38

38

• Sunday, January 12, 2014

WELL.

I thought this would be my last full week of pregnancy BUT turns out things are not happening as planned!

If you remember, at my last appointment the doctor told me I was a "2 and thin" and there would be "absolutely no problem inducing at 39 weeks." I was supposed to go in for my 38 week appointment and schedule my induction.

Didn't happen quite like that.

Instead, I went in for my 38 week appointment (so anxious to find out what day baby would be arriving!), got checked by my doctor who said "oh no, this is bad news." WHAT! He isn't quite in agreement with the doctor who checked me last week and is calling me a "tight 2." Labor & Delivery won't induce you before 41 weeks unless you are at least a 2.5 and preferably a 3 (unless it's for medically necessary reasons - history of large babies doesn't count). SO the doctor couldn't set me up for induction since I'd most likely just get sent home. BOO.

I had to schedule my 39 week appointment when I'll be checked again. If my cervix is favorable at that point, he will set up induction. If not then I'll be seen again at 40 weeks and be set for induction at 41 weeks if baby still hasn't come. MY GOODNESS please say I don't have three weeks left still! That is such a bummer after thinking for a whole week that I was being induced next week!

Anyway. In other 38 week news...

-I feel like I've gotten SO huge in the last 10ish days. Please don't be big, baby!

-I was measuring 38cm at my 38 week appointment. Right on track.

-I'm +24lb since pre-pregnancy. Somehow I've gained nothing in the last three weeks even though I'm honestly not even exercising anymore! Maybe I'm just chasing Jack around more. I wondered if I should be worried that I wasn't gaining at all but the doctor said it's normal at the end of pregnancy since your stomach feels so crowded you tend to eat less.

-Blood pressure was 106/64. I was secretly wishing my BP would be a little high and they would send me straight to labor and delivery. I know it's a dumb wish but if you've ever been 38 weeks pregnant you know what it's like to start to get desperate. Ha! Unfortunately (or really, fortunately) my blood pressure is notoriously low even when I'm not pregnant. I don't think I've had a high blood pressure day in my life.

-I'm either STILL trying to get over the cold I caught three weeks ago or I got a different strain before I ever got over the first one. Either way...boo!

-Still struggling with insomnia. I lay down at night and I'm just not tired! 

-The baby positioned himself right on a nerve. For a whole afternoon/evening I had excruciating lower left back pain every time I put any weight on my left foot.  I seriously was CRAWLING around the house. Jack thought it was hilarious but it was really quite ridiculous.

-My wedding ring is still on and can slide off easily. YAY.

-I had more than one emotional break-down. I get really stressed about having the house in perfect order every second of every day. The problem is that's impossible! But I'm paranoid about going into labor and coming home to a not perfectly clean house then feeling like I need to run around cleaning like a mad woman before people come to visit the baby. I'm trying really hard to just CHILL but this caused more than one break-down during week 38.

-I was on the verge of having an anxiety attack one night while laying in bed. I was very uncomfortable and just wishing the baby would come out already!...Nights tend to be way worse for me than days. I feel okay during the days but at night I'm SO restless. Anyway, after laying in bed for awhile wishing the baby would hurry up and come I started panicking that he really WOULD come. My bags weren't yet packed, Jack's new room wasn't finished, the house hadn't been vacuumed in two days (I'm telling you this obsession with a perfectly clean house is ridiculous), etc, etc. I almost got up and vacuumed and packed my bags. But instead I laid there torn between wanting the baby to come out already and freaking out that he was going to come out already. It made for some serious anxiety. The next morning I packed mine and baby's hospital bags and vacuumed and finished Jack's room ha. Baby can come now!

-In typical almost-39-week-pregnant-lady fashion, I'm ready to try just about anything to get this baby out.  First I had a prenatal massage (big huge thanks to my little sis for this as a birthday present!). I asked the masseuse (who also happened to be a doula) to do anything she could to encourage baby to come.  She did all the supposed labor-inducing acupressure but I'm still pregnant 3 days later. Boo. On a happy note, the massage was heavenly and I would highly recommend a prenatal massage like every month of your pregnancy if you can afford it. I can't ha.

-My second attempt at self-inducing labor was to try Skipolini's famous labor-inducing pizza. If you haven't heard about it you can read all about it on their website.

Again, I'm unlucky. It has been 36 hours since I've had the pizza and nothing. What is UP!? The pizza really is delicious though. So I guess I won't sue for false advertising ;]

-My sweet sisters-in-law threw me an amazing baby shower. It deserves a post of its own. Coming soon :]

Send labor wishes my way, please!

xoxo