So this is 38 Weeks!
I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that we will have a newborn (plus a toddler) within the next few weeks! So crazy!
I’ve been feeling a lot better than last week, for which I am grateful. I felt so miserable last week that I just couldn’t help but wonder if this was just the way I was going to feel the rest of the pregnancy (say it isn’t so).
This week has passed by fairly uneventfully. It is Gideon’s and my birthday week, and we had a little family party for him a few days ago, and will hit up the big city in the coming week to celebrate my birthday (probably going to go to the big farmer’s market, go thrifting, and grab lunch somewhere special).
I am happy to report that my headaches have lifted, I am getting more sleep, and my emotions—well my emotions are still a rollercoaster, but at least the other symptoms haven’t been as strong. 😉
What is baby up to? The lanugo–the hair covering baby’s body–is starting to fall off this week, he/she is continuing to fatten up, and work on brain development.
What is mama up to? This week, I am just trying to maintain my house (so that we are ready at any time) as well as cross the last few items off of my to-do list. I have also been listening to tons of birth stories (via The Birth Hour, and The VBAC Link Podcasts), rewatched some of the birth course videos, and read my birth books. Basically, I think about birth all of the time these days. I installed the carseat this week, cleaned out the minivan, renewed my library card (so that I can check out audiobooks and ebooks again from the Libby app), and went on a lot of walks.
How was this week’s midwife appointment? I was a bundle of nerves at this week’s appointment, because my blood pressure had gone up a bit last week, and they said they were going to keep an eye on it, but this week is was well within my normal range, phew! We talked about when I should head into the hospital when I go into labor (since I live an hour away, and have no idea how long my labor will go), and I was glad to find out that I could just come into the birth center to be evaluated rather than just head straight to the hospital. That way they can tell me if I really am in active labor or if I should head home for awhile longer. I am hoping to do most of my laboring at home, but I also want to avoid having a baby in the car, so this was welcome news! Baby’s heart rate was in the 150’s this week, which is the highest it has been. It generally trends in the 130’s or 140’s. So interesting!
How are you preparing yourself for labor? I have been walking A LOT. Going on 3 mile walks, most days. I’ve been eating my homemade date bars and drinking red raspberry leaf tea. I’ve been careful not to recline (so that baby hopefully stays in a good position). I’ve taken magnesium baths. And I’m just trying to fill my mind with positive birth stories and affirmations.
How are you emotionally? So, I’ve been super emotional. I cried this past week when I left damp laundry in the dryer, and had to rewash it. I, also, broke down sobbing when I discovered that when I preheated the oven, I had melted one of Gideon’s favorite toys that he had hidden in the oven. My emotions are big, and always just under the surface. Sigh.
What are you craving? Still craving ice, and this week I’ve been eating a lot of this Shredded Kale Salad (my Mom’s recipe). So good! I’ve been eating a lot of fish lately to help give baby’s brain a boost, too.
So excited for you! There’s no more bump update comparisons! Crazy how each pregnancy can be so different- between moms and yourself. I will be praying for you during these last week(s). I’m glad you’re doing so well. It was so hard for me to think of anything besides going into labor during this time with Nora. Looking back I wish I would have chilled out and trusted God’s timing. It sounds like you are staying super positive and getting sleep though which are other things I wish I would have done. 🙂 You got this!
Thanks Alice! Yes, it is so strange that at this point in my pregnancy with Gideon, he was already almost a week old! So weird! The last few weeks are definitely a tough mental game. I am trying to get as much sleep as possible before I am plunged back into the newborn haze. 😉 Thank you so much for reading, and for commenting!! Your positivity is such a blessing.