More Baby Updates

Our son is already just like his old man...

Stubborn as a mule.

As little as three weeks ago the doctor was showing (mild) concern about the relative lack of weight gain. Almost as if to say "I'll show you!" he has since gained an additional 50% in weight in only a little over three weeks. The doctor is no longer worrying about the LAB's size. My wife's dream of a "average size baby", as she puts it, is going out the window... a well-greased, fully open window. This little growth spurt of our LAB has led to, among other things:

Swollen feet
Pinched bladder
Compressed ribs
A general feeling of uncomfortableness that extends though what would normally be seen as sleeping hours

Plus, there's all the side effects for the mother too!

When I said not long ago that he moves all the time I was horribly understating the situation. You can actually see the waves across Kate's belly as he shimmies and shakes. It's like a fleshy ripple. (One flavor ice cream you'll never-ever see.) The only real medical problem with all of this?

He's not really going anywhere. He's in what is called the Traverse Position

And he doesn't seem to mind just staying in that position. It's the same one he's been in since the very first set of ultrasound pictures. See what I mean? Stubborn.

Ideally, he will eventually get himself into a much more common birthing position simply by rolling himself a bit: If, however, over the couse of the next few weeks he doesn't get himself "rotated" he and mommy may have to go through what is known as an Aversion Procedure. I think they call it this because Mommy (and presumably the LAB too) would be terribly adverse to having this procedure take place (a.k.a.- I'd probably end up getting kicked in the nuts somewhere along the line). Basically, the doctor will press and pull and try to actually rotate the LAB into this ideal position. At first they will do this externally. Read this next part very carefully.

If that doesn't work they will try to rotate him INTERNALLY.

O.M.G.

There are times when I get backed up and a trip to the bathroom can be extremely painful. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it might feel like if my bowel movement were suddenly transformed into a rotating turd of death. Just writing this is making me light-headed.

I know there was a bout of morning sickness to start this pregnancy off (another of my famous under-statements) but this is the first real medical situation we've come up against to-date. And while we recogonize the potential seriousness of it all, we also are taking everything with a grain of salt (see "turd of death" statement above) since we can only control what we can control.

Besides, like I said, he wouldn't be our son otherwise.

(Pictures tomorrow hopefully...)