Merry Christmas!!

Yep, I am still pregnant! I still have 4 days until my due date (this coming Friday), so there's still time for Baby Boy Lamb to arrive naturally. In fact, as a first time mommy, I may have another 1-2 weeks to wait before I get to deliver!  The good news is that my CNM discovered that I was 2cm dilated and 50% effaced at my 38 week check-up last week. So, slowly but surely, I'm making progress. Hopefully, things will pick up soon so I can avoid induction.

Some other happy news - I am FINALLY over my cold. My horrible cough finally left yesterday! I'm very relieved about this since I was concerned about being ill during labor and delivery.  That cold really drained a ton of energy from me (which is why it took me so long to update this journal!) in the last 2 weeks. Its nice feeling normal again!

I've had quite a few people ask me when I'm going to go on maternity leave. I decided from the beginning of this pregnancy that I was going to work as long as possible. Fortunately, this pregnancy has been free of complications, which has allowed me to work to almost the very end. However, since my due date is this coming Friday, I will most likely make Christmas week my last week of work.

I've had some interesting sensations the last week or so. First off, my left and right sides have been hurting pretty badly. They hurt the most whenever I lay directly on them, which is a huge issue since that is the only way Im able to sleep without getting nauseous. I think I'm suffering from severe muscle strain due to the weight of my dropped huge belly. Secondly, I've felt a lot of menstrual-type discomfort such as uterine cramps and lower back pain. It is possible that these could be signs of early labor. Unfortunately, contractions at this point are very weak and irregular and can be easily overlooked by a first time mommy like myself.  I'm hoping the intensity and pace will pick up soon, so that I know for certain that I'm in labor!

Baby boy Lamb is still doing well. He is so big and strong and remains very active. Its fun feeling him move, especially when I put slight pressure on certain parts of his body then follow that body part as he moves it into a new position. The cool thing is that I truly believe that he likes interacting with me as well!

Before I forget, I finally added some new pictures to the photo album. They are recent pictures of me and my belly and updated photos of the nursery. Enjoy!

Symptoms:

back pain, slight fatigue, joint pain, creaky knees, menstrual-type pains in uterus, pain-free infrequent contractions (unsure if they are Braxton-Hicks), increased hunger, frequent potty breaks, slight headaches, very active baby!

 Total Weight Gained: 42 pounds (sigh, I went over my 40 limit!)

This pregnancy has essentially been problem free until last Sunday, when I caught the cold from hell! For those that dont know, there isnt much a pregnant lady can do to relieve the pains and inconveniences of the common cold. I've tried all four acceptable cold medicines recommended by the nurses and CNM and nothing has really worked. This simple little cold has interfered with my job, my quality of sleep, my energy levels, and my mood. There's nothing I can really do but to wait it out! Hopefully, it will leave  before litte boy Lamb arrives.

This Tuesday,  I had a good, uneventful 37 week check-up. My CNM was thrilled about my weigh in (lost 3 pounds of water weight according her scale) and told me to keep up the good work. She measured and examined me and all remains the same as the previous week (still dilated 1cm).  His heartbeat was higher than usual (150bpm), probably due to the piece of gum I chewed right before I arrived at the doctors office. If you must know, I was  trying to cover up my nasty cold breath!

Wednesday night, Allen and I attended his company's holiday party at the Atlanta Country Club. We enjoyed a plethora of appetizers with yummy drinks (cranberry and ginger ale for me!), a beautiful sit-down dinner, and a few decadent desserts. The highlight of the night was the president of the company handing out gifts of all kinds to each of his employees.  I couldnt believe all the goodies Allen got! It made me realize that he was truly valued as an employee, which he hasnt felt in a long time. It was nice seeing him so happy.

Little boy Lamb is doing well. He's still quite active, though I think my cold has slowed him down the last two days. Its probably the weird tasting medicines and my obnoxious nose-blowing and coughing that are affecting his activity levels. Or, he could be so big now that he has very little room to romp around anymore!

Symptoms (some may actually be cold related):

lower and middle back pain, pelvic floor discomfort, Braxton-Hicks contractions, joint pain, hot flashes, frequent urination, difficulty sleeping, nausea, lack of appetite, aversion to water, extreme fatigue 

Total weight gained: 40 lbs

Im 37 weeks today, which defines me as full term! This means that all systems are go and the baby can be born with no complications from this point forward. How exciting!

Its been another busy week for Daddy and me. On Sunday, we attended the second half of our childbirth preparation class. We learned all about medical interventions for labor and delivery as well as practice various positions and relaxation methods to use during labor and delivery.

On Tuesday,  we had our 36 week check up. I was nervous about it because of the weight gain I experienced after all the Thankgiving feasts and leftovers. She was very concerned and told me to cut back at work and spend most of my free time resting. She believes it water retention, but Im pretty sure its from overindulging on all the holiday treats. But she's the professional, so I will follow her orders and relax. In addition to her advice, I am upping my water intake to flush out the extra fluid build-up in my body and paying closer attention to my diet.

After the weight discussion, she examed me and discovered that Im already 1cm dilated. I wasnt expecting that! 

We ended the visit with a sonogram to ensure the baby was in good health. The sonagrapher checked his position, breathing, heartbeat, amniotic fluid, and blood flow through the umbilical cord. While checking all that out, we saw him squirm, wave his hand, blink, and move his eyes. Very cool! The last thing she did was take measurements on his size and estimates that he is currently 6 pounds 13 ounces. She predicts that he'll weigh a little over 8 pounds on his birthday! 

I behaved very well (with food and water) on Tuesday and Wednesday and was rewarded with a two pound loss. Then, on Thursday, we attended my boss's retirement party at a buffet style restaurant. It went very well until I ate dinner. I overindulged like crazy...stupid buffets! I gained the two pounds back, most likely due to the high sodium content in all the foods I ate the the night before. Sigh...

Today, Im back on track with my eating and my goal is to continue this trend throughout the weekend to see if I can get some water weight back off before my 37 week visit on Tuesday.

In other news, I met with two pediatricians recommended by my CNM. They were both incredibly nice, informative, and put me immediately at ease. I look forward to working with them for many years to come!  

As for baby boy Lamb, he is doing really well. He's turning his head, stretching his arms and legs, and bucking back and forth at all hours of the day. Its amazing how powerful and energetic he is! I love it!

Symptoms:

upper and lower back pain, menstrual - like cramps, pelvic discomfort, joint pain, frequent urination, stuffy nose, fatigue, cravings (holiday type foods, ice cream, chocolate, coffee).

Total Weight Gained: 40 pounds 

Yay, we are finally in the final month of pregnancy. I am so happy that this day has come! I've been in all sorts of discomfort and pain lately so its nice knowing that I wont have to deal with them for much longer!

This was another hectic week for us. We attended the first half of our Childbirth Preparation class on Sunday. We learned a lot about breathing and relaxation techniques to use during labor and delivery. On Tuesday, we attended a Breastfeeding class. I had read up a lot on this particular topic but it was nice re-learning things from an actual lactation specialist. Im sure Allen really appreciated learning this stuff from a pro as well, since his "Daddy" books dont cover this topic in much detail.  

Work has been very draining for me lately. My body gets tired quickly, sitting in the same position all day. I try to give myself lots of standing/walking/stretching breaks, but it doesnt seem to help very much. By the end of the day, I am dragging! Then when I go to bed, I have trouble getting comfortable. It takes so much effort to turn on my side and get situated. After a while, I get comfy and thats about the time when I realize I have to go to the bathroom. I've gotten to the point where I dread going to bed at night, since I know I wont sleep well yet again.

The worst thing about bedtime is acid reflux. I've had several episodes of stomach acid literally coming up to the top of my esophagus and into my mouth! It makes me cough and gag and the only remedy is spitting it out! So disgusting! I guess whenever I lay down, the baby shifts his body so that it presses right up against my stomach which forces the acid up my throat. Not fun at all!

Despite all the aches, pains, and inconveniences, I've thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant. My favorite parts of it have been feeling my son grow and move and watching my body transform from a skinny young lady to a proud rounded-belly mama. I will admit that seeing the numbers on the scale jump from my goal weight all the way up to 20-30 pounds from my highest weight hasnt been easy, but I take comfort in the fact that all (ok, most!) of  this weight gain is for the health of my child.

All in all, I feel quite blessed that I have been given this chance to fulfill this lifelong dream of mine with my amazing husband. He has been an wonderful pillar of support and love for both me and the baby. I can already tell he is going to be the best daddy in the world. And honestly, the thing I look forward to most is the day when I get to witness Allen, the father of my sweet child, hold his son for the first time. Its going to be a breathtaking moment that will be forever etched in my memory.

Symptoms:

acid reflux, frequent potty breaks, achy joints, back pain, pelvic discomfort, Braxton-Hicks contractions, stuffy nose, lots of sneezing, tighter maternity bras (how much bigger am I gonna get!!), difficulty sleeping, anxious about impending motherhood, excited about baby's arrival, worrying that Im going to make mistakes (Im a perfectionist and have always been hard on myself when I  screw up),  plenty of fetal movement (squirming, bucking, slow meticulous turning)

Total Weight Gained: 40lbs!!! (I blame it on my excellent holiday cooking talents and major water retention!)