Pregnancy Journal - Thirty-nine Weeks

Update: We are ready to go over here! The hospital bags have been packed for weeks. Every morning after I get ready I put my toiletry bag and my iPad charger back in and each night I take them back out again.
 How far along: 39 weeks, 5 days

Weight gain, body changes: I've definitely "popped". Lost one lb from last week making my final weigh in a total of 37 lbs. My face and hands have swollen up, as have my feet but that swelling is more subtle. I had to stop wearing my engagement ring early on and more recently have switched out my wedding band (I had the Captain purchase my wedding band a size bigger than my engagement ring for this very circumstance) for another ring that fits over my fat finger. I miraculously made it through without a stretch mark and my navel stayed inside.

the Captain figuring out
the carseat

Movement: The baby is riding very low now and I can feel him turn his head back and forth like he's telling me "no". I keep telling him "yes! It's okay to come out." His other wriggly movements are still pretty constant. Every now and then, when the Captain feels him move he'll look surprised and say, "He's right there (pointing to a specific spot on my belly)," and I'll say, "He's right there?!? Honey, he's everywhere!"

Sleep: I've been too excited to sleep. I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Best thing about this week: Granted, this kid could continue to cook for a couple more weeks, but the up coming 40 week mark has me hopeful!

packing up my work
computer for the duration
of my maternity leave

What made you cry: This week was tear free. Maybe my first. Ever.

Food cravings: Everything. I am hungry all the time.

Something you miss: Is it possible to miss someone you haven't really met in person? I'm so excited to meet our son and get to know his personality, to learn how to comfort him, to see what color eyes he will have. (We only just found out that both of Tim's grandfathers had blue eyes. We were under the impression that it was straight brown all the way back-well at least as far as it matters for genetics and eye color. I just assumed all of our kids would have brown eyes.)


How's your mood: Pretty great! Anxious and excited. So excited. Did I mention I am excited?

Any surprises? Just that we've made it this far. I've been a little discouraged after being told that our little guy was going to come early, even "guaranteed" that he would be born last weekend. But my midwife mentioned something at my last appointment that I've tried to focus on. Full term (40 weeks) babies breastfeed better than 37 or 38 week babies. So, the longer we go the better, right?

just one of the many
activities to try to push things
along...museum walking

Pregnancy Journal - Thirty-eight Weeks

Update: We're still cooking over here, though we have had a couple "false starts." Last night we timed my contractions at about 3-4 minutes apart from 9:30pm until well after midnight when I decided to get some sleep. The contractions slowed down after that. A similar thing happened about a week ago. My midwife continues to be surprised every time she sees me and it's not at the hospital.

We're following a fun regime of labor-inducing activities. The sweet Chinese lady who runs the closest produce market has gotten into the habit of saying, "Thank you, baby" when I come in for my fresh pineapple (it's on the list of things to eat!). Today, she got a kick out of me pretending to talk for the baby and say thank you back to her. I've taken up "curb walking" (aka: walking with one foot in the gutter). A good friend of mine who is a doula also said it's a good hip opener. The challenging thing in Brooklyn is that there are very few curbs that are not lined with cars and even fewer that aren't covered in dog poop. Apparently, when the signs say, "please curb your dog" pet owners around here don't also assume that means "and pick up after him too."

How far along: 38 weeks 4 days

Weight gain, body changes: Since my last post at 35 weeks, I've gained 9 lbs (37 lb total weight gain) and 2 more inches around my middle. I have no new stretch marks )that I can find at least). The straight vitamin E and coconut oil seems to be working. My belly button is still an innie, though it is extremely shallow.
Last Friday I was dilated to 4-5cm and 90% effaced. Really, this kid could come any day now, but I'm just trying to be open to any birthday he chooses over the next few weeks. Now that we're "in the clear" I'm extremely low risk. My strep B test came back negative, the baby's in a great position for a natural birth, I'm feeling great...we have no reason to expect any complications. On the 12th of this month the baby was estimated at 6 lbs 11 oz. He'll be measured again tomorrow, but I'm guessing he's about 7.5 lbs now.  Oh how I would love to not have to birth a 9-10 lb baby.

Movement: The baby's still moving really well. He's been in the same position for the last few months, but he's got lots of wiggle room.

Sleep: It's hit or miss, but the last few nights when I do sleep, I sleep really well it's just not for very long. On the weekends, I've been able to nap like a champ! That's been great, since I couldn't really sleep during the day before a few weeks ago.

Best thing about this week: Getting excited that he could come "tonight" or "tomorrow."

What made you cry: At my appointment this week, there was a couple in the waiting room with a 1 week old baby boy. He got hungry and started to cry, which totally made me cry. I couldn't stop! I'm not sure why I was crying, if it was just hormonal or if it was out of longing for our little boy to be on the outside. People keep telling me to enjoy being pregnant and that they are so much more work once they are born, but I just can't wait to meet this little guy and be his mama.

Food cravings: Sweets. They've been terribly difficult to resist. The last few days have been a little easier though.

Something you miss: I will be so excited to be able to sleep on my back again. My shoulders are really starting to feel it. And some tuna sashimi. That's going to be one of the first things I eat after the baby's born.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope. Finally. It a little ironic that the last few weeks of this pregnancy is when I have felt the best.

How's your mood: Very optimistic and excited. It's been nice to be able to do more and not be afraid of jeopardizing the wellness of my baby--book club, birthday dinners (and karoke!), and shopping trips to the city.

We went and saw Lion King on Broadway a few weeks ago. I was bawling like a baby during the opening scene. It was just so overwhelming and beautiful and brought back happy memories of my family. Sitting there for that long, however, was torturous. One perk was that they let me skip the line in the ladies room. That was fantastic!

The Captain and I helped out in the nursery at church yesterday (18-36 month olds) and it was all about getting down on their level (on the ground) or picking up and comforting the sad ones. He confided in me later that it was relieving for him to see that I was capable of being very pregnant and doing "mom type stuff." This pregnancy with all of it's restrictions and sickness, I think, had us both concerned for how I'll be able to handle subsequent pregnancies. I'm crossing my fingers they go a little easier.

Any surprises? After 10 weeks of being so careful to to keep this baby inside, it's starting to seem like he'll never come out! I know that's ridiculous because I haven't even reached my due date yet, but it's still surprising. 

Pregnancy Journal - Thirty-five Weeks

How far along: 35 weeks

Weight gain, body changes: 5 more lbs in the last few weeks bringing my total weight gain to 28 lbs. I've also grown another 1.5 inches around my middle. And the baby has started putting on weight like a champ, measuring in at an estimated 5 lbs at our ultrasound 10 days ago. If he's on track with the norm (an ounce a day), he's probably nearly 6 lbs now. He's definitely putting on the chub!

Movement: He may be running out of room, but it doesn't stop him from getting in his hourly exercise. Benching my kidneys and swinging from my colon...at least that's what it feels like sometimes. He's been pretty much in the same position for the last couple months though, head down with his back along my left side and his little feet digging into the small space between my right ribs and hip bone. I'm amazed by how responsive he is to touch. The Captain had a fun little game of push and shove going the other day where he'd push a little on one spot and the baby would push back on the same spot. WE thought it was pretty cute (and so advanced!! right? everything our kid does is going to be so advanced in our eyes), though I'm not sure if the baby thought it was a fun game. He may well have been saying, "Stop shoving me!"

Sleep: It is getting increasingly uncomfortable, but I'm sleeping pretty hard--until I have to turn or use the facilities. Lately, after my early morning trip (between 3-5am) I have a hard time falling back asleep so I'll read for an hour or so and then go back to sleep until the Captain wakes up and wants to play with the baby :).

Best thing about this week: A couple of my friends here in the BK threw me a lovely baby shower (though technically is was week 33). I had so much fun visiting with friends that I haven't seen since being placed on house arrest bedrest and friends that I just haven't been able to catch up with. Our friends, Ashlee and Nate, even came up from DC and stayed for the weekend. They have a darling 14 month old baby girl who tested out our new stroller and told us that it's a keeper.

What made you cry: I've felt pretty stable the last few weeks. Though, on the long days I can get a little lonely. Saturdays when the Captain is working are the hardest.

Food cravings: Nothing unusual.

Something you miss: That all too brief period when my digestive tract was feeling pretty good. Now that all my organs are squished I'm feeling a little queasy in the mornings (nothing like before though) and have not been able to train myself to eat smaller portions yet.

Anything making you queasy or sick: see above.

Appointments: Since my last entry, I've had another ultrasound and a couple of dr's appointments. We also did the 32 week "stress test" which the baby passed with flying colors. He does not like those monitors though and kept pushing them so hard they would slide around. We're moving into the appointments every week phase and I guess we'll be getting weekly ultrasounds too starting next week. I don't know if it's New York or if it's just because of his mild hydronephrosis (enlarged kidneys) but it does seem a little over kill. This baby has got to be setting some sort of record for pre-birth portraits.

How's your mood: Good! Getting excited to meet this little guy face to face.

Any surprises? I didn't realized how heavy my belly would be. When I roll over in bed, I have to make sure I manually push my belly too, otherwise it might not follow the rest of me!