender: We're having another beautiful baby GIRL! 

The name Ryleigh is Irish and means "courageous".

The name Jean is after my Mom, Lara Jean. The name also means "God is gracious".

Baby's size and development at 19 weeks pregnant:

At six inches long this week and about a half a pound in weight, Baby Ryleigh has gone through a little growth spurt and is the size of a large mango. Little Miss Ryleigh is able to choreograph matrix-like moves at 19 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles and cartilage throughout the body is turning into bone. All these upgrades combine to give her more control over her limb movements. Which explains all that kicking, stretching and bodysurfing (or rather bellysurfing) that I've begun feeling more this past week.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Next Thursday, the 19th, we go the the doctor for our 20 week anatomy ultrasound where they will measure all her organs and check her growth. I'm looking forward to seeing her on ultrasound again and getting confirmation that she is developing just the way she should. We are praying for her development and growth every day. She is already so very loved by all of us. The girls love to give my belly huges and kisses. It's really sweet!!

Doctor's Appointment: Next Thursday, November 19th.

Belly Pic at 19 weeks: