Week 38- Pumpkin

These sharp "sciatica"-like pains (pelvic, crotch, & sometimes legs) aka "lighting crotch" are more frequent, with good reason.  Little Fishy's head is sitting low & bumping into all different kinds of nerves. Especially when I'm settled in bed and trying to adjust or get up.  Gotta say, the back pain has lightened up.  AND i havnt has a prenatal massage since last Monday. As for the other symptoms, they rotate so I'm always dealing with one (or two)

It's really now a waiting game.  I'm on maternity leave, a week earlier than I was aiming for.  The crib is built, mattress being shipped, changing station created.  I'm sorting the baby gear, but still in bags.  More baby goodies were purchased with my Amazon 15% completion bonus.  I still got plenty of cleaning & organizing to do.  Hope I really take advantage of this extra time 

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3/1/15 ObGyn update

Everything looked great, Fishy is estimated 7 pounds (which is most likely too generous) & looks like she will stay put for at least another week.  During the ultrasound, she was doing her little breathing exercises.  As I'm writing this, her hiccups are strong & vibrating both to my tummy and my back.  I'm excited to meet her, see smell and hold her.  But a bit fearful of the labor.  Had a mini discussion about the "cut off" for when I'll be induced.. Yikes 

My Birthday

False Alarm

OMg, had a little scare

I left work this morning &went to L&d to rule out ruptured membrane.  Aka, did my water break?

It all started at midnight,  thought I peed myself and popped out of bed.  Never got out of bed that quickly.  Especially since I've been having nerve pains in my pelvis.  Anyways, Threw my undie into the sink & ran water through it.  Went to the toilet, emptied the bladder.. After cleaning up, went straight back to sleep.  Kept getting that "leaking" feeling every so many hours, and just used the toilet.  Honestly nothing new, if it was discharge.  But to pee myself?

In the morning, it happened again.  I checked the stain of my undies, it was clear watery and just a little.  Even performed the sniff test, was NOT pee

Since I wasn't bleeding, and didn't have any new/ strong pain, didn't think I was contracting.  I went to work 

Gave my Obgyn a call, left a message.  Apparently my work phone wasn't getting reception, they ended up calling my boss & recommending to call L&D.  Over the phone, they couldn't figure if I ruptured membrane or not.  Recommend I come in, now

To get a sense of the urgency, I asked if I can come in after my shift end and they said sooner the better. Preferably now

So I haphazardly cleaned up my work area, & drove through almost 1 hour of traffic, valeted the car, Checked in, got a nice room with a view, & an even nicer nurse.  After leaving a pee sample in the cup, the nurse hooked me to the NST monitor and hearing little Fishy's heart beat started to comfort me

Turns out I was having regular contractions.  Hypothetically, if I have a ruptured membrane.. I would be staying. Either wait for the contractions to do its work, but at a point would be induced to labor.  I started to panick

That's my scared look cuz the girl next door is whimpering crying howling

Ended up it was all a false alarm

Of Note, thought te exams they did were interesting

They made me cough hard & took some fluid for a pH test

The Obgyn (senior resident, but a pgy-3) did a visual exam & didn't see fluid collection in my vagina

She also took a sample of the fluid & looked under the microscope.  It was no amniotic fluid

Apparently some women make clear watery discharge in prep for labor/ lubrication 

I'm gona be the boy who cried wolf, when my water really breaks I'll be ignoring it..

Week 37- Wintermelon

Full term, yay yay 

Some are shocked I'm not taking disability the month prior to the due date.  I do deal with inconveniences, including back pain while driving & throughout the day from sitting. just having a hard time lugging my work stuff to and from the car.  But honestly, wouldn't say I'm disabled

Plus I would miss the sunrise, like today's 

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37+1 edit
Obgyn confirmed everything is going well- checked fluids, placenta, cervix, & Fishy is estimated 6 pounds 5 ounces.  Was told most first time pregnancies go to or even a couple days past the due date, so Fishy would most likely be 7-7.5 pounds at birth.  
Also, my work sick leave & Aflac short-term disability forms have been signed off.  Looks like I'll officially be taking maternity leave starting next week.  Not too many of those sunrises on my way to work left..

Happy Birthday, Husband

Week 36- Honeydew

Fishy, did you know the honeydew might be tied with watermelon (the size you'll be at full term) as daddy's favorite fruit? 

She's getting really close to no longer needing me.. Feeling bittersweet about it all.  Right when I'm starting to enjoy being literally the "host" in this symbiotic relationship, it can all be taken away.  

Since she's early term, it's really getting real..  The car seat was installed last week.  Now, I find myself adding post partum goodies into the Amazon shopping car & Revisiting lists to pick out a middle name.  Just cleaned out my top dresser drawer, with plans to stash diaper goodies.  The top of the dresser will hold the changing pad, complete with a cute flower mobile.  I've downsized my closet space, James moved all his work clothes into the newly created space, which emptied out the baby room's closet.  Swing, bouncer, and other new/ borrowed goodieshave found a place to wait at.  Hoping to do some furniture rearrangement to create a nursery, which I initially wasn't planning on.  But oh my! How things have changed.  Got some ikea furniture building to do, as well!

It's going to be a busy week.  Glad I got to squeeze in another prenatal massage today.  Tomorrow is my Obgyn appointment.  An "exciting" one with Tdap booster & GBS swab.  Bracing myself for dead arm & an uncomfortable Pap smear like experience 

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They need to call it a GBS scrape

Anyways, here's my one & only (almost) bare belly photo

Snapped while waiting;)

Week 35- Coconut

Today is 35-35

Week 35, with 35 days remaining 

Growing a baby has taken it's toll on me, both physically & psychologically. But to read that little Fishy's major organs are complete. That her kidneys are developed & liver is functional makes it all worth it.

An image of what's going on inside of me: 

Anterior placenta no longer blocks the movements.  She's grown so that I can feel kicks and jabs into my ribs.  Also, her hiccups often vibrate right into my backside.  Palpitating buttcheeks, hehe

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Thought it'd be fun to compare my belly to the above photo reference

I'm a lot less pointy & I would say more rounder.. Possibly little Fishy is laying lower? 

Week 34- Butternut squash

Feels like little Fishy has exponentially grown.  I can feel all the different movements, not just the hiccups & kicks but also her shifting and adjusting.  Sure looks it, I'm full on prego status.

I've read that she can hear and recognize songs, so now I'm motivated to sing some lullabys.  Too bad I don't know too many, might just end up singing Sam Smith ballads, haha

She's also urinating a pint a day, and I'm excited to see her estimated length & weight when I see my Obgyn tomorrow.  I've been having quite a voracious appetite so I'm hoping it's gone all to the baby

As for me, my legs and feet swelling remains the same.  Still having constant back aches on right dorsal muscle, worsens when sitting and really loosens up when I lay flat on my back.  This couples with rib tightness and pain right where boob meets belly, I'm always in aches.  Oh, the GERD has lightened up significantly but lower GI goes between constipation & the other end of the spectrum.  Someone's I'm unloading 2-3 times by lunchtime. 

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3/4/15 update

Today, little fishy measured 4 pounds 13 ounces via ultrasound. Right on target

Also, saw her looking around & even blink! 

Not many of these urine tests left..