Last night I had dinner at my parents and Sarah was there with C. We got to talking about “easy” pregnancies and she said something that took me by surprise a bit. She said she’d had a very easy pregnancy (which is true) but that mine had not been so easy. Here I was thinking that it had been, but I guess in a way she’s right. While I haven’t had a lot of the usual suspects (if you’ve been keeping up you’ll know this to be true) I did have early SPD followed by horrible sciatica. Other than that my physical symptoms have been few and far between.
But… I would have to say for me the hardest part of my pregnancy has been emotional. In the beginning I struggled a lot (more than I’d like to admit) with the weight gain aspect. The last three years of my life have been about eating clean and working out to obtain a physique worthy of a body-building stage, so to watch it rapidly fade away knowing there was nothing I could about it was very difficult. Add to that the fact that I had only just suffered a miscarriage two months before (see post) it was a strange mix of feelings. On the one hand we were thrilled beyond belief, but on the other I felt so much guilt. Had I grieved enough for my babies, was I emotionally ready to possibly go through that again, were Brian and I in a good place… it was a lot to handle. I like to think I did it gracefully to the outside world, but I guess when it comes to family you tend to be a bit more honest about how you’re truly feeling.
The closer we get to the arrival of our son the more “soul searching” I do. It’s an interesting time to reflect on who I was before I got pregnant, who I am now and the type of mother I hope to be. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what I want – it’s going to be what my son needs that takes precedence and that is, in its own way, still a bit scary to me. I have such a short time left and there are days where I’m still unsure of certain things – but one thing I do know is how much I love this little guy and how excited I am to be his mommy!
Now for some stats! J
Mommy at 34 Weeks
Baby at 34 Weeks:
Size: 18.5 inches and 5 pounds
Development: Oh Boy (literally)! His testicles (I’m sure he’ll love that I talked about his boy parts online someday) are making their way to their final destination! His fingernails are fully grown, his skeleton is continuing to harden and he’s peeing about a pint a day!
Symptoms at 34 Weeks:
Currently Craving: Nope J
How’s the Belly Looking: I think it’s stopped growing! Haha! Maybe I’m naïve but I don’t feel any bigger but it’s definitely tighter.
Walking vs. Waddling: Hannah has so kindly nicknamed me “Waddlesworth” – that’s all I have to say about that!
Braxton Hicks: I’m starting to feel these more regularly so my doctor has said to keep an eye on the frequency and intensity so we can rule out early labor.
Leg Cramps: Holy crap! Gave myself a Charlie-horse last night! Woke myself right the hell up! Definitely not fun!
Vision Changes: Nothing too bad, but certainly toward the end of the day my eyes get that “tired” feeling
Itchy Belly: Yes, and now when I itch it the sensation is bizarre. I liken it to when your foot falls asleep – just before the pins and needles kick in, that almost numb but not quite feeling – that’s how it feels.
Heartburn: No thankfully because I’d be so sad if I had to stop eating spicy foods!
Swelling: Same as the last couple weeks. I can definitely see the difference but I can also still fit into most of my shoes – although I’ve opted mainly to wear sandals and sneakers solely for the support/comfort/balance aspects.
Sciatica: Knock on wood … but NO!!! It’s gone! Every morning when I wake up I think maybe it will be back but so far so good!
Sleep: Sticking with my 48/24 rotation with this one.
Movement: He’s a mover that’s for sure. At this point though it feels more like pressure than anything. His most favorite thing to do is push as hard as he possibly can on the underside of my rib cage… real nice buddy, real nice!
Exercise: Sticking with my lunch time walks and using the stairs as much as possible. I have all but given up on any other form of exercise.
Stretch Marks: Still none … could it be that I possible get lucky with this? Maybe my gradual weight gain (of a literal pound per week) has helped in terms of slowly stretching rather than all at once?
Rings on or off: Wedding band is no longer – it doesn’t match my new engagement ring setting and oddly enough my right hand ring finger is larger than my left. So now, as Brian likes to remind me – it looks like I’m engaged and having a “shot gun” wedding! J
Baby-Related Purposes: His mattress, lighting and the wooden letters of his name! Things are starting to come together.
Days Left: 40 days and 40 nights … should I “give up” something? Haha!
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