Pregnancy Updates: Weeks 28-39.6

Baby Size:

At 35 weeks the doctor told us he was already 6 pounds! Seeing as how I was 5 pounds at birth, I think this baby will be huge and somewhere close to 8 pounds or more upon birth.

Dilation/Effacement:

At 33 weeks, I started to feel more than just braxton hicks contractions so during my 33 week visit, my OB checked to see if I was starting to dilate. Sure enough, I dilated 1.5 cm and effaced 50%. Because I wasn't term, this was considered 'pre term' labor. I wasn't ordered to bedrest but my OB did put me on medication, procardia, and asked me to take it easy, IE no walking as much as possible. I really feel for those women that have to be on bedrest because let me tell you something, IT'S HARD to SIT for let alone 1 day all day. Well, at least for me as I can't sit through a movie to save my life. At 36 weeks, the doc ordered me to go off the drug (sometimes being on procardia too long can make you go past 40 weeks). I further dilated to 2 cm and effaced 75%. So, yes, I dilated while on the drug. 37 weeks came along and I progressed to 3cm. After 37 weeks, despite the doctor saying it could be any day now and tons and tons of contractions I stayed at 3cm until 39 weeks and 3 days.

Clothes:

At this point, it's all about maternity clothes and gym shorts. I can't even go near my pre pregnancy clothes. In fact, I hid them in James closet so I don't have to waste time sorting through them before work. As a side note, after my post pregnant self is healed, I will continue to wear these maternity jeans. Spandex waste line all the way thank you Lawdy! They are so friggin comfortable.

Favorite moments:

When Jarrod kisses my belly or baby goodnight. In the morning, he will put his hand on my belly too :)

Hospital Runs:

So, the question is, when did we NOT go to the hospital. I know it's a running joke amongst nurses as to how many times a first time mom will go to the hospital thinking she's in a labor and I can see why! At week 37, day 3, I was having mild (ie i could still stand and not so much out of breath but they weren't comftorable) contractions every 3-5 minutes. Every book and doctor and nurse etc will tell a pregnant lady to go to the hopsital once contractions are every 5 minutes or less. So on Friday, mind you I got permission to work from home, I stood at my kitchen stove and attempted to make myself pancakes while I waited out these contractions for about 20-30 minutes. I eventually called my doctor and was told to go to the hospital because my doctor (out on maternity leave) and the other practicing OB were out of the office. So, off I went to the hospital, still smiling mind you, arrived and was seen immediately. The nurse confirmed I was having contractions every 3 minutes but they weren't strong enough to make me dilate. They kept me there for an hour to monitor, as it's procedure to do so, and then said "ok well, come back when they feel like pings of pain get longer". Ok, pings of pain get longer, I thought, I think I know what that could feel like.
The following Sunday, I was laying out on a blanket basking in the glorious sun rays, and all of  a sudden, I started to get contractions, again. So, again, I waited it out until at last, these 'pings of pain' got longer and I was having breath through them. The pain wasn't persistent until the evening and then there was a good hour of this pain being very very uncomftorable. It felt like a knife was jabbing my insides, yes sorry for graphic descriptions. Jarrod and I made a run to the hospital, only to find out James was bamming his head against my cervix and my contractions weren't strong enough to make me dilate. At this point, because you get all excited thinking this is IT, FINALLY, I was extremely bummed out and decided that I didn't want to be the idoit to come here again until it was actually time. I'll save the actual story for another blog