D Day

Otherwise known as Due Date. Yup, it's today!

My belly bump posts have all been based off of my ultrasound dates but today is my 1st due date when going by my cycle date. Will it happen today? I don't know. Only 3% of babies actually come on their due dates.

I still have faith in my original guess which was April 5th. That's tomorrow!

I had a nice and long prenatal massage last night in an effort to relax and do a last minute preparation for my body. It was hard to relax though because my back has been hurting and the lady massaging me said my back muscles were super tight. She had to work hard at getting them out which meant lots of pressure and pushing on those sore spots. OUCH! We were joking that it was good practice for labor because I had to really try and relax and breathe through that part of the massage. I thought the massage might put me into labor (obviously it didn't) so when I came home, Gabe and I changed out our bed sheets and put down a waterproof fitted sheet just in case my water broke.

All in all, I am ready. We are as prepared as we can be and the longer this baby takes to come, the more time I have to over think everything and cause unnecessary stress and worry. I kind of just want to get this over with. It's such an emotional time for me. I couldn't pin it down to one emotion much less just three. I've got them all!

This baby will be here soon so for now, I will remain patient and cherish my last day/s as a pregnant woman.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope your Easter was enjoyable, fun, and even relaxing!

38 Week Belly Bump

I am truly savoring my last few days as a pregnant woman; where this baby is all mine and my belly is beautifully round. Pregnancy is probably the best and most favorite time for me. It is the only time I am fully confident and comfortable in my own skin. To grow and birth another human being is just such an amazing thing.

How far along - 38 weeks according to the early ultrasounds. 39 weeks according to my cycle dates. It really could be ANY day now.

Weight gain - 18 lbs! This is now my highest gaining pregnancy! Most likely due to the fact that this is also my longest pregnancy... I predicted a 15-20lb gain so I'm right on!

Morning sickness/nausea - Will I jinx myself if I say this is the first pregnancy where I have not had ANY pregnancy induced nausea? I haven't thrown up once and am so grateful for that!

Movement - Sometimes it feels like a little alien in there trying to bust out! Activity level is great which is what a want after our scare the other night.

Contractions - Some days I get several in an hour's time and others, I barely notice any. Since we're at the "any day now" point, every contraction that comes I wonder to myself "Is this it?"

Pain -  I still have pain in my pelvis and yesterday (Tuesday) I had pains in the lower half of my stomach. It was like a sharp throbbing pain that made it hard to do anything.

Sleep - I sleep just fine, it's the getting comfortable part that's difficult! Rolling over and getting out of bed are such a chore now!

Stretchmarks - Praise the Lord, I've made it through three pregnancies without any! *I should note that I did get a few during my first pregnancy on my boobs. They're mostly faded and I haven't gotten any more since then.*

Maternity clothes - Obviously this is a yes. I wear Gabe's shirts too because they are longer and fit over my tummy better than my own t-shirts.

Food cravings/aversions - No and no. I'll get cravings but they're never to the point where I *have* to have it.

Eating/drinking - No problems here.

Boy or Girl - We still don't know but we'll find out soon! (I still think it's a girl.)

Lowlights of the week - The scare we had on Sunday was no fun. Thankfully, everything is OK and the baby's movement is back to normal now.

Highlights of the week - We set up the birth pool to see its size and how it fits in the bedroom. It's very padded, quite tall for my short legs to step over the sides, and comfortable!

Anything to add - Just knowing that this may be my last Belly Bump update is very bittersweet. I'm trying to savoring these last few days and soak it all up. The impending labor is getting to my mind. It's almost all I think about and I have so many questions and wonder how it will all play out. I daydream about it and run tons of scenarios through my head all the time.

37 weeks

37

38 weeks

38 weeks

A Small Scare

I've been saying it in my weekly Belly Bump updates that this has been the most active baby. Well, I had full out belly rolls up until this past Sunday. (Sunday also happened to be the first day I've been pregnant the longest (38wk 4days by my cycle dates))

I wasn't feeling the large movements at all and it felt more like a little push here or there. By 8pm, Gabe and I were worried because evenings have always been the most active time for the baby. We're talking 2-3 HOURS of almost continuous movements. And Sunday, there were NONE.

I tried to see if sugar, pushing my tummy, and such would work to wake him/her up and get some movements going. I ate a large amount of ice cream topped with lots of chocolate syrup... nothing. I drank a glass of Odwalla brand 100% juice... still nothing. Gabe and I tried pushing and poking the baby... and still nothing. That's when we really got concerned because the baby has always responded to Gabe's hands. I even got out a hand held back massager that vibrates and stuck it right where the baby's back and butt were but got nothing. I felt a little push here or there as if the baby had just moved slightly but nothing like previous days' movements have been like.

I tried calling my midwife at home... no answer. I tried the birth center... no answer. I tried her cell phone... no answer! Then I tried her backup midwife at her home AND cell... no answer! What is going on and why is no one available?!

I really did not want to have to go to the hospital so I tried the numbers to the midwives again. I finally got a hold of the back up midwife at 10:15 pm and she asked if I would like to come over and she could check me out. Of course I would!

I drove over and she asked a few questions, felt my stomach, and listened to the heart beat. Everything was OK! She could feel the baby move while feeling and the heart rate was in the 140s. WHEW! She asked if this was my first baby. LOL um, no. I told her today was actually the longest of my 3 pregnancies and she explained that near labor, the baby's head is engaged in my pelvis and the baby has little room to move (especially with my small body frame) making it difficult for the baby to have large movements. She assured me everything was OK and I felt so much better.

And go figure, as soon as I drove home, the baby decided to wake up and move and get the hiccups... making me feel a little silly for nearly panicking. I also couldn't help but think "How did I not know that?!". Oh well, the baby is doing great and I'm so thankful for that!

And another thing.... the baby's head is engaged and it's movements have become restricted.... Could labor be close?! I think so!