Uncharted territory -breast pump- latest update

*written on 12/13/12, please excuse the fact that these pictures were taken today 12/17/12 and not back on 12/13/12 when this post was written but my camera needed new batteries...lol oh and yeah your looking at a just woke up photo op b/c I needed to update the blog with recent belly shots! So excuse the no makeup still in pj's look....just be happy my hair is some what fixed. :) *

Weeks in the nest: 26, 3 days (74 days to go til term!)

Pictures from 12/17/12 @ 27 weeks

Maternity clothes: Basically the only clothes I can wear at this point. Even some of my non-maternity tops show skin now- just long waist shirts still work. :)  *Grow Joshua, grow!*

Stretch marks: None yet, I have been using a great lotion from a local natural store- who knows if its really played a role. People tell me for being so far along I'm "small" or just gaining all baby. Ha! They haven't seen my mirror here at home that reveals so much fat ect growing around my legs ect. Plus Joshua is ahead on the growth chart. :)

Sleep: Hmm...a hard one to comment on. I get up at least twice in my night to have a potty break and usually by the second time up I struggle to get back to sleep. I need a pregnancy pillow but they are so darn expensive and in the next few weeks I probably wouldn't get much help from one anyway. ;p

Best moment this week: I'd say yesterdays Dr. Appointment was an all time great one. One for the books.
I will comment on why in a minute.

Food cravings: Its been sugary things lately...funny since most of this pregnancy sugar made me want to gag. I have been loving starbursts candy, Ghirardelli- milk chocolate peppermint bark, apple sauce, anything Italian...this one isn't new since I have always loved Italian cuisine.

Belly button: Flat? Its not in or out. Crazy thing is, if i'm in a flat position and then try sitting up on my own my middle belly (belly button area) will almost go cone shaped...lol freaks me out every time. blah.

Looking forward to: Getting my breast pump- Getting to 30 weeks so that my family feels safe enough to start planning Joshua's baby shower (details on that party will come once the real planning begins).

Okay so I promised I would talk about why yesterdays appointment was so fab!

So just a second ago I mentioned the breast pump...okay. Did you know that you may be able to get a breast pump for free or little cost to you through your health insurance? I didn't. I was reading a random forum and some women mentioned this...saying that all she had to do was get a Dr's prescription and bam she got one through her insurance. I decided to ask my Dr about this and come to find out, its TRUE. Plus I didn't have to wait until delivery day to place my order. So I called my insurance before leaving the clinic to see if I had this benefit. Come to find out, it wasn't covered through my maternity portion of insurance but was if I did what they call "Medical equipment claim" *usually used for things like a wheel chair ect*. My insurance says that as long as the hospital clinic puts in the order from the doctor, they could order it, and my insurance would pay 80% of the cost!!!! (That being because I had met my deductible) Thank you expensive medical cost to see a OB! Oh and its not just a crappy cheap end pump either...because its ordered from the hospital clinic it comes from where they get their medical equipment so its just under the hospital grade pumps. (Hospital grade pumps can't be sold to women like you and I apparently). I am getting a nice Medela brand pump with lots of extras...I only have to pay something like $40 out of pocket. Fantastic, right? Pumps are upwards of $300+ depending on brand and where you go. So those of you who don't have a breast pump and want one or are looking to breast feed, I encourage you to call your insurance you may find out its covered. :) If it's not there is still hope. You can go to the lactation department in the hospital that you plan to deliver ect and they can sell you one and set up payment plans...I believe they can even give you a discount in some areas because its not covered my your insurance. :) Happy pumping! lol

The other reason yesterdays appointment was so grand was because my urine dip was still clear of signs of preeclampsia and my blood pressure was even better then it had been in a while...lower...not that my BP and been out of the norm or anything but just lower. My Dr. believes my eating and exercising habits are really playing a key role in why things are looking so well at this point.  I am beaming because of such great reports. :) My next appointment is scheduled  to do the dreaded glucose screening (yucky sugar drink) and a growth ultrasound. Any guesses to how much Joshua will approx. weigh? Last time he was measured if you'll recall he was in the 60% and weighed nearly 2 lbs! Let's see how much he's changed huh?

Lastly,
I got a sweet new set of outfits (onsies) for my lil guy to sport.

til next time-