We made it to 40
weeks pregnant. And we’re still pregnant! It’s been SUCH a low-key week at
home, which has been wonderful, especially after the hectic work pace I had
been keeping since AUGUST. Michael was with me almost every day since he was
pretty sick and there were snow days. I got things done in the apartment and
lazed around a lot.
We didn’t go for very
many walks {two, to be precise} but it was so snowy then slushy/icy then
frigid. Excuses, excuses, but it might have been a good idea to try and get
things going in the “let’s have this baby” department. As of yesterday,
according to the midwife, there’s no progress. She cannot {nor can anyone, for
that matter} predict when the baby will come but she tactfully told us that
many first time mothers will go a bit over a week late. I’m completely OK with
our daughter taking her time, though I’m actually feeling impatient – so maybe I’m
not completely OK with it then? It’s just that we have some very special
grandparents coming to visit very soon who would like to meet their first
grandchild and we would like for that too…so let’s get this show on the road
baby girl!
I am grateful for the
week off, though. It was so nice to finally have mental space and energy to
think about having a baby and being a parent – a luxury I had a hard time
making time for when teaching and commuting was taking up so much of me. Thank
goodness we’ll be living somewhere closer to work when the new school year
begins AND that I won’t be adjusting to a new textbook/curriculum {read:
basically starting from scratch}. So if we get another week still pregnant,
I’ll be just as grateful, albeit a bit more impatient.
On to the details.
 |
| Shadowville still. |
How far along: 40 weeks – I’m now
officially post-term
Symptoms:
·
Pregnancy.
·
The carpal tunnel in my right hand
hasn’t gotten worse but it hasn’t gotten much better; I’m hoping this is a
miraculous “will disappear as soon as I’m no longer pregnant” sort of story.
·
I’ve had maybe a few “light”
contractions, so the midwife told me, according to the crampiness I described,
but she seemed to think more that it’s an irritable uterus instead; I think
this is hilarious because I can envision an angry body organ shaking its fist.
This irritability is just considering how huge a uterus gets at the end of
pregnancy as well as all of the weight it’s schlepping around {at least seven
pounds of baby plus several more pounds of other stuff}…this isn’t a painful
condition, rather, I just notice it.
·
I’m still ravenous throughout the day
and night. I even had several dreams in which I remarked that I was “starving”
and could feel being hungry. Needless to say, I had a snack as soon as I got up
the next morning.
Wait gain: 167; still losing a bit.
Size of baby: a pumpkin or a jack
fruit.
Exercise: two
neighborhood walks and then I walked an entire mall today {both levels}, at a
decent clip today.
Milestones: we reached the “end” of
a full-term pregnancy; it was great to hit weeks 36/37 and think that my baby
was more likely than not completely OK and could go home right away after
birth, but obviously 40 was the goal all along. It’s been a wonderful
pregnancy; I’ve truly loved almost every aspect of it. I’m assuming labor/birth
might not be so enjoyable but, naively perhaps, I’m so grateful for this whole
experience. I realize that any subsequent pregnancies could be extremely
different from this one so I’m especially thankful for it.
We also got our strollers assembled,
all the cloth diapers laundered and stuffed, and bags mostly packed. Tomorrow
morning the much-delayed car seat will be installed and inspected {thanks
Metropolitan PD!}…we are as ready as we can be.
What I miss: not much right now! With the light at
the end of the tunnel I’m feeling energized and excited.
Sex: still a girl.
Movement:
it’s good and roly-poly. I’m feeling some movement way in the bottom towards my
hipbones almost, which is an odd sensation.
Thoughts/questions/concerns: I have
until 41 weeks and six days to be able to give birth at the birthing center vs.
the hospital and to not be medically induced. I’m not worried about this
timeline rather, like I mentioned, I’m feeling a tad impatient. I’d like to
have our daughter here before her grandparents arrive. So, we’ve tried a few
things: spicy food, walking, red raspberry leaf tea, and evening of primrose
oil. Only time can tell if any of them will work so look out for an update! One
thing I am able to say, though, is that I won’t try taking Castor Oil like some
women do; it sounds gross gross gross.
Sleep:
I’m still up every two to three hours, but I’m so used to it. Plus, I figure
that my sleep will be just as broken up {if not more} soon enough, at least now
it’s only needing to use the bathroom and I can go right back to sleep.
Goals: have a baby!
Random: will this be our last
weekend together as two? Three, actually; I’d be remiss if I didn’t count
Guinness. Again, I really am so glad I had this week. There might be a few
random things I’d like to tie up around here, cleaning-wise, but baby
preparation is at a good place right now as are we mentally. I’m so excited to
see what this next phase of life has to bring us but I am definitely very much
so continuing to enjoy my still-pregnant state.
xoxo, natty ♥
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