Full Term!!!
I've had only one reservation about childbirth, and that is the fear of c-section because I don't have what you call "birthing hips."
Seriously. My body from the front is so funny looking right now. They say your hips spread when you're pregnant, but mine dont look like they have at all. I literally just look like I stuffed a ball under my shirt and my hips are narrower than said ball so it's a little wonky.
But at my 37 week check up yesterday, my midwife did a pelvic and internal exam and the first thing she said was, "You have a good pelvis."
I was so shocked, and pleasantly surprised! She assured me that I shouldn't have any issues delivering vaginally - at least not due to a narrow pelvis. This is THE best news I could have gotten. But it gets even better!
I'm dilated 1-2 cm. Baby's head is engaged at -1 to 0 station so he's gotten in position. And my cervix is effaced 50%, meaning it's softened and thinned out about halfway.
We are well on our way!
Also, I was a little concerned at my last appointment that I was measuring kind of small, but my bump grew 4.5 cm in the last 3 weeks, so it's all good. :-)
The ridiculous part is that after an incredibly slow Jan and Feb, V all of a sudden has a bunch of gigs lined up - and we really need them. So hopefully Tyrone won't decide to make his appearance this week bc V will likely be in FL. Yikes!
Hang in there lil one!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
36 weeks - 9 months
For those of you who aren't counting, I'm officially 9 months pregnant! Counting is all I do these days.
We got the crib up over the weekend and it really hit me that there will be an actual baby sleeping there - maybe even within the next 2 weeks (if I'm lucky). It became very, very real. But I didn't bug out, like I thought I would. I just kind of stared at it and it made me really excited!
But I also realized that I've been reading so much on pregnancy and childbirth, I haven't actually read anything about having a real, live newborn to take care of. Is it all intuitive? Will I know know what to do by instinct? I know I'm supposed to feed him every 2-3 hours, and change him when he's wet or poopy, and burp him after he eats, but beyond that, what am I supposed to know?
My mom and dad are going to try to come and stay with us for a few weeks after the baby is born, and I was kind of annoyed by that before because it's going to be a FULL house in a wee little house, but now I'm really glad. I think I'm going to want my mommy.
Late third trimester is every annoyance it's cracked up to be. Starting around 34 weeks all the discomfort started kicking in along with the daily feeling that I am so.over.this. Sciatica, back pain, loose joints. However, if it weren't for this chronic cough, I'd still be sleeping ok, so at least I can still hold on to that for now.
Whatever, I'm fed up.
In the words of my husband, "Give me my baby already!"
We got the crib up over the weekend and it really hit me that there will be an actual baby sleeping there - maybe even within the next 2 weeks (if I'm lucky). It became very, very real. But I didn't bug out, like I thought I would. I just kind of stared at it and it made me really excited!
But I also realized that I've been reading so much on pregnancy and childbirth, I haven't actually read anything about having a real, live newborn to take care of. Is it all intuitive? Will I know know what to do by instinct? I know I'm supposed to feed him every 2-3 hours, and change him when he's wet or poopy, and burp him after he eats, but beyond that, what am I supposed to know?
My mom and dad are going to try to come and stay with us for a few weeks after the baby is born, and I was kind of annoyed by that before because it's going to be a FULL house in a wee little house, but now I'm really glad. I think I'm going to want my mommy.
Late third trimester is every annoyance it's cracked up to be. Starting around 34 weeks all the discomfort started kicking in along with the daily feeling that I am so.over.this. Sciatica, back pain, loose joints. However, if it weren't for this chronic cough, I'd still be sleeping ok, so at least I can still hold on to that for now.
Whatever, I'm fed up.
In the words of my husband, "Give me my baby already!"
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Home remedies.
I have mashed potatoes on my chest as I write this. I'm not joking.
And of course, Monty's sitting on top of me because he wants to eat the potatoes.
I stayed home from work today after my 6th consecutive night of getting no sleep due to this horrendous cough. So V brought in reinforcements: my old school Russian father-in-law.
I now have hot mashed potatoes on my chest, vaporub on my feet, wrapped in cotton with large socks, and I just finished a cup of garlic honey tea. These remedies are pretty tame compared to what would be happening if I weren't pregnant.
He actually came over to do some ancient chinese cupping thing on my back and to put these weird mustard compresses on my chest but he's been advised not to do that on pregnant women.
This morning I also had a couple cups of warm milk, baking soda and honey.
To be honest, it all seems to be working. My cough broke long enough to get two hours of sleep.
It's pretty amazing, and it's nice being pampered by V. He's been a great nurse :-)
And of course, Monty's sitting on top of me because he wants to eat the potatoes.
I stayed home from work today after my 6th consecutive night of getting no sleep due to this horrendous cough. So V brought in reinforcements: my old school Russian father-in-law.
I now have hot mashed potatoes on my chest, vaporub on my feet, wrapped in cotton with large socks, and I just finished a cup of garlic honey tea. These remedies are pretty tame compared to what would be happening if I weren't pregnant.
He actually came over to do some ancient chinese cupping thing on my back and to put these weird mustard compresses on my chest but he's been advised not to do that on pregnant women.
This morning I also had a couple cups of warm milk, baking soda and honey.
To be honest, it all seems to be working. My cough broke long enough to get two hours of sleep.
It's pretty amazing, and it's nice being pampered by V. He's been a great nurse :-)
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Taking misery up a notch
If my calculations are correct, I haven't been sick in about 7 years. So I guess I had this coming for some time. Lord have mercy!
About a month ago, for two weeks, I had a pretty standard cold. Sinus congestion, a bit of cough, blah. But it went away. All of a sudden last Wednesday, the cough came back and with a vengeance! I am SO miserable.
I've avoided all drugs, even Tylenol, throughout this pregnancy, but I'm so desperate I've been taking Robitussin AND Sudafed (all Dr. sanctioned), and even went to see my GP who prescribed a Z-Pak. I was going to wait to take it in the hopes that this might be viral, and not bacterial, and would go away by itself, but last night in a fit of coughing at 1 o'clock in the morning, I grabbed it and downed the first two little pills. So now, I'm on antibiotics as well.
The worst part about it all is that a few days ago, I coughed so hard I pulled a muscle in my outstretched belly. So now every cough comes with sharp abdominal pain too.
WHEEEE! Pregnancy is so fun!
A moment of the glass being half full to round out this bitch fest: Freaking out that all this coughing might be hurting my little womb resident, I did a quick google search and actually read that it may be preparing little Tyrone for labor contractions, so when they actually do start, he won't experience quite as much fetal distress since he'll be used to all the spasms and tightenings. I hope this is true...in which case, Thank You Jesus. There really is a reason for everything!
About a month ago, for two weeks, I had a pretty standard cold. Sinus congestion, a bit of cough, blah. But it went away. All of a sudden last Wednesday, the cough came back and with a vengeance! I am SO miserable.
I've avoided all drugs, even Tylenol, throughout this pregnancy, but I'm so desperate I've been taking Robitussin AND Sudafed (all Dr. sanctioned), and even went to see my GP who prescribed a Z-Pak. I was going to wait to take it in the hopes that this might be viral, and not bacterial, and would go away by itself, but last night in a fit of coughing at 1 o'clock in the morning, I grabbed it and downed the first two little pills. So now, I'm on antibiotics as well.
The worst part about it all is that a few days ago, I coughed so hard I pulled a muscle in my outstretched belly. So now every cough comes with sharp abdominal pain too.
WHEEEE! Pregnancy is so fun!
A moment of the glass being half full to round out this bitch fest: Freaking out that all this coughing might be hurting my little womb resident, I did a quick google search and actually read that it may be preparing little Tyrone for labor contractions, so when they actually do start, he won't experience quite as much fetal distress since he'll be used to all the spasms and tightenings. I hope this is true...in which case, Thank You Jesus. There really is a reason for everything!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Tumbleweeds roll through my valley
For the first time in my life, I have cleavage. This is pretty awesome, except that the bump throws my whole body ratio off. I'll be looking forward to when the milk comes in and the bump shrinks back down and I have a waist again.
In the meantime, I have noticed that I keep finding little crumbs of food wedged between my camisole and torso. Or sometimes, between my bra and ta-tas.
Is this what all women with real boobs have been dealing with? Or am I just a clumsy mess?
The upside is that I ever get hungry on the subway, chances are I can just reach down into my shirt and collect a little snack. I'll never starve!
In the meantime, I have noticed that I keep finding little crumbs of food wedged between my camisole and torso. Or sometimes, between my bra and ta-tas.
Is this what all women with real boobs have been dealing with? Or am I just a clumsy mess?
The upside is that I ever get hungry on the subway, chances are I can just reach down into my shirt and collect a little snack. I'll never starve!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Bump Watch - 34 weeks
Whoa. Ok guys, I remember thinking at 28 weeks I couldn't get much bigger because everything felt tight then. Understatement of the year! I was so very, very wrong. I'm posting 28 through 34 so you can see the difference. It's crazypants.
To think that I might still have 6 to 8 weeks left kind of makes me want to cry, so I just keep focusing on the fact that I might only have 3 weeks and that makes it all better. I'm drinking Raspberry Leaf tea (to tone the uterus) once every couple days and taking Evening Primrose Oil (to soften the cervix) daily now to get the process kick started. And hopefully this little guy won't make me wait too long to meet him.
There's one thing I was really hoping I'd start doing right around now: perineal massage, to lessen my chances of tearing, but I can't bring myself to do it. You basically have to sit there and massage your lady parts and tug and pull a little bit, sticking your thumbs in your hoo ha. I'm not squeamish or anything, and I'm definitely not shy, but I honestly can't see what's going on down there, and I can't reach that far -- even with my unusually long monkey arms!
And my stuff down there is pretty monstrous already and I haven't even given birth yet, so I really don't think V is gonna want to help out with this particular task, and I don't want to ask him either! How would I know this when I can't see what's happening dowtown? Well, let's put on our thinking caps. This is the super fun part about being pregnant. From what I can gather, camel toe is on another level entirely. There is constant wetness, it always feels like I either peed my pants or my water has broken a little. Some of those times, I actually did pee my pants, so it's not that far off to assume. So basically, the junk is always unfresh!
Also, speaking of pee, I swear it's stankier than normal too. Like I ALWAYS have aspara-pee, even if I didn't eat asparagus.
In summary, I'm ready for Tyrone to make his entrance...ready to have my body back and end this stanky, puffy madness!
There's one thing I was really hoping I'd start doing right around now: perineal massage, to lessen my chances of tearing, but I can't bring myself to do it. You basically have to sit there and massage your lady parts and tug and pull a little bit, sticking your thumbs in your hoo ha. I'm not squeamish or anything, and I'm definitely not shy, but I honestly can't see what's going on down there, and I can't reach that far -- even with my unusually long monkey arms!
And my stuff down there is pretty monstrous already and I haven't even given birth yet, so I really don't think V is gonna want to help out with this particular task, and I don't want to ask him either! How would I know this when I can't see what's happening dowtown? Well, let's put on our thinking caps. This is the super fun part about being pregnant. From what I can gather, camel toe is on another level entirely. There is constant wetness, it always feels like I either peed my pants or my water has broken a little. Some of those times, I actually did pee my pants, so it's not that far off to assume. So basically, the junk is always unfresh!
Also, speaking of pee, I swear it's stankier than normal too. Like I ALWAYS have aspara-pee, even if I didn't eat asparagus.
In summary, I'm ready for Tyrone to make his entrance...ready to have my body back and end this stanky, puffy madness!
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