37 Weeks: Swollen Hands, Swollen Feet

Alright, I have to warn you. I don't have a 37-week bump pic ready yet. So if that's all you came for, you might as well leave now. I'm working on my chalkboard today and hope to take my pic tonight, but I still have no idea when I'll get around to posting it. Pregnancy has made me pretty lazy these days. I did manage to vacuum today though, which I'll consider an accomplishment. =)

But I do have other updates!

At 37 weeks, we should be about three weeks away from meeting our Peanut. But we're not. We're actually quite a bit closer. I had another visit with the doctor this week, and she'd like to go ahead with the plan to induce labor on Monday, July 28th. So sometime in the next ten or eleven days, Jeff and I will be proud parents to a sweet baby girl.

I have to admit, I've warmed up a bit to the idea of the induction, but that could be because I know I really don't have a choice. The doc believes that this is what's best, so I'm trying to be as on-board as I can. I'm a little worried, because at this point my body is showing zero signs of being ready to let this baby go, and I think we could be in for a challenge getting it to give Peanut up. Not that I blame it, she's sweet and adorable, who would want to let her go?

If nothing should change in the next week or so, by my next appointment, I'll likely be admitted Sunday evening, the 27th and given chemicals to start to prepare my body for an induction. Sometimes labor is induced even though the body has already started the process on its own, and sometimes you have to start completely from scratch, so to speak. I'll try to save you the gritty details and keep this as G-rated as possible.

They'll need to get my body started Sunday night so it's at least a little bit ready when labor is actually, technically induced sometime on Monday. From there, it's just a matter of how quickly my body responds to the drugs, and how agreeable Peanut is to arriving a little early. I'm (obviously) hoping for a smooth labor with minimal complications. The book is very clear that labor inductions have a higher chance than natural labor for any type of assisted delivery, including use of forceps or a vacuum, and cesarean section. I'm hoping Peanut isn't quite as stubborn as her mom and just goes along with what's happening, but you never know for sure. So I'm hoping and praying for the best.

This has been a particularly rough week for me, and although I don't feel comfortable elaborating more here, I'm happy to discuss privately what's been happening, should your curiosity get the best of you. Don't worry - Peanut and I are fine - we're just feeling strongly for people we love that have faced very challenging days this past week. You know who you are, and you know that we love you very much.

So as the reality sets in that we're just over a week away from meeting our little one, I've been trying to line up the last few details of our lives so that we're ready for Peanut's arrival. After a couple hefty Amazon and Target orders, and with the exception of one last package arriving on Monday, I think we've got everything we need to care for our baby. Now we just need the baby herself. It's surreal to think "at this time in two weeks, we'll have our baby" or "next time we do this it will be with a baby." Even after almost ten months of carrying our Peanut girl, knowing about her, and dreaming about her, it still seems surreal that she'll be an actual baby girl, laying in our arms in just over a week. I think Jeff and I both have done a good job of side-stepping the panic and anxiety that first-time parents sometimes face (as much as we can), and are focusing on our excitement to meet our daughter.

My plan right now is to do another post with my week 37 pic tomorrow or Sunday, and then update again after my doctor's appointment next week, along with my 38-week bump pic. After that, you may not hear from me again for a bit, as we head to the hospital and then bring home the Peanut girl. I know you're all dying to hear what we've decided to name her, and you've only got another few days to wait, so hang in there! Just don't expect me to stop calling her Peanut, I think we've stuck her with a lifelong nickname there.

That's about it for today, I'll try and post the week 37 picture as soon as I can! Happy Friday everyone!

The Misnomer of the Nine-Month Pregnancy

Here's the thing: society, pop culture, and the media have been perpetuating this idea that pregnancy is a nine-month process. And yes, while it occurs over roughly nine months, ten months is a more accurate timeline. Look at it this way: you know there are usually four weeks in a month, and that there are 40 weeks in a pregnancy. Do the math here, folks. Forty weeks is ten months. I became pregnant in November, I will have my baby in August (or late July...). November --> August is ten months.

Thus, at 36 weeks pregnant, I am officially nine months, with another month to go still. Not feeling terrible, but good gracious I woke up this morning to painfully swollen hands! I think they'll loosen up as I go on about my day and get my circulation moving (maybe typing this post will help?), but yikes!

Right on time, here's my 36-week pic:

My book says my belly is just about as big as it will get, as Peanut is pretty much at her birth weight and length. As I mentioned last week, my belly already feels huge, and rolling side-to-side in the bed is getting increasingly difficult. I'm also experiencing pain in my hips if I lay on one for too long, which means lots of switching sides (and did I mention how difficult that is??). It doesn't make for a seamless process or uninterrupted sleep. Luckily, I have no problem laying down for a daytime nap here and there. ;D

Little girl is still very active, even though she's running out of room. Her hiccups are killing me these days, as I find the sensation irritating, especially in the middle of the night! Besides hiccups she does lots of rolls and stretches, still exploring her ever-shrinking space.

At this point, the book believes she is roughly 19 inches and weighs about six pounds. Obviously at this stage, there is no way to know for sure, since all babies grow differently in the later stage of pregnancy. Any day now, she should begin to move down into my pelvis, hopefully making breathing easier and relieve some of the heartburn I experience sometimes. It's still surreal that we're going to meet our baby girl SOON!

This is "the book" I'm always referring to.
I highly recommend it if you're also pregnant!!!

I had my 36-week visit with the doctor yesterday, and while she said all is relatively normal and baby is growing as she should, Doc still believes she might come a little early. However, if Peanut doesn't show up in the next two weeks,  the doc wants to induce labor between weeks 38 and 39 due to my increasingly high blood pressure. The risks to baby and to myself increase should we continue the pregnancy beyond 39 weeks, and at that point Peanut should be developed enough to survive just fine on her own. We'll find out more about the induction at my appointment next week.

Am I super stoked about this news? No, not really. Labor is supposed to be a natural process that starts on it's own when baby is ready, and I have mixed feelings about forcing my body to begin labor. Some women also say that induction of labor is more painful than when labor begins naturally, which nobody wants to hear anyway. Of course I don't want to put Peanut in any kind of danger and I completely trust my doctor and her advice. If she thinks delivering Peanut between 38 and 39 weeks is the very best thing for her, then that is what we'll do, whether I'm thrilled with it or not. Jeff and I have always had the attitude that we'd cross each bridge as we came to it, not worrying too much about what will or won't happen. We're trying to be as laid-back as we can about the process so that neither of us stresses out too much if things don't go "as planned."

We want our daughter healthy and happy, no matter how that happens.

I told Jeff last night I was hesitant to share this news with you, since (like baby names) everyone has an opinion on what should or shouldn't happen during labor and delivery, and (like all other pregnancy-related situations) everyone is more than willing to share their own unsolicited stories, opinions, and medical advice from their own doctor. How did so many of my friends and family go to medical school when I wasn't looking? My point is, Jeff and I will decide what is best for our daughter and the labor and delivery process, and would appreciate nothing more than your unwavering support and encouragement. It's scary to think that you might be putting your child at risk before she's even born, and we can definitely use, and will immensely appreciate, your cheers and prayers.

So given this news, it sounds like July 28th may be induction day if Peanut doesn't show up sooner on her own. Don't hold your breath! Things can always change, and the 28th still may not end up being Peanut's actual birthday. Little girl may also decide she doesn't like to be scheduled and just show up on her own. However, July 28th is a heck of a lot closer (relatively speaking) than August 6th. It's pretty much two and a half weeks away. Luckily, with the exception of a few more things to throw into our hospital bag, we are READY! Now we just wait and see how things go and hope for smooth sailing from here on out!

That's probably enough updates for this week! Since I'm visiting the doctor weekly now, I'll have more news to share after next week's appointment, and perhaps more information regarding the possibility of inducing labor.

Have a great weekend everybody!