37 and 38 week appointments....

May 25th was our 37 week appointment, and we hadn't made much progress.  Our midwife said I was dilated to a "loose 1" (aka almost 2cm), and was 80% effaced.  Baby was still really high, so she said she didn't think I would go into labor in the next week or so.  She estimated I would most likely have the baby around my due date, but not much earlier.  I was also screened for Group B strep, and those results came back negative.  The latest development is that it seems I am one of those rare (1 in 100) women who develops PUPPPS in pregnancy.  Its a rash that starts in your stretch marks and continues all over your body.  The itching is INSANELY intense and it doesn't seemed to be soothed by anything.  Oatmeal baths and tar soap have been the most relieving, but they only last about an hour.  Our midwife indicated that a steroid could have an impact on the baby's immune system, so the only option was to grin and bear it until after the baby was born, and try to get as much relief as i could from topical stuff and Benadryl.

Thursday, May 31st was my 38 week appointment.  I honestly didn't expect much progress.  PUPPPS was still itching me like crazy, and I just had this inkling that our baby was going to stay in there way past our due date, just to make me suffer.  Surprisingly, when our midwife checked me she stated that I was dilated to 4 cm and still 80% effaced.  She also felt like the baby was still pretty high.  She let us know that she was on call for the weekend and was hopeful we might go into labor in the next couple of days.  YEAH RIGHT...we still had to MOVE!!  Craig and I had a brief talk with the baby, letting him/her know that we'd prefer they wait until all our boxes were in the door on Saturday, and then he/she would be welcome to make an appearance.  My parents would be in town, so that would make it extra nice if they didn't have to make a second trip for the birth.  We had our last Childbirth Class that night, and I'll be honest, I was so tired, itchy, etc.  I was in a pretty bad mood.  I couldn't take the exercises very seriously, because all I could think about was the stress of the upcoming move, and just really wanted to go to bed.

We moved all day Friday and Saturday...still no baby.  We painted the baby room and even got quite a bit unpacked.  Thank Jesus for awesome friends and my parents, who really did most of the cleaning and moving.  By Sunday, my whole body ached, so Craig and I took a break from unpacking and just let ourselves have a day off.

Monday morning was our next appointment at 38 weeks and 5 days.  There was no change from the last appointment.  Still dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced, but again it looks like the baby is much lower.   I had only had about 2 contractions in my entire pregnancy, so it still didn't seem to me that we would have this baby any time soon.  I was beyond going crazy from the PUPPPS, so I asked our midwife if we would be able to discuss natural induction (stripping my membrane to stimulate the Cervix to start contracting) anytime soon.  She apologized that she had not asked me, but stated that she stripped my membrane when she did the cervical check.  Apparently, she assumed that with my complaints about itching, I was ready to get things moving, if possible.  She also said she felt like baby would be making an appearance in the next week or so.

36 week appointment!

Yesterday we had our 36 week appointment, which also marked the start of our weekly visits to see our midwife! She did the check for Group B Strep, and also did our first cervical check.  Her measurements indicated that baby is head down, but head is not engaged in the pelvis yet.  He/she's still floating a bit!  She said I was dilated to 1 cm and 80% effaced.  By her predictions, we will not be having this baby super early, but perhaps we might go into labor a few days before our due date.  I take that with a grain of salt.  Right now, we're so focused on getting packed and moved, that I am ok not being labor ready just yet.

My body however, is really really ready.  My stretch marks have gone from being ugly, to downright the nastiest itch I have ever experienced.  And it does not stop!  And I am now suffering alot more swelling and carpal tunnel in my hands.  I can still type and lift things, but I cannot at all feel the ends of my fingers from the knuckles down, and I tend to drop alot of things I pick up, because I can't feel them.  This is getting pretty annoying and even painful at night, but there is nothing that can be done about it.  Otherwise, I am still trucking along just fine.

We started our birth classes last week.  Actually,  I had to attend our first one by myself.  It made me so sad not having Craig there.  I don't know how people go through this alone.  I barely made it through the 3 hour class without bursting into tears.  Needless to say, we met with our childbirth educator a little early this week to catch Craig up, and we had another great class that made us feel that much more ready and prepared for D-day!

I am really starting to feel the nesting thing.  NOTHING is ready.  No nursery (NO HOUSE), no bag packed, no clothes washed.  NOTHING.  So I am feeling a little out of control right now.  Poor Craig gets the brunt of it as I worry and fret over every little decision he makes, outing he goes on, etc.  Its almost like I need everything in order and to know his every move, just "in case."  Guess its my control issues coming out, as well.  I am trying to relax, but don't know that I'll feel any better until we're moved.

Next check is a week from today.  I am hoping for a little progress on the baby's position, but no labor signs just yet!

34 weeks!

I can't believe it.  We're rounding the last corner.  In 3 weeks, we'll be full term, and hopefully we'll be meeting our baby within the next 6.  I am still feeling pretty good most days.  I am actually feeling alot better now that I am no longer temping, and I can go for walks with Lucy during the day.  The only issues I am still having are breathing and eating.  My eyes seem to be bigger than my stomach these days, so after eating, I just feel uncomfortable and out of breath.  I am holding steady at 37 pounds of weight gain.  Really hoping not to pass the 40 lb mark, but with 6 weeks to go, I would say its pretty likely.   OH and the other not so fun thing is that each new day seems to add another itchy, slightly painful stretch mark.  Shout out to my mom for passing on the stretch mark gene!

Today I had my 34 week appointment.  It was the last of the 2 week appointments.  I go in again at 36 weeks for the start of my weekly checks.  At our next appointment, our midwife will begin checking the baby's position, head position, and for any dilation of my cervix.  She said she would even begin giving us her predictions as to whether I would deliver early, late or on time based on all the things she checks.  Of course, I am not going to bank much on her predictions, because everyone I know that was told they were sure to deliver "any day" ended up being at least a week late!  No reason to get my hopes up.

We start our childbirth classes next week.  Unfortunately, Craig is missing the first one.  Boo.  But he's getting to go to his sister's graduation, and the doula/childbirth instructor has assured me that most of the first class is introductory anyway.  Plus, she's going to do a make up session with him to make sure we both have the information we need.  I am a little nervous about starting our classes so late, but at the same time I think it will be good to have the information fresh in our minds when the labor process actually starts.

Have I mentioned that we're moving 12 days before my due date? I tell ya, we're just full of surprises.  Sometimes I sit back and wonder if this is really MY life... being kind of a Type A persona and all.  Surprise pregnancy, Gender surprise, last minute move, still no final decisions on baby name, last minute child birth classes, and hopefully even a spontaneous, natural delivery.  Who am I these days?  Being the planner and organizer, I am kind of not recognizing myself right now.  I have to blame my "go with the flow" husband for stretching me!  But I'll be the first to admit that some of this stretching has brought me to my breaking point a couple of times.   Even still, we're managing.  And we couldn't be more EXCITED!

Sleep...how I miss you

Everyone tells you that once you're pregnant, you need to get as much sleep as you possibly can.  They are always telling me "Girl, sleep in!,"  "Enjoy your day off", "Take lots of naps," etc.  I have yet to understand how one does this in their third trimester.  I have always loved LOVED sleep.  I could easily wake up during the night and fall right back to sleep, and I took every oppurtunity to sleep in that I could.  But now I dread it.  As tired as I am every evening, I dread heading to bed.

I definitely believe the statements that your nasal passages swell during pregnancy, because I can actually HEAR myself breathe throughout the day, and Craig says the snoring is out of control!

More recently though, I have felt as if my lungs are half the size they used to be.  I am not a fan of sinus problems or colds.  I would rather be throwing up over a toilet than have a stuffy nose.  I know it sounds weird, but I think its the claustrophobic feeling I get from not being able to breath well, that just absolutely unnerves me.  So, this is going to be one I really have to pray through at the end of this pregnancy.  I think the baby is sitting somewhat high, thus pushing all my innards into my chest and causing me difficulty in taking deep breaths.  Its a little more intense at night, so I am trying to do as much sleeping sitting up as I can.  Otherwise, I just feel like I am going to hyperventilate.  Sometimes, the baby will moved and I feel a little more relief, but mostly I just have to pray that I don't think about it and can fall asleep.

It's strange.  My first two trimesters were super easy.  Few, if any, complaints.  I even stated to Craig on numerous occasions that it was going by all too fast! (I think maybe as one who has experienced a long, difficult journey to pregnancy, I am all too aware that this might be our ONLY pregnancy, so I want toenjoy every second of it.)  I never really understood why women were so ready to be "un-pregnant" and had a running list of complaints and frustrations.  Well...now I get it.  I still want to soak in every moment, and I still am thankful for each and every pregnancy ailment or issue.  But I am most certainly praising Jesus for His Mercy in allowing pregnancy to be no more than roughly 40 weeks. Its long enough to feel ready, but short enough to find some relief to all the little irritants that seem to take over ones every day ability to function.  9 weeks to go!

****UPDATE:  Apparently the breathing problem is NOT just an evening thing.  Just ate a decent sized lunch, and am now sitting at my desk concentrating on inhaling and exhaling normally.  It's not working!! 

First Braxton Hicks

Tuesday night was my first Braxton Hicks contraction.  I've been waking up several times a night due to movement, having to go to the bathroom, dry mouth, or minor shortness of breath (more on that later), so I wasn't that surprised when I woke up at 4am feeling some tightness in my stomach.  I thought it was the baby stretching or moving, but I realized soon enough that the tightness was continuous for about 20-30 seconds.  Kind of cool, as I've heard other mom's talk about these, but hadn't yet experienced one.  Just a reminder that labor day is just around the corner!  Still so much to do, but I cannot wait for June to get here either!

Maternity photos...28 Weeks!

My sister Abby took our maternity photos at 28 weeks.  She just blogged some, so I thought I would copy and put them here as well.  She did a great job, juggling 2 babies, dinner plans, visits with family, and somehow in the middle of that working in a couple of hours to take our pictures.  I didn't put too much thought into what we would wear and we ended up changing locations like 2 or 3 times, but ultimately, I just wanted this phase of our lives documented.  And she did that so well.
This one is definitely going in the nursery!

My 2-3rd trimester craving (well one of them)....DOUBLE STUFF OREOS!OOooooh...look at that double chin!!!  Fabulous!  haha.

Stretch Marks, leg cramps, and other complaints

I have prayed over and over throughout this pregnancy, that I will be able to get through it with minimal complaints.  I am so overjoyed that God has even allowed me the chance to experience this, so it seems like discontentment to whine about discomforts.    However, at the same time, I  want to remember, and I'm afraid I won't.  So, I figure I'll document them, but preface it with "I am so completely humbled and thankful for even these...."

Leg cramps- These started pretty much at week 28.  I had a few before, but they were pretty minor.  But a couple of weeks ago, I woke up SCREAMING in pain.  Of course, poor Craig shot out of bed like a rocket, thinking I was in premature labor or something.  Finally, I managed to work out of my mouth "leg cramp", and he worked for about a minute massaging my left leg.  I have never felt anything like that, and I was surprised it lasted so long.  I am also pretty sure I subtracted one year from my husband's life span with that scream.  Ever since then, I have woken up to the onset of leg cramps, but have found that if I immediately flex my food, they tend to go away.

Back Fat- I have never had the super slim back, but I am AMAZED at where my weight is accumulating these days.  I plan to start doing more pushups and rows in order to keep the back fat down, but seriously??  Why wasn't I told about this?  Maybe its just my body. 

Swollen Feet- I've gotten swollen feet every once in awhile, and they  usually just come at the end of a long day.  But as of week 29, the super swollen feet are here to stay.  My left one is much bigger than my right one (our midwife says its because the heart and aorta are on the left side of the body).  The best way to describe my feet these days is to compare them to Miss Piggy's.  It seriously looks like I am trying to jam a hoof into a tiny slipper, and I tried on some sandles the other day, but couldn't get the straps beyond my toes. 

Going to look for some Tom's today, as my friend told me they stretch and allow the feet to breathe much better.

Stretch Marks-  I knew it.  I knew they were coming.  My mom has them.  My sister has them.  And they both told me they were pretty much inevitable, because they are genetic.  But I refused to believe it.  I stayed well hydrated.  I bought the expensive oil at the maternity store, massaging it all over the growing bump morning and night.  But week 28 I noticed 2-3 purple dots.  I thought it was my imagination, but asked Craig to look.  Yep, the beginning of stretch marks.  I furiously applied more oil to no avail.  Now they are full blown purple streaks up and down my belly.  As of now, they haven't traveled above my belly button, so I am still hopeful. But then again, we still have at least 9 weeks to go.  But I'm still thankful, even if I end up rocking a one piece swimsuit for the rest of my life.  (ahem...there will be no pictures of these...ever.) :)