Monthly midwife visits are over!

Yep! That's right, now I get to see her every couple weeks! Our visit yesterday was really good. She drew my blood for the glucose challenge test and I'll hear back about it next time. My blood pressure is fine, but still could be a little lower. The swelling in my legs and feet continue, but isn't anything I can't figure out with exercise and nutrition.

Sue sent me home with information on preventing toxemia. One of the things I did right away was make some homemade raw beet juice. Just 4 ounces a day helps to balance the sodium and potassium ratio in my blood. Its also one of the fastest ways to help the body access and absorb calcium. The taste is very earthy and takes some getting used to, but after I take a swig, I feel instantly energized!

I also got a chance to listen to D.L.'s heartbeat in different positions. First, I laid on my back, then my left side, then I sat up on the couch. Each position created a different heart rate in him, which shows good responsive variation ranging from 130-140 beats per minute.

While listening to his heart, I heard him move around as I felt him from inside. It was good for me to once again make the mental and emotional connection of what his movements feel like as I heard them. Sue suggested that I feel and record kick counts so we can make sure he moves around about 10 times in an hour that he's awake. It'll be good for me to get my mind in to the mode of quantifying his movements into numbers so I have an easier way of communicating about what's going on with him.

I came home and told Cam all about how his son is healthy inside of me. He cracked me up a few minutes later when he went to look at himself in the bathroom mirror. He said he had a sudden moment of fear and realization come over him.
"I'm going to be a dad!" he said.
I laughed and gave him a great big hug. I suddenly felt inspired and asked him to take a picture of both of us with my growing belly.