Hey everyone! So, I’m full term and ready to pop. Seriously. Seriously ready to pop. I feel so impatient and so huge right now. C’mon, Baby Jack! C’mon out! We’re all so ready to see you! NOW! Like… NOW!
In fact, we almost got to see him this past week! Well, I should say that we THOUGHT we almost were going to see his precious little face, but he wasn’t as ready as we had imagined. Let me explain.
After my scheduled OB appointment last Wednesday, I was alerted that I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Hurrah! My body was getting started!
I celebrated with a quick trip to H-E-B to grab some lunch stuff and some ice cream before heading home, and I started feeling what I thought were real contractions. I was in a HUGE amount of pain, lost my mucus plug (TMI? Probably.), and a whole slew of other “signs” popped up, signifying the onset of labor. Holy cow!
Then Thursday brought on a whole heck of a lot more contractions, and pains and other weird symptoms, and we were all so excited. This might be it! Could it be? We packed The Bag, and sat in wait, and even dropped our little one off with my husband’s mom for the night, just in case.
At midnight, my contractions seemed to be getting stronger and closer together, and we decided to be safe, not sorry, and headed to the birthing center. I was brought in, hooked up to some monitors and lo and behold, I was indeed having contractions. I knew it! The doctor came in, and I had another exam, showing that I had not dilated any further, ugh, but I was 75% effaced. So in other words, little-to-no progress was made. Ugh again.
We were sent on our way around 3:30 a.m., and I can’t lie, I was sad. I cried and cried, begging Baby Jack to make his debut soon. We love you Baby Jack! Don’t be scared to come out!
How pregnant am I? I’m 38 weeks and days, which puts me in the full-term range. Baby can come at any time, and honestly, I am extremely anxious for that “any time” to be RIGHT NOW. So is my hubby. And the little one. We’re all just so excited to see Baby Jack’s little face!
How big is baby? Baby Jack has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long (about the size of a leek). He has a firm grasp, which we’ll soon be able to test when we hold his hand for the first time SOON! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. (Thanks BabyCenter.com)
Weight Gain: + 31 lbs total since July! Whoa…
Body & Changes: I feel huge. Baby has for sure settled lower in my belly, which is something that I read is called “lightening.” While I can breathe a bit easier and eat a bit more, having my baby and uterus lower in my pelvic cavity makes walking a bit interesting. I fully grasp the meaning of “waddling” now. My hips are also feeling a bit loser than last time I posted, which is interesting.
Michael and I have been going on walks much more frequently, and when I say more frequently, I mean we go on 1-4 walks a day, which both helps and hurts my waddling body. It’s a lot of fun bringing our kiddo along as we come up with games and have a chance to just talk and be together as a family. The walks also help in that I feel so much better being more active, but I do have to say, my body hurts pretty badly by the end of the evening… Yep, I’m a bit more sore than usual. But back to the good side for a second… I sleep so much better and so much more soundly. It’s awesome. AND both Michael and the kid are really enjoying getting out and about more. So that’s great.
Clothes: All maternity & sweats.Like I said, I’m huge.
What I’ve been eating: Yeah, I’m still being a bit of a teenaged-boy in this area. However, I am doing a LOT better with balancing my unhealthy habits with more healthy ones. I’ve increased my fruit intake A LOT. Like, A LOT, A LOT. Between my love for strawberries and apples, I’ve been including a full banana in my bowl of Cheerios in the mornings.
I’ve also started drinking a LOT more water. When Michael and I ended up in the hospital hoping for labor but finding out my contractions weren’t strong enough or close enough, the staff gave me a water bottle cup thing with a lid and straw. I’m obsessed. I make it a point to have 4-5 full water bottle cup things a day, which sets me over a gallon of water a day.
Have I noticed a huge difference in myself since drinking a gallon or more of water over the course of the day? Yes. I’m thirstier than I’ve ever been! How does this happen? Isn’t that weird? I think it’s weird.
There have been phases in my life where I’ll have roughly 1 glass of water a day, and maybe a couple of sodas or teas, and feel totally fine. Not thirsty at all. But now that I’m drinking a crap-ton of water, I crave more and more! I guess that’s a good thing. I also have been finding myself eating better (ish) and sleeping better (woo).
Plus, my skin looks great. No new breakouts or blemishes. Hurrah!
Any Movement? Lots. Thank God. The other day, there wasn’t a lot of movement at all, and that scared me. I had a fever, was feeling terrible, and had been at the hospital the night before, and the whole next day I lived in fear that there was something wrong. Luckily, when I started to feel better, I think he did too. Now he won’t stop moving. At all. So that’s a relief!
Sleep: I’m actually sleeping pretty well right now – which is another relief. As you may recall from any number of my previous Pregnancy Journal updates, I have been having the hardest time ever with sleep and getting to sleep and staying asleep and getting any sort of rest that I needed. Somehow, this past week I’ve been able to sleep with limited interruption. It’s weird, but amazing. Yes, I’m still completely exhausted, but at least I know I’m sleeping better.
Emotions: I’m a crybaby. What can I say? I cry when I’m happy. I cry when I’m sad. I cry when I’m confused. I cry when I’m frustrated. It’s just been a tear-fest and you know what? I’m OK with that. I’m growing a person in my belly and the hormones are stacked against me having a dry face. So whatever.
Purchases: My mom and dad gave the kiddo a great surprise with a fun super-hero themed Big Brother shirt, and a book about becoming a big brother. He loves the shirt and won’t take it off. There’s a matching little brother onesie that will be cute for both he and Jack to wear together.
What I miss: Feeling energetic. I kept hearing how I was going to have this wild burst of energy before the baby comes, where all I want to do is clean and detail cars and scrub the floor with a tooth brush and all sorts of nonsense. I’ve had friends and other women tell me, “Just wait. It’ll happen.” Well, guess what? It didn’t.
What I’m looking forward to: Wearing my old clothes, getting back in shape and of course, seeing my precious baby boy for the very first time. I can’t believe how CLOSE that moment is!!! Like… IT’S REALLY CLOSE! Like… SO CLOSE!!!!!!!!
Best Moment of the Week: Going on walks with my little family has been a lot of fun, and has really helped us to take a break, even if it’s just a short one, from all the crazy around us. Getting outside, enjoying each other and just talking while engaging in God’s creation has benefited us all tremendously. That’s a fact.
