34 Weeks (MOON BOOTS) - 3.0: Mar 2-8

 

• I think I look bigger in real life than I do in these pictures. I get comments when I go out and I look bigger than my sisters who are both due in the next week or so haha. Life of third vs. first baby I suppose!
• I have constant discomfort and itchiness around my bellybutton. I think my piercing may be a little infected as well either because of all the stretching and irritation, or maybe because of all the creams/belly butter I'm using. Gotta keep that thing clean! 
• I am getting more regular braxton hicks and other contractions. BH contractions happen every day, rather unpredictably. If I am too active or dehydrated I'll get contractions with actual cramping. One day I had them on and off the entire day. At this point in my third pregnancy this is not concerning for me or really worth reporting to anyone except the blog. I told Dave at the end of one evening because he caught me being uncomfortable. Often they're also triggered by baby's movements. If baby is really active on the lower half of my uterus, then the uterus seems to get irritable. I read Dom's 35 week post the other day and noted very similar symptoms. He stayed in there for another 4 weeks, so not concerned haha. 
• Basically I need to drink more water and rest my body more. I hate being forced into rest, or having these physical limitations. I struggle to put on my own shoes or pick up toys off the floor. I am SERIOUSLY considering hiring a house cleaner (or cleaners) to come do a deep clean of the main floor and all the bathrooms before this baby comes. I think that's worth a hundred bucks (or two hundred or whatever it is). In my ideal world I'd just have a day to myself with sunshine and music and be able to do it all myself, but I just don't think I can physically. 
• I had a midwife appointment this week. My next one is in two weeks, and then normally they'd be weekly. Due to COVID they're just every two weeks until the end. That seems crazy to me because there's so much to check up on and do every week the last couple! Sweeps, labour teas, labour cocktails, ensure baby is in position, etc. However, I guess I'll just have to trust them and call them if I have any concerns. 
• I also found out at this appointment that "my" midwife, Nargess, is going to be away the whole month of April! :( :( How am I just finding this out? I know/knew there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to deliver my baby, but I figured I'd at least have my last prenatal appointments and first couple postpartum appointments with her. The MOA's got me in with another excellent midwife I got to know a little when I worked there for those last appointments, but still hard not to be disappointed! 
• I asked Nargess about if I had any potential for having a rapid progression of labour. I'm a bit nervous about having a car baby en route to the hospital. Just knowing how quickly I progressed in my labour with Emilia. I'm glad we went to the hospital when we did (long before I wanted to), because by the time I would have wanted to go, it might have been too late. I'm grateful we'll have our doula and she will have a good read on the situation. Anyway, Nargess said anything less than 4 hours is considered "rapid". With Emilia I was 5 hours first early labour contraction to baby being out. That's pretty quick. I was concerned that my hips and pelvis being so loose would add to the risk of quick labour. It could, but baby's positioning is a huge factor, and kind of unpredictable since this is my third baby in 4 years, so my sad muscles may allow baby to flip or get into a less optimal position. Essentially, Nargess assumes I'll be more "average" 4-5 hours, but if it's progressing quickly, call an ambulance. 
• My weight: 141lb (+19lb) - this made me understand why I'm so uncomfortable and exhausted and find it hard to get up. That's a 19lb medicine ball I'm walking around with that I didn't have 6 months ago haha. 
• Blood Pressure: 100/70 - Nargess was happy to see it go up a little bit
• Fundus height: 34 cm (right on track)
• Baby heart rate: 142 BPM (exact same as last appointment!)
• I mentioned baby kept headbutting my cervix and I have to sometimes keel over when I'm out and about because of this "lightning crotch". As it turns out, this is not caused by cervical beatings, but actually by pelvic separation. So fun... the muscles and ligaments holding my pelvis together are being stretched and strained and that causes sharp pains as you would imagine. However, the soft tissue of the cervix can't actually cause those sharp pains from that kind of action from baby. I said, "But it feels so much like baby is just punching my cervix!" Nargess replied, "What you are describing, is exactly the experience. That's what it feels like, but really it's bones and ligaments, not your cervix." Huh! Now I know.