Well, this week I have not been feeling like myself. My body is telling me that something is going on - it is starting to prepare for birth. I won't go into all the gory details but I have been looking up some of the different signs of early labor and I have about 8 of the 10 factors going on. Mostly things like: lack of sleep, being very uncomfortable, lots of pressure in my lower belly, mild cramps, back pain, hip pain, just not feeling like myself, spurts of energy then feeling very run down, and other things I won't mention... So I can tell that things are definitely changing. From what I have read, the signs that I am having can occur weeks before delivery. None of them imply that labor is going to occur in the next 24-48 hours or anything. Lets hope not because my mother will freak out if this baby comes early and she isn't here yet.
So the no sleeping thing sucks. It has certainly gotten worse over the last couple of weeks. I am so uncomfortable when I sit, stand, lay down, anything for too long. I am supposed to be sleeping on my side, which I hate. I am not a side sleeper. I am mostly a stomach sleeper (which is quite uncomfortable at this point but I still manage to wake up on my belly some nights), and a back sleeper which the doctors advise against. The weight of the belly presses down on the main arteries that run down the middle of your stomach and does not allow blood flow to your head, heart, and uterus. The doctor told me that if I lay like that too long I will start to feel nauseous, hot, and lightheaded. It also feels like all my entrails are being squished! I have experienced this and it is not fun. But you can't control what you do in your sleep and sometimes I just wake up like that!
Laying on my side too long hurts my hips. The weight from my belly pushes down on my hips after a while and it is so uncomfortable. So I flip to the other side and the same thing happens. I sleep with a body pillow under my belly for support and between my legs to help my hips but it still is not comfortable. My other options then become the belly and the back and, well, we already discussed that. So long story short - I cant sleep and between me tossing and turning and the toilet flushing every hour or so, Scotty probably can't sleep either. I can tell sometimes that I have woken him up but he says nothing. Sometimes the only thing he says is, "Is there something I can do? Is there anything that I can get you?" How sweet of him. I know that it can't be easy for him either. He has to go to work all day too and it is hard to do without a full night's rest. I am a lucky girl to have him.
I have been having more Braxton-Hicks contractions as well. They are getting stronger. When I have them at work everyone freaks out and I am the one who is calm. I can tell as well that Charlotte is starting to move down. I can feel every time she moves her little head against my cervix/bladder. It is so uncomfortable. It has been becoming more frequent and painful as well. Sometimes that will stop me in my tracks and I have to stand still for a little while until she calms down. Speaking of Charlotte calming down - not happening - which is good! I love feeling her move and I know that I will miss it but with her being so much bigger and stronger her little movements don't seem so little any more. It is amazing how she has such a personality already. I know what things will set her in motion. Spicy food, cold food, sweet food, laying on my side, drinking lots of water, rubbing her back and poking her legs when she pokes me all get her really get her moving! I am anxious to see if she is so active after she gets here. My guess is yes - I bet she will come out with those feet moving!
I have my 37 week appointment tomorrow and I will get a better idea of my dilation and how far she has moved down this past week. I know that checking the cervix and all that shows that birth is near but from what I have read it is not a sign that labor is coming in the next couple of days either. I keep my mom updated on how I am feeling so that she knows that she may need to hop on a plane at anytime. Since I have been feeling not so good the last week or so she went ahead and packed her bags and is starting to prepare to come down here at a moments notice. She is praying that Charlotte waits it out for her but its one of those things that nobody knows when it will happen for sure. Scotty is excited for this 37 week milestone. I explained to him that at 37 weeks a baby is considered full term even though the due date hasn't been reached yet. I told him this a few weeks ago and I tell him every Tuesday what week I am and this past week he was all excited and said, "Yes! She is game ready!" Can you tell he has been in football camp for the last 3 weeks? And I then explained to him that we had another week to go before she was "game ready." He said, "its always next week this, next time I go to the doctor that, it's never now." He is getting quite impatient and anxious about her arrival as well. Soon enough it will be "now." I think I put it into perspective for him last night when I told him that in 2 weeks or less he will be a daddy. That's the most that he will have to continue to wait. Then he got all smiley and couldn't be still.
Anxiety. Another pre-labor sign. Another reason I can't sleep. It is amazing how quickly my mood can change. There are times that I am so excited that I could just scream, then I get really sad thinking about all the things that Scotty and I will be giving up, and then I get really scared that in 14 days or less I am going to be someone's mom and completely responsible for keeping her happy, healthy, and alive. I know that all of this is completely normal and I feel like that I have done pretty well at keeping my emotions in check throughout this pregnancy but with the lack of sleep and lack of knowing exactly when she could be making her way into this world, it is starting to wear on me mentally. But that's where Scotty comes in. I tell him all this and talk to him about all this and he knows how to make me feel better. With that said - I don't know how anyone could do this alone. I am so thankful for the support that I have received from him throughout my entire pregnancy and from all of my family and friends. Props to those who have done this alone because it ain't easy.
This week one of Charlotte's grandmothers was celebrated! My mom's co-workers threw a Grandma shower for her during lunch at work. They gave her gifts, ate cake, and celebrated her and her first grandbaby's impending arrival. Mom works so hard not only at work but has worked so hard helping me prepare for this baby that she deserved to be recognized and celebrated. She sent me a few pictures from the party. I have included them below.
Well, until next time. Here are the pictures from this week. You can tell that I am starting to lose my "glow." My lack of sleep is starting to show through my shiny exterior. Oh well - guess I better get used to it!
 |
| Here are the photos from Mom's Grandma shower |
