Nesting

37 weeks

I started nesting about two weeks ago.  I actually had to ask  my surrogacy support group if it was normal for a surrogate to go through nesting.  I guess it's pretty common that we do go through nesting in a whole different way.  Most surrogates say that they went crazy baking and cooking things and buying unnecessary items for their house.  I guess I started by cleaning our house like a mad woman.  I dusted everything and even washed all the windows.  This week I started feeling like I needed to get all of our paperwork in a neat pile ready to go and I had to get my camera memory card cleared and charge up those batteries.  I sent out our Birth Plan to everyone with a big email of instructions for those that are going to attend the birth.  My final touch will be when I pack my bag.  I think I'll do that this weekend or next week sometime.

I had an OB appointment on Monday and went over our whole birth plan with our doctor. She is very much on board with all of our wishes to make this labor and delivery as smooth and drug free as possible.  One thing I really like about our OB is that she allows time to answer any and all questions that we have and we never have felt rushed.  I really appreciate that she makes me feel like my health care is important and that her schedule will be fine, and she always seems to be running on time.  She did the Group B Strep test and then check to see if I was dilated at all.  I told her before she check my dilation that I've never ever been dilated prior to going into labor with our kids.  I even sent a message to my IPs telling them that they shouldn't expect that I will dilate at all before going into labor.  To my surprise, I am dilated to 1.5 cm.  I realize it doesn't mean anything, other than my body is starting to work on something down there, but it's really fun to say!

I guess after one tells their agency that they are dilated, the paperwork starts coming extra fast!  I heard from my IPs that they had paperwork that needed to get turned around pretty quickly.  I think it's all complete and we'll just have to sign more papers at the hospital after this little man is born.  In addition to making our court appearance about a week or so after he's born.  It still blows my mind that Ben and I both need to sign our "rights" away.  There is NO biological connection to this baby and yet we have to sign more papers to "give up rights" and appear in front of a judge.  You would think that there would be laws put into place by now that would prevent this...and our agency is actively working on putting such laws into place.  Most of you will be getting an email from me pretty soon to ask you to send an email to your congress person to help pass a bill to prevent all of this unnecessary paperwork.  It would help protect the IPs as well as protecting the surrogate.  Please consider taking a little time to help the surrogate world, my IPs, other IPs, and future babies born through surrogacy.  We appreciate all of your support!     

I got together with my sister and sister-in-law yesterday for a pampering morning.  We got pedicures and had lunch at Granite City.  It's fun that we're all best friends and having babies (obviously they'll be keeping their babies and this baby will go home with his parents) around the same time.  My sister's little Elliott is almost 2 months old and my sister-in-law is due a week before this baby is due.  I especially love that they are going to have little babies that I get to love on and not have to take home.  I'm so out of baby mode, but it's fun that we were all pregnant together!  I've enjoyed going through this journey with them  :) 




Happy Toes all set to greet Little Man

There isn't much more to update you on other than I ended up with a horrible cold that lasted two weeks.  I don't think I got more than one hour of sleep at a time without feeling like I needed to move from the bed to the recliner and back to the bed.  When I went into my OB appointment on Monday she said she would like to give me antibiotics, but I thought I would be able to fight it on my own so I asked for her to give me a couple more days. By Wednesday she called in a prescription and I now feel almost 100%.  I only got up once last night to pee...that's a BIG deal!!!  I still could use a good night of sleep.  Pregnancy wise I feel AMAZING!