38 weeks: A Watermelon

Thirty-Eight Weeks: 5.16.12







Photo Thoughts: Some weeks I like these pictures and other weeks I really dislike them. This week, I like. Love the colors, love that I'm holding such a giant fruit, and that Truman is at least in the background.


Size of baby: Because I had an ultrasound on Monday, I know this baby is estimated at 7lbs 10oz (more later). But as for the food comparisons, either a leek according to BC or a pumpkin according to TB. So I went with a watermelon, naturally.


Appointment updates: New category! Since my appointments are usually the highlight of my week and have been semi-eventful lately, might as well give me a section to unload here on the old bloggie. My BP is good, weight gain fine, but instead of measuring 'perfectly' for my fundal height measurement like baby has always done every single week, this time she only measured 35.5 weeks although I was 37 weeks. Which is really weird because at 36 weeks she was 36 cm (ie perfect). So my OB said she is either super low (which we don't know for sure because I declined the internal exam), was just curled up really funny (definitely a possibility because I glanced down and saw the whole right side of my stomach hardened up like her butt was sticking out at us), or my fluids could be low. She also mentioned that maybe baby girl is actually small but then said she wasn't actually worried about any of this because she's always measured just fine and I'm still feeling a lot of movement. Just to be extra cautious, she ordered a growth ultrasound for Monday.

I was really nervous even though my OB did not seem concerned about this small measurement at all. But the ultrasound could not have gone better. First, I got to have the awesome US tech that I love, who has now given me four ultrasounds: Truman's big 20 week anatomy scan, my ultrasound before my D&C when I switched back to this practice, this baby's big 20 week anatomy scan, and now this growth ultrasound. He is really good at talking and explaining things so you don't feel totally out of the loop and nervous. And guess what? Baby girl is anything but small. She measured in the 70th percentile again, exactly like her anatomy scan at 20 weeks. And another weird similarity? She is estimated to be 7lbs 10oz right now, which is the exact weight Truman was at birth at 38 weeks! There is a discrepancy between what I think is my due date (May 29) and what my OB says (June 1), mostly because I think her old school paper wheel is just off and I prefer to go with the internet calculators I used after charting, so they had me down as 37w3d at my ultrasound (when I called myself 37w5d). Either way, baby girl is definitely healthy and will most likely be bigger than her brother. Eek! Her legs measured incredibly long, like 40w3d long, and her head was also big at 40w0d. But he said that she is so ridiculously low (yay!) that it was hard to get an accurate head measurement. Her arms and abdomen measurements were right on or a little smaller at 36-37 weeks and my fluid levels were a 'great' 14 when they like anything over 8. Whew. Also, no boy parts were visualized, my placenta was nice and high and healthy, and her heart rate was a 'fantastic' 133. Compared to the last time I saw her at 20 weeks, she just looked huge and adorable and REAL.

So overall, this week's appointment taught me a much-needed lesson: when anxiety and worries start creeping into my head I HAVE to learn to relax, pray, and let it go. It reminded me a lot of my first trimester when I was so scared that I'd lose this baby and all I could do to get through was pray and trust in God. Why have I not made that a priority even when things are good? It's so easy to doubt and worry and try to control everything but I really need to stop with that nonsense. Because baby girl just looked so precious on the ultrasound with her giant body, practice sucking some amniotic fluid, and putting her big hands up to her face.  So glad the ultrasound went well and the next time I 'see' her will be on the outside!

Cravings/Diet: Still getting overly full after eating small-ish meals and I'm getting to the point where nothing even sounds good in the evenings.


What I love: This belly and the exciting anticipation that comes along with being at the end of pregnancy. I never really got to experience this last time and have found it's sort of a mixed bag of emotions. Part of me knows I need to savor these last days of pregnancy and our time as a family of three but another part of me just wants to meet her RIGHT NOW and it's hard to remain patient. I really do hope she comes early but I know that is sort of greedy and silly to 'plan' at this point. It might be a long two-ish weeks up in here.


What I'm looking forward to the most: Besides having her come out to meet us, which is basically consuming my mind right now, I'm really looking forward to running again. And having a beer on hot summer nights. And being thin again. I do love being pregnant and wouldn't trade it for the world but man, this body is just getting too foreign to me.


Worries: See above about measuring smaller suddenly last week. Plus I was a naughty girl and allowed myself to read a few birth stories online that included scary but rare complications which totally freaked me out.

What is different this time around: Well I'm 38 weeks and still pregnant, which means this is the most pregnant I've ever been! No more weekly posts to link from Truman's pregnancy. Wow. Just wow.

Let's compare bellies!

See what I mean about being so low this time?  My upper belly is just a lot flatter compared to last time, but maybe not truly 'bigger'.

Symptoms: A lot this week! First, I think I've really dropped now because I am getting cervical 'zingers' down there that take my breath away. And I can actually sit in one position without feeling like she is in my lungs so I am sure she dropped a little lower this week. I also started getting weird ovary pains that are super sharp and intense and I even caught myself semi-waddling over the past few days. Tons of BH contractions all throughout the day that are always worse in the evenings and have become uncomfortable to the point where I'm usually asking myself, 'Could this be the start of something real?' I've been crampy and gassy and generally uncomfortable every evening but each morning finds me feeling refreshed and very obviously not in labor. Ugh. So weird! 

Sleep: Not as great lately. I've been taking naps during the day again even though I don't feel horribly tired. Then that makes me stay up too late at night and I can't get comfortable when I do come to bed. So I feel like death in the mornings. Great stuff. I know this is nothing compared to what sleep will be like with a newborn and that freaks me out, of course. 

Movement: Yes, she is still moving like crazy in there but now it's more like a gentle foot jab instead of an aggressive knee to the lung. I've also felt more punches down low instead of just having high kicks. I swear, some times of the day she is like Renesmee Cullen trying to claw her way out of my loins and other times she is just a peaceful little angel baby in there. 


The belly: Undeniable and maybe the biggest it's ever been. No stretch marks, an outie belly button, and some of my maternity shirts are getting too short to cover this beast. Love it.


Milestones: Even though 37 weeks is 'full term', I feel like 38 weeks is an even better milestone to hit because lung development has gotten even better in the past week. After today I will be entering new territory with pregnancy which is totally exciting and maddening at the same time. I still can't say with certainty that I've reached the 'Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done' phase but I'm getting awfully close. I guess I just didn't expect to make it this far without my BP acting up and so now that I'm here, it's very hard to accept that I might be pregnant for a few more weeks.


Amusing comments from the general public: 'I looked like you when I was 5 months pregnant', and 'you are still so small, is this your first child?' Yeah, the 'small' comments came back this week in full force. I wonder if I will ever get a 'you look like you are about to pop' comment? Because I sure do feel like that!


Best moment of the week: Besides the ultrasound where I could see our little girl, my pre-natal massage on Saturday was a-freaking-mazing. And for my nesting instinct, it was highly therapeutic to finish Truman's second year album and I also got caught up on my pregnancy album, too. LOVE crossing those two things off my ongoing to-do list. Mothers Day was also a highlight because it was a fun day spent with my family at the zoo, reflecting on the little boy who made me a momma. I can honestly say that my title of 'Mom' is one of the proudest ones I claim. I can't believe I get to be a mom to two kids. So blessed.



family of three, for now!


Daddy's ears = handles!




outtakes:)


Hilarious Mothers Day card:


Me and my guy:


A random Instagram shot one afternoon, when I realized I had probably dropped: