braxton hicks already??!

So this past week has been basically uneventful but I did get some questions answered. I had my appointment w/ the midwives on the 16th which went over my ultrasound results. I was concerned that they werent going to order another ultrasound (which I wanted one just for piece of mind about the size of the baby) but when we got there they already had the paperwork faxed in for us to schedule another ultrasound, so we have our next ultrasound on Dec 3rd. They are going to be checking to make sure that the baby had the correct amount of growth (it will have been 1 month between the ultrasounds) and to check for any type of growth restriction.

Best case scenario: little one is right on track and had a growth spurt which caught him up, worst case scenario: they arent seeing the growth they want and in that case they would schedule a more specific, detailed ultrasound to look at the flow of blood and nutrition from the placenta to the baby to make sure there isnt any problems...I am not too worried, I figure even if he is a little small maybe he will just stay in there an extra week to catch up before he comes out OR maybe I wont have the 15lb baby I'm expecting to have per family history haha

As far as other ultrasound results go, everything looked normal. They couldnt get a good shot of his face or his hands because he was moving so much so that is another reason they want the 2nd ultrasound. I'm excited because its more pics for us!! They didnt give us any profile shots the first time and the pics we got were pretty blurry so hopefully they are more clear this time. At my appointment I did get a little concerned when I told the midwife, Cheyenne, that I still hadnt felt any movement at 22 weeks. So she went to check the heartbeat with the doppler and couldnt find it for a good 10 minutes!

Of course I'm worried the whole time but then she checked the ultrasound results and found out I have an anterior placenta which makes sense of me not feeling anything and having a hard time finding the heartbeat but once she found him he was moving like crazy and punching the doppler and wouldnt you know, this past week I have been feeling him move daily and often. Usually in the early morning, early afternoon and right before bed when I lay on my side :-) It definitely doesnt feel like what I thought it would feel like and it feels really far away if that makes any sense

I also had a consultation with another OB, Dr. Bowen, well actually it was w/ his nurse practitioner. I had been debating whether or not I wanted to switch. The midwives are great, one on one, at my appointments (like Cheyenne sat and talked w/ us for a good hour about all my worries about the baby's size and stuff) but in between the appt's they stink...like really bad. They are bad about answering questions, bad about calling me back, kinda condescending, and a few receptionist/office manager people are kinda er, witchy, if you get what I mean. But the midwives themselves are really nice but the practice's patient care stinks in my opinion. So I talked w/ some other moms and decided that Bowen's practice would be the closest fit so I decided to check them out. The consultation went well, I think if I went w/ them I would get the birth experience I want but I couldnt find enough things about the actual dr that differed enough from the midwives to make the switch (which would mean a farther drive up to Glendale for the appointments and delivering at a hospital farther away)

I think when it comes to my birth plan the midwives will be able to give me what I am looking for, I just wish their practice was better in the meantime. I am already praying that I get a specific midwife for my delivery that I really like and am comfortable w/. There are about 9 in the practice and I have no guarantee who I will get but I have met most of them and they all seem nice enough. Plus I know that in reality it is alot about what nurses I get and since Ive already got dibs on the BEST nurse I know-- thanks Kate! I am confident that things will go smoothly. (Kate, I apologize in advance for wanting the birthing tub, I know it is heavy and annoying haha)

While I was at my consultation though, they went ahead and set it up like a normal appointment with checking my weight, urine, blood pressure, etc. They checked the heartbeat and my fundal height, etc. Well Ive been having really bad cramping so I asked about that and come to find out Ive been having Braxton-Hicks contractions already. I thought that when my belly got really hard like that that I was feeling like maybe the baby's head pushed up or something like his butt pushing up but after describing how it feels the nurse practitioner confirmed Braxton Hicks. Very surprising! Well that is all the excitement from the past week or so--here is the weekly survey :-)

How far along? 22 weeks
Total weight gain? -10lbs...I think?
Maternity clothes? still loving the comfy pants
Sleep? I was sleeping okay until the last couple nights my stupid round ligament pain has been keeping me up all night
Best moment this week? Knowing for sure that I was feeling the baby move
Food cravings? Thanksgiving dinner...I usually am not a huge fan of turkey, stuffing, etc. but I am big time craving it this year and I am PUMPED I get to have it twice
Labor signs? I dont think Braxton Hicks fit in this category b/c it is just contractions but...yea
Belly Button? still innie
What I miss most? Our group of friends usually has something called Ham Day every year, we do a faux Thanksgiving dinner but w/ ham (b/c us girls are too lazy to cook a turkey) It is really fun, everybody brings a side dish, usually there are about 15 of us or more and we do it the wed. before thanksgiving then go out to the bars after--well this year our friend Jen who usually organizes is living in Chicago and Meg and I are too tired/pregnant to organize and I am a sourpuss because I know I will be jealous when my friends are drinking and going out to the bar when I go home to go to bed haha needless to say we arent having it this year :-( Sadly, this tradition may be over now that I will have a kiddo
What I am looking forward to most? Our next ultrasound on Dec. 3rd, going to Cleveland for Thanksgiving and getting to see my family (and living vicariously through my cousin who is a freshman at OSU this year) and once again...Thanksgiving dinner....man, I dont think Ive ever been this excited about food before...but it stinks b/c my stomach is still so shrunken I wont even make it through 1 plate before I get full
Milestones? My baby is about the size of a papaya now--he can hear things on the outside and is starting to settle into sleep cycles (uhm..not so sure about that one) He is getting bigger and bigger and hopefully I will have some cute ultrasound pics to share soon!