Preggo Update - Week 40

Conner:

Size - Conner is about 21 inches long and weighs apx. 7.5 to 8 pounds at 40 weeks!

Activity – I think Conner has finally dropped a little and is still active as ever. He is really quiet in the mornings and early afternoons and starts moving around in there a lot in the late afternoons and evenings. At night, after dinner and our daily walk, he is so active – more active than he ever has been… he must like the activity.

Labor signs – As far as this goes, it has been hit or miss, mostly miss. I have been having contractions every night, all night, for about a week. I get them during the day too, but they are much stronger and longer in the evenings. On Sunday night, I had a few in a row that made me think that that was it, but they stopped. It felt awesome… as I am so anxious. It felt like a tightening that wrapped around my belly into my back. I had three in fifteen minutes, they painful ones stopped, and that was it for the night. I was a little disappointed.

As far as Conner goes he is ready to go! These last few days are mostly him soaking up as many nutrients as he can to continue to be healthy outside of the womb, growing a little more, and developing that genius brain that he inherited from his parents. He is the son now that he will be when I hold him in my arms… soon.

Me:
Size – Same size for me. I measured at 40cm last week at my midwife appointment, which is right on task for my due date. I was lucky to not get too enormous and I stayed on track size wise throughout my pregnancy. Now I look back and realize how much I have changed physically and it is a little daunting knowing it will be an equally difficult journey to get back to the woman that I was before my pregnancy. I am looking forward mostly to losing the water weight that I have been carrying around. I really miss my hands and feet and ankles and face. I know that may sound strange, but these things are unrecognizable to me and I liked what I looked like, and I miss it. Soon… very soon…

What I am wearing – I have pretty much been sticking to whatever isn’t too tight on me at this point. I have not actually purchased anything new in weeks, knowing that it would be pointless and silly to buy for a body I won’t be in soon. I did have a bit of a break today though and browsed through the sundresses on a few of my favorite websites. It felt great to not have to specify “maternity” in my search. I really am looking forward to summer dresses… they are my favorite thing. You can wear them with confidence knowing that they will do their best to cover anything up that you may be nervous about. I currently own about ten sundresses from mini to maxi, and cannot wait to buy more. I am just excited to be comfortable again!

Strange stuff – I have nothing really to repot here except that I am feeling strange all the time and am still hypersensitive to anything going on that I haven’t felt before. I am so anxious for labor to begin that I think about constantly. I know that I need to occupy my mind with other things, and I try, but it has been a challenge. Everyone keeps telling me that once I stop worrying and thinking about it so much, it will just happen… but that leads me to thinking about not thinking about it and then I am right back to where I started. It has been kind of funny too, because I purposefully stopped reading baby books and watching birth videos on YouTube… but it seems I cannot get away. I have been averaging about 2-3 novels a week – in an attempt to distract myself – and it seems that no matter what book I choose, pregnancy and babies seem to weave their way into the story. Oh well… it will happen when it happens. There is not a whole lot I can do about all of that I suppose. I will just keep doing what I am doing and Conner will come when he feels ready.

Food cravings – water… water… water. I have this unquenchable thirst and all I want is to drink water!

Status of belly button – a outie!

What I miss –sitting with my legs crossed, summer dresses, espadrilles, painted toenails, being able to work in the garden for more than fifteen minutes at a time, and wine

In General:
Best movement this week – Conner is playing banjo with the long ligaments that have stretched to accommodate my growing body. It kills! He doesn’t mean to do it, but every time he knocks up against one it leaves me bending over in pain. It is not labor pain, it is more like a sharp stabbing pain that takes a minute to go away. It is awful and happens about twice a day. Little stinker…

Most looking forward to – LABOR! You know, at this point I am so ready. I thought for so many weeks that this week would never come and I would be pregnant forever and that I would have a hard time envisioning myself actually going thought the motions. Nope. I am so ready, and as I said last week – BRING IT ON! I remember thinking to myself – “OK, now I am going to want to wear this outfit when I go into the hospital, I want this bra, and my hair done this certain way. I am going to want to make sure to shave and whiten my teeth. I need to remember my camera, and my boppy, and blah blah blah blah blah… “. Yeah, no. I don’t even care anymore. I will be in labor and having my baby and that is really all I want at this point. All of those extra things would be nice to have, but they are not necessary. I just want to get through the hard part and come home with my Conner.

Words to live by – People will bug the crap out of you the last few days before and I am sure after your due date. You will get phone calls, you will receive e-mails and text messages and more phone calls… your face book page will be full of inquiries about whether or not you have had your baby. Take it in stride. Know that the people that are asking you are so excited for you, they mean well, and they have no idea that fifty other people are asking you the same thing. I spoke with my mom last night and she was saying how she didn’t want to bug me because she knew that everyone else was, and I told her that was silly and I missed our almost daily phone calls and it was sweet that she was thinking of me. Really, everyone has been awesome and so thoughtful and really if they have had babies of their own may not remember how hard those last few days can be before he comes. Don’t let it stress you out and try to take each inquiry in stride and remember the person asking and know that they care and are looking out for you. That and sometimes asking is required as some need to make travel arrangements… 

Milestones – I have reached my mark. 4o weeks is a LONG ASS TIME to be pregnant and I did it! I am pretty proud of myself if I don’t say so myself. I am not going to sit here and say it was easy nor am I going to say it was the hardest thing I have ever done. It was tough at times, but mostly it just became a part of me that I embraced and made a part of my life. Pregnancy has changed me though, I will say that. I have been able to do so many things that I never thought I could do. Things from quitting smoking and drinking, learning how to be a better spouse, taking each day at a time, slowing down and not putting so much pressure on myself, learning that being the prettiest girl in the room is not that important, and knowing that I grew a child from two cells into an entire living breathing healthy little person… these are things that I did not know I was completely capable of. There are more, but I will keep those to myself as they are private and require a little more practice.

Peace,
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