Hospital Bill

just got the bill from Maple Grove Hospital - so glad we have good insurance. $1480/day for the NICU, $2791 total for labs, $1567 for IV solutions, $792 for supplies. Total bill=$14,032. They applied an uninsured patient discount for $8840, bringing our total down to $5191. Jon says once Jolynn is on his insurance we will get a new bill that will be drastically less. Can't imagine what other parents do that have preemies in for months. Jolynn was only in for 6 days.

Jolynn Rochelle Moritz

Born 7/18/10, 7:17 am, 4 lb 11 oz, 18 inches

Our beautiful baby girl decided she needed to come out 4 weeks early. This is her story:

At 10am I was given a drug called Cytotec (a pill put next to my cervix that ripens it).
I slept until 2am and then was checked-1 cm-then given another dose of Cytotec. Because of having preeclampsia Dr. Hessel said she was surprised I was given a second dose of Cytotec; this drug is known to put you into labor.
Around 4am I was awaken by severe cramping and need to go #2. Very similar to most of my mornings when I was at home. Being new to pregnancy I did not know what contractions would feel like. Labor I knew was menstrual like cramps, but mine were accompanied by the need to go the bathroom, so I thought it was just that. Once I got in the bathroom I was stuck for a while because my "cramps" were so bad I couldn't get up. Once I got up we called my nurse (Jane). She said she had been watching my monitor for the past 2 hours and I was having some major contractions and then when I wasn't plugged in for a while she thought she better come check on me. She was absolutely right. It was breathing time. Jon was great. Jane checked my cervix and I was at 2 almost 3 cm. My pain was so bad she decided it was time to call for an epidural.
Epidural doctor showed up at 4:30. By 4:40 they were putting in a test dose. By 4:50 I was completely numb and feeling great. The other nurses were getting a little nervous because they were still watching my monitor. My contractions were not having a down time. I was given two shots to try and slow my contractions (which I was not feeling). I started to feel pressure in my groin and that turned into pain in my stomach. We called the epidural doc back to give me an extra dose. That dose helped me, but slowed Jolynn's heartrate. They put me on my side. That didn't work. They asked if I could get on all fours. Normally with an epidural you are not supposed to be able to move from the waist down. I somehow was still able to move, but didn't feel anything. So I got on all fours and then swayed my hips back and forth. They also put O2 on me. This all helped because Jolynn's heart rate came back up.
At this point I really don't know what time it was, but everything went VERY fast.
I started to feel pressure again in my pelvic bone area. The doctor checked my cervix and I was 5 cm. Around 7am she checked again and I was 9cm. There was not much time between the 5 and 9. Jon sent out a text message saying I was at 9cm. I told the doctor that it felt like she was coming out. She checked again and sure enough she told me to start pushing. Still having trouble with Jolynn's heart rate, they kept me on my side to push. I had 2 good pushes and then the doc said next push she was coming out. She wasn't kidding. At 7:17am, she shot out like a torpedo. Jon had wanted to catch her and then cut the umbilical cord. Unfortunately, she had the cord wrapped around her neck, so he wasn't able to. This was another reason her heart rate was so low. They wisked her to the NICU. I told Jon to go with her. He was fantastic. He knew everything going on and had the nurse report everything back to me.
Jolynn was doing great but because she was so small her sugar levels were low. She scored an 8 at the first minute after birth for the APGAR test and a 9 at five minutes (out of 10). Her blood sugar level was a 32 when she first got into the NICU she was put on an IV to get the sugar and a supplemental IV in her by 10:30 her level was at a 62 (normal is 50). As soon as I could I headed in there and tried to nurse. She was able to latch on! Now I just have to get something for her to drink.

Hospital Stay: Day 2

Slept way better last night. Only got up two times. Both were for my BP check, which were within range and no alarms. Things are going well, so I hope Dr. Hessel will go as planned with getting my cervix prepped. Jodi brought us some preemie outfits yesterday and Jon picked out a cute one again. With all this being unplanned, Jon's mom thought for sure we were going to have this 10 lb baby because her boys were both big and long. With the ultrasounds showing her growth, she has been within normal range to be about 8 lbs at normal gestation. So I figure with being 1 month to go, she is probably around 6 lbs. So the outfit we had was for a newborn and Jodi's sister-in-law, Jenny, said her baby was swimming in that when they left the hospital and suggested getting the preemie.

Jane told us yesterday that the reason they have been late on getting things to me and I have to keep buzzing them is because I am a patient that they have not had before. The have those in labor and delivery, and those in postpartum. I am what they are calling antipartum. Basically, a sick pregnant person. They have not had someone who is pregnant and on bedrest stay at the hospital. This is a fairly new hospital so I can see that. I told her I understand and hopefully they don't mind me buzzing them when I know it is time for a BP reading or my medications. She said not at all and explained the whole thing above.

10:30- met with Dr. Hessel. She explained that my 24 urine collection showed proteins and I definitely have developed preeclampsia. My BP readings have been good, but not consistant and always from a laying down position. She is afraid if I were to go home the BP would not be good and I could have seizures. So they are starting Cytotec (a pill form) that gets inserted every four hours starting at 10pm (then 2am and 6am). It is possible for this pill to put me in labor. If it doesn't then they will start pitocin tomorrow.

11:00- Neonatal Nurse came in and talked to me about what to expect at delivery. Worse case scenario if she needs a ventilator she will be transported to North Memorial. Most times with 36wk babies she only sees a nasal canula to supply O2. If Jolynn comes out screaming (normal), they will put her on my chest. Then they will bring her to the warming unit and do their tests, measurements, and return her to me to be with me 24 hours. If she doesn't score well on the APGAR test or is in distress when she comes out, then they will take her over to the NICU for more observation. She said to plan on a weeks stay here (worse case), that way if everything goes well she will just go home as normal and everyone will be happy. She said she has seen many 36wk babies come out just fine and all they end up doing is saying "congratulations and good bye".

No visitors today so I slept a lot. Jon showed up around 6:30 and then went Target for snacks.

10:00- got first dose of Cytotec. Slept for a while, then Jane came in to check me at 2am and give another dose. I was at 1cm already. I woke up at 4am with very bad cramps and having to go #2. I didn't think I could get off the toilet the cramps were so bad. Jane checked me again and I was close to 2cm. She ordered the epidural. That doc showed up at 4:30. By 4:50 I was numb from the waist down. Jane said I was having contractions and I never felt them. Wonderful thing.

Hospital Stay: Day 1

So it's not technically day 1, but it is the first full day being here.

thanks to Jodi for dropping what she was doing and going to my house to pack my hospital bag. And to those that watched her kids so she could drop everything.

When I was admitted yesterday they had the NST machine on me constantly and were taking my BP every hour. Luckily they took everything off at night otherwise going to the bathroom would have been very tricky. I had a slight headache yesterday that was gone this morning, but was replaced with a neck ache (slept wrong). They told me when I woke up to go to the bathroom if it was around 2am to buzz the nurse and they would do a BP check. Then they did another one at 6am. Both times the buzzer went off on the machine. This usually means that the lower number is over 90. So far this morning they have not had any machines hooked up to me. I'm a little surprised. Yesterday they also checked my cervix. It was soft and she said a finger. If you have been or know someone that has been pregnant you will know what that means. I don't know what the size means. I figure I just need to get through today and tomorrow they will start prepping my cervix so there will be more things going on to distract me.

Sounds like when I get home, besides having a beautiful baby girl to look at, there will also be the sliding glass door installed and the window downstairs will be done. Possibly even have the craft room painted. I really wish I would have had another week. That's all I needed. I had all these plans to get this stuff done by 7/25. That would have been week 37 and I knew there was a possibility of being induced at that point. Not hospital bed bound at week 35 day 4.

2:30pm: snack cart just came by. I've been posting my BP readings on facebook. Sounds like they won't be constantly monitoring me unless the results come up unfavorable. So far they have been good so they just keep letting me rest with out all the cords. My hair is starting to feel a little grubby. A few people have mentioned coming to visit today and tonight. Don't mind the dreads. Tomorrow I try taking a quick shower. They have to make me into Michael J (one glove) to cover the IV in my hand.

From 2:30 until 10pm I had guests here. First Jodi, Carrie, and Tamara. Then Jon got here and his parents, Olaf and Sara, and then my mom and Aunt Sally. Not everyone was here at once, so that was good too.

We found out that our nurse for the weekend is going to be Jane. She is fantastic. Lots of experience. We also found out that the doctor for the weekend is Hessel. WOO HOO! I'm feeling good about my team.

35 weeks

Doc Appt: I was a little concerned when they had asked me to come back for another appointment on Tuesday after just having my last appointment on Thursday. BP 136/88. Lost weight, so down 3 lbs from starting weight. Jolynn's heart rate was around 146. She moved more during the NST than she did last time. I don't know how to read these things because apparently she still isn't responding the way they would like. So my appointment this morning at 8:30 ended up with me coming back at 4:30 for ANOTHER ultrasound. This time they were looking at her lungs and blood flow through the umbilical cord. Both were not what they wanted to see. The blood flow through the UC shows restricted. Most likely because of the high BP. Dr. Florey asked me to see the Perinatal Unit for another ultrasound tomorrow (Wednesday). She mentioned bed rest. I don't know how much bed rest. If that is just to see how Jolynn reacts to rest and unrestricted blood flow by laying on my left side only, or if it is bed rest only to get me to 37 weeks and then they will induce. I know they know best, so I will do what they say and hope that Jolynn will be okay.

Doc Appt #2: Ultrasound #2 for the week at North Memorial Hospital. Jolynn was more active - enough to qualify for their standards. She also had the hiccups (which count for breathing patterns) and was breathing in between the hiccups. The umbilical cord was still showing signs of restricted blood flow. The doctor asked if I could go to Maple Grove Hospital for another ultrasound Thursday morning.

Ultrasound #3 for the week: Started at 8am at Maple Grove Hospital. Ultrasound went great. Jolynn was moving and breathing (no hiccups). Then they decided (for the heck of it) to take my BP-146/109. They were concerned about preeclampsia so they admitted me to the labor and delivery area. I stayed in the triage room for 2 hours, then they moved me to a postpartum room. They have 11 deliveries going on today - busy day.

I think we have had a total of 6 ultrasounds. Most people get one. I've started to fall asleep during them - same with the non-stress test. Just laying there listening to the heart beat. Or during the ultrasound where they are monitoring the breathing there really isn't anything to look at. Unfortunately in these later weeks you can't tell what things are on the screen; too little room left and the screen isn't big enough. The technicians are nice enough to try and get a profile photo each time.

So here I am in the hospital and they are not letting me out until Jolynn is born. Doctor came in and said with my BP being so high they do not want to send me home. I am at risk for seizures and the placenta separating from the uterus. All things not good. So the plan now (according to the doc) is bedrest on my side, constant BP monitoring, and if my BP stays around where it is when I am resting they will prep my cervix on Saturday and induce Sunday. Sunday will be week 36. At that point, Jolynn will most likely only need a few days of observation. If BP goes up before Saturday then they will induce before.

Jolynn's progress (she's the one that is doing great):
According to Babycenter:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

34 weeks

Doc Appt: BP was 134/82. Gained another pound. Still one pound down from starting weight. Guess I have to expect it at this point - baby has to grow. The ultrasound was first. Everything went and looked good. We got some more pictures. Not much room left in there. She was head down and the technician thinks she's pretty much going to stay there. If she moves it is from side to side, not doing flips from head to rump. Which but the way her rump seems like it is constantly in my ribs. Love that. After the ultrasound we had our regular OB appt with the non-stress test. She had been moving like crazy all day, during the US, and while in the waiting room. Then we get in to do the non-stress test and she doesn't move. Dr. Haxton came in and said her heart rate looked good and steady and there were a few points where it was accelerated so she wasn't worried. The fact that she wasn't moving probably just meant she was sleeping or comfy where she was. The doctor figures by the US that Jolynn is 5lb 2oz give or take 6oz. Which means she could be 5-6 lbs right now. There is still talk of being induced at 37 weeks. It was mentioned actually more than the 39 weeks at today's appointment. She did say we would make the appointment to be induced in week 38 so we can pick what doctor will be there and when we want to go in. If it happens naturally after making the appointment-all the better.

This week didn't see much going on. Been pretty low key. Went to a movie (Eclipse). Put up the mural (peel-n-stick). Jon put up a shelf. Hope to have the book shelves by next week. (Blogger is acting funny - won't load photos - see Facebook for photos of mural and shelf.)

Jolynn according to Babycenter:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

33 weeks

Doc Appt: A much better turn out than last week. BP 124/84. Gained 3 lbs, but still down 2 from starting weight. They said they will be hooking me up to the non-stress test every visit now. Jolynn was not as active as last time but her heartbeat was steady and the doc said that was all she was looking for; that Jolynn was not stressed in the womb. She said if everything keeps going the way it is we can look at a due date no later than 8/8. Next week is another ultrasound.

This past weekend was my first shower. I had so much fun. I'm really not used to being the center of attention. Usually I am the one hosting (I love to host parties). Everytime I turned around someone was doing something for me. Getting me water, get another present, packed up all the presents and brought them to the car before I knew what was going on. All taken care of.

This weekend is the Annual Fourth of July party at the Moritz house. Lots more food, fun, friends, and family. Hopefully the weather will hold out because everyone always goes in the pool. I went in the day before the shower to try and clean out some of the debris. A bit cold, but okay once I moved around. I couldn't quite get myself to go under however. When I got out I felt like I weighed 30lbs more! The front of me felt soo heavy. I didn't feel lighter when I was in the water, but getting out was such a difference.

Jolynn's progress:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal.

Friend Shower

I had my first baby shower this afternoon. I'm sorry, but I was so caught up in everything that I did not take many photos and I didn't pass my camera off to someone. I believe Jodi was taking some photos so check Facebook or possibly her blog for more photos.

I showed up a bit earlier than I was supposed to because I was soo excited. Erin was already there and had decorated. She, Jodi and Margaret were staging the food and other table. I did get pictures of the finished staging of each table. The food was fantastic and the shirts that everyone made were really cute.

It was so nice to see everyone there. Strange how I have been friends with some since I was in grade school and some for a couple years. As they went around the room telling everyone who they were and how they knew me, some were like 6 degrees of separation because of meeting through someone else.
Thank you Jodi, Erin and Margaret for hosting this party. You did a fantastic job - Jolynn and I appreciate it very much.

32 weeks

Doc Appt: Good and Bad again. I lost another 2 lbs. That's 5 total! They hooked me up to a fetal monitor for a non-stress test. I thought Jolynn was doing just fine. The books say to count at least 10 movements in an hour. She did 9 in 20 min. Doctor came in and said, "hmmm, not quite what we're looking for"; then did a claw with her hand and gave Jolynn a shake. Then Jolynn moved about 9 times is a few minutes. Doctor came back in and said, "yup, that's what we were looking for." Ok. I go back again next week and then the week after that they have another ultrasound ordered. Oh, the bad...blood pressure was 146/96. Another good...I only waited in the lobby for 2 min!

Things are moving along in the room too. Jon put up the blinds and curtains. Sounds like the book shelves will done in another week or so. Our travel system arrived. Thank you Cindy and Sarah! Jon found it on the deck, we think it arrived Wednesday. They didn't leave a note on the door or in the mailbox saying it was back there. Luckily it didn't rain as hard as it did the night before or we would have a soggy box.

Last class: The pediatrician came. We (mainly two people) asked many questions. They went through bathing, swaddling, soothing techniques. We watched a video at the end that was hilarious. It had this doctor on telling you the 5 S's to calm a crying baby. I wish I would have written them down. Swaddle, Shoosh (that was the funniest), Swing, and I can't remember the last two. I really lost it after the shooshing. I really enjoyed going to these classes, even if we knew a majority of it. We ended up meeting a couple from Rogers. She goes to North Clinic also and we are (were) due a week apart. Jon and I just found that we related to them more than the other couples and they were easy to talk to. We exchanged information so hopefully we'll keep in touch now that class is over. Once again, Facebook is a wonderful thing.

Jolynn's progress:
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

31 weeks

Braxton Hicks - otherwise known to me as constant sit ups. I probably have been having these for a few weeks now, but didn't notice as much. This week has been crazy. I feel like I am getting them ALL.THE.TIME. Sometimes it will be part of my side, then my whole stomach will be one hard ball. Really, it's like doing a bunch of sit-ups. Jon asked if I was having contractions - no, those would be more intense, and would feel like menstrual cramps too. Pretty sure I don't have those.

We have been getting many things off our to-do list this week also. Mom and Bumby have started or finished their projects. Jon helped organize the guest room. I washed all the Munchkin Market clothes (4 loads!). And we moved the big mirror in Jolynn's room to our room (it attaches to our bedroom set anyway) so I could apply the mural (yet to do).

Monday's appointment: BP 140/82. Must have been okay to them because they didn't raise my meds again. I did mention that the last two times I have been in for an appointment they have forgotten about me in the waiting room and I had to notify them 15 min after my appointment was supposed to start that I was still there. This last time I waited 20 min in the lobby, then didn't actually see the doctor until 45 min after my scheduled appointment. This really doesn't help my BP. All other stats were good again - no weight gain and Jolynn's HR was ~148. Next week I will have a non-stress test. They said they would do another ultrasound around 35-36 weeks to see how she is progressing. If we need to go in at 37 weeks they will determine if she is head down or breech; and this will decide if we are induced or c-section. Still hoping to ride this out as long as I can - cook baby cook.

Class: almost done. One more week to go. Today's was pain management through the labor stages using ice. I found that the ball worked the best; doing the Doula Hula or leaning over it and having Jon massage my lower back.

Jolynn's progress:
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

30 weeks

I had my 30 week appointment on Monday. My glucose results from last week were 88, (which were lower than last time!) so I don’t have to do the 3 hour test. Still haven’t gained any weight. My BP was 140/88. She upped my meds again to 300 mg 2xday. She said to tell my boss that I would for sure not be going past 39 weeks, so at the latest I will now be 8/8. If they have to keep upping my meds and it looks like the baby isn’t growing anymore, I may go in at 37 weeks (7/25). I don't know if this means induction or C-section. I'm hoping for induction. The only thing I am worried about with this new time-line is the showers. Nothing has gone out for dates as far as I know. I have only the car seat to get to be able to bring Jolynn home. Everything else can be later. The car seat is a combo traveling system with the stroller, so I don't want to go get it early if someone already bought or planned on buying it. (I have since found out that my cousin and aunt have gone in together and purchased this so I don't have to worry about the car seat.-Thank you Sarah and Cindy!)

Okay - so you ask,
"Are you excited?" - yes!
"Are you nervous?" - I wasn't until I got the news that I was possibly going from 10 weeks left to 7 weeks.

Besides the news about moving up the due date, the doctor also put me on Zantac 2x day. She thinks the night time acid reflux is causing my cough, which in turn makes me cough so hard I gag and then throw-up. Hoping this will help, since taking around 10 Tums a day is not working.
Night one of new drugs: 300 mg of BP meds+2 tsp Robitussin+150mg of Zantac=no Tums all night and only getting up to go to the bathroom!

Class this week:
We went over more relaxation techniques, medications, and packing your bags. Probably all good things considering we are at the end of 30 weeks and now looking at 6 weeks left. I'm really hoping we go longer than 37 weeks, but preparing myself for it at the same time. We found out that the epidural can actually lower your blood pressure (which was a bullet point in the disadvantage side). In my case, this may be a good thing.

This jump start in time has kick started something in Jon. He had two days off this week (his normal), but he got so much done. Normally I ask what he did all day and he says nothing or he'll do something that really does itself (laundry/dishes in dishwasher). This week he tackled cutting the lawn, pulling/killing weeds, laundry, dishes, vacuumed, laid carpet in the entryway, and we both started organizing/cleaning the guest room. Lots of stuff getting accomplished here. He also made dinner two nights in a row! I am soo grateful to have him in my life. I can't imagine anyone else caring for me so much (even when I am bitchy).

Jolynn's progress:
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

29 weeks

This will be an early mid-week post. I'm off to BOW for another fun filled relaxing weekend! Jon and I went to an early class this week too because they were giving a tour of the rooms again. This time I brought my camera. It goes kind of fast because I wasn't sure if it was okay and I didn't want to hold up the group. You get the idea. The first video is the birthing room and the second is the recovery room. They don't look much different except the birthing room has a big tub, where the recovery room has a shower.

I also had another doctor's appointment. Jon came with this time. I brought my readings and the cuff I was using so they could see that yes I was taking my BP, but it probably wasn't accurate. They agreed. The readings were very off. I read 142/90 at the office visit. I lost another pound. Jolynn's heart rate was around 140. I forgot that this visit was also my next 1-hour glucose test. I don't have those results yet, but the orange flavor really gave me a stomach ache this time. Since my BP was still elevated and I was due for another ultrasound anyway, they scheduled one for later in the afternoon. Everything still looks good - still a girl. She measured just right for the week I'm on. The technician said she measured/weighed in the 50 percentile. Almost 3 lbs! She wasn't able to print any new profile pictures because once again Jolynn was camera shy. She was all curled in a ball with her head tucked into her chest.

Jolynn's progress:
Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

28 weeks

Monday's appointment wasn't great. On the positive, still no weight gain and Jolynn's HR is around 150. My BP was high again though. They had me rest on my left side for a while and then retested. It went down, but now they want me to test it everyday for the next week and then I have to revisit them on Wednesday. At that point they will decide if I need to come back in a week or if I can start my every two week regime. This sucks. I feel fine. I'm not swelling or light headed or feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest. My choices are either go to the clinic everyday for a BP check or stop at a Target/Walgreens and use one of those machines. I don't do well with the machines because they get really tight/painful. Plus with camping this weekend, it's going to make it hard to find a place to do this. I'm hoping my mom still has her BP cuff and scope.

Mom's cuff was stolen when the cabin was broken into. So I went to CVS. They had a cuff and scope for $15 and a digital one for $30. I have come to the conclusion that the digital one is not all that accurate because I am reading 154/104 IN THE MORNING. The cuff does say that it has to wrap around to a certain point on your arm or you have to go up a size. Which it doesn't, so I'm sure it's not taking an accurate reading. Again, I feel fine. If I had any of the signs of preeclampsia I would be worried, but I don't.

My 28 week photo for some reason looks smaller to me than my 26 week. I'm so excited for the next few weeks - camping, BOW, volunteering at the MS 150. Then there will be a few weeks of rest. We still have class until the end of June also.

Jolynn's progress:
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 weeks

We attended our first birthing class on Thursday. It was a packed room. Jon and I thought we were early because we were there 15 min before start time. Everyone else was pretty much right behind us. I found that I am not very good at asking the questions. I just don't have any. Talking was not a problem though during the group discussions. With all the books and websites I've been going to, there isn't much I'm not prepared for. Jon on the other hand I wasn't so sure of. I thought this would be nice for him to talk to other expecting dads. He found that he too was much more prepared for what is to come than most of the other dads there. At the end of class we talked to the instructor about how many of the dads were pretty clueless and how Jon was more at ease with everything because of the books he had been reading. She suggested he bring his books to our next class. Women tend to look and read into this more than men, and she thought if it came from him (not the instructor) it would have more weight.

I've been diligently taking my medication and watching the salt intake. I admit, I have had a McD's and we have been to Red Robin a couple times. Do you really expect me to eat salad 7 days a week twice a day?! I need to splurge every now and then. I'm feeling great. I've been weighing myself and still have not seen any weight gain. I have my last monthly appointment on Monday. There will of course be an update in week 28. After that I believe the appointments go every 2 weeks for the next 2 months and then every week for the last month. Cruisin right along! Jolynn was a little quiet the last two days, but has been moving quite a bit again today. Go right ahead. Squirm all you want. Daddy and I love to feel it...and sometimes Polly too.

Jolynn's progress:
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

26 weeks

I made it to the end of the 2nd trimester! Bring on the last 3 months! I can't believe it. It really is going fast. I think about the things that are left to do with the room and I hope things come together soon. Jolynn moves a lot. Jon has been feeling her more (and believes that it really is her). Polly was resting her head on my belly last night and Jolynn started kicking and squirming. Polly got up and moved to Jon's belly. Haha. I want to try and find a stethoscope. The books say I may be able to hear the heart beat with one at this point.

Things are starting to hit work too. People realizing that there are only 3 months left. I think I am right on track and all the sales reps I work with are really sticking to their deadlines so I can get things done before I leave. Things run so smoothly when everyone does what they are supposed to do.

I've been to a point where I think I should still be able to do things and eat things. Then I do, and I don't want to do them again. Mowed the front lawn; pretty sure I don't want to do that again in the next 3 months. Eating spicy food; pretty sure I can't do that again for a while. Lugging groceries into the house; lighter bags or Jon has to be home to help. All a learning curve.

The one thing I still don't get is how I haven't gained any weight. I've actually lost weight. I'm HUGE. Really. And I still have the biggest growth spurt to go. Where is it going? Was I this big before I was pregnant and the baby has been eating away at my body (as my mom once called-a parasite)? Whatever is going on, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Hope it continues after Jolynn is born.

Jolynn update:
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel.

25 weeks

This marks the week that Jon got to feel Jolynn. I felt some hefty kicks and thought maybe he would be able to feel them on the outside. I felt for it first and did, then put his hand in the same spot. He thought I flexed my stomach muscles - nope, that was Jolynn!

It has also been brought to my attention that I need to slow my purchasing down, at least until after any showers. Mike asked me yesterday (as I was showing him more outfits from Munchkin Markets) if Jolynn had 365 outfits yet. Not quite, but close. I took a few photos of the loot.

Jodi had mentioned also that I didn't have any posts up on here or Facebook about the wall art above Jolynn crib. Here you go.

Next, picture this: Jodi had me send her these two photos so she could make original works of art on canvas to put above the couch.




Jolynn's progress:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 weeks

It was an interesting week. Started with my appointment on Monday with the doc after being on BP meds for 2 days and having a low sodium intake. BP was much better - 130/48. It is still high, but I thought that much lower after 2 days was much better. I also lost 2 lbs! With as much as I am going to the bathroom, I really didn't think I was retaining that much water. They said I didn't have to come back for 4 weeks, so that was also a good thing. Not helping with the low sodium intake - I have been craving potato chips and KFC. I have not given in. Popcorn chicken sounds really good though.

Still keeping myself pretty busy. This weekend I am volunteering at the Parkinson Walk. Something I have done for almost 5 years now. I just help write out the forms for the groups getting their photo taken. Nothing strenous. Then I will meet up with Jodi and possibly Erin for the next Munchkin Market sale at Washington County Fairgrounds. In the evening, Jon and I were invited over to Olaf's for game night. Nice to get together with friends, and after a busy day, glad I'm not hosting it.

Jolynn's progress:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 weeks

It was an interesting week. I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday. It didn't turn out the greatest. Good news is I still haven't gained any weight. I wonder where it is all going. The books say I should have gained about 10-15 lbs by now. If I am losing the weight, I wish it were this easy before I got pregnant.
The bad news is my blood pressure was extremely high. It has been high before, but they would take it again and it would go down; or it was around normal. Apparently even a few points above 120/80 is still hypertension. Wednesdays visit was 158/90. She asked if I wanted to try and control this with a diet or medication. I wanted to try the diet first. I looked back at what I had been eating the last few days before the appointment and it wasn't great. So I thought if I watched what I ate maybe it would go down.
Fridays appointment wasn't much better. BP was 148/92. So she put me on Labetalol. For now it is a low dosage of 100 mg 1 tablet twice a day. I know they wouldn't put me on anything that would hurt Jolynn, so I'm not worried about that. What I am worried about is the increased BP that could hurt Jolynn or require me to go on bedrest early. I'm not prepared for that. I have another appointment on Monday. Hopefully this medicine will make a difference. I can tell you that worrying about your BP is not conducive to lowering it.
Another good for the week-Jolynn moves quite a bit. Can't wait for Jon to feel it on the outside.

Jolynn's progress:
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

22 weeks

Really the only change this week has been movement. I feel Jolynn much more now. Other than that things have been uneventful pregnancy wise. Since finding out the sex I have accumulated many girlie outfits. I have found that I have a weakness for dresses with matching bloomers. Margaret took me to a fundraiser/sale at Cottage Grove MS yesterday. You could buy an IKEA bag for $1 at the door. I think we could have filled 3. There were sooo many clothes. Everything was priced from .50-6.00. I think the most we spent on anything was $3. I couldn't believe the deals we found on items that in the store brand new would be $30. Brand name clothing, some stuff still had tags on it! We only went through the 0-12 months. There were other rooms with toys and books, but we didn't even get there. Once the IKEA bag was full we had stuff in our arms. I had to say enough was enough. I had to meet some friends at the MN Zoo to see the Farm Babies exibit. Otherwise, we probably would have stayed longer. There were some ladies that told us of some other big sales like this one. A friend also told me about a website Munchkin Markets. If you sign up, they will send you emails with upcoming events.


Also last weekend Margaret, Mike and I went to the Baby Expo. Some vendors decided to leave way before the end of the show which was disappointing. Good for the other vendors because we still ended up buying stuff and taking pamphlets of their advertising materials. They had pony rides, jumpers, and much more. To the right is a display of a baby at 20 weeks. There is a tube of chapstick next to it for size comparison.

My weekends have been very busy. I am trying. I'm getting close to the third trimester. I'm not very good at waiting for things, so if I keep myself busy I'm hoping I won't think about it.

Jolynn's progress:
At 11 inches and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

21 weeks

Busy week. I've been trying though. I figure the more I keep myself occupied, the less I will think about time. This week was the big ultrasound. Once the lady told us what position she was in, I have been feeling her movements more. It makes sense that I feel the kicking so low and the tickling more around my belly button-she is currently breach. We found out it is a girl and she is already pretty stubborn. It took a lot of prodding to get her legs uncrossed. (Note to you boys out there). I thought it funny that another book I have on your week by week progress mentioned the baby this week was the same size as a baby cub when it is born.

Also new this week - Jodi took me shopping at JoAnn's for room decor. We started the theme of the room to be Velveteen Rabbit. That stuff is really hard to find, so we leaned toward bunnies. There is a lot of Easter stuff on sale (40-70% off) right now. The theme has now moved toward a garden theme - still bunnies, but also includes flowers. So we snatched up as much as we could and also used her teacher discount. I haven't finished putting everything up yet, but as soon as I do pictures will be posted.

Jolynn's progress this week:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.