36 Weeks

The realities of 36 weeks is that I have no ambition to make this organized or pretty.  Down the road, my OCD self will be really pissed at my lazy, pregnant self but it is what it is.  Allow me to introduce my thoughts via bulletin points, chaotic style.

> Swelling.  Holy heck batman! Waist down I'm swollen like a balloon.  I had a tiny fear that it was weight gain at one point but my midwife assured me I'm just very swollen and retaining a lot of water.  The swollen feet suck but I can deal with that.  It's the swollen thighs and knees (not that they could be called knees anymore) are the biggest issue.  As if it isn't hard enough to climb in and out of bed, my car or even sit down to pee, lets add a whole 'nother level of discomfort there.  I have done everything they've told me to do.  I take B6 at night.  I get up and walk as much as I can, but lets face it, when you have these legs, walking is a trial.  I put my feet up etc.  Nothing is doing the trick.   We're to the point that I dropped even more money on maxi skirts because I can't fit into pants.  Not even maternity pants.  They won't go over the calves.

> I've said for a long time that I didn't think I'd go past 38 weeks.  In reality, I figured I was fooling myself but my gut just kept telling me 38 weeks.  Now that I'm 36 weeks and 38 is only two weeks away, I'm minorly freaking out about it.  I do not have the room finished.  There are no bags packed.  I haven't even gone to pick up all the little travel size shampoo etc items I need FOR the bags.

> Plan on attending a breastfeeding class June 5th.  Have yet to remember to register for it.  I'm rocking the awesome.

> My temp at work started last week and she's lovely.  Absolutely wonderful.  She's a quick learner and I feel a lot more confident to leave whenever the time comes.  Speaking of that, I'm thinking I will give a final day of June 6th.  A solid week before my due date.

> OB appointment on Monday was interesting.  For one the day started out badly.  I was extremely swollen (I'd say this is when the swollen knees/thigh issues began) and had a frustrating interaction with a coworker just before leaving to go to my appointment.  We waited for a long time at the OB, the room was extremely hot.  So hot that I felt like I was melting to the table.  So I had the swelling issues and an abnormally high blood pressure.  180 over something I believe.  My midwife took my blood pressure again at the end of the appointment and it had come down to 130.  She wasn't freaking out about it but she did ask that I have a non stress test done either right then or later in the week.  I opted for later in the week because I was over it, done, put a fork in me by that point.  So today I have my non stress test.  I have this nagging suspicion that she may recommend bed rest.  Or maybe that's my subconscious making wishes because I know that I won't let myself just stop working if there's no sign of Charlie.

> Also at the OB appointment I got the lovely Group Strep B test.  Ladies... Its not that bad.  It's seriously a cotton q-tip swab of your vajayjay and ass hole.  Literally.  But its over in seconds.  Secondly she asked if I wanted a cervix check since I was still a little early, she gave me an option.  I opted to find out.  I'm already sitting there sweating myself to death and exposed for the world to see - why the heck not.  Cervix checks, not that bad either.  Slightly uncomfortable and make sure you don't have to pee.  I'm not kidding, if you think there's a slight chance of needing to pee, walk your half naked self to the restroom before they do a cervix check.  Lucky for me there was some gain for my pain - dilated a tight 1 cm and 50% effaced!  And now that I've bragged... I'll be overdue.  lol

> My husband decided to have what he calls our "annual" Memorial Day picnic this year.  Mind you, last year was the first time we did it.  I emphasized that I'm sure people would understand us not having the picnic considering his wife is a waddling walrus right now.  He insists I don't have to do a thing.... so not a thing I have done.  Kiss this pregnant ass :) Please don't let me go into labor while these idiots are getting drunk at my house.

Pregnancy Symptoms Third Trimester

This is more of a random post, one that doesn't hold a whole lot of value but I'd like to look back on during future pregnancies and say, oh yes.. .that.
- No more slouching.  Who knew? Once that bump got it's own zip code it was all bets off on poor posture.  Leaning forward for too long or slouching in the slightest can cause anything from pain to acid reflex reactions.
- Pedicures done by yourself are a thing of the past.  I hate having my feet looking like a hot mess but I also don't have the funds to pay someone else to give me pretty toes.  Also, painting my finger nails is difficult anywhere  but at the dining room table.  Again, related to the leaning, slouching thing.
- Exhausted.  I expected this to happen but I wasn't entirely aware of just how much this would happen or to what degree.  I am exhausted a lot.  An 8 hour work day is just too much some times.

[Edited and posted VERY late.  This post was stuck in drafts and obviously never finished]

34 Weeks

How far along? 34 Weeks (as of 5/06/14)

Gender: GIRL 

Maternity clothes?  I went shopping this past weekend with my mama and the intention to only get a few things.  Two bras, 7 shirts and 4 nursing tanks later - I walked out of Motherhood Maternity just a bit more in debt.  Ugh.  But truth be told, it was necessary.  The options of shirts I had was zilch.  And I needed something for my maternity pictures.  Done and done.

Stretch marks? There is one.  It goes the whole way across the belly horizontal beneath the boobs.   


Sleep: I've slowly found the right placement for the Bump Nest pillow.  I tried a night with all 5 pillows again just to be sure it's my body that's the problem and not the pillows.  I think generally I'm just going to be incredibly uncomfortable for the next few weeks.  I've debated sleeping on our couch a few times.  I can keep  my feet propped up and my upper chest to reduce the swelling in the feet and the acid reflux/heart burn I've started having at night. 


Movement: Yes.  My sister has been nicknamed Bean her entire life because my mom said she was constantly moving when she was pregnant with her.  Charlie isn't like that at all.  In fact I get the impression that Charlie is going to be a pretty calm baby.  Similar to her parents.  She's moving but she's not a bouncing bean a whole lot.

Food cravings: Random.  But thankfully haven't had too many of the musthaveitnow situations. 


What I Miss? Tanning. I'm ready to have my body back.  I'm ready to be able to take ibuprofen for my back pain and an Exlax for the constipation.

Symptoms? Pregnant!  So all of the above.  Swelling is awful.  It's my legs, my ankles, my feet.  I keep my feet propped up.  I should walk more but its hard when your job is at a desk 99% of the day.  I hate it.  They look awful and its kind of painful at times when they got real bad.

Nursery Progress:  Still need to get the dresser from my parents house.  Hopefully this weekend.

Best Moment this Week: Finished getting everything on the registry! Yay. Buying clothes that fit, thank goodness.   This coming week is crazy.  It is what I like to call my "hell week" of the year.  It starts with my brother in law's birthday, followed by my mom's birthday, then my sister's birthday.  Next up is Mother's Day, followed closely by my parent's anniversary and finished with my mother in law's birthday.  That's all from May 7th to May 16th.  Pray for my sanity to still be in tact by May 17th lol

OB Appointment: Measuring at 34 weeks, right on track.  One more two week appointment and then I'm up to every week.  And cervix checks.  Not so sure how I feel about those.   At this point I've gained what I think its 31 pounds.  Nobody has said I've gained too much or too little but I feel like I should be more careful.  That seems like so much.

Looking forward to: The next 6 weeks or so flying by! Deep down I think I'll go around 38 weeks.  I have no idea why.

Oh and ask and you shall receive.  I finally got some comments in public.

(1) At a baby shower for a girl due two weeks before me.  Her aunt was standing with me and the girl when the girl asked how I was feeling.  At the time I was hot flashing so bad and I must've made a face.  Her aunt piped right up and said, well she looks miserable and turns to her niece and says but you honey do pregnancy so well.  Shocked.  I just looked at the woman.  I had been feeling pretty good that day and didn't think I looked all that bad either.

(2) Guy that works in  our office part time came over and said "wow you look like you're ready to go soon"  I just turned to him and said I had 6 more weeks but thanks for making me feel so great about it.  He walked away quickly thank gosh.

 

33 Weeks

How far along? 33 Weeks (as of 4/29/14)

I can tell that my ambition to complete these things and even take pictures is dwindling down to very very little! I hope I can keep it up for the rest of the pregnancy because already I love looking back at past updates.

Gender: GIRL 

Maternity clothes?  Oh man.  This is bad.  I have very few clothing options these days.

Stretch marks? There is one.  It goes the whole way across the belly horizontal beneath the boobs.   


Sleep: I broke down and purchased the Bump Nest pillow.  It just arrived yesterday and the first night with it I was semi  impressed.  It's definitely way easier than rearranging 5 pillows every time I flip flop back and forth.  Definitely great for the pillow between the legs, and support for the belly.  It's soft and beautiful.  But there wasn't much support for the boobs.  I think I just need to play with it a little more or maybe put one pillow beneath me there.  Definitely have increased the pee breaks to twice a night.  


Movement: Yes.  Some days a lot more than others.  She's currently hanging out like a horseshoe.  With her feet to the left side and her head on my right side.  This worries me and I hope she turns eventually. Still the same.   I want to note that she's way more active in the earlier mornings, like when I drive to work or sitting at my desk and then again in the evenings.

Food cravings: Oh holy moly.  I should've kept my mouth shut about that havetohaveitrightnow kind of cravings.  Because they're here and they're real and my goodness.  It just hits you, like bam, now.  I don't always give in because realistically I can't.  Currently? Craving the pizza from a local shop when I was attending WVU.  Sigh. Not happening.  But a girl can dream.  Also ice water.  Love it, drink almost a gallon a day.  And lemonade, oh I love me some lemonade but the heart burn is ridic so I don't indulge too much. 


What I Miss? Tanning. Sunshine. Sex. Cuddling with my husband in a comfortable fashion.

Symptoms? Pregnant!  So all of the above.  Pelvic pain at night if I stay in one position too long.  I go to roll over, difficult enough but then you add in this horrible pain in the nether region.  Acid reflux has kind of backed off a bit.  Still have heartburn but not as often either.  The expanding uterus/rib pain I've mentioned before comes and goes.  Swelling.  Lord have mercy my calves and feet swell up like balloons.  I try to keep them elevated, I try to walk every hour - ugh. I hate it.  Still taking Zofran twice a day for nausea.

Nursery Progress:  We just about finished the room.  By golly the girl has a light/fan, plugs and light switches and they all WORK! YAY! I still need to get my dresser from my parents house along with finishing items off the registry.  This is giving me some major anxiety because I'm already uncomfortable.  I fear putting off the above items for too long will just be a disaster waiting to happen.

Best Moment this Week: Someone at the grocery store actually took notice that I was pregnant.  Normally this creeps me out and I've been pretty fortunate that no strangers have approached me or asked yet.  The majority of the time this thrills me because I don't want to be just the pregnant lady.  But at the same time, I"m 33 weeks pregnant I was sure some retard would notice by now and same something crude.  Anything.  Give me some rudeness people! Everyone warned me about the comments and I haven't gotten squat.  And I've been practicing my comebacks!

Looking forward to: Finished the items on the registry.  This includes buying the car seat... pretty important haha Nothing like procrastination.