I may have thrown in the towel a bit early by calling the end of my good health last week. I did injure myself and the groin pain was pretty debilitating, but resting and avoiding excess physical activity seemed to resolve the majority of the pain. I just had a bad week last week.
This week has been more typical and while I still have a fair amount of ligament pain, it's not really affecting my mobility (though I am officially starting to "waddle"). I even got to the gym today, though I'll be taking it a lot easier - just in case. I am committed to remembering that I'm 36-weeks pregnant and need to slow down...
The belly has grown, and people at work are starting to notice that I'm starting to look rather pregnant. At the same time, strangers are still estimating my gestation at 6 months...Officially, the belly measurement is at 33 weeks, as of last week (35 weeks) when I went in for my last OB visit. I also found that I'd gained two pounds, which is one pound each week and the ideal weight gain at this point. It only required me adding protein shakes and ceasing physical activity...We'll see how I stack up at next week's visit.
My belly's feeling bigger, heavier, and tighter, and KJ's movements are spreading out. I'm feeling him at the very top of my torso and have also felt some weird-to-describe movements near my butt. He seems to be everywhere now, probably because he's bigger and can spread across my abdominal cavity. He's in a head down position and should be locked in soon when he drops. This new positioning should actually make it easier for me to breath because he'll be out of my upper torso but will add more weight to my already-struggling groin ligaments and may increase my urge to pee. My urination schedule is a little ridiculous lately, but it may simply be because it's been insanely hot and I can't seem to get enough hydration. My heartburn has flared up lately; I'm getting it in just changing positions in bed, or in bending over to shave my legs. I've had it today from my first early-morning office meeting and have it now. I've also had trouble in sleeping; it's getting harder to get comfortable, changing positions is becoming more painful and my back hurts every morning when I wake up. And I'm just a little more tired in general.
KJ still doesn't have a name. We've got a short list and will likely be assigning one of them to him in the hospital room. I've got my bag packed but didn't get around to the car seat installation or thank you cards...yet. We've got to finish the nursery (decoration), figure out the missing registry gift situation and sign up for a first aid class still. I think that's really all we've got left. I'm even pretty pleased about my progress at work in prepping for my impending leave. Kenny and I have some last minute home projects to finish up these next few weekends, and I feel confident that we can get the biggest stuff done and over with and hopefully not stress to much about the stuff we weren't able to get to...
I have trouble grasping that I'm really only four weeks away from meeting little KJ. My boss kids me that I'm in denial because I haven't really made any contingent plans or even considered the fact that KJ might come even a day early. I've budgeted my time up to August 24th exactly, and I'm still accepting meetings on my office calendar through Labor Day weekend...just in case KJ's late :) I am curious to know when he'll actually decide to arrive, as I'm just so, so eager to meet him and physically hold him. But I realize this is a life-changer and we should enjoy our extra baby-free time and exploit it to it's fullest. For now, we'll just hang out, attack our to-do list over the next four weeks and wait to see what happens!
Kenny and I had our local shower this weekend and thanks to our organizer and host extraordinaire, Audrey, it was a great little shindig. We got to hang out, snack, admire the flowers and fancy drinks and appetizers Audrey & Team had most-professionally put together, admire grill-master Kenny's achievement of steak perfection, stuff our faces with seconds and potentially thirds at the fajita buffet, enjoy the men's begrudging participation in the solitary shower game, coo at the unimaginably adorable baby clothes gifted to me, and, oh yes, eat more food when the dessert round approached (candy, double-chocolate cupcakes, cookie/berry pie with marshmallow-cream cheese icing, and peanut butter-chocolate rice krispie treats). It was great to get the friends together (and great to see those we hadn't seen since San Diego) and have a relaxing summer afternoon.
We're still taking stock of the gifts we've received thus far on the registry and I'm curious if/when an office-shower will materialize. I hope it happens soon if it's going to happen because Kenny and I will need to start putting in Amazon orders for the missing items, stat. I'm definitely anxious to get to the end now and we've got only five weeks longer to wait, but that means too that there's only five weeks to get all residual to-do items checked off, and acquiring all baby things is probably the biggest outstanding project. We did get the stroller/car seat travel system (thank you to mom Jacque and Grandma Rose!!) so we can now go and get those properly installed by the fire department and checked off the list. I also took my lactation course last week (let's hope baby knows what he's doing on that topic because I don't) and we can also cross the hospital tour off the list as well. It was even more valuable than I thought it was going to be just to see where to park and understand the whole process of admission and where to go and what to do. Glad we went!
This week's goal is the car seat installation, gift thank you cards and also getting my hospital bags packed. It seems a bit surreal that I'm going to be packing a labor bag - for some reason, that task alone is the resounding tip-off in my brain that this is very, very real. It's also extremely crazy to me that little KJ could technically come any day now, and be fine and healthy and look like a regular 'ol newborn. We'll hope he stays put because further incubation is best for his continued growth and development, and also partly because mom's a procrastinator and plans everything through the last minute and is just not ready yet...
KJ's doing well, as far as I can discern, and seems in constant motion. I was commenting off-handedly to Kenny the other night after a long day at work that KJ had been hitting me in the ribs and elsewhere nearly ALL day and it was a bit patience-wearing. As Kenny was resting his arm by his side, pressing against my stomach as we sat next to each other on the couch, he commented after 5-10 minutes or so that yes, he could see how that might be semi-irritating after getting a taste of the battery. He thought the baby was just being ornery, kicking his dad for being too close, but no, that's just what baby does...day in, day out. Yes, I do wish the incessant movement would let up more frequently, and especially at work when I'm just sitting at my desk and very much aware of how constantly the baby jabs at my ribs. Of course I'd be instantly concerned if it decreased, and am already sad that his movements may lessen in the next few weeks as he gets bigger and his limbs are more confined. I don't really know what I want because I'm a mixed-bag of contradictions at this point but honestly, it'd be nice to get a break from the rib-kicking. And that seems to be his favorite move...http://3dpregnancy.parentsconnect.com/calendar/35-weeks-pregnant.html
As for me, I was doing great for being this pregnant...up until yesterday. I've been dealing with the dull, aching of my groin for some time now, and had purchased my belly support band to help ease that. Yesterday, I exacerbated the groin pain with a mid-afternoon hustle (jog) to another building as I was extremely late to a meeting I was hosting at work. While the jog itself didn't pose any pain or discomfort (it actually felt rather nice), the aftermath was pretty painful and I had trouble walking the rest of the evening after that. The groin pain is just constant now, and I'm hoping it eases up, a bit, because it really does make walking/moving difficult. I don't think I can avoid the groin discomfort entirely; KJ's big, heavy head is probably settling into the lower part of my pelvis, adding to the weight of my belly which is already putting downward pressure on my pelvic region. My provider said I will just have to rely on my support band as frequently as possible and rest a lot more.
Rest? Eh. Who has time for that? And yes, I can guarantee that I will avoid running in the future (lack of judgment, yes), but I still have a lot to do. I've been avoiding the grocery store for a couple of days now because my groin hurts. I sort of need to continue to do grocery shopping through...It's really hard for my brain to all of a sudden come to terms with the fact that my 8-months-pregnant body may indeed have some physical limitations when my normal routines (general mobility, working out, energy level) have gone on thus far generally unchanged. To hit this "hard stop" where I'm having trouble even walking...that's a rather extreme and abrupt change. My groin is already aching less than yesterday and I hope it will ache less tomorrow too and that I can get back into a regular gait and not waddle like I've been riding a horse for too long. I will promise myself (and Kenny, and my provider) that I will take things a little easier and try to rest more, but I need to ease into it. I can't go from 100% regular activity level to 50% mobility. I don't have the patience! And I already miss the gym, mainly just because I don't have the option to go (like telling a kid not to touch something and then all they want to do is touch it).
As I sit here writing this, it's getting late and I should be making a commitment to get more rest... so off to bed I go. I have another doctor's appointment on Friday morning and will get my groin and belly and measurements all checked out then. I really hope the next five weeks go just as well (or nearly) as the first 35...I just need to remember I'm 8 months pregnant!
Things aren't much different this week from 33 weeks. I did gain a pound at my last doctor's visit (this past Friday), which is progress, albeit weak. To try and increase that (I should be gaining a pound per week, not month), I'm dedicated to daily protein shakes, and even found some really awesome, non-dairy fruit ones. My belly height measured just a week under (32 cm at 33 weeks), but it's up from the prior reading and still measuring well within the normal range.Little KJ is still acting like a stunt man in the womb, and his movements increase in intensity every week, and I'm peeing even more frequently. I also experienced a cramp the other evening, which lasted for less than a minute and was similar to a normal menstrual cramp, and I sort of didn't know what to think. I'd not experienced any cramps or false contractions up to that point. It wasn't painful, but a little concerning (what's going on with the baby) and yet reassuring at the same time (like my body might actually go into labor in six weeks from now). I had a really, really serious charley horse last week and was nearly in tears struggling to get the pain to subside. I really hope labor is less painful...
I have my local baby shower this weekend, and I look forward to using it as an excuse to just hang out with friends. It's going to be more of a co-ed party with fajitas and beer. And it's an excuse for Kenny to avoid doing man chores for a day...oh, and I've had several people ask about where I'm registered, so here's the website if you need it: www.myregistry.com/public/Stefanie-Kenny-Mikkalson.
I've also got my lactation class tomorrow, which I anticipate will be both informative and awkward. We'll be watching a video on how to nurse so I'm going to see a lot of tiny little newborns contorting strangely on the bare chests of their mothers trying to find where the food is. Kinda weird. But something I need to learn and will duly sit through. And then tomorrow night, we've got the hospital tour which will be extremely helpful to know where to go and how things are actually set up, and it'll probably make things seem more "real."
This week, I feel like my emotions have calmed a bit, and I'm just sort of waiting now for the end of August to get here. I'm sure I'll stress about things at the last minute as the due date approaches, but for now, it's kind of the calm before the storm. I feel rather at ease with everything baby-related, lazy even...this week anyway!
So that's it. Not much to comment on as not much has changed. My groin/ligament pain is ever-present and may be slowly increasing, but it makes sense as my belly grows and further protrudes over my lower abs. The support band helps but I don't get to wear it everywhere (bed, the shower) and I miss it when I have to hoist this torpedo around on my own. I should be grateful KJ's not bigger! (I say that as I watch a Discovery Health program in the background talking about mothers that have given birth to 15 to 17 lb newborns...no thanks).
I'll post more pics soon.
My belly has gotten really round, like I really am concealing a basketball. Or a giant Fabergé egg.
Seven weeks to go before little KJ is due to arrive. It's panic-inducing and patience-challenging all at once. Kenny found me watching one of those TLC baby shows yesterday afternoon and I was caught up feeling envious of the showcased couple as they'd gotten past the labor and delivery part and had just taken home their newborn son. I was so jealous that they could touch him and see him - my urge to meet and hold this little guy inside me is so overwhelming that I can't fathom waiting another 7 weeks! And yet, it's ONLY 7 more weeks. Only 7 more weeks to purchase missing registry gifts, finish decorating the nursery, think about birth announcements, take a CPR class, complete outstanding home improvement projects, get organized and ready to check out at work, take a lactation class, do yoga, pack a hospital bag, etc. Ultimately, KJ's going to get here on his schedule, regardless of my impatience or anxiety.
He's supposed to be around 4.5 lbs by this week and 17.5 inches long. Apparently, he can also detect light and knows now if it's day or night. He's been kicking away inside and settling into some awkward positions. He seems to be a big fan of my right rib cage and right side in general and protrudes unevenly at times making my stomach seem oblong and lopsided. And he continues to get the hiccups - a few times a day at least. I'm hoping he gets better at learning to breathe...
I'm doing well. Emotionally, I'm still a little quick to anger, quick to laugh (inappropriately) and quick to tear up (even at seemingly bland commercials). Nothing too inconvenient though, or extreme. I'm not having any trouble getting around; I think I'm getting used to maneuvering around with this bowling ball in front and the belly support band definitely helps when I'm upright on my feet for long periods of time. My abs, I've decided, are pretty much out of commission which is why I feel like a turtle flipped on my back every time I'm in a horizontal position. I just can't propel myself up without straining my poor, stretched out ligaments. I'm having to pee more frequently, and especially at night, but that was anticipated. I'm still pounding back the tums and having some lower back pain but no increases from last time.
I think there's another reason I'm getting generally anxious; I'm not seeing the same rapid body changes in this last trimester as I did in the first two. Like I should be feeling differently or experiencing some new symptom, but it's just been kind of status quo for the last month or so. My belly is growing of course, and I do look forward to my doctor visits for weigh-ins and belly measurements. But I just don't feel all that different and I'm not (yet) experiencing any of the stereotypical symptoms like exhaustion or swelling or ?? I guess there's still plenty of time for the last minute changes to occur, like my belly dropping or my breasts to start being functional... and I should probably just relish this in-between time more. It's proving extremely hard though to live in the current moment!
My next doctor's appointment is this Thursday and I'm pumped for the weigh-in. I did go out and buy some Ensure-type drinks and though I'm having to force them down (too sweet, too thick), I'm determined to gain some weight this visit! So let's hope KJ's getting nice and fat in there :)
