Thoughts on Pregnancy: 37 weeks

34 weeks

35 weeks

 36 weeks 

(same shirt as above..woot)

 37 weeks

-Does my belly seemed to have popped between weeks 36 and 37, or am I just seeing things? This is coming from a woman who swore she had a "bump" at 14 weeks so I'm pretty good at seeing things that aren't really there.

-I have had weekly appointments since 35 weeks and have been checked for dilation 3 different times. Every time the answer is the same: Zero progress. Zero dilation. Baby boy seems a little too content to hang out in there. I really should stop feeding him so well.

-Having between 30-60 Braxton Hicks contractions a day will not help you dilate. I was desperately holding out hope that there was a reason I was getting so many and I would go into labor early. Unfortunately, based off of the above statement, the BH contractions have done absolutely nothing. Bummer.

-I honestly can't remember a night where I didn't wake up 3-4 times to go to the bathroom. I'm starting to think that waking up with a baby won't be so bad since I won't really remember what it is like to have a full nights rest (silver lining, am I right?).

-Around 35 weeks I had a little scare, if you can call it that. For three days I could tell that the baby's movements were a lot less than they were normally. He would move here and there, but I was noticing that his movements were fewer and farther between. For the first two days I wrote it off. I could still feel him move occasionally and I didn't want to overreact (which I'm pretty good at doing). The third day of low movements happened to be the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. In the afternoon I found myself consuming a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's and a caffeinated beverage in hopes of getting Baby Boy to move. I wouldn't recommend that food and drink combination, it will for sure make you ill. At 2:00pm Aaron told me to call the doctor if I was concerned and see what he said. It would make for a long three day weekend if I was constantly worried about the baby's movements and well-being. I reluctantly called the doctor. Hesitant, purely because I didn't want to be pegged as a crazy pregnant lady. Which I should have known was out the window the moment I burst into tears outside the DMV (see last post). My doctor told me to come in and get an ultrasound. They didn't take low fetal movement too lightly. Being me I was 50% in control, and 50% a panicking lunatic. Every worst case scenario and "horror story" I've ever heard came rushing into my mind. Along with those thoughts were those of "I bet he's totally fine and this is so stupid that you're going." Mental Battle Royale. It made for a long drive to the doctor's office. In order to avoid mental internal combustion I told myself over and over "I'd rather feel stupid than sorry." I'd rather feel stupid for going and having him be fine, than not going and having something be wrong. After waiting in the waiting room, they were able to find some time and squeeze me in with the ultrasound technician. She could tell immediately that Baby Boy was completely fine and doing well. (Insert rush of gratitude and huge sigh of relief here). She took more measurements and tracked his heart rate. She even took more 3D images of his face with his hand curled up by his lips. She concluded that he was moving less since he had found a spot that he liked and was comfortable and content. I was embarrassed for overreacting, but was reassured by both the technician and my doctor that I did the right thing in the situation. Plus, I'll take more "sneak peeks" of my boy any day. I can't wait to shower that face with kisses. I guess I'm just further solidifying my crazy pregnant woman status...

-Now that I know he has settled in a spot, I have noticed that his movements are different. When I lay on my side on my bed, he loves to run his feet between me and the mattress. Or he uses the mattress as a launch pad to bounce around. His feet move from my right side up underneath my chest. I always feel the his hiccups near my left hip (where his back is).

-In recent days I have noticed that Grace has become very clingy to me. I don't know if it is just a phase, or if she can tell that things in our family are about to change. I tend to read too much into things so I think it is the latter, but even if it isn't I'm loving her new found cuddliness and want for her Mama.

-The days are winding down quickly yet they seem to drag on forever. I can't wait to hold this sweet boy in my arms.