37 Weeks...3 to go!

Week: 37…FULL TERM!

Size (according to Babycenter.com):  A stalk of Swiss Chard (or 6 1/3 lb and 19”).  Let it be noted that my other app (What to Expect) said the babe is a Watermelon as of last Sunday.  Holy melon!

Total Weight gain:  18 lbs…babe should be putting on 1/2 lb per week from here on out so the additional weight gain is all me. 

Physically, I'm feeling:  Same as last week.  This 9^th month is no joke, but I still don’t want the kid to miss out on anytime that he needs to finish cooking.  I’m feeling it mostly in my back and abdomen (can I even call it an abdomen anymore?).  I’ve started do some simple stretching and it’s really helping.

I also have a little swelling that started this week….just in my hands and feet.  I know it’s a very common and not a very newsworthy pregnant lady problem, but I was hoping because I’d made it this far that I would be one of the lucky few with no swelling.  It’s not bad, but enough that I haven’t worn my wedding rings in two days which makes me sad.  I can get them on no prob, but they were getting pretty tight by the end of the day.  Why risk having to have them cut off, you know?  My ring size on those babies is 4.5 and I think I need a 5 to be comfortable at this point. #freakshowtinyhands

I’m hoping that the swelling will stop when it’s not 85 degrees outside and Jacksonville remembers that it’s January.  I also want to bow down to women who are 37 weeks pregnant during a Floridian summer.  Whoa…there are no words.

Emotionally, I'm feeling:  Like the world is moving in slow-mo.  I don’t know if it’s because things always speed up around the holidays, but I feel like life flew by in December and the universe is now making up for that by crawling so slowly that my 37-week-self could beat it in a foot race.  Come on, February.

Sleep:  OK.  I’m waking up 2 or 3 times per night to use the bathroom, but am falling back asleep pretty well.  I’m annoying tired all day long, but can’t really go to sleep as early as you’d think.  I usually go to bed around 10:00, but watch at least 2 hours of tv before turning it off.  I mean, the Real Housewives isn’t going to watch itself.

Baby's Movement:  Normal, I guess.  He’s squirmy a few times a day, but is mostly still.  The doctor confirmed at my appointment last week that he is head down (good boy!), but still pretty high (fine by me).  She suggested we do an ultrasound at my appointment this week because I haven’t had one since October.  I’m thrilled to get to see him again and get some kind of weight estimate.  We really have no clue other than my measurements which have been on track.

What I'm nervous about:   OK, this is crazy.  At my last appointment my doctor casually mentioned, “If we see anything we don’t like in the ultrasound we’re going to send you right over to labor and delivery.”  Just like that.  She may as well have been ordering Chinese food.  I asked her what qualifies as “anything we don’t like” and she said it low amniotic fluid, high amniotic fluid, placenta abruption, etc, etc. 

There’s a very, very low chance of next week being THE week, but it’s crazy to think that at this point the baby might be better off on the outside than he is on the inside.  If labor started, they wouldn’t do anything to stop it.  Whoa.     

What I'm excited about:  Making it to “Full Term!”  I still want these last 3 weeks (I think I do, right?), but I’m pretty pumped to make it to 37 weeks and be considered full term.  There haven’t been many times in my life where I’ve been proud of something my body has accomplished (ok, there hasn’t been a SINGLE time), but this is something that makes me pretty damn proud.

Anything else?:  Today marks one week since my last sip of caffeine.  It’s not like I was drinking a ton of it, but I’d have 1-2 coffees per week and a soda every once and in while.  I know that it’s fine to drink a moderate amount of caffeine while knocked up, but I really wanted to detox a little before he’s born so my little guy doesn’t have to have any withdrawals on his birthday.  Is that dramatic of me?  Totally, but I’ve had caffeine headaches and they are no joke.  I’m sure being born is traumatic enough and don’t want to make it even harder on him.

So in addition to champagne in the hospital, I’d like a hilariously sized cup of Dr. Pepper.

PS...don't forget about the What's in My Belly Baby Pool.  I've loved seeing all the guesses so far and can't wait to see who wins!