Just a few weeks left...maybe!

Last week, at 36 weeks pregnant, I started to experience some more unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. Namely, me feet and hands really started to swell! They had swelled up some a month or so ago, but nothing like this. Check out my poor feet! For some reason the right one always swells up much worse than the left. I can’t wear anything but flip flops or Ugg style boots anymore. My hands are pretty swollen too, so no more rings for me!!

 

 

 

Last week’s OB appointment on Tuesday was quite eventful! At the beginning of the appointment, I was hooked up to a machine that monitors the baby’s movements and any contractions I may be having. Two straps were placed around my belly, one to record the baby’s heartbeat, which is expected to spike with movement, and the other to monitor contractions. A machine next to me was printing out the readings from each sensor strapped to my belly. 

 

 

I took a little video of the recording (below). The first line (on the left) is the baby’s heartbeat, that’s the active one. I wasn’t having any contractions (Braxton hicks or otherwise), so the second line (in back/on the right) wasn’t doing anything interesting. The fun part happened toward the end of the monitoring session when baby got the hiccups! I could feel them and see them get recorded, and even hear them through the sensors as well. Fun!

http://youtu.be/liEXwzR30JE

 

During the visit I also learned that I was already 1 cm dilated and 70% effaced! Based on that and a few other signs I won’t gross anyone out with, it’s looking like baby girl may want to come early. The doctor said it might still be another 2-3 weeks, but suggested we get all our baby things done!

 

Alas, the appointment wasn’t all fun. I got confirmation that the shape of my pelvis will make childbirth challenging and coupled with the apparent size of baby, there’s a very good chance that she won’t be able to make it through or may cause excessive damage to me in the process. (I had no idea you could break your tailbone while delivering, eek!!) After talking with the doctor and with our doula, it’s looking like I will be better off opting for a c-section. I am going to wait to see what the other doctor in the office says at our next appointment, but I definitely feel some sense of relief having pretty much made the decision. The last thing I want to do is labor for hours and hours before heading into surgery or wind up with severe and unpredictable injuries that could take just as long if not longer to recover from and would be more unpleasant!

 

On Thursday I worked from home so I could be around when the glider for the nursery was finally delivered. I must admit, there are some advantages to being pregnant. When the 2 guys delivering the chair came in with huge boxes, I asked them if they could put the chair upstairs since I wouldn’t be able to help Erich carry them up. They not only put the boxes upstairs, they unpacked the parts to the chair, put them in the nursery, and broke apart and took away the dirty boxes the chair came in! It was awesome. JAnd the chair looks phenomenal!

Here are a couple pictures of the nursery; it's nearly done!

 

 

 

Erich practicing with Maidchen...

Thursday evening we had our prenatal visit with our doula, and we also had her take some maternity photos. I’m so glad I worked from home and was able to put my feet up. Some of the swelling in my hands and feet went down, enough so that I could actually wear my engagement ring for the photos.  It was fun to get the pictures taken and I think we got some good ones! She’s already sent over a few samples! I can’t wait to see the rest!

 

 

One of my favorites so far!

Over the weekend Erich had a volleyball tournament with his girls down in Colorado Springs. I was originally hoping to come along and get to have a little weekend getaway, but with the progress the OB described, I was a little nervous to be that far from our hospital (it’s about a 1.5 – 2 hour drive). Apparently, my mom was nervous about me being home alone, as she cancelled her weekend plans to have a slumber party with me at our house, just so I wouldn’t be alone. It was fun to get to hang out with her and watch some bad movies! The next day we did a little shopping to get a few final items for the nursery and took care of some other things on my to-do list.

Baby has also been super active, and has taken to kicking me on the top part of my belly, which doesn’t feel great. The other night I noticed that I actually had a bruise in the spot she’s been pounding! I had no idea that could happen! So now she has yet another nickname: Bruiser. We think she’ll be quite the jumper one day; a great addition to one of Erich’s future volleyball teams.

The next OB appointment is on Wednesday; I’m curious to see if there’s any more progress or if we’ll learn any different information that may influence how baby will be delivered!