36 Week Update!

Holy Moly I'm entering my last month of pregnancy!! I am so ready to be done. I haven't had a difficult pregnancy by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm over it and ready to meet this baby.

We had our 36 week appointment today. I had a swab for Group B Strep and the Dr. did a cervical exam. I'm 1 cm dilated and 70% effaced which he said is good progress. He thinks I'll be a week or two early. I'm hoping for one week (We have an agreement, Baby...only one week!); anywhere between one week early and my due date is ok with me!

I've been having some cramping and contractions as well. I started noticing some cramping two weeks ago, but it was so faint and dull, kind of like oh maybe I'll get my period in the next week or so. And if I hadn't been sitting down on the sofa I don't know if I would have noticed at all. I had been thinking I had a few contractions previously as well, but was sure. The past few days though I've been able to definitively say yes these are contractions! Definitely not true labor because they stop, not get stronger and closer together, but it's been several times a day. I've also had the cramping again but stronger and noticeable.

This appointment and hearing what I'm measuring as well as the contractions and cramping really made things so real all of a sudden. Like, yeah I know I'm pregnant, duh. But omg this baby really is coming soon! We've been wishing and hoping and struggling and working towards this moment for almost 3 years now and it's just about here. I feel like the pain of infertility has been pushed to a far back corner of my mind. I'm so excited for this baby (and definitely slightly terrified about bringing a newborn home...I've never cared for a baby before....).

Pregnancy Week: 36 weeks
Cravings: None
Aversions: Same as always, but my appetite has picked up a little bit which is nice.
Symptoms: I've started having some cramping and contractions. And I'm back to being tired.
Weight Gain: 13.2 pounds.
Emotional Breakdowns: 0
Achievements: The nursery is just about finished. I used our completion discounts at Target and Amazon to pick up the last few things I think we need. Everything from Target should delivered today! We completed a breastfeeding class (which was very good) and a baby care class (which was absolutely terrible).

32 Week Update

Today marks 32 weeks!!

This is the last milestone I have in my crazy head. Hitting 32 weeks means I get to go to my hospital of choice: My doctor's office is affiliated with a hospital system that has a few in my area. The one closest to me is the reason I specifically chose this OBGYN practice 4 years ago. It's the hospital I knew I wanted to deliver at. The other hospital is a little farther away and is an area I don't like, but it has a higher level NICU. It's the practice's policy if you go into labor before 32 weeks you go to this other hospital. Now I've reached that magic number of 32!

About a month ago I was at a wedding shower and another woman was pregnant, 36 weeks. Something she said really struck me and made me think how different my mind set is after going through treatments than a 'regular' woman's mind set is. She said once they hit 37 weeks she'd breathe a huge sigh of relief because she would be considered full term. In my head I haven't even been concerned with reaching full term! I was so concerned with the 24 week milestone and then the 28 week milestone that once we reached those in my head I was thinking 'SUCCESS!' While we haven't dealt with recurrent miscarriage or late term loss (we had one chemical pregnancy), going through fertility treatments has given me the mindset that anything can go wrong at any moment and each moment, each day, each week is so important and precious for this little baby growing. While I don't want this little one to be preterm I know at this point they will be in such good hands and they will have such a good chance of coming home with us.

Anyways. We had our 32 week appointment yesterday and everything is looking good. We had an additional ultrasound to check baby's growth because of my weight issues. I'm up 12.8 lbs overall, but baby is measuring perfectly at 4lbs 6oz - 57th percentile <3. I can't believe we only have max 9 weeks (My dr will only let me get to 41 weeks before induction) before meeting this little one! Time seemed to go fast and then it really dragged on, and now it's flying!!

Pregnancy Week: 32 weeks,
Cravings: None
Aversions: Same as always, those yesterday I actually had a pretty full appetite which was exciting.
Birthdays had this week: 1
Symptoms: Not as tired. I think I got the 2nd trimester energy kick a little late...Some heartburn but not bad this week. Peeing all the time. yesterday I peed, changed to go for a walk, peed again, and then 40 minutes later was practically running home to pee again. 3 times in an hour. COME ON.
Weight Gain: 12.8 pounds.
Emotional Breakdowns: 0
Achievements: We got the crib mattress and I washed baby clothes and sheets and towels and things. I also signed us up for a breastfeeding class. I had to get my desk raised up at work to fit this growing stomach.