39 weeks pregnant - Last of the weekly updates!

Welp, we've made it folks -- thanks for sticking around for the long haul, of what seemed to be the longest, biggest pregnancy ever! We have 3 days until we meet our little big guy and I.cannot.wait. 

Since making our decision, we've had a lot of great support -- we are so appreciative of the love, comments, emails and texts we have received. It shouldn't REALLY matter how a baby is born into the world, because we are his parents regardless, but it is comforting to know that those who care about us are in our corner!


The days have been dragging -- it takes alot to find something to wear and get out of the house these days, but I am sick of being cooped in too. I do find that if I go out and "do too much" I will pay for it later, namely in the form of insomnia, bad back aches, cramping, night sweats and hip/leg pain. 


A girl can only sit on the couch so long though, so I went out by myself yesterday to get a smoothie and run some grocery errands. It felt nice to be part of civilization and not sitting on the couch watching 90210 reruns. (Right now they are airing "Graduation Year: 1997" episodes and they are a riot). 

We took these pix at exactly 39 weeks (yesterday) and holy cats was I exhausted. I am getting sleep in 2 hour increments, and sporadic at best. I know this is baby "training" me to be ready for late night feedings and the like, but I'll be damned if shit isn't uncomfortable. I had tried unsuccessfully to take a 2 hour nap with the lights off and AC pumping before Glenn got home - to no avail. Hence the puffy face and tired expressions. 


All I seem to do anymore is read the babyboards, info about c-sections and breastfeeding, c-sections and exercise, c-sections and complications. It is becoming a bit nauseating even to me. It's been a relief to talk to friends about their lives and everyday things like NORMAL people not in a housebound baby bubble are experiencing. Thanks for checking in, ya'll. 

Poor Glenn has been working his buns off at the school...this is their "busy season" so it's alot of all hands on deck late nights. The week we deliver and will be in the hospital is a SUPER busy week for him, so I know it is stressful. He is taking that week off through Memorial Day and then Grandma Niter will be back in town helping out while we all recover and look to achieve some essence of a routine!


It'll all work out how it is supposed to work out, eh?



How far along? 39 weeks, 1 day! 3. more. days, dude. 

Baby Size: Supposedly the size of a "small watermelon" but let's be REAL. 

Total weight gain/loss: Holding steady at 36 right now, which I think is a pound over the "recommended" healthy weight. But you know what? You can bite my giant pregnant ass if you think I really care. I am DYING to be able to work out and would've loved to continue to take walks and lift...but after our last visit to the Doctor I didn't want to put myself into labor before our planned date as I've read that if your water breaks there is no real cushion left on your back = ouch and potentially a broken tailbone. I do hope I can have a speedy recovery and take the baby for walks soon after we are home and settled. I've read horror stories about people who do too much too soon and then end up ripping their incisions and throwing themselves into MONTHS of recovery so I don't want that either. I am just antsy in general...and know that c-sections tend to make you puffier and full of fluids for longer so I should give myself a solid 2-3 weeks before I step on scales and expect to see any real numbers drop. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about it though. I NEED TO STOP READING THINGS ON THE INTERNET. 

Maternity clothes? Shmaternity clothes. On days I leave the house it's a maxi dress or leggings...on days I am stuck housebound it's sports bras and shorts or underwear. SUPER ATTRACTIVE and lovely for Glenn to come home to

Stretch marks? Same old guys are still there, and I think getting redder. they are all under my belly button so that is a some sort of kindness, because if they got any higher where I had to not strain to see them I think I'd be a bit sadder about them. I have to be real with myself and say hey, you're carrying a ginormo baby/look ginormous...what did you think was going to happen? I still slather all the dumb creams on them....I think they would look nice accentuated with my csection scar anyway...it's going to be a good look for 2012. 

Sleep: I think we've covered this. It blows. But I can handle 3 more days of bad sleep, and then expect to have worse sleep in the hospital for 4 more days! All that matters is that fattykins getting here. 

Best moment this week: Our doctor's appointment Monday and subsequent rationalizations therefrom. It felt good to finally just make a decision and jump headfirst into what we can expect from there. 

Miss Anything?  Being able to move around better without feeling so crampy/bach achey and worrying I am going to throw myself into labor if I exert myself too much. That and sleep. 

Movement: Yes - most days a good bit of it! I think he is getting annoyed with his squashed living quarters and just wants OUT these days. I don't blame him. Since he hasn't descended he feels like one big huge ball sitting on my lap. He has a routine usually from 1AM until 3AM where he tries to kick! and stretch! and wiggle! Sometimes he kicks so high/so hard that I gasp. Already taking mama's breath away...

Food cravings: Milk has been big as of late, which I have been eating with Oreos (healthy!). I think it's a I need calcium thing, doubled with a comfort food thing. I also have been crushing fruit like it's going out of style. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Glenn made some soup last night that smelled terrible to me....but other than that it is mostly just the queasiness from the cramping that has been annoying. 

Have you started to show yet: What is this I don't even....I think we all know the answer here. .

Trying very hard to fit both of us in the frame, here

Gender: He has a little winkin, blinkin and nod down there

Labor Signs: I've had back pain and cramps and nausea for a good week plus now with Braxton Hicks here and there but none that are really timeable or trackable. Hopefully things stay as is until Monday - because I really have a neurotic plan in my head and going into actual labor sorta throws that off a bit. 

Belly Button in or out? Officially flat. 


Wedding rings on or off? still on! My feet/hands haven't really "preggo swollen" I think my hands are getting a bit more swollen (they always do when it gets hot outside)

Jesus God am I huge. 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Elated to know when he will be coming, and excited to have him with us! 

Looking forward to: Calming down and just letting him arrive. Everything else will fall into place after that!

38 BIG weeks update : aka everything you wanted to know about posterior positioned babies, broken tailbones, and my hormonal tirades.

So this is the first week off of work, and I thought the days would be dragging....the house is pretty much in order for baby. Well, let's be real, it is...but there is always laundry to be done, counters to be scrubbed, filing cabinets to organize. I am however, NOT missing work at all. This transition was alot easier than I thought it would be. 


Maybe because I am so baby-focused. 

I mean, how can I not be? He takes up all of my space, mentally, emotionally, physically. We had our 37 & 4 days appointment Monday and Dr. Ottenritter again discussed the fact we are big  (duh). 


We are also (at that time) almost 2 centimeters dilated and 70% effaced! Baby is definitely making moves in the downward direction. We had another growth ultrasound set, but I basically asked him point blank if he thought I was going to have trouble with a vaginal delivery. We again reaffirmed baby's largeness/my crippled ass tailbone/sunnysideupness and this general direction towards Csection being a viable option. He said we could plan that at 39 weeks, dependent on the ultrasound. (!!!!!!!!!!!!) Everything else looked great and we would talk again Monday after our growth ultrasound to make further determination about our game plan. 

So in between those days at the doctor and the ultrasound I did some research. I found out the following (direct from spinningbabies.com)

Graphic representation of why babies who are face-up have problems....YEAH. 


"

Possible posterior effects range from 

• Longer pregnancy 
• The amniotic sac breaking (water breaks, membranes open, rupture of membranes) before labor
• Start and stop labor pattern
• Longer early labor
• Longer active labor
• Longer pushing stage
• (Maybe a woman has all three phases of labor lengthened by the OP labor, or one or two of the three phases listed.)
• More use of vacuum or forceps
• More likely to tear
• Sometimes the baby's head gets stuck turned half way to anterior - in the transverse diameter. This can be called a transverse arrest. It is not a transverse lie
• More likely to need a cesarean (emphasis mine)

This website has been a great resource in terms of getting a better understanding about my ladybits and what can be done to manifest change. Their photography could stand to be updated a bit though, eh? As much as I do love my muu-muus!

Also this:

The best way to tell if your baby is OP or not, usually, is if you feel little wiggles in the abdomen right above your pubic bone - these are the fingers.They'd feel like little fingers wiggling, not like a big thunk or grinding from the head, though you might feel that, too.
The little fingers will be playing by the mouth. This is the easiest indication of OP. The wiggles will be centered in the middle of your lower abdomen, close to the pubic bone.

Well, this boy has been getting his wiggle on in that department for quite some time. I have done the pelvic tilts, the rocks, the cat-cow, sat backwards in chairs, etc...and unfortunately no change. 

I also did some research into midwife/doula blogs. I have a profound respect for the work midwives and doulas perform. I truly thought pre-all these current issues that I would want my next baby to be delivered with the support of one. Alot of great work has been done to provide women with a more holistic, drug free, intervention free birth and I wish I had a more straightforward pregnancy, because I feel like I could push this kiddo out with the quickness! 

Alas, what we are working with doesn't seem to really make that an option. I read some of the commentary/feedback on the doula blogs -- women who labored long and hard with no transition, no progress, terrible back labor, feeling of needing to push at an early stage which leads to cervical swelling, babies getting stuck in the birth canal/distress, having to be taken out via forceps/vacuum/third and fourth degree tears, OR emergency csections after it is all said and done. 

You can almost picture him in there with this wonderful artistic representation, right?

I also did some awesome reading on tailbone breaks and the ladies who have had them. It's an ugly thing, tailbone breaks, with not a lot of good news. You can try sacrum counter pressure and different types of epidurals...but the stories I found were for some smaller babies/less issues in terms of sunnyside up babies. Basically the stacks are kinda against us. As Roy Schumacher would say "dem's the breaks, kid". 

And goodness me, is he big. Niter came into town on Wednesday to accompany me to the ultrasound because Glenn is trying to conserve all his vacation time for when this chunker comes out. She always gets a kick out of seeing her grandbaby, and I am thankful for her support!

We had another nice tech who was quite chatty, and willing to bust out the 3d machine! She seemed really excited about his position (SUPER POSTERIOR WAVING AT US BASICALLY) because normally "babies this far along you can't see at all". Thank heavens for small (or in this case, large) treasures!

Of course he is super cramped in there and so pictures were a bit wonky but seeing him live in action was pretty great. He still has beautiful lips and was practice breathing and sucking in there, making kiss faces. It was pretty spectacular to witness. 

And yes, his cheeks have not gone down in size. 

So here we are at 38 weeks on the dot: the stats!

          - he is in the 95% (up from 89% at our 36 week ultrasound)

          - his head/limbs and pretty much everything is measuring at 40 weeks+ (except for   his thighbones. She said it was hard to get an accurate picture/measurement of them because he is so cramped in there. They were measuring 37 weeks 4 days

          - Averaged all together, he is currently growing a week and a half ahead (39 weeks 3 daysish)

          - His weight guesstimate for the week is 8 POUNDS 9 OUNCES. This means from 36 weeks he has gained a pound and 9 ounces per measurements. So if he continues at that range, I'm guessing "fully full full full term/40 weeks" he could equal out to around ohhhhh 10.125 pounds. I  DO KNOW that ultrasounds are notoriously off, but given their "1 pound either way" rule, he is still quite possible damn near 8 lbs right now and likely to keep growing. Or Jesus Christ on a bike he could be damn near 10 lbs (!!!)

         - His "estimated due date by size" is May 15th per measurements (incidentally this stayed the same since week 36

(Growth ultrasound from week 36 shown for reference)

Sooooooooo it's not all entirely shocking, new news. He's big, we know he's big, and we also know he is sunnyside up. As soon as they told me the info was sent to the doctor's office I tried to get in touch to talk (read: somebody validate the crazy hormonal feelings I have about "giving up" on thoughts of a vaginal delivery) but was unable to speak with the doc because he was with patients. Trust and believe I will call again tomorrow morning. 

I also rang my chiropractor. When I came in for that horrendous pelvic girdle pain (which is back, hi there, I missed you!) he showed alot of concern about my previous tailbone break and what my doctors intended to do during labor. I called a bit late in the afternoon and was unable to get to speak with them either, so will have that on my list to ring tomorrow as well. 

What the chiropractor had mentioned, and my research has shown, is that normal tailbones have a bit of a wobble to them. When a tailbone is broken it has no real way to heal as there is not any way to "set" it. We are always moving, getting up, sitting down (or trying to), etc. So the bone essentially "fuses" into one place when (after months of pain, positioning and screwing the rest of your back/hips up trying to get comfortable) it "heals".

Greatest medical art EVER?!

Ouch is right, lady! I feel your pain!

 Because they generally frown upon x-raying the lower extremities of ladies ( word is it hinders the ability to harvest eggs to grow future ginormo babies) I didn't get any images of my buttbone back in the day.  The Dr. pretty much affirmed that they heal and fuse in any pattern they chose (to the left, to the right, to the back...wait a minute, this isn't DJ Casper up in here...)

take it back now, ya'll

So given this info, kiddo's head would act like a battering ram, descending through the canal towards life like the tough guy that he is, ultimately smooshing that beautiful face up against my ladyparts in the wrong direction, and crushing through my tailbone. (insert here 6 months of being unable to sit down or do anything similar to sitting down, or moving, or being comfortable). 

Shall we rejoice in the name of all things holy and bless the technology that is the cesarean? 

I have as mentioned, a number of AWESOME and supportive friends, who have been there for me throughout this pregnancy.... I have also sought out some guidance from ladies who have had csections (none elected) to get more of a grasp on their experience. A number of them talked about feeling guilty, as if it were "wrong" their little ones were brought in the world in a non-vaginal means, as if it were a failure...and I totally sympathize with where they are coming from. 

I have stated it a bazillion times, and I know everyone is sick of hearing it - but I really went into this thinking I could work my hardest to have a natural delivery. Giving that dream up, mourning that idea of letting things progress naturally, feeling like you have failed or let down your baby or your family is an awful feeling.  And it's unfair. Society is way too hard on  pregnant women as it is - I know in my bones that so long as the baby comes out healthy that I will be healthy. But I'll be damned if it doesn't make me feel guilt ridden to potentially "elect" to have this done. 

Studies have shown that elected cesareans have alot less trauma to mom AND baby, as well as greater recovery times and less complications. Part of me wanted to let labor just happen, but if that means distress to baby, or more issues arising, why go that course? 

sweet Jesus give us a sign

I am turbo aware that a cesarean is not a papercut. It's a major surgery that is painful, and full of risks and potential complications. It's not a walk in a park or an easy way out for anyone. I'd still have a lot of healing to do, and would need support. 

But in my mind, 8 weeks of incision care versus 4-6 months of CHRONIC pain and inability to function in normal day to day manners while caring for a newborn, breastfeeding and trying to get the swing of cloth diapering...it's kinda looking like a more viable option. 

I know hormones are going awry at this point too, so that certainly is playing a part...but I really wish I could get some sort of sign or validation that this is the right way to go and I'll have no regrets. Regardless of what comes down, the baby will be born and I'll be so thankful and busy I won't have time to care or reflect, right? RIGHT. 

Stretch marks? Well the bastards that showed their ugly faces are still around, BUT they didn't bring any of their cousinsndem so I am pretty happy
Sleep: Is HOT. Night sweats, anyone? Also, sporadic at best. Insomnia is in full force now that I am off work and can sleep in a bit. Turning over is getting super duper painful, and having alot of lower back pain as of late has made getting comfortable damn near impossible. WHINE WHINE WHINE WHINE WHINE. Oh well, 2ish more weeks, right?
Best moment this week: Seeing that little butterball, squishyfaced little love on the ultrasound making kiss faces....I can't get over his lips and can't wait to smooch them!
Miss Anything? My equilibrium? I just keep getting bigger and bigger and it is hard to get around in tight spaces/my kitchen when both Glenn and my mom are in there trying to cook and I need to reach over to get a glass of water. Seriously, I am huge and my frame of space is out of control. 

Movement: Still moving around alot, which again makes me feel like I won't "go" as quick as people are guessing. I read that posterior babies with their big heads don't descend as quick so maybe that's why I am feeling him so much. I still love it and it gives me a good feeling to know he's doing well in there.  
Food cravings: fruit and chocolate and fruit with a side of chocolateAnything making you queasy or sick: Not sick per se, but definitely noticing the subtle pains of oncoming baby-is-ready-to-evacuatenessGender: Boy! It was hilarious because our ultrasound tech was ALL ABOUT showing us his little ween and taking 3d images of his ballsack. I am sure he will treasure these forever.
 Labor Signs: Alas, noticing more of what I think are Braxton Hicks, or just him kicking me really hard or jutting out....probably Braxton Hicks thoguh. Symptoms: Back pain, boob pain, pelvic girdle pain, sense of anxiousness/fear/guilt.  But I am still hobbling around with the best of them and trying to keep up some semblance of a cheery disposition!

Belly Button in or out? Officially at its flattest and weirdest.
Wedding rings on or off? On! Three cheers for no swelling yet in these late stages
Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy - I have a great support system, Glenn and my mom and I have been pretty busy this week with last minute prep, and have enjoyed fabulous dinners each night and shared lots of laughs and moments to destress before baby comes. They are fabulous, fabulous people for calming me down, lifting my spirits, and telling me everything will be okay. That and the texts, emails, IG/facebook/twitter love have really really helped me overcome moments of sheer hormonal freakouts.
Looking forward to: Talking to all these doctors, formulating an official birth plan, wrapping things up on the homefront, relaxing and enjoying my family, and of course MOTHER'S DAY! Niter thinks this is a great day to have her grandbaby. Glenn is also pro, for reasons below:

He's hilarious. Another reason I married him!

Here's hoping our next update will still be at 39 weeks, baby will still keep growing, and I will feel validated in making sound decisions about how to progress with labor! 

As always - thanks for reading and for feedback! CHEERS, IT'S ALMOST TIME!

also cheers to continuation of no pants until Baby day