Overloaded w energy yesterday, exhausted today. And now I was just told that my lips look fuller as they apparently do when your time has come...

Seriousully, Im exhausted. Can barely keep my eyes up. Went for a walk, sat in the sun, was about to throw up cause the troll kept on pressing towards my aorta. About time to eat and Im starving, but I dont think I have enough energy to even chew the god damn food. Im gonna have to purée everyting so that I can use a straw, gaaaaaah....

At least tomorrow I can look forward to some nice yummy wining and dining at O'Learys (it's like Barney's Beanery). I hope they have a blender there just incase Im too tired to chew....

Nope, no baby yet. I actually slept all until 9:15am this morning (usually wake up around 7-8 am), probably because I had so much energy yesterday that my body was totally exhausted. But since I was kinda set for going in to labor last night I had to look under my cover just to make sure there wasn't a baby laying there, there wasn't...

Ok kitty's officially going nuts. She's running around meowing like a crazy person (?) and craving attention like she's never gotten any. She used to do the same, the meowing that is, when we were living in the states and there was an earthquake coming. Before we even knew there was about to be an earthquake she used to start running around meowing and making all sorts of weird noices. Then after a while, about 15 minutes or so, the house would start shaking. She sounds about the same right now but I doubt there's an eartquake on the move. I think she's sensing a baby's about to join the family. Apparently you produce different kinds of hormones just before you're about to give birth and my guess is that she's picking up on that.
Maybe I should make sure my bag's properly packed for tonight....

Besides from the liquorice already in my hospital bag, the blue cheese (there's already one in the fridge waiting for me)and sushi Im gonna order once the labor is over, my b-day is coming up. Usually I dont wish for anything but this year, since I havent really been able to work out since september, I have a couple of things I wish the magic fairy will bring me:

No, no baby yet. Yesterday we got to go for a tour at the hospital where we're gonna give birth. Gosh it was soooooo hot in there. Guess it's so the babies dont freeze, but all of us pregnant moms walking around were about to pass out of the heat.
It was awesome to be able to take a tour so that its all a bit more familiar once you get there "for real". But we didnt get to check out the actual labor ward, I mean thats the place I would've really wanted to visit since thats probably where your gonna be all freaked out.

So, Im utterly curious about tonight, since its a moon phase shift. Maybe baby there will be a baby arriving...

No back to "Days of our lives" and breakfast =)

I keep on talking about e-numbers and additives, but it really is so very very important to stay away from all of that. My mom had a c-section when she gave birth to me, and during the operation she had a severe allergic reaction to a preservative in the anaesthetic they gave her. Im am totally convinced this is what cased me to have problems with allergies and asthma and all sorts of colds, ear infections etc. growing up. I ended up eating a lot of medication and penicillin that eventually struck out my bodys natural immune defense. When I changed my diet in my early/mid twenties all the allergies went away. I started eating organic and what is called "whole foods", food that does not contain any additives.

It might seem very anal to some people. But concidering the fact that I now have another life growing inside me I really am even more careful than before. She did not choose to be created, that was my coice. And that means I have to take responsibility and make sure she's protected. I would wish for her to grow up having problems eating certain kinds of food, being sick all the time, going in and out of the hospital, eating all kinds of medicines etc etc.

Im really gonna make sure my baby does not eat food containing additives of any sort (e-numbers, preservatives, food colouring, hormones, pesticides etc.). Carbs and fat does not scare me at all, our bodies are designed to handle that (but watch out, even regular flor contains preservatives these days so make sure to read on ALL packages). What they are not designed to deal with are these engineered artificial additives.

And if you for example buy a non-organic orange theres not a sign of content on the fruit telling you that it's been sprayed with pesticides, but keep in mind that it has and even if you wash the fruit you can be sure the chemical is still inside it. And if you buy non-organic meat please know that it will contain hormones and antibiotics even if it doesent say so anywhere. Non-organic pasta, pasta being served in many households and especially to kids, will also contain crappy pesticides even if it doesent say so on the package. If someone gave you a teaspoon of pesticide or hormones, would you eat it? I dont think so...

There's a very interesting article about an allergic woman in todays newspaper (in swedish, but you can translate it with google translate): http://www.aftonbladet.se/kropphalsa/allergi/article7042066.ab

Next time you go to the grocery store, think about that you get what you pay for. An organic fruit might be more expensive but at least you know that fruit is the only thing you buy, not some nasty pesticides. Besides, organic fruti contains way more nutrients which means you will be satisfied after eating only one!

Or actually its more of a soft drink in a can, but anyway....

This is the cola Ive been writing about. The same brand also has a lemon drink. And since Ive been pretty much addicted to lemon water and craving Fanta Lemon during the pregnancy its an awesome choice. I dont really want to drink sodas since they contain so much additives, artificial colourings, e-numbers etc, especially not being pregnant, Im soooo happy I found these ones. They're awesome!

Apparently a lot of births takes place during/around the lunar phase shift of every month (happens twice a month I think). And this month there's one this thursday, the 6th, and one on the 21st. So according to that I should give birth around tomorrow/the day after, or on the 21st/22nd. Tomorrow seems so close, Id rather wait until next week as I'd planned. Besides, if Im going in to the hospital on thursday night we wont be going out to have our night on the town this saturday. Or maybe I'll be up running 24h after giving birth, what think you? There's a shift on june 5th a swell, but that's waaaaaaay too far away...
Anyhoodle, the bet is still on, about when the baby's to be born. Time's running out you people!

...that's all that's left of my pregnancy, 6,4%. It's soooo weird to think that in just a couple of weeks (or maybe this week?) we're gonna have a baby living in our house, and she'll be staying for at least 18 years. Crazy... I've got big plans bringing her out and because of that we're gonna go out celebrate this saturday. It might be the last saturday in a while where we can enjoy some alone time together.
Her bed is made, her room is ready, her (and my) bag is packed. Now all we need is for the troll to come out and play <3

Week: 37 full weeks, going on week 38 (37+2)
Weight gained so far: 33 lbs (15 kg)
Days 'til due date: 19

Instead of gaining, I've lost 1,5 kg (ab. 3 lbs) since the last time I was at the doctors office. But she said it was ok, the belly's growing as it should anyways. The only differrence is that meeself aint getting as much junk in the trunk!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

How your life's changing:

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.

It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.

While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 37

Nu är du 37 veckor gången (eller gravid i 38:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). Bara två eller tre veckor kvar! Denna vecka tappar din bebis den duniga kroppsbehåring som kallas lanugo och det vaxliknande lager som skyddat huden och som kallas vernix caseosa. Din bebis sväljer båda substanserna och de kommer sedan att ligga kvar i tarmen till födseln där de bildar den svartgröna avföring som kallas barnbeck (mekonium). De sista veckorna kommer du förmodligen att känna dig som en ganska rastlös flodhäst. Försök trots detta att vila så mycket som möjligt, även om du har svårt att sova — du kommer att uppskatta det efter förlossningen. Din barnmorska vill träffa dig och ta ett blod- och eventuellt urinprov denna vecka.
Nu väger bebisen kring 2,8 kg och är cirka 50 cm lång. Bebisens huvud ligger nu förmodligen nere i ditt bäcken och skyddas av den omgivande benstrukturen. Detta ger benen och underkroppen mer plats att växa.

Många bebisar har nu huvudet fullt av hår som är ungefär 2,5 cm långt. Men det behöver inte ha samma färg som ditt – mörkhåriga par kan bli överraskade av nyfödda bebisar mer blont eller rött hår och ljushåriga föräldrar kan få bebisar med mörkt hår. Och så finns det förstås bebisar som inte har något hår alls.

A propos hår, så har nu det mesta av den duniga kroppsbehåring som kallas lanugo och som din bebis haft sedan 26 veckor försvunnit, liksom det mesta av fosterfettet (vernix caseosa). Bebisen sväljer detta, liksom andra avsöndringar, och lagrar dem i tarmarna. Detta kommer att bli bebisens första bajs, som kallas barnbeck (eller mekonium).

Spent the weekend having contractions and pre-labor pains. Ive also been reeeeeally tired and been shivering a lot. Is there a baby on the way you think? The bet is still on. Hurry on to post your date of choice!

April 30th, that means that it was four years since me and beau had our first tongue twisting session, romantic romantic =). Since then a lot of stuff has happened, but we've pretty much lived by the holy scripture:

Early tomorrow morning Im taking the train down to Stockholm to attend a national ambassadors meeting (Im an ambassador for female business owners this year, http://www.ambassadorer.se/search). I have a feeling Im gonna be sooooooo exhausted when I come back home in the afternoon, but its gonna be totally worth it! I just hope my contractions willl be on hold for the day, otherwise it'll be real hard to focus...

Just got back from a visit at the doctors office. I was prepared to have gained about 2lbs (1kg) since last time. But apparently Ive lost weight, about 3lbs (1,5kg). Total weight gain 15 kg so far. Not too shabby I must say. Maybe Ill have the courage to squeese meeself in to a bikini this summer after all, hah! I have to celebrate with a homemade cinnamonbun I think =). My iron had also gone up to almost the same as it was in the beginning of the pregnancy. I also made sure to tell my obstetrician that Im planning to go no more than 14 days from now, after that the troll's coming out! She just laughed and told me that the baby will probably decide herself when to come out. You just wait and see who's the most stubborn one....

On top of it all we just went to pick up a bathtub, woohooo! A looooooong warm milk n honey (just add 1 dl organic dairy milk, coconut milk or oat milk and 0,5 dl honey, works wonders for your skin) bath is on the schedule for tonight, my back cant wait! Maybe even a honey facial (just put pure honey, NOT liquid honey, in your face) and Ill feel like a princess!

Now back to pack my bag for the hospital =)

Some things have been added, some things have already been bought!

http://www.familjeliv.se/hem/mrs_garneij/onskelista.php?wishlist=1084

This baby-gear-world is really something I tell ya. Its a whole new world to me. I walk in to the baby stores and I feel completely lost. Wtf am I supposed to buy? Im like a bloated seal in a sticker factory! At least I left with a couple of bottles and a bottle rack, otherwise that trip would have been completely useless....

I just ordered a breast pump so that beau will be able to feed the troll. Im planning on breast feeding as much as possible but we really want him to be able to feed her as well. That also means I will get at least some free time, and maybe be able to rest once in a while as well. The car seat has been ordered and so has the matress. Now all that's missing are the cloth diapers.
Geez our house is filling up with baby gear, now all we needses is a baby. 2 more weeks, MAYBE 3, thats all I give her. After that Im planning on eating a lotchi of spicy food and do some heavy gardening!

Low and behold, I stayed out until after 10pm last night, can u believe it? I had a blast celebrating my friend who just got married. She was gooooorgeous. We were 5 pregnant women sitting at the same table, laughing at all the drunk people. And on top of it all, all knocked up girls had free (soda) bar, woohooo! The only problem being that we all have to pee every five minutes even if we dont drink, so all our glasses were empty pretty much the whole night. But still, we had a blast laughing at as I stated all the drunk people and our own pregnancy problems. At least I could wake up today not being hungover, just a bit bothered by my stuffed up nose. Im not really jelaous of the hungovers....

Now off for a quick (?) walk, a baptism and then some chores out at loves grandparents. Apparently some painting and eating is on the schedule for today. I have a feeling I'll skip the painting and go straight for the eating and relaxing in the sun part =)

Week: 36 full weeks, going on week 37 (36+0)
Weight gained so far: 36,3 lbs (16,5 kg)
Days 'til due date: 28

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

How your life's changing:

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Fostrets utveckling - gravid vecka 36

Nu är du 36 veckor gången (eller gravid i 37:e veckan, om du föredrar att räkna så). I slutet av denna vecka passerar du en viktig gräns då din bebis sägs vara fullgången. Detta betyder att du, i teorin, kan föda nu. När din bebis gradvis sjunker ner i bäckenet kommer din mage och dina lungor äntligen att kunna expandera lite mer. Nackdelen är förstås att trycket på blåsan kan öka så att du måste gå på toaletten oftare.
Bebisen lägger fortfarande på sig – ungefär 28 gram om dagen. Den väger kring 2,7 kg och är ungefär 45 cm lång.

Vid den här tiden kan du eventuellt känna att bebisen rör sig nedåt och trycket i den nedre buken ökar. Detta gör att dina lungor och din magsäck får mer utrymme och det kan bli lite lättare att äta och andas. Däremot kan det bli jobbigare att gå – för en del kan det kännas som om bebisen är på väg att ramla ut! Det fortsatta trycket på blåsan gör att du kan behöva gå på toa ofta. Fortsätt äta bra, både för din skull och bebisens. Läs vår kostguide om du vill ha inspiration.

I slutet av denna vecka anses du fullgången och bebisen kan i princip födas när som helst från denna tid. (Mellan 37 och 42 veckor räknas graviditeten som fullgången – innan 37 veckor anses bebisen underburen och efter 42 veckor överburen.) När du besöker barnmorskan kommer hon eventuellt att kolla om livmoderhalsen börjat tunnas ut eller rentav vidgas. Barnmorskan kommer också att kontrollera hur bebisen ligger. Denna information skrivs in i din journal så att de vet din historia när du kommer till sjukhuset för att föda.