36 Weeks 6 Days

What is it about the 36 week point that makes me feel like time has come to a complete halt!? Time has just flown by to me this whole pregnancy and now suddenly, it’s like each day is equal to a whole week. I think it’s partly the discomfort with trying to drag this heavy body around and being too out of breath to accomplish tasks easily. I literally have to take a break between each thing I do just to catch my breath. It’s ridiculous! Also its partly the lack of sleep as the return of restless legs has struck hard this week. One night I was up till after 2am in and out of bed trying to calm my legs down. The night before that I only slept like 4.5 hours due to waking up with restless legs. I realize this is all “preparing me for the sleepless nights ahead” blah blah blah but you know what? It would be nice to go into labor JUST ONCE with a few solid nights of sleep fueling me instead of already running on empty. That the thing that’s making me so nervous about the induction… I know I won’t sleep the night before and I’ll go in exhausted. I just hope and pray I go into labor on my own before then.

Shew, ok. So what else is going on this week…

• Severe acid reflux/heartburn
• Less Braxton Hicks than in earlier weeks but the ones I do have are super super strong. I had some every 15-20 minutes the other night for about 6 hours but they fizzled out after I went to bed.
• Not much cramping anymore either, which is nice but weird
• The intense pressure I was having last week has either improved a bit or I’ve just gotten used to it 😅 The baby has been changing his position back and forth from the right to the left to posterior in the middle, which probably affects the pressure too.
• Nesting urges are insane this week! I’ve gotten so much done. I cleaned out my closet and got rid of several boxes of stuff and clothes I’ll never fit or wear again. It feels great. This has been my most productive pregnancy, by far, for getting rid of stuff and getting organized. I’m definitely going to miss this nesting energy! However, I’ve also come to realize that 90% of the stuff I’m doing would be 100% easier when I’m not pregnant. For example: I leaned over the tub washing a blind today. My legs were falling asleep, my back was screaming and I think I broke both of my buttcheeks. Without a belly in the way, it would have been so much more doable and not pulled any muscles. I literally laid in bed and cried afterwards… Now on to the next stupid project that has nothing to do with having a baby!
• I’ve actually probably enjoyed this pregnancy the most. Not the first few months because they were brutal, but the second and third trimesters have been the easiest – mentally especially but also I’ve done pretty well physically. Just gotta hang on these last couple weeks! It’s definitely getting challenging now but I’m so glad I had some good months.
• I am having some issues with nausea though and took zofran one night so I could finally go to bed after going back and forth from the bed to the bathroom floor over and over. Hopefully I don’t have any more nausea that severe 😬 Mostly its a low level queasiness but spikes to real nausea at least a time or two a day.
• I’m staying on my raspberry leaf tea pretty good. I just make it in a quart mason jar and refrigerate it and then drink it with a little stevia. Mmmm!
• TMI probably but I also started hand-expressing colostrum and freezing it. I’ve done this for the last 3 pregnancies since it’s always a possibility that I’ll have another baby with ABO incompatibility jaundice and I want to have colostrum available if needed to supplement with.

Lately my main concern regarding the birth is leaving the kids for an unknown period of days/nights. I know they’ll be well cared for but I hate being away from them, especially overnight. One of the main things I’ve been focusing on the last few weeks is getting things set up so that it’s easier for my mom and anyone else who might take turns babysitting. DH and I are used to our little people and are able to run things like a pretty well oiled machine but it’s a lot harder for someone else to come over and know the method to the madness, so to speak. So notes are going up on the fridge and Tru and Levi have been assigned a few things that they can be helpers with so it’s not so hard for Grandmom. 😁

I had a checkup and BPP yesterday. They said baby is about 6lbs 3oz I think. 24th percentile. However, this ultrasound tech has historically underestimated my babies sizes in past pregnancies, (plus it’s so hard to get accurate measurements now with his head so low and fluid levels dropping) so I’m thinking he’s probably a bit more than that. Would love for him to be a little smaller than my last couple babies but we’ll see! His head is still measuring a week behind and legs are a week or so behind.

I only have 1 checkup left and with the help of my dr, was able to move covid testing back a couple days so I don’t have to drive all the way to the hospital twice in a week. So happy about that! I did have to change my appointment to a different day and switch the bpp to an nst instead. Apparently they’re doing those again? This has been a weird time to be pregnant, I tell ya. Rules are changing every day now, as the dr said.

She did an exam, of course, and said she felt that I was barely 1cm dilated. She had checked my chart and said “I know they told you 2cm last week but…. 🤷” So she decided to give a little bit of a sweep in the hopes it’ll make my cervix a bit more favorable for induction as it’s still firm. With my prior c section, they can’t/don’t use any cervical ripening agent for induction. So if I go in with an unfavorable cervix, they would probably want to switch to a c section. Really hoping things move along this week and look better by my next appointment! I definitely don’t want to cancel the induction and wait it out as baby’s fluid is not plentiful at this point (I don’t know the exact measurement). I don’t know if I truly regressed in dilation or what happened but it was a bummer, for sure.

Dear God, please help us get through these last days of pregnancy and birth and I pray that this baby will come at the right time and in the way that he needs to come. Thank You for another good checkup and please bring us safely through. In Jesus’ name, amen.

35 Weeks 5 Days

Chugging along! I’m so thankful and relieved that I got a lot of stuff checked off my list this week. We set up a diaper changing area on our dresser and got rid of the changing table, which really freed up some space. I bought a nice comfy night shirt to wear at the hospital and some new bras. Got my pump and pacifiers sterilized and ready to go. Plus I froze quite a few meals. Several more to go but I feel pretty good about where we’re at now. Things are falling into place!

At my checkup today I was 2cm dilated but cervix still pretty firm. The dr I saw is new to the practice and she was really great. We chatted for quite awhile and I felt really comfortable with her. I only have 2 appointments left! Then I also need to go in for the pre-induction covid test 4 days beforehand. The dr suggested stopping by to have my membranes stripped that day possibly, in the hopes that it would jump start labor and I could skip the induction. Of course, it depends on whether my body makes more progress before then if it would be worthwhile.

Baby has been much less active the last 2 days. He looked good on the bpp today but I wish he would be a little more active. Fluid is still absent in one quadrant, making me nervous. But his stomach and bladder were both full today, so he’s definitely drinking in there. 😂 Also, he appears to be basically constantly practice breathing now, despite being asleep. At my last 3 or 4 ultrasounds he was practice breathing the whole time. Making his lungs nice and strong! He’s really deep in my pelvis now and the pressure is intense. I’m not having too many Braxton Hicks but when I do, they’re very crampy down low. I have them more at night and whenever I’m in the car. I’ve also had some “lightning crotch” this week. I had avoided that so far but looks like it’s here to stay now. 😆

I definitely have a lot of pelvic pain now but it’s all on the front right side and nowhere near as bad as it’s been in other pregnancies. I’m not sure what the difference is this time but I’m thankful. I’d like to go to the chiropractor at least once before the birth to make sure everything is straight and good. I also want to get my hair highlighted and toenails painted but hey, that’s really not going to impede my ability to give birth if I don’t get around to it. 🤣

Funny looking pic this week but where my hand is, that is Destin’s butt. I feel like he really dropped this week!

Sleep is still decent, thank the Lord. I get up a lot of times but I feel like I get into a pretty deep sleep in between mostly. Lots of weird dreams though. 😂 My main issue is falling asleep. Sometimes I don’t fall asleep until really far into the night, so that sucks. I’m taking advantage of sleeping in a little bit in the boys’ bedroom in the morning when I go in there to lay down so Zane will sleep a bit later. Otherwise he is up at crack:30 and a grouch all day. For some reason he will sleep longer if I’m in there.

Not pregnancy related but we finally got to have Christmas with DH’s family last weekend. It was really nice. It was kind of fun to have this late Christmas to look forward to. I also took Zane for his 3 year checkup this week. He’s 30.8lbs (30th percentile) now and 3’3″ (75th) tall, which is just adorable to me. ❤️ Overall he’s looking fine and healthy. He really enjoyed the one on one time with me and was absolutely perfect all day. His mood was great and it made me realize that we need more of these one on one times together. All the kids do! Too bad stupid covid had to ruin everything or I could have been alternating taking each kid with me to my weekly appointments and getting lunch together afterwards like back in the olden days when I could do stuff like that. 😭 Oh how I miss the world of 2019! Anyway, that was not supposed to get all negative but hey, just being real. I’m tired of it all.

Also, DH went for his follow-up bloodwork and CT scan last week. Blood was perfect but CT showed an enlarged spot of some sort in his abdomen. The oncologist said it might have always been there and just not noticed before, as in DH may have been born with it. The dr said he will look into it and if we don’t hear from him, all is well. 🙏 I’m gonna make DH call in a few days to find out for sure though so I can rest easy about it. This was the first time he’s ever had to drink the solution before the scan in addition to getting the iv, which may be why the spot wasn’t noticeable before. Prayers appreciated!! As usual, he is calm and chill but I find it a little harder to be quite as relaxed. He’s definitely the optimist in our relationship. ❤️

Dear God, please help everything to be healthy with DH and for him to stay cancer free. Please also keep the baby growing strong and healthy and for us to have a safe and easy birth. Thank You for all the things we’ve been able to accomplish this week and for the good progress we are making. In Jesus’ name

34 Weeks 6 Days

1/14/21

*Searching for my notepad so I can make a list of all the things I need to do before baby comes.*

I keep feeling like I have all kinds of time left but we actually have less than 30 days until induction! When the kids and I first started counting down, it was over 40 days and now we are in the 20s??? How did that happen?! I have frozen zero meals (working on that today), haven’t sterilized the breast pump or storage bottles, haven’t organized all the baby stuff, haven’t located and washed the baby bed, haven’t taken maternity pics, haven’t bought new car seats (have to get slim fit seats so we can get everyone in the van) or finished packing the hospital bag and gotten the camera ready and charged etc. But hey, DH and I did spend 3 hours one evening getting our bedroom rearranged and getting rid of tons of stuff that was in the way that we no longer need. So, that’s something. 🙄 😌

At any rate, my weekly appointments feel like they’re 2 days apart at this point (and I only have 3 more to go!) as life is flying right by at warp speed and not waiting around for me to haul my pregnant booty at the speed of a fossilized snail. I may have to call in reinforcements. My poor mom though… She’s already watching the kids once a week for my appointments, so I don’t want to ask her for additional support. Pretty sure spending 6ish hours with 4 small people who eat pretty much constantly is wearing her out enough. I need her to be charged up and ready for the possibility of being here several days when I go to have the baby.

My appointment yesterday is what woke me up a little. I had my GBS swab and the dr decided to check dilation too. She said I’m 1cm but cervix is still thick. Which definitely doesn’t mean baby is coming imminently, seeing as I typically spend a solid 3 weeks with some level of dilation but it still kind of jarred my brain into realizing “Oh! My body is actually planning to do this thing. Like, this baby really is going to come out soon and I don’t have time to play around with procrastination. Yikes!”

Thankfully he passed his BPP with an 8/8. He’s measuring smaller than my other kids, 5lbs 3oz in the 30th percentile, but really, I still won’t be surprised if he’s 9lbs. The dr thinks he will be well under 8lbs though. Who knows! His legs are measuring a week behind (not 5 weeks behind like the last ultrasound said) but overall he looks great. I was a bit concerned that his fluid has dropped some. He had no fluid in one quadrant, which is exactly what happened with Tru. I’m going to have to up my game and actually do kick counts. I’ll admit, I haven’t done them this time, not even once. I do pay attention to the times when he’s usually active every day and take note of that but I haven’t specifically been doing counts. He’s typically very hyper at 7:30am and 11pm with almost no movement throughout the night. During the day it’s more random and depends on when I’m sitting down. He either loves or hates rocking because he’s usually very active if I sit in the rocker. 😂 He really hates when I lay on my right side and pushes his feet out very aggressively. He was having hiccups a lot, but not at all that I’ve noticed the last few days. He does practice breathing a lot and DH was able to feel him doing that the other night.

Other things to note:

• No new stretch marks so far with this pregnancy. I’m keeping lathered up with my homemade belly butter.
• The dark line down my belly appeared suddenly a couple weeks ago. Like literally over night. So weird.
• Definitely having some mild queasiness that is annoying.
• Weight is up 42lbs. My most ever.
• Zane totally gets it now that there is for sure a baby in my belly. He stared at a diagram of a pregnant belly for like 5 mins just puzzled. We watched some animated educational birth videos and he’s now convinced that “Destin is going to pop you belly open and come out!” Also, he can’t wait to play with him.
• Braxton Hicks continue and are very uncomfortable. Often accompanied by cramping.

**Optional Reading**

At my appointment last week I had a new dr that I’d never met. She’s young and new to the practice. I really wanted to like her but we definitely didn’t click at all. She explained everything in minute detail, as if this wasn’t my 5th pregnancy (like about my blood thinner shots and everything) and it was clear she didn’t read my chart because she didn’t know I’d been induced in the past or that I was scheduled again or even that I was planning to vbac. I could forgive all this. Drs are busy and see dozens of patients every day. I get it. But when she got to the “rules” regarding masks etc during labor and birth, she was very forceful and adamant that I will keep my mask on and that I won’t notice it and it would be “incidental”, whatever that means. No matter that the drs will have all received their second vaccine by then, that I’ll hopefully have a negative test on file and that they will be wearing masks, goggles and face shields….. Look, I’m all for people being safe but to force someone to birth with a mask on in addition to all the other precautions (vaccines, neg test, PPE) is overkill. So after my appointment, I called patient relations. Not to get permission to take the mask off but to find out if I would be denied care if I do. She couldn’t say for sure but was very sympathetic and understanding of my concerns. She sent me to the practice manager who said she also couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t be denied care and that she doesn’t know how the masks are enforced but that I’d just have to comply with it “like all the other moms.” (Actually there was a lot more to the conversation but that’s the footnotes) Unfortunately, I broke down crying like a big baby. I felt really upset because this isn’t in my control and that doesn’t make sense when it comes to medical care and especially birth. I asked my friends who birthed at other hospitals in the last few months and none of them were required to wear a mask, so I don’t understand why my hospital is being so rigid about it. Anyway, the dr I saw yesterday is the one I’m scheduled to induce with (I love her) and she said not to worry, she won’t make me wear a mask as she will have had both shots etc. I asked what will happen if I get a different dr, like if I go into labor sooner and she said just tell them I can’t wear it and that’s that. She said “This baby should pretty much just fall out! I don’t think you’ll be pushing any longer than 5 minutes.” So basically she feels that me not wearing a mask isn’t even going to be much exposure for anyone, period. I feel relieved for now but really hoping I don’t get that new dr because in labor, I don’t have the energy to fight and I really don’t like giving birth with a dr who isn’t willing to even hear my concerns or be understanding.

**The end**

Sneak peek of our maternity shoot

5 babies folks!! Can you believe it?!

Dear God, thank You for an easy and comfortable week. Thank You for a healthy happy baby. Please bring us safely to the conclusion of this pregnancy and beyond. In Jesus’ name, amen.

33 Weeks 2 Days

It only took me 5 weeks after pulling out the baby clothes to get them sorted and washed. I got rid of a lot of stuff because we had too many items for 1 baby. Now I need to move Quayd’s clothes out of the dresser in my room so I can put Destin’s stuff away. I also need to wash all the burp cloths and blankets still and sanitize the breast pump and pacifiers etc. I also really need to start making some freezer meals! I can’t believe I haven’t started doing that already!! 😬…

I started weekly appointments and BPPs last week. (And plot twist, DH is allowed to attend ultrasounds again…) Everything was good except that according to the measurements taken by this sonographer, the baby’s legs were measuring 5 weeks behind. I’m determined that I won’t get worked up about it though because my previous ultrasound (with a different sonographer) was only 2.5 weeks before this one and his legs were only a few days behind at that point. The ultrasound a month before that one (so 6.5 weeks ago) had his legs at about a week behind. So unless his legs literally didn’t grow at all, it’s impossible for them to be 5 weeks behind now. Physically impossible. And everything else looks good. His belly has consistently been a week ahead and his head is always about a week behind. Overall he is estimated to be 4lbs 15oz which is 35th percentile. I imagine that if someone else did the measurements, they’d get a different estimate and that he’s probably a little heavier than that. 😉 The Dr discussed the results with me but other than continuing to watch him grow every week (as was already the plan) there’s really nothing else to do. I feel in my gut that his legs are fine.

I’m excited though because I was able to get on the schedule for induction with my favorite dr. I’m really really hoping I go into labor on my own again like I did with Quayd but at least if I make it to my induction date, I should get to have my favorite dr. 😊 And the very best news of the appointment was that baby is HEAD DOWN now!! He’s been laying mostly along my right side with his limbs all to the left. I felt like he had turned head down the day after my last checkup but I couldn’t tell for sure until the ultrasound confirmed it. I’m definitely feeling more pelvic pressure but thankfully I have next to NO SPD pain lately! I’m waddling so bad though because my right hip feels stiff and weird. I probably need to see the chiropractor again soon.

We had such a great Christmas and New Years Eve. The kids were so into the lead up to Christmas this year. We dug up a live tree (and planted it 2 days after Christmas) and decorated our tree that we planted in the yard last year. We sent Tru and Levi’s lists to Santa and made sugar cookies to put out. They woke up before us on Christmas morning and surprisingly they didn’t come wake us up. They just sat in the family room looking at their presents but not opening them. Except that Zane saw his bike before we got up and was riding it when we came out. He was so happy!

Other tidbits:

• Sleep is a struggle lately. If I take a unisom before bed, I usually sleep pretty well but I’m trying not to take them too often because I don’t want to get dependent on them. Without unisom, my nights are pretty rough. Up over and over to pee and adjust my 4 pillows. Usually I’ll be up 2-4 hours somewhere in the night with restless legs going crazy.
• Currently I’m trying to help Zane sleep a little later in the mornings because he’s been getting up earlier and earlier and having really grouchy mornings. So I get up at 7:30 and go lay in the kids’ bedroom for awhile so he will sleep a little longer. I’m trying to take advantage of this opportunity to sleep in a little bit while I still can.
• I’ve also moved Quayd’s bedtime a little earlier since he’s having such fussy evenings lately. Poor baby has had a really bad eczema flare now that the heat is on all the time. I’ve found that a quick bath every night followed by putting his cream on is helping him get drowsy for bedtime a little sooner than usual which is definitely helpful for moving his bedtime. Currently he goes to bed at 9pm and it used to be like 10:30pm several months ago, so, progress! I’ll probably keep it around 8:45 or 9. The older boys go to bed around 8pm, depending on how long it takes to get through the bedtime routine. We start at 7:30 but it takes awhile to get everyone’s teeth brushed, PJs, drink of water, Bible story, prayers, and a bathroom trip before bed. And of course they stall as much as possible. And 8pm to get in bed doesn’t mean they are asleep anywhere around 8. At all. It’s usually much later before they wind down and finally fall asleep. Quite a process! 😂
• Ok, that last bullet was hardly a tidbit.
• I think I’ve gained close to 42lbs now. 😬 Still doing what I can to keep it reasonable but at the end of the day, it just is what it is.
• We still haven’t done maternity pictures!! I absolutely have to do that this week or it just won’t get done.
• Braxton Hicks are on another level as far as intensity but not too frequent unless I overdo it on my feet.

33+2

Dear God, thank You for this precious baby getting himself into a better position for birth. Please bless the remainder of this pregnancy and help us to stay healthy and well. In Jesus’ name, amen.