35 Weeks–EDB 28/05/13

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

35 weeks gestation means 5 weeks to go, thereabouts. 5 weeks to make sure that everything that must be done before the baby arrives is done before the baby arrives (getting the car serviced springs to mind). 5 weeks to think about the title of my new blog once the little one arrives. I’m thinking of calling it “Miracle of my womb”, but I still have no idea how often I plan to publish (monthly springs to mind).

Last night, instead of my usual insomnia hour, I suffered from insomnia hours (plural). I woke up at 1:11am, and the last time I checked my clock it was 2:54am. It is presently 2:49pm, and I am officially shattered, having just done a whole stack of errands, including visiting my horse (who today decided that she was going to be at the other end of her paddock instead of next to the gate).

Today, I have officially felt my first full belly tightening. I’ve felt little Braxton Hicks before this, but they didn’t do much more than make me feel like I needed to pee then and there (I knew they were BH because I could feel with my hand that my belly was tight).

I also need to report (because my mother is so very interested) that my belly button has not yet popped, and I’m actually not really anticipating that it will anytime soon. However, my belly is so big that Brad jokes that I no longer need to wear a bra, although my belly doesn’t actually feel massive most of the time.

Wednesday, 24 April 2013 (Day 1)

I had another night of severely disrupted sleep. I had two separate insomnia hours, one at around 1:00am, and the other at 4:00am, the latter of which ended when I got up and made myself a chai latte at 5:20am. I then proceeded to wash my hair (as I was feeling quite awake) and put on a load of laundry, but then felt so tired that I went back to bed at 6:45am and fell asleep, to wake up at 8:30am. I felt quite a bit more human after my nap.

I weighed myself this morning at 101kg, which is a total weight gain of 18kg since I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks.

Exercise…yeah, I don’t do much really. Before pregnancy, I’d walk, ride my push bike occasionally, and do lots of horse riding (which gave me quite reasonable core strength). However, my weight was mostly controlled by my calorie intake. Doctor’s orders were to stop horse riding at 4 weeks, and bike riding was also out due to the risk of falling. I have been walking around my neighbourhood delivering Avon catalogues, although first trimester morning sickness made this tricky for a while. Our two-storey house is also atop a hillside, and this alone has allowed me to keep some level of fitness, although it still makes me breathless some days. I am having to limit the walking around my neighbourhood now though, because it is quite hilly, and I get quite a lot of round ligament pain and Braxton hicks contractions climbing the hills. I’m also a little unsteady on my feet lately, so Brad isn’t too keen on me being unaccompanied on uneven footing. I will pick it up again postpartum, and I’m looking forward to pushing my pram (if it ever arrives) around the neighbourhood, but for the moment I need to listen to my body.

One of the biggest lessons I had to learn in my horse riding was to put my shoulders back and stick my belly (and certain “assets”) out to keep my balance, as I liked to sit quite curled up and riding my horse’s neck. I can do this real easy now, thanks to a certain ballast weight that I’ve been given – if only I could climb up into a saddle to take advantage of this assistance and see what it feels like – and I hope that the memory of this feeling helps my riding in the future. The discomfort I feel (and am complaining about) is when I get tired at night and want to collapse through my ribcage (impossible with a baby shaped plank under my ribs), or when I’m trying to sleep and gravity makes baby rest against my rib cage, or if I’ve been sitting on the fit ball too long – then I’m really screwed because I want to collapse through my rib cage to relieve my aching shoulders.

Thursday, 25 April 2013 (Day 2)

Praise God! I got a full night’s sleep last night (8:30pm to 8:00am). I did have to get up twice for comfort breaks, but I went straight back to sleep both times. I did a number of things different. Firstly, I prayed for a good night’s sleep. Next, I didn’t consume any caffeine or use my computer after midday. I also drunk a warm glass of milk, showered and brushed my teeth just before bed.

I have one constant craving at the moment, particularly in the afternoon, and that is for milk, ice cream, chocolate, or any other milk based product. I *REALLY* want a soft serve, but I’ll be good and get Brad to bring me one in hospital. I guess this baby is sapping my calcium reserves.

Bubby is having a rather quiet day. S/he will move if provoked, but really gives me the impression that s/he would rather sleep. I guess I’ll be happy with that for now. Although, having just typed that, I just got a series of kicks (definite kicks) just below my rib cage on my right hand side, so perhaps we’re now waking up for the night. I got a single kick just like it when I went for my Avon walk this afternoon.

I made a damper today. My pregnancy brain thought it needed sultanas, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, but Brad doesn’t like the taste of the pumpkin seeds. That’s a win for me, because it means that I get to eat the rest. Yay!

Friday, 26 April 2013 (Day 3)

My goodness, this week is going so slowly!

I was getting rather worried about the baby’s slow movements last night. I sat down in the recliner and proceeded to prod and poke, and while I got a few small movements, I didn’t get any of the angry responses I’m used to. After about 10 minutes persistence, I gave up and was just on the verge of calling the midwives, when the baby suddenly woke up and started doing these massive rolls that even Brad got to see. I also got woken up by a few massive movements last night. Once was a rather large thump (I don’t get actual kicks very often now), and the other was what must have been a large stretch, because suddenly the outer confines of my uterus on all sides was quivering. I’ve also had a few spontaneous movements this morning, so I’m much happier. My next midwife appointment is Monday evening, and it can’t come fast enough.

And now for an amusing take on all the sleep advice in most of the parenting books out there, thrown into one article. For a giggle, click here.

The size of my belly is becoming a problem on many levels. Last night I shaved my legs, and I determined that it was probably the last time before I give birth. My belly has a sore patch from where I rest it on the kitchen benches as I go about my wifely duties. Brad has even had to remind me to watch my belly in front of the stove. He’s worried about me burning it…I’m worried about the clothes in front of it catching fire as a result of getting too close to the gas hob. I guess in the long run it is the same concern with different perspectives.

Saturday, 27 April 2013 (Day 4)

Ooh, it’s nearly the end of April, and tomorrow I’m officially 8 months pregnant! Also, the weather is starting to work out whether it’s warm or cool, so controlling my temperature while I sleep is getting easier. I seem to vent a lot of air through my neck, so I have to keep that area free of venting obstruction, but otherwise it is now cool enough to pull up the duvet at silly o’clock to keep warm enough.

Brad has spent the morning assembling the bits and pieces that needed doing in the nursery, and we’ve now bought everything that we need. I’ll post some pictures soon enough, but some of the items are still on layby and won’t come off until much closer to my due date.

I had two female strangers ask me today when I’m due, and look surprised/sympathetic when I said “in a month”. I also had one Avon customer who I am on good terms with affectionately tell me that “I’d got fat” and “am I sure there’s only one in there” (I did take this with the good humour it was intended). My husband was with me through all this, so I commented to him later that I must have popped again, and his response was “well, you look very pregnant”. I guess I can expect more of this treatment over the remainder of my 4 weeks. Lord, give me patience!

Sunday, 28 April 2013 (Day 5)

I had another rough night’s sleep last night. It started with me waking up with heartburn, which is no big deal as I sleep with Quickeze beside my bed for just an occasion. However, once I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, I realised that one side of my nose was blocked, enough to make it difficult to breath and make me start to get a little panicky (feelings which are resolved once I sit up). Being pregnant, I can’t go and take anything for it, however, I have found that rehydrating myself along with a little light night-time exercise often helps clear or start to clear the blockage, as this is actually a fairly regular occurrence. This did work…after two hours, twice the normal hydration, another dose of Quickeze (I was also struggling with trapped stomach gas during this time) and a little jaunt of trying to sleep propped up on pillows whilst trying to control my body temperature (as it was another temperate night last night, and I found my shoulders to be cold whilst the rest of me was definitely not).

Monday, 29 April 2013 (Day 6)

I think I was awake for the same amount of time I was asleep last night. I went to bed with a spinning head and bouts of dizziness that turned into clamminess (I turned on the fan), low blood pressure and palpitations. After getting real concerned, I realised that I needed to go to the toilet and make a bowel movement. That solved that problem. I then woke two hours later with heartburn, and the hour after that with a blocked nose and heartburn. I was then awake for an hour before waking up every hour to go pee. Joy, joy, joy – is this journey over yet?

My goodness, I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. I feel so weak today. I’ve eaten both breakfast and lunch, and I’ve drunk 2 litres of water (just in case dehydration is the cause). I’m also have a little trouble doing bowel movements due to the size and position of the baby. The bowel movements themselves are soft though. At least I’m not still feeling dizzy. I wonder what my midwife will have to say tonight.

34 Weeks – EDB 28/05/13

 

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6 April (32+4 weeks) and 10 April (33+1 weeks) respectively

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Thursday, 18 April 2013 (Day 2)

It has been a while since I did an update, but that is because I’ve been busy and not had much to say, except to complain about how much I am over the trials of pregnancy. I want this baby out so that I can get my body back and get on with life. It feels like a huge waiting game at the moment, although that has probably been in part due to the fact that I was waiting for my baby shower before I did any shopping. Now that it has happened, I have been getting on with what remains of my shopping.

Brad and I did a tour of the birthing suite and maternity ward (finally), and it was every bit as good as I was hoping it would be. If I get a chance when I’m in labour, I’ll get photos of the birthing suite, just to make everyone jealous of just how good our public hospital is here in Coffs Harbour, NSW. As well as your standard bed in a hospital room, there is a private courtyard for each suite as well as a bath and shower in the private ensuite. The hospital encourages women to have an active labour (hence the courtyard) and to use hot water as a pain reliever (hence the bath and shower), and water births are allowed, as well as giving birth in whichever position you find most “comfortable” at the time.

I had my baby shower on Saturday. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, as I can’t remember much of the mental blur that was my bridal shower. As a result of the shower and all the other gifts that people have given me outside of this event, I will have no need to buy any clothes until we grow out of 000, and I have all the bedroom and bathroom linen I will ever need for this baby (and probably the next one). I also have as many potions and lotions as it is possible to acquire for a baby – I joked that I have enough for three babies, and it probably isn’t that far from the truth. I spent three hours yesterday shopping for all the leftover odds and ends, but I do still have a few big purchases to make. I still need a nursing chair and pillow, all my modern cloth nappies (although I’ll be starting with terry flats), an oil heater for the nursery, and a few other little bits and pieces.

I had an appointment with the midwives on Monday and Brad was able to come with me as he had an RDO. I thought I was going to get another Anti D shot, but apparently you can only have them every 28 days, and it hadn’t been 28 days since my last injection. The baby was head down for the first time at an appointment and on my right. I also found out that I have cracked the 100kg mark. :-o My next appointment is two weeks from the last one, and Brad will be able to come to that one as well as it will be at 6:30pm!

As for those complaints, I find it very difficult to get comfortable. When I lie down, it takes 30 seconds for me to be able to breath normally again. I get aches and pains no matter how I sit. Slouching results in a little bottom being wedged in the highest point of my ribs, but sitting up gives me a sore back and shoulders. I just can’t win at the moment, but I do delight in warm showers and baths to relieve the pain – well, a bath for as long as I can put up with the shortness of breath that comes from reclining in my bath tub.

Too much information time – constipation (sort of). I drink Benefibre in the evening to keep things moving along, and it works great, except when the baby gets in the way, quite literally. I just went today for the first time in two, maybe three, days, and it was sweet relief, although the stools themselves definitely weren’t hard or difficult to expel. I tried to go yesterday, but I don’t like straining for long periods of time so that I don’t get haemorrhoids (which has worked so far), and I certainly didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, nor did I feel like I was pushing effectively because I couldn’t get myself into the best position for elimination (thank you, baby). Unfortunately all I did get was large explosions of smelly gas, which continued while I walked around Target. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to any poor souls who may have unwittingly walked into one of these gas clouds.

Saturday, 20 April 2013 (Day 4)

Hello afternoon swelling! I have swelling in my right ankle and in both hands. I don’t think I have any swelling in my left ankle, but it’s hard to tell compared to the obvious swelling in the right. The swelling in my right ankle is quite understandable, as I have been recovering from a fall last Sunday that I failed to mention previously. My left foot slipped out from under me on a slippery step, and my right leg crumpled, landing on the inside of my right foot, the inside of my right knee, and the inside of my left hip. None of this swelling is painful, with one exception…my right hand hurts when I try and chop anything with resistance.

Sunday, 21 April 2013 (Day 5)

I don’t know what I’m over more: being pregnant, or talking to people about my being pregnant. I’m sick of being uncomfortable, but I’m also sick of the endless questions that go with appearing pregnant, resulting in me trying to dress so that I don’t appear too pregnant (no easy feat when you’ve only 5 weeks gestation remaining). My only relief from the questions seems to be when I avoid people that I know all together, especially if I’m not in the divulging mood.

Brad and I did some shopping together yesterday, so there’s now only one thing left on my shopping list, which is the nursing chair. I know the one I want, so it’s only a matter of getting and assembling it, but there’s not that great a rush yet.

The baby doesn’t really kick anymore, but any movements I get are large and alien-like. As far as I know, the head is down and sitting rather low (or it feels like it to me), and if s/he gets squished then Mummy gets a set of elbows pushing against the obstruction (ouch!). I can often feel the spine of the baby on the left or right hand side, but that changes regularly, and baby is quite the professional at performing corkscrews.

30 Weeks – EDB 28/05/13

As I'm 32 weeks pregnant today, I thought I should get a wriggle on and post this from two weeks ago.

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

So, I’m 30 weeks pregnant today. That means 10 weeks to go, if bub comes right on time (like I did).

I’ve started getting Brad to massage my belly at night, and bub interacts with him, playing with his hands and appearing to get upset when he takes his hand away to watch my belly do the “alien thing”. It feels like the start of us bonding as a little family.

I think bub has had a real growth spurt in the last seven days, because bub’s favourite sling position in my belly (lying across my belly under my belly button) doesn’t seem to have enough room now, and when bub is there and I press on my belly button, I can feel that there is baby on either side of my hand, not just below it. I also get to enjoy the feeling of bub stretching out and pressing various body parts against the outside of my uterus. I just wish that s/he would limit the use of elbows. It won’t be long now before I get to experience the feeling of feet in my ribs.

Monday, 25 March 2013 (Day 6)

So Brad and I went on a little “babymoon” for 3 nights in Port Macquarie. We stayed at Mantra Quayside, which is a lovely set of serviced apartments. This was my first experience staying in such accommodation, and I must say that I look forward to doing it again in the future. It is such a cheaper way to holiday.

Bub has been spending most of the last two or three days head down, bum up, with feet pressed against the front of my belly. Clearly s/he has run out of room to curl up in the bottom of my stomach, which is just as well because it was getting rather uncomfortable. The unfortunate side affect of this new position is a return to heartburn conditions with a vengeance. However, I am pleased that bub has decided to take up this new position because it means that I’m not likely to need an ECV (External cephalic version), which would unfortunately mean another anti D injection. Fingers crossed that s/he stays there and that I only have to worry about turning a posterior baby, which is easy enough as I have found being on all fours to be quite a relaxing position.

 

 

Cooking in Port Macquarie 21/03/13 (30+2)

31 weeks + 2 days...really popped out now

 

My belly button, not popping out yet