Warning: I am almost 35 weeks along and yes, I am definitely at that point where I am just ready to have a child outside my body instead of inside... He consumes most of my free time, thoughts, my energy, and for tonight, my blog...
I try to make friends, not enemies. I try not to offend others or make them angry with me. There have been few times in my life where I have felt retaliated against or persecuted, and I wish it could have stayed that way...
But I now have an enemy. Luckily, this enemy has not been around for a few days, but just you wait... As soon as the temperature creeps up higher than 70 or 80 degrees, my enemy will return with a vengeance.
That's right. WATER RETENTION HATES ME. It is a gruesome sight; I apologize for being so graphic... Despite my best efforts to avoid sodium at all costs, to eat more fresh fruit than I have ever ingested before, and to drink several liters of water a day, my arch nemesis turns my hands, ankles and toes into hot, puffy water balloons. Can I get an amen from all the baby mamas out there?
Despite my own discomforts, the boy seems to be growing well... A little too well... At my 32 week check up, when I was supposedly 32 weeks and 2 days along, his head measured the size of a baby who was 33 weeks along. Hmmm. Yesterday morning, at my 34 week check up when I thought I was 34 weeks and 2 days along, his head measured the size of a baby who was 35 weeks along! Five days ahead of schedule, but every tenth of a centimeter counts here! I see two posibilites to explain this sizable conundrum. Either he will come a bit earlier than his due date, or he will be a big baby. Family history tells us it's the latter. I know many of you have heard this before, but my grandma was late with all 8 of her children, with the last one weighing 12 lbs. My mother was late with all 5 of us. I was her earliest baby at 10 days late, and the smallest at 7.5 lbs. Her first and last were around 10 lbs, like large baby bookends. My youngest brother's nickname as a newborn in the hospital was Moose. My sister has never gone into labor naturally after 4 children; she always went at least a week past her due date until her last pregnancy, overseen by a merciful doctor who induced labor close to her due date instead of making her wait the extra week. All of this information leads me to believe that an early delivery is out of the question.
Don't get me wrong. If he came early, I would feel only relief and joy. (As long as he's healthy, of course...) I just don't want to get my hopes up... Look at the genes I got.
Another great thing about pregnancy is the instant bond you feel with other mothers who always love to reminisce and dole out advice. It makes for such a warm, fuzzy feeling when mothers get together to talk about all their pregnancy woes and to tell you that it will all be worth it in the end. Which is why it is so perplexing to me when mothers will say things like "You're getting SOOO big!", or "Are you sure you don't have twins in there?" (got this question twice on Sunday at church). They've been pregnant before! Don't they know that I already feel like I should have one of those "wide load" trucks clearing the way for me everywhere I go?
Honestly, Matt and I are very blessed that our baby is healthy and we're so excited to meet him in a few weeks. We've been so blessed in so many ways. And I know it will all be worth it...
6 comments:
I got those comments all the time with Gracie's pregnancy, but the funny thing was I also got comments saying oh you're so tiny for being so far along so I just didn't know what to think b/c some people thought I was huge enough to be having twins and others thought I was barely gaining anything...hmmmm. I never had the swollen thing going on though but have had lots of friends who have.
I think people don't think about things before they say them. I too have gotten comments both ways. I had some old lady in the grocery store just yesterday tell me my baby has already dropped and sat there in the deli dept explaining to me that my cervix will begin to open, etc etc! Hello?! This is not my first kid, and TMI!!! And I definitely get the swollen ankles. Hang in there... we're almost there!!
By the way, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve if you are desperate to have that baby come a bit early, let me know! :)
Hey, Julie! If it helps, my feet and hands TOTALLY swelled up--I could hardly hold a pen or walk around in the mornings. It was so nasty! But the cool part--it instantly goes away. Once I came home from the hospital, I couldn't stop staring at my hands and my feet--they looked so skinny! It really will shock you. Hang in there!
By the way, once your little guy arrives, if you're feeling overwhelmed and need a shoulder to cry on, I'm up til 11:00 pm, then again at 3:00 am, and then again at 6:30 or so. And all day long. So don't hesitate to call!
Ethan kept measuring large too... luckily he was only 7 lbs. 6 oz. when he was born. My best advice is to be pregnant in the winter so that you don't have to deal with any high temperatures and you've got the baby fat to keep you warm. I think we'll be having spring babies from now on!
"are you having twins?" What kind of question is that??!!! Nutsoes.
Amen! Being pregnant during the summer is awful.
And don't sweat the size of your baby. The bigger, the better, makes for less worrying later. Lila was 9 lbs 9 oz and delivery wasn't bad at all. And big babies are cute.
I think you look great! During my 39th week of pregnancy with Lila I had a man stop me at the grocery store and tell me that there is no more beautiful sight on earth than a heavily pregnant woman. It's sorta a backward compliment, but I can only think of a few things more beautiful. Like..when you see your baby for the first time. That's beautiful. Congrats on getting toward the end!
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