Baby #3: 37 weeks

6.17.14 | I refuse to accept the (seemingly) new definition of 'full term' being at 39 weeks. Hog wash, newer standards of today's pregnancies (since I'm so seasoned and all)! I'm full term according to me!!



The Good: This week went so quickly I barely know what to put here!! Oh yes, I had my 36 week appointment and baby is certainly head down, my blood pressure is still really good (always a relief at this stage in pregnancy), and his heart rate was 150. My OB did the Group B Strep test (I've been positive both other times, so we will see if I'm lucky enough to have it every time!) and therefore an internal exam. I was not hoping for any type of dilation since I've never ever been even a 'fingertip' dilated until actual labor. Seriously, my appointment 2 days before I had CC showed I was 'totally closed up'. But this time? 'I am touching your baby's head right here, and you are 1 cm dilated.' WHAT?? WOAH. Obviously this does not mean anything for early labor but hey, 1 cm down and 9 to go! Maybe those creepy, consistent contractions last weekend did a little something? I go back this Thursday to get the strep results and after that I will have only two more weekly appointments remaining. Holy cow.

Along with this idea of 'holy cow---stuff is about to go down'? I have exactly 7 days of work remaining at the most. I have two Mondays, two Fridays, and three Wednesdays ahead of me. Which, as you will read soon enough, is a very good thing.



I know it's dangerous to believe I will go early. I annoy myself with these thoughts, for sure, but baby boy just seems like he is gearing up to go SOON. Lots of contractions all week long but nothing quite as regular as the weekend where they came every 8 minutes. I feel like my belly is stretched to capacity, I'm exhausted, and mentally I truly question my sanity for three more weeks. We shall see, I suppose.

I was able to walk a bit more than the week before, and we had a great/active weekend that felt doable and not like it was going to send me straight into labor. So that's good! Celebrating Nate, Tony, and my dad for Father's Day will always be a highlight. And although the days at home with the kids are not easy, we have had some really fun times together just being silly and soaking in these last days with just Mommy, Truman, and CC.



Truman took this picture and it was all his idea. Seriously.


Lucky kids



The Bad: Are you ready for this whine-fest?? Well, I'm exhausted for one. I seriously took about three naps last week and STILL felt tired, along with a new bedtime of pre-10pm. It's hot and humid outside by Wisconsin standards and especially by 'end-stage pregnancy' standards. I'm like a freaking heater myself and even Nate said when I touched his arm one day it almost scalded him. True story. NOW I understand why women dislike being super pregnant in the summer.

And aside from the heat and the fatigue we've got going on up here, I truly do not know how much longer I can last at work. Yesterday I saw six patients, most of which kept their homes at a 'comfortable' 85 degrees while boasting the lowest, most challenging-to-stand-from chairs in the history of ever. This means I was in and out of my van no less than 16 times total, in the heat, with this heavy belly that just won't quit. Forget the amount of patience it requires to deal with six people all day long---I just don't have it anymore. And forget the ability to make it more than an hour without peeing, which, again poses a major problem when working out of patient's homes all day long.

And finally, in this 'I'm-Hitting-The-Wall' complain-fest? My upper back is jacked. It might be from work and it might be from pregnancy and is definitely not helped by that combination. But my left upper back (T6 for those healthcare people out there) is taking my breath away it's so irritated. Also the front of my ribs are killing me, which makes sense because that is where this troublesome rib in the back meets my chest bone in the front. I'm certain it's one entire rib that is causing this problem (front to back), and I've had my personal PT work on it a few times now (ahem, Nate). It feels a little better after he works his magic and I KNOW I need to work extra hard on my posture right now but OMG, an 'injury' like this makes me feel so freaking old. I'm very lucky not to have had any true pain before this in pregnancy but right now. True. But now I cannot turn over in bed, sit up straight, slouch, pick up a child, or carry anything remotely heavy without searing pain. Sometimes it's hard to take a deep breath. It hurts and it's not going away.

Awesome. This post is so uplifting, isn't it????? Gotta get it all out there, lest you think I am one psychotic pregnant lady who loooooooooooves every second until the bitter end. I do love it, yes, but right now is a bit of a pill with the heat/work/fatigue/and rib pain. It's hard growing a human, I suppose.

The Belly: I feel huge but know I am not compared to other girls' 37 week bellies. The bump is round and compact and so freaking veiny/stretched to the max, especially at the end of the day. I'm not all that hungry anymore (again), I've gained a total of 29 pounds (shocked it's not more!), and a lot of my maternity tops are daringly short now. Boo.

(Is this an offensive photo? I feel like it might be shocking to see my bare belly but I want to remember it, so hi. It's just so veiny and it feels like one of those fake bellies strapped to my body sometimes. No stretch marks yet but I wouldn't be surprised if I got my first battle scars in the next few weeks)


He's still a mover and a shaker, and a baby that hiccups at least 5 times per day. A few of his kicks and punches are pretty painful and I'm getting these new ovary zaps that are cray. I mean I will just be walking around and my legs will feel weak from the pressure/zing to the ovaries. Not the cervix, but the ovaries. Yes, I know I'm going crazy. Weird stuff is happening in my body.

Fun comments from patients this week: 'Are you SURE that's a boy in there?' (ugh, YES, people!!).  'You look....so....tiny for having 3 weeks left. I bet you haven't gained more than 18 pounds, have you? That's all I ever gained when I was pregnant, you know.' (ha, well, thanks? But yes, I have gained more than you did FOR SURE).

The Comparisons:

At 37 weeks with Truman, I was writing my LAST PREGNANCY POST. I was induced beginning on 37w5d and finally had him at 38w0d. Woah, buddy. I was just finishing up our final baby shower, was really struggling at work with my blood pressure, and had no clue I'd be induced just a few days later. I also think my belly with Tru was always SUPER small until this week. Now I think my first time belly and third time belly are very similar but just different shapes. I gained a lot more with Truman than I have with this baby with the pre-E (was up 37 pounds already) and I can't help but wonder if this baby boy will be as 'big' as his brother was (7lbs10oz two weeks early). Love that this comparison includes Truman in the womb and then as a big boy, ready to meet his little brother. Cecelia was not interested in photos, obvi.



At 37 weeks with Cecelia, I was still annoyingly upbeat about life but I did admit that by the evening hours I was impatient and grumpy. Maybe I wrote that post in the morning? Note to self: write the rest of these posts in the morning. Also, had just finished CC's nursery, was really proud to avoid pre-E so far, and was hanging in there at work. I had gained 30 pounds and I don't have a good comparison shot of that pregnancy compared to now, but I do think my belly was smaller with my girl.

Fun with shadows


So that's it. Full term according to some. Getting very very close to meeting this boy no matter what. Mentally getting very close to being d-o-n-e. Trying to take it a day at a time and hoping it cools off/my energy returns/my rib knocks it off already.