Pregnancy Update: 36 weeks!

I really have been in denial about this baby coming! Two nights ago, I had some serious feeling pre-birth pressure waves (Hypnobabies lingo for false labor), and I think that made me finally start to accept that this is really going to happen!

I have had two midwife appointments since I posted my last pregnancy update. At my 32 week appointment, I learned that the results of my glucose screen were excellent. I also learned that there had been a mistake with the tube the blood was drawn in for the CBC I had drawn at the same time. I decided to re-draw it because I really wanted to know what my iron level was. The midwife and I discussed the supplements I was taking, and she told me the vitamin D I was taking (2,000 IU) was probably not high enough. A recent study found that routine supplementation with 4,000 IU in pregnant women (ten times the current recommended daily intake) resulted in no harm and better outcomes. Considering that my level was very low in my prenatal blood work (and that was in the spring time), I need to be taking a much higher dose, so I have upped it to 10,000 IU a day.

A couple days later, my midwife let me know the results of my CBC--my iron was low. Not dangerously anemic low, but low enough for me to feel tired. I started taking Floradix, and feel so much better. I realized that the amount of sleep I was needing to function (about 9-10 hours in a 24 hour period) was not normal, and I have so much more energy now. I am keeping my house clean while busy with preschool and Hypnobabies and feel like I'm staying on top of things pretty well! I took it in my last pregnancy when my iron came back a little low at the same time and I thought it increased my energy level then, too. Why didn't I start taking Floradix earlier? Probably partly because Floradix is really expensive...

My 35 week appointment was a nice, long one. We talked about everything we need to do to set up for the birth. I asked about placenta encapsulation, and how I am interested in it but I'm not sure because there doesn't seem to be much definitive evidence out there. She said that everything she had seen about it is very positive. I have a friend who does encapsulation, so I might just have her do mine. The midwife said that they will make sure to take care of the placenta if I decide I want to have it encapsulated.

Somehow we got on the subject of cord clamping and I said that both of my prior two babies had their cords clamped earlier than I wanted. She said that they prefer to wait a long time, because even after all the blood has gone to the baby, there are stem cells that transfer from the placenta to the baby. I said that with my prior babies, they were taken away to be given oxygen, deep suctioning, etc. The midwife explained that it is possible to do those things in the mother's arms. She explained that at a recent neonatal resuscitation class she attended, she demonstrated, using the neonatal resuscitation doll, that the way that people instinctively hold newborns actually keeps their airways open.

The fee for my midwives is paid and the birth kit is ordered! My midwife will be giving me the birth pool next week, and I also ordered a liner to go in it along with my birth kit. I have a student doula who will be coming to the birth to help out with whatever we need--filming the birth, helping with the kids (who I plan to have present, as long as they want to be there and are not bothering me), helping with Hypnobabies tools, etc. I really want to capture this birth on film, which is something I didn't do with my others. I am really happy to give this opportunity to this student doula--I know I appreciate those who agreed to be my first few doula births! She is working on a nursing degree and hopes to eventually do a Masters in Midwifery at Bastyr, so I think seeing my birth will be great for her!