A Nice, Lengthy Pregnancy Update

Well, it's a quiet Friday night over here. Art is immersed in homework, so I decided this was a perfect time to do a pregnancy update.

What is going on at nearly 36 weeks?

1. The baby dropped. Like, two weeks ago, but it took me a while to figure it out. I finally realized that I was no longer feeling breathless (except for right now, but I just inhaled a bunch of sushi and chicken wings). I also realized that the discomfort in my lower abdomen no longer felt like stretching, but rather felt like pressure.

My hips hurt a lot more, as does my tail bone. Sitting for too long hurts, standing for too long hurts, lying down doesn't necessarily relieve the discomfort either. And (as I already mentioned), I'm waddling. I'm trying to be encouraged by all these sensations though. It means that the baby is head-down, and in excellent position for being born. If the baby wasn't head down, it wouldn't hurt so much. And since the baby is also quite engaged in my pelvis, there is even less of a chance that he/she will turn.

My midwife noted at my last appointment that Baby is "really packed in there." Being such a small woman, it makes sense. We ran out of room a little while ago already. She measured my belly, and noted the height of my fundus. She laughed and said, "yeah, it's not going to get any higher." But she didn't mention another ultrasound, so she's clearly not worried. I'm glad. It would be cool to see our little one again, but at the same time, the fewer tests, the better.

2. At one point (like six weeks ago), I thought I was feeling Braxton Hicks contractions, but now? I really don't think so. I have MAYBE felt two. Doctors these days say that every woman has them (some say they start before the halfway point!), but not every woman feels them. And if I am feeling them, then I'm completely unaware. It's not a bad thing. But it would be kind of nice to know what they feel like, to have that tangible sign that my body is truly preparing for delivery.

However, I have to keep in mind that Braxton Hicks are no indication of how labor will go. One of my coworkers who gave birth November had no Braxton Hicks, and she had a fairly quick labor. (I think it was six hours from start to finish.) Another coworker who gave birth a couple of weeks ago had lots of Braxton Hicks, and her labor was 16 hours. So we'll see.

3. I have my Group B Strep test next week, as well as my first cervical exam. I'm trying not be anxious about either of those things.

My sister had Group B Strep with her first (and possibly her second as well), and she had a difficult labor with her first. Her water broke before her contractions started, so her baby was at an increased risk for infection, and the likelihood of a C-Section also increased. It was a stressful 24 hours for everyone, but thankfully, she didn't need surgery, and her daughter was perfectly healthy.

My midwife assured me that she can administer antibiotics during labor. Having Group B Strep does not necessarily mean that I have to have a hospital birth. So that eases my mind.

I'm also hoping for good news regarding my cervix. It would be nice to hear that I'm already starting to dilate and efface. But again, it is no indication of what my labor will be like. And if my baby isn't coming for another six weeks, then it might be too early for those changes to be taking place.

4. I only have one pair of pants that fit, and until a few hours ago, I had zero bras that fit (properly). I'm starting to outgrow most of my shirts as well, but I'm so close now, that I really don't want to have to buy any more clothes! I was going to buy a nursing bra at Target, but they didn't have my size.

However, I stumbled across this wonderful website call You Lingerie. They sell nursing bras that are actually pretty! I'm so glad somebody out there thought to do that. I think it's so lame how most nursing bras are boring and bland, both in style and color. There are plenty of other things that can make nursing moms feel unattractive. Why not make her nursing bras as beautiful as her other bras?

Their prices are amazing as well. Cheaper than most of my favorite bras at Victoria Secret! And definitely cheaper than a lot of maternity stores. So I'm going to order at least one (for now). If, in the following weeks, I still have no luck at Target or Wal-Mart, I will likely order two more.

I thought the idea of nursing tank tops was brilliant, but discovered today that those won't be an option for me. Once I give birth, my body will not be proportional. I would need to wear a large tank top to accommodate the upper portion of my body, but it will be huge and baggy for the rest of me. Again, I'm sure I won't have any trouble feeling unattractive as a tired, nursing mom. I don't need the nursing tanks to make it even worse.

5. I've decided to stop going to the gym. I feel at this point that workouts are not going to do me any good. I greatly admire women who are able to CrossFit right up until their due date, but for me, it stopped being an option a while ago. My hips (and back, and abs) are already sore enough without a CrossFit workout. Just going for a long walk is enough to do me in.

But as long as I keep moving and don't stop being active entirely, I'm good. In fact, it feels good to move. As I mentioned above, sitting for too long really hurts. Getting up and walking around relieves that ache for a while. My midwife suggested going to the pool once or twice a week, and I'm seriously starting to consider that. (However, it means I have to buy a swimsuit. More clothes...) I know the water and resulting weightlessness will feel amazing, so I should probably just do it.

In the meantime, I'll be taking frequent hot baths. It isn't the same as a pool, because I can't float, but it does help some.

6. Art was in Boston last weekend for a business trip, so I had myself a very lazy, do-nothing weekend. Well, I did a TON of laundry, but they have these fancy machines that do all the washing and drying for you, so it was still a weekend of much-needed relaxation. That ton of laundry was all the baby stuff. Blankets, bedding, clothes, bibs, towels, and cloth diapers. It's still not as organized as I'd like it to be, but I feel one (big) step closer to being prepared.

It was also an opportunity for me to see what I have a lot of, and what I need more of. For instance, I have 44 baby wash cloths. Yeah. I'm pretty sure I don't need that many. However, I now feel much more comfortable with the idea of cloth wipes! I've been stocking up on disposable wipes, but I will stop buying those now. Once I run out, I'll use the majority of wash cloths for my wipes. They are large, and soft, and perfect for the job. I can even store them in an empty wipe container!

And then there are the baby clothes. As of this moment, our baby has one pair of pants. Lots of those underwear onesie things, but only one pair of pants. So I should probably start taking advantage of consignment shops. Goodness knows we have lots of them around here.

7. I just realized that I haven't said much about the baby! Other than that she/he has dropped. I still feel feet in my rib cage all day long, but for the most part, it doesn't hurt. It feels like a marble rolling across the bottom of my ribs. I have yet to be kicked in the ribs, and I doubt that will ever happen, because there is no room for Baby to extend its legs to land a solid thump.

In fact, there is very little kicking in general. Movement has been reduced to stretching, shifting, and squirming. I'm kind of thankful for that, because I'm not as distracted at work, and it doesn't keep me up at night. Okay, I'm still distracted at work, but not because of the baby. And I'm hardly sleeping these days, but not because of baby movement. This baby still makes its presence known, just by being big and heavy.

8. This has nothing to do with my pregnancy, but I wanted to congratulate my blogging friend Callie and her husband Derek on the arrival of their baby boy! She gave birth last Friday to Wyatt Daniel. (Sorry I'm so late in mentioning this, Callie!) Click here to read the story of their labor and his birth.

9. I have three baby showers coming up (one is this Sunday), but other than that, I don't see myself having much more to update on as far as pregnancy and baby are concerned. From this point on, it will just be continuous growing and discomfort, and more and more preparations for labor, postpartum care, and baby care.

On that note, I wish everyone a comfortable and restful weekend.