The final countdown...

I'm 39 weeks and 2 days, but who's keeping track... it's the final countdown of my pregnancy and I can hardly wait to meet our little man. Each day that passes seems like it is getting longer and time is passing more slowly... Of course, it doesn't help that every time I see my OB she announces there are no signs of him showing his face anytime soon. In an effort to make the coming days/ weeks pass more quickly I scoured the internet looking for ideas to fill my time. Below is a list of my favorite ideas 10 for the final countdown of pregnancy.

1. Pamper yourself- Get a massage, a mani/ pedi, facial, whatever relaxes you. This week I got a mani/pedi, complete with blue polish in honor of our son. Not only was it relaxing, but now I will have beautiful nails in all my post-delivery photos-- even if the rest of me is an exhausted mess.

2. Visit your friends- In the weeks after baby is born, your primary focus will be this new little person and basic survival. Take some time now to see your friends and do the fun activities that may take a backseat until everything settles down as you learn to balance parenthood.

3. Stock the fridge/ Pantry- The last thing you want to be worried about when you get home from the hospital is needing to run to the grocery store because there is no toilet paper/ milk/ etc.

4. Final baby prep- Make sure you know where baby is going to sleep when they come home and that you have the diapers, bottles/ breastfeeding supplies you will need. This is also a good time to ensure you have enough baby laundry washed to get you through the first week (onesies, sheets, blankets, burp clothes, etc).

5. Postpartum prep- No matter how your little once makes their appearance into the world, you will need supplies to get you through the coming weeks. Some essentials include: Tucks (to soothe your nether regions), extra absorbent pads or adult diapers (for bleeding and incontinence in the weeks after delivery), ice packs (to reduce pain and swelling), disposable underwear (you don't want to ruin your cute panties), and a peri- spray bottle (to clean yourself when toilet paper sounds like sand paper).

6. Quality time- Enjoy your final days with your man. Go on a date, or several, have lots of sex, and just soak up some alone time. Once baby is born everything is going to change, take some time to cherish one another and strengthen your relationship so that when you are exhausted and stressed out you can remember why you love one another.

7. Hospital Prep- Make sure you have your hospital bags packed, the car seat installed, confirm the best way to get to the hospital during rush hour, pre-register at the hospital if possible, and make sure all your family and friends know where to go when they get that anticipated call.

8. Deep Clean your Home- This could mean you cleaning or hiring a maid to make sure everything is ready for your bundle of joy... and all those visitors who will be dropping by to visit in the coming weeks.

9. Order dessert- Now don't go overboard because you don't want to be delivering a 12lb baby, but give yourself permission to have a small splurge before you feel the pressure to drop all the baby weight you have been slowly accumulating the last 10 months.

10. Sleep- As much as you can, sleep in, rest and enjoy doing the least amount you possibly can before your life is ruled by the ever-changing schedule of the tiny dictator you are so excited to meet.

Above all else, try to enjoy your final days of pregnancy- that special bond you share as you quietly talk to your belly and smile when you feel baby squirming inside you- then look forward to when sneezing won't make you pee yourself and you can finally resume your favorite sleep positions comfortably.

Why is illness magnified during pregnancy?

Thankfully, with the exception of morning sickness, and a couple episodes of food poisoning, I have been healthy for the duration of my pregnancy. That is until last Tues... Now don't get me wrong, I am typically a trooper when I'm sick and don't let a simple cold virus stop me from getting my To-Do list done, but this was different... Like, what-kind-of-mutant-virus-is-attacking-me-different. I had read that the woman's immune system was weaker during pregnancy and therefore illnesses could affect you more severely; but I wasn't expecting to be almost reduced to tears because I felt so miserable.

It all started Tuesday night, I woke several extra times that night because my throat was sore. I even got up twice to gargle with Listerine (my go-to remedy to head off a brewing cold). By morning, I knew my body system had taken a hit, I was tired and felt run down... Then the dreaded itchy eyes with a non-stop runny nose started. I kept trying to tell myself that this was the worst of it and I would bounce back in 48-72 hrs like normal, but by the following morning I had finished off a new box of Kleenex and our bedroom floor looked like there had been a freak snow storm. As Wednesday progressed I continued to insist that I was getting better, like I could somehow will the virus to give up and leave my body. Then, as if to retaliate for my stubbornness, the pressure in my head started building-- causing my eyes to water and leaving me curled in a ball on the couch. Thankfully, we had Tylenol in our bathroom (one of the few medications safe during pregnancy) and within an hour my headache improved. Unfortunately, that night sleep was elusive, I was exhausted and near tears but couldn't seem get more then 30 min stretches of sleep. Thankfully, that was the worst of it... starting Friday I slowly started to improve, but even as I write this I am still coughing, congested and unable to breath through my nose. However, I am glad the runny nose-watery eyes- sinus headache part has finally resolved.

After suffering for a week with this cold I decided to go looking for exactly why the pregnant woman's body is so severely affected by illness... According to the Cleveland Clinic this immune suppression is to prevent the mother's body from attacking and rejecting her growing baby. The American Journal of American Immunology states that this is accomplished by the elevated levels of Progesterone in the pregnant body, which is a natural immune suppressor.

How to treat your illness:
Just like any other time; rest, increased fluids, and good nutrition are the keys to helping your body heal quickly. Do not take OTC cold medications without first checking the ingredients and talking to your OB. Many websites post lists of medications that are considered safe, however, according to the CDC research on many of these medications is still inadequate. Therefore, check with your physician before taking all medications. Regular Strength and Extra Strength Tylenol however are safe when taken as directed, however, other pain relievers such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and Asprin are not safe and could lead to potential side effects in the baby.

How to avoid getting ill:
The best prevention for illness is always good hygiene with frequent hand washing. Additionally, maintaining good nutrition, staying hydrated, rested, and avoiding potential exposures will go a long way to keeping mom healthy. It is also important to stay up-to-date with vaccinations, including the Influenza vaccine, to give your immune system the best chance of fighting illness. As an added bonus, antibodies produced in the mother during pregnancy are then transferred to baby, this is why your OB will recommend getting the TDaP vaccination during your third trimester.

<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/treatingfortwo/"><img src="http://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/treatingfortwo/images/treating-for-two-btn-300px.gif" alt="Treating for Two. Safer Medication Use in Pregnancy" title="Treating for Two. Safer Medication Use in Pregnancy. Click here to learn more." style="border:none;" /></a>

Everyone has an opinion about your baby bump...

Nobody tells you that being pregnant means that your belly becomes public property... From the moment you announce the exciting news it quickly starts to feel like everyone has an opinion about your growing baby bump... and they have no reservations sharing it with you.

Below are some of the comments and actions that have made the greatest impression upon me:

- "Are you SURE you're pregnant?" Yes I'm sure, he's kicking me in the kidneys right now making me need to use the restroom every 30 minutes. 

- "One of these days you will wake up and be huge." Gee, I was excited about my growing baby bump, but you just made me feel like a beached whale.

- "How much weight have your gained?" When did this become an acceptable question outside of the doctor's office?

- "My belly is larger then yours and I'm not even pregnant." Hmm, how do I politely respond to this statement...

Then when my baby bump finally started to become obvious, even to total strangers, I was not prepared for...

- "Looks like you are due any day." Considering a few days before people were exclaiming how small I am, I was quite caught off guard and suddenly felt like a blimp at 8mo pregnant.

- Strangers with no warning reach out and grab your belly. You know in some countries that would be considered battery, but somehow being a human incubator means anyone can touch you without permission.

- Then of course there are those who do ask first, well kind of, it's more like they indicate their intentions prior... It typically goes something like: "Is the baby kicking?" Then without hesitation they proceed to grab me and speak directly to my belly: "Hi baby, are you awake?"... Long awkward pause... "Baby, are you in there?" Yeah, as evidenced by my huge belly, he is definitely still in there.

-Then of course being pregnant is an instant invitation for everyone to share their own horror stories of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Why do people always want to tell you the worst parts? But this we will save for another day.

Prior to pregnancy these intrusions into my privacy and personal space probably would have made me laugh. However, when your body is surging with hormones-- you alternate between feeling like a human incubator and feeling like a weight watchers commercial in reverse-- meaning simple comments can send you on an emotional roller coaster or lead to tears.

Pregnancy: The good, The bad, and The ugly

Pregnancy can be a beautiful time, a time of bonding with a tiny person nestled deep inside, a time of excitement and celebration, but not everything about pregnancy is beautiful...

1. Breasts: 
1. The good- They grow, a lot. Like to the breasts I always wanted, but thought I would need a surgeon to get.
2. The bad- They hurt! During the first trimester especially, your breasts ache so much you have to shield them from the water in the shower and enact a hands-off policy with your man.
3. The ugly- They leak! Not just starting after childbirth, but starting from as early as mid-way through your pregnancy.
2. Your body:
1. The good- You get JLo quality curves. The kind that makes you do a double take in the mirror as you walk by and your man wants to spend some quality time with.
2. The bad- You start to sweat, no not glisten- sweat. The kind that requires you to invest in a stronger antiperspirant because nothing is worse then raising your arm mid-day and wondering what that smell is.
3. The ugly- You leak, no not just from your breasts, from your lady parts. And the closer you get to term the more you leak. To the point you have to wear panty liners or bring underwear changes because you constantly feel like you peed yourself... and sometimes you do pee yourself. Like when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or get up from the couch.
3. Your wardrobe:
1. The good- You get to go shopping, guilt free and buy yourself a whole new closet of clothes! This was something I was super excited about, I was all about flaunting my baby bump.
2. The bad- There is this awkward transition period when your showing just enough that you feel fat and bloated, but not enough that anyone thinks your pregnant. Nothing fits! The maternity clothes are too large and your old clothes are too tight and uncomfortable.
3. The ugly- One day you wake up and feel like a beached whale! Your baby had a growth spurt and you discover the hard way that you don't fit into the corner booth at your favorite restaurant like you once did. You finally fit into the maternity clothes you bought and relish the comfort of that huge belly panel in your mom jeans; but you are embarrassed when you see the look of shock and horror on your man's face when he wonders why your pants go up to your arm-pits.
4. Sex:
1. The good- The orgasms are amazing! Once you get over the terrors of the first trimester and want some cuddle time again, get ready! The increased blood flow means increased sensitivity. This translates into stronger, more intense, or maybe even multiple orgasms.
2. The bad- Your beautiful growing baby, means a growing belly that can make your favorite positions uncomfortable or down-right impossible.
3. The ugly- Orgasm and breast stimulation may lead to your man getting sprayed by that breast leakage we were talking about earlier...
5. Sleep:
1. The good- Early in pregnancy you can sleep anywhere, I'm talking curled up in the back seat, middle seat of the airplane- ANYWHERE.
2. The bad- Late in pregnancy there is absolutely nothing you can do to get comfortable. It doesn't matter how many pillows you have, every part of your body is exhausted and constantly aching.
3. The ugly- You now snore... The increased blood flow to your nasal passages result in swelling and congestion. This means you're not the only one who is now sleep deprived. As soon as you get in a sweet spot and fall asleep you wake up to your man elbowing you because he can't take your  chain-saw snoring any longer.... even with the ear plugs. (I suggest breathe right strips =) )

Pregnancy is a beautiful, exciting time. Thankfully, the first time you feel the baby kick, hear the hearbeat, or see your little one during an ultrasound make all the gross, uncomfortable, and unattractive parts worth it.

Will My Baby Have...

Dec 18, 2015
As a Pediatrician I thought I was ready for parenthood and in many ways I am, but what caught me off guard were all the fears I would have about my unborn child...

At just 4 weeks pregnant I took my first pregnancy test, I was elated when it came back positive. Images of a sweet perfect newborn to cuddle with and coo at came to mind, my hormones were already kicking into high gear. But over the next couple weeks those images of a perfect baby were replaced by worries that I would miscarry or that my baby would be born with a serious life threatening birth defect.

I was 11 weeks along before I had my first OB visit. I walked into the office secretly afraid there would be no heartbeat or something would be wrong. As though she sensed my anxiety, my doctor immediately pulled out the ultrasound machine and there he was our little wiggle worm bouncing around so much she almost couldn't measure him. The sense of relief was incredible.

As we began to announce the exciting news of our pregnancy, people repeatedly pronounced that somehow being a Pediatrician must make pregnancy easier; yet it was quite to the contrary. I worried if our child would have kidneys, a well developed heart, or some rare genetic disorder.  Each day that passed I would silently praise God because I knew he was one day closer to being able to survive should I deliver early.

It wasn't until we had the detailed ultrasound at 20 weeks that I finally started to breathe easy. We are having a son, and by all accounts he is perfect and healthy! Now I am nearing my 32nd week, and my fears about his development have turned to thoughts of which car seat is safest, what swing will he like, and will all those 30 hour shifts I spent working as a resident somehow prepare me for the sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn?