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Baby Diamond–Week 38

39 weeks

Happy Tuesday! It’s another warm one here in Brooklyn with temperatures forecasted to reach the high 90’s. The extreme heat means that I’m staying inside as much as possible and very thankful that my desk is right in front of our window air conditioner unit. I’m taking the advice of my friends, family and doctor this week and doing my best to stay busy in order to keep from counting down the minutes until Baby Girl Diamond decides to grace us with her presence. I know that the average first child comes at 41 weeks and 1 day which means that at 39 weeks and 2 days, I could very well be pregnant for another two weeks.  Today I’m staying busy by finishing a few more work projects, blogging, cleaning, reading, pampering myself with a pedicure and enjoying an evening swim date at the YMCA with Bo.

Let’s dive into the latest and greatest details of this pregnancy, focused on how I felt last week, June 4th through June 10th during Week 38 of pregnancy.

Baby Size: As of Week 38 Baby Girl has plumped up and is around 7 pounds and over 19 1/2 inches long. Her organs have matured and she is ready for life outside the womb. She is extremely active, still moving frequently and loves kicking me on the right side.

Weight Gained: As of last week’s 38 week doctor appointment, I have gained 32 pounds, some of which could be water weight due to the extreme Summer heat.

Symptoms:  Last week I continued to grow and truly had to waddle anywhere I went, unable to avoid turning my legs out due to the growing, dropping baby. I started to have some minor back pain behind my right ribs but luckily Epsom Salt baths and showers helped relieve some of the pain. In addition, to continuing the symptoms from previous weeks, my blood pressure had significantly increased when I was at my 38 week appointment last Tuesday. This led to an unexpected NYU test run as my doctor wanted to rule out any issues such as pre-eclampsia and sent me to the hospital to be observed for four hours.

Workouts: My doctor continues to reinforce the benefits of staying active, as long as the activities are workouts that I’ve done throughout pregnancy and are indoors with sufficient air conditioner and fans. Based on this, last week I did one prenatal yoga class, one prenatal pilates class at Aline Pilates and four Orangetheory workouts. Based on how I was feeling, I opted to bike instead of incline walk during three of the Orangetheory workouts. In addition to workouts, I’ve started doing a few different prenatal stretching workouts that are supposed to help reduce swelling and provide comfort before bed time.

Cravings: I craved meat, smoothies, ice cream or sorbet and cold, fresh fruit last way in a major way. In fact, when I went to Whole Foods on Friday my cart was filled with so many cherries, pineapples, strawberries and mangos that the staff never thought we’d eat it all before it went bad. Little did they know that within five days it was all devoured! I really wish I liked watermelon as the fresh watermelon I bought for Bo actually looked quite delicious but after one bite I was quickly reminded just how much I despise that popular, hydrating fruit. The most random craving was an urgent need for angel food cake and berries on Friday night. Luckily, the Whole Foods angel food cake delivered on my dreams especially when topped with a single scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and berries.

Food Aversions: As I stare at my morning cup of coffee which remains half full, this seems to be my only aversion. The only way I can finish my coffee is if I have iced coffee.

Sleep: Last week was tough as I started waking up at least four times during the night to use the bathroom. One night it took me more than an hour to go back to sleep which was beyond frustrating. I also find that each night a different pillow configuration provides comfort than the night before. Some nighs I only use the Snoogle while others I find comfort surrounded by five or six different pillows. I am large enough at this point that I HAVE to have support under my stomach when lying on my side or I feel a painful pull.

Wearing: Last week I think I wore and washed my black dress four days. Otherwise, I rotated through the same clothes and shoes as last week.

Other Random Thoughts: While the first 37 weeks of pregnancy FLEW by I felt like time came to a halt last week. There were a few days where I caught myself wondering if she’d ever arrive but after some frustration and realization that it could be WEEKS not DAYS until she arrives I changed my thinking and realize that the most important thing is that she and I are both happy and healthy. If she wants more time to incubate, then I am happy to meet her when she is ready. So while I’m avoiding subways and staying in the neighborhood, I’m filling my days with things that bring me joy such as reading, time with friends, cooking, working out and relaxing when I’m not working. This change in perspective has helped so much, especially as I start to received daily emails and texts from friends, family and readers asking whether Baby Girl Diamond has arrived.

Want more frequent updates? Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Insta Stories for daily updates!

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Preparing for a Brooklyn Baby with Cybex

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My Outfit: sunglasses/top/leggings/sandals/bracelet/diaper bag/car seat

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The following post is a sponsored post in partnership with Cybex. As part of this partnership, Cybex reached out to expecting moms who are busy preparing for their new bundle of joy. As part of the journey and experience, Cybex as us to test out one of their most popular items, the Cybex Q Infant Car Seat to see if it was a good fit for our Brooklyn lifestyle. 

While having a child in Brooklyn or New York City would give some people hives, it actually excites us. So many of our friends who have children have raved about having a newborn in Brooklyn. There is so much that is accessible just steps from our apartment. Whether we want to grab a strong iced coffee after a night of little sleep, run errands, head to the playground or meet friends for a beer, it’s all just a few blocks away.

We asked our Brooklyn friends what their “must have” registry items were and everyone said a great carrier and car seat were two of the most important items.

We were excited when Cybex asked us to test the Cybex Q Infant Car Seat car seat even before Baby Girl Diamond arrives. We spent some time testing the car seat both in the car and around the neighborhood. We definitely received some funny looks since we were carrying around an empty car seat, but we definitely benefitted from the trial run, especially learning how to quickly install it in a car.

As soon as we unboxed the car seat we were immediately in love with the sleek design as well as the innovation. Here are just a few of the features that make it a great option for families on the go.

  • It has a full reclining position which means that if we’re at a coffee shop, grabbing a quick bite or out and about, she will hopefully be able to fall asleep easier and more comfortably.
  • The car seat includes an integrated XXL foldaway sun canopy with UVP 50+ to protect Baby Girl Diamond’s skin from the Summer sun.
  • The car seat base has a “load leg” which keeps the car seat in place and protects the baby’s head, neck, and spine in case of an accident.
  • It will grow with our daughter, as it is able to be used with infants up to 35 lbs or 30” tall.
  • They Cybex Q is available in eight different colors, including Moon Dust, the color you can see in these pictures.

Since some people have asked, yes Bo and I definitely plan on sharing an updated review of the car seat/carrier once we’ve used it. In addition, this is one of the reasons that I’m not sharing things like hospital bag, baby essentials or even registry list until after the baby. I think it’ll be more helpful for readers to share what I actually use at the hospital and in the first few weeks with baby.

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 Thank you to CYBEX for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

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An Unexpected Hospital Visit

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Well, this is not a sight I expected to see yesterday. In fact, when by 8:30 AM yesterday I felt like I was winning at life. Bo and I had enjoyed a sweaty Orangetheory workout together and commuted into the city together before he went to work and I headed to my OB-GYN’s office for my 38 week appointment. While I waited in the waiting room I even reviewed my to do list for the day, realizing that since I’d be home by 9:30 AM I’d have plenty of time to check everything off my list, therefore relieving some stress.

Well, unfortunately, by 9:15 my doctor decided that based on multiple high blood pressure readings at her office after 10 different attempts and swelling, that it was best for me to go directly to the NYU Labor & Delivery triage so they could run further tests.

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I was in shock, to say the least. Other than Pubic Symphysis, I haven’t had any issues this entire pregnancy so imagine my surprise when at 38 weeks and 2 days, I was walking down Second Avenue towards NYU Hospital. As you all know, I LOVE my OB-GYN, Dr Teresa Cheon, and therefore did not question her when she made this decision. At this point in pregnancy, any irregular test results, especially blood pressure, can point to issues that could put the baby or mom at high risk. Elevated blood pressure is one of the symptoms for Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication which impacts 5-8% of pregnancies. While most mothers who are diagnosed with it will still delivery a healthy baby and fully recover, promt medical attention is important. Doctors do not know what causes the condition but often the only cure is to deliver the baby, which therefore if discovered after 37 weeks when the baby is full term, usually results in immediate induction.

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Dr. Cheon’s goal by having me go to the hospital was to have me watched for for hours which would include constant heart rate monitoring, fetal monitoring as well as a thorough panel of blood and urine tests.  Bo and I joked, while checking in on the NYU Labor & Deliver floor that this was our daughter’s way of giving us a hospital trial run. We were able to meet many of the staff and nurses that will most likely be there when we deliver while also seeing the area first hand, a treat since NYU no longer offers hospital tours for expecting families.

For the next four hours I relaxed on a stretcher and tried to pass the time by reading the book I thankfully had in my bookbag, Paris for One, as well as taking a few naps.

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Every single person that I met while in the hospital exceeded my expectations. The nurses, doctors and entire staff were knowledgable, friendly and did a wonderful job putting our nerves at ease.  They even helped take my mind off things by letting me see our little baby girl via a sonogram, the first time I’d seen a full sonogram of her since 20 weeks. IMG_3424

She was waving to me when we zoomed in on the picture and within seconds it seemed like she was sucking her thumb.

Finally, after hours of waiting, the final lab results came back and that, combined with the fact that over the course of four hours my blood pressure levels had returned to normal, I was able to be discharged. Before Dr Cheon and the staff would discharge me, they gave me a firm dose of reality through a few requests. While working out is 100% okay at this point, they want me to be smart:

    • During the upcoming 90 degree weather that New York City is expecting, stay hydrated, avoid subways, limit time outside and elevate my legs more than often as swelling will increase.
    • Do as much as possible to reduce or limit work stress, including closing out key projects.
    • Reduce other stressors that could elevate my blood pressure.
    • Try and sleep at least eight hours per night and nap during the day if pregnancy bladder and discomfort isn’t letting me sleep well at night.

Both Bo and I are thankful to have a clean bill of health after yesterday’s scare but it was also a quick realization that so much of this pregnancy is out of our control at this point. Baby Girl Diamond could choose to come any day or, if my blood pressure is elevated again when I’m at the doctor next week for my 39-week exam, we could quickly be induced. We are buckled in for the wild ride and looking forward to meeting her whether it’s tomorrow or three weeks from now.

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