first, a comparison study
18 weeks
at the time, i was so excited to have a REAL bump to show off! thanks for humoring me, everyone 🙂
36 weeks
in the same outfit! hooray for stretchy maternity clothes [note: post on my experiences with maternity gear coming soon. but let me just say i am SOOOOO ready to wear normal clothes again!]
so happy
i’m thrilled to be in this home stretch but i’m also getting SO impatient. there is actually a fair amount of work i need would really like to get done beforehand, yet i feel like my head is full of mush — distracted mush.
GET. IT. DONE.
hopefully the next couple weeks can be as productive as possible.
feeling
honestly, i’m struggling more mentally than i am physically right now! i feel really good considering . . . you know, carrying around a ~6 lb baby in a giant uterus all day long. i think she dropped a bit last week, and this has made breathing easier. i have less reflux than i did a few weeks ago. and oddly, the back pain i had in the early 3rd tri has been gone [and not missed!] for quite some time now.
i’m sleeping decently as long as there’s no pager by my side, although i’m still craving 9+ hour stretches. i have almost no swelling [still wearing my rings]. and i’m still enjoying my workouts.
from week 35
my ‘runs’ are still on the treadmill, and i run 4 minutes / walk 2 up to about 3 miles. sometimes i’ll add extra running onto the end just to see if i still can 🙂 my OB has encouraged me to continue as long as i feel comfortable. while i do acknowledge that every pregnant run could be my last, i’m hoping to be able to keep it up [in some modified form] until the end because i feel GREAT while doing it . . . and afterwards.
appointment stats
starting with this week, i will be going weekly until i deliver [more often if there are any issues — hope not!].
BP: 106/66. i’ll take it.
GBS test: not bad — waiting on the results.
weight gain: i was up 2 lbs from 2 weeks ago, bringing my total to 21 lbs at 36 weeks. while my own stats are interesting, i’m dying to know how big the BABY is.
measuring: 35-36 cm. finally not measuring ahead! maybe this won’t be the 10-lb baby i was fearful of?
position: head down. hopefully locked & loaded — there to stay.
cervical check: because i have been having a decent number of contractions [sometimes fairly frequent – especially at the end of a long work day], the OB decided to check to see if i had made any progress. and . . . i can’t believe i’m blogging about this, but i was 1 cm dilated — ie, more then nothing! she said there was some cervical softening and some movement forward as well, although i wasn’t given specifics on effacement % and station.
i realize you can stay dilated for WEEKS, but was excited that the OB seemed encouraged by the progress. she even said she did not think i would be a 41-week delivery like i thought. guess only time will tell!
off to run and then actually get some productive work done!
15 Comments
I’m getting so excited for you! I was at 1cm for 2.5 weeks and stayed there til my water broke. You never know 🙂
I’m really excited for you! 5 weeks!
Nice! Especially exciting that you are dilated already — I am 50% effaced and feeling very pleased with myself over here. 🙂 ____Still so jealous that you can run. I can barely do anything. But! This is the home stretch. You are looking great!
You’re VERY good with your workout ! Seems like you’ve gained only weight in your stomach !
i was 1 cm dilated at an appointment… a few days later i went into labor. when i called my dr, she said "your not in labor its just braxton hicks, drink a glass of wine." she was wrong, which i knew, and i ended up in labor and delivery a few hours later!
Fun to see your 36 week post — I just did mine! I was 1 cm dilated as well — and 70% effaced and -1 station. Baby probably won’t be late.. hehe. I’m 37 weeks now, so yay for full term!
Best of luck in the next few weeks that you have!
Long time reader/lurker but had to comment to show you this Orla playhouse: I can see BabySHU playing in this someday http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/a-dreamy-modern-p… !
Wow I am going to be jealous if you pop before me! At 38 weeks last week, I had zero progress! Baby is happy and getting huge. I am wondering if my body knows what to do. That’s exciting!
ha, i don’t think i’ll go before you!!! i’m just happy you got to move first!!
We’re excited too can’t wait
Ahh – Baby could be here soon! I was 1 cm at 36 weeks and went into labor 2 days later, so you never know. I am so excited for you – you are about to have the most amazing experience 🙂
How time is flying!
Its interesting to hear about the differences in appointments. In Australia, they dont do any internal assessments to check for effacement / dilation until you are in labour. So here I am at 1 day before my due date and I have zero clue as to whether there has been any dilation at all!
ahhhh i can’t believe your due date is here! i know i keep saying this but i can’t wait for your announcement!
It is great that you are still exercising! I am too. I love running still, and although it is getting difficult to zip my windjacket I can still knock out some serious mileage. Sometimes when I catch my reflection in profile in a window I wonder Who is that pregnant runner? 🙂 You are right in not worrying about losing the weight PP – in my experience it was quite easy and I ended up bordering on underweight while BFing.
Fingers crossed for March 23d! I am so excited to "meet" little SHU!
Ok. my official guess for Baby SHU’s birthday is 3/29. Looking great!