38 Weeks (SPEAK & SPELL) - 3.0: March 30-April 5

 

• Alright 38 weeks! Bring it on! The kids are back in preschool today and boy did I miss that over Spring Break! I am reminded that I will have a small period of time each week where it will just be baby and I, and I can't wait for that focused bonding time!
• People have been commenting that I've dropped, but I think I really noticed it today (38 weeks on the dot). I went to see Dr. Yvonne for one last (hopefully last?) chiropractic adjustment before baby to make sure my body is in prime delivery condition! Baby had been favouring my left side which is good, but baby's head was jammed into my left hip causing some pulling and tension, and just being in an unideal position. An adjustment and some ligament massage (or whatever she did) caused baby to go crazy down there, but as I walked out, I could feel that baby had shifted out of my hip. I came home to make dinner, do dishes, make some cinnamon buns, etc. (you know... the usual things when your body is exhausted and sore), and I noticed the whole time that baby wasn't in my hip! It felt good! I then noticed as I was doing dishes that suddenly my belly couldn't sit on top of the counter anymore. I was just saying to Dave last week that I was grateful for my long legs because I could just prop my belly up there as I was doing dishes or chopping veggies or folding laundry (I'm sure this is an odd image). It appears baby really HAS dropped now and I have to go way up on my tip toes if I want to be able to reach things on the counter. 
• I now walk less like an 85 year old woman, and more like an emperor penguin.
• I had another midwife appointment this week. Maybe my last one?! (wishful thinking I'm sure)
• Weight: 147lb (+25 lb from the beginning)
• BP: 100/60 (higher end for me, but still good)
• Fundus: 38cm (right on track, but I'm nervous about a big child in there!)
• Baby HR: 140 BPM
• I asked about booking a sweep for 39 weeks, but Inna (Nargess is away now for all of April) suggested waiting until after 40 weeks. If baby isn't ready yet, it can often just cause discomfort, cramping and unnecessary stress. A little disappointed, but fine... I'll listen. 
• Inna felt around my belly to confirm baby's positioning is still pretty good. She confirmed my suspicions that the chiropractor the day before helped, and baby's head dropped right down into my pelvis and out of my hip. She said, "Oh! Are you having this baby tomorrow? I'm on call!" I know better than to believe the midwives when they say these things haha. I was told my body was raring to go at 37 weeks with Dom, and around the same with Emilia. They were wrong both times. 
• We went over when to call the midwife pager/head to the hospital. Every midwife says something different, but Inna's version was to call the pager when contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 30-40 seconds, for 30+ minutes. She also said that even if the timing isn't consistent like that, if I have some contractions and they go from, "Oh... to OH!!!" then I have to call. Haha luckily she's talking to a third-timer who knows what she means because otherwise I'd be very confused. 
• I haven't had any real signs of impending labour. I get lots of cramping and contractions, sometimes simultaneously, and have started losing small bits of mucus plug (seriously the words are just so gross), but nothing more than that. 
• I find it harder to fall asleep at night now because I'm nervous about waking up in labour. I wonder if every contraction I have is "the first" contraction or just a false alarm. So far all false alarms, but any time I have cramping and contraction I feel like I have to make a mental note of the time and see if they start happening semi-regularly. I want to rest, and know that if I go to sleep then it's not real labour, but I also want to make sure I don't miss those early signs because I've been told not to piss around this time! No being stubborn! I also need to be mentally prepared, so this inner dialogue starts going: 
• Is this it? How many do I let happen before I call my parents to come over? Is my water going to break? I need to be ready if I wake up in labour. What needs to be done? How would preschool work? What do I still need to pack for the hospital bag? Who will I call if things happen too quickly and I can't get a hold of someone? 
  We have plans A, B, and C, but I still like to run through it in my head so I know I'm mentally prepared if something doesn't go according to plan A. I'm not nervous so much about it, more just... prepared!
• I tweaked my left hip/SI joint one evening and it totally crippled me for a few minutes. I then could hardly walk the rest of the evening/night. I have to be very careful not to use my back to hold up my belly. I need to remember my ADL's (Activities of Daily Life) from my Beach Body workouts. Use my glutes and core instead of my back. My back muscles spend the day trying to support 25+lb added to my belly. That's hard work! 
• I woke up in the middle of the night to go pee and tried getting out of bed and tweaked that spot again and just collapsed, not able to put any weight on my left leg. UGH! By morning it was feeling a bit better, but I couldn't fall back asleep and had to go downstairs to get an ice pack. 
• I can't wait to have my body back!