... and other things not to say to a pregnant lady.
They include, "It looks like you're going to burst/pop/explode" and "Haven't you had that baby yet?"
Things to say: "You look great!", "Are you excited?", and "I'm so excited for you!"
But a lot of you already know that. I'm really just preaching to the choir, aren't I?
Well. I am one day away from my due date, with no sign of impending birth. I MAY be having those "practice contractions" (as my OB calls them, but others call them false labor or "Braxton-Hicks"), but since I've never been able to tell the difference between hunger pains and being sick, I'm probably not a very perceptive person when it comes to my body. Sometimes I THINK I'm feeling them, but I always second-guess myself.
On Friday I was 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced, and for those of you who haven't had babies and don't know a ton of people who have, that just means that my cervix is 50% "thinned out", which supposedly makes it favorable for more dilating. However, MaybeBaby appears comfy and has not even dropped yet, from what I can tell. (However, as I said above, I'm not too attuned to my body, so what do I know?)
TMI alert - I think I have lost my mucous plug, as well (over the weekend), which is also "good." I mean, all these signs might be pointing to "YES" but they could also totally be pointing to "HA HA IT WILL STILL BE LIKE TWO WEEKS HA HA."
I had spring break last week, which was great, because I sat around with my feet up every day and read books and watched old movies... but now I'm back at work, using up every day I can that I don't need to take leave for (sorry about the grammar).
My parents were supposed to arrive tomorrow (ON the due date, whether or not I actually delivered that day), but now they have decided to wait until we call them. They'll still have time to get here before we come home from the hospital, and if my dad can get enough work done before they come, then he won't have to drive back to PA to take care of business and then drive all the way back to NC. However, not knowing when the baby is coming and not knowing when THEY are coming means that we need to get the house cleaned up a bit.
It is hard when you're not allowed to, oh, bend or use any chemicals. (I do like those Clorox wipes. They are my friends.) But man, it'd be nice if my parents didn't have to clean once they arrived, you know? And Ian's trying, but he's got work and making dinner to do every day already (we used to make it together, but the blood pressure issue prevents that these days).
Speaking of blood pressure, my circulation is so bad in my hands THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS TINGLY. It is beyond annoying. I have sausage fingers besides the toes, you see -- though thankfully no one has commented on those. The tips of my middle fingers are especially prone to this sensation. Someone, please tell me this will stop being a problem directly after birth. Just lie to me. That's cool.
On the upside... I feel fine other than the swollen extremities! It's not easy to get dressed, but once I am, hey! I don't have to worry about it until bedtime!
I'll let y'all know if anything interesting happens. I have my next appointment on Thursday, and the only thing I'm truly concerned about is that they might say, "Hey, you're now not effaced at all, nor are you dilated!" Is that possible? Let's all hope not....
It's getting about time for MaybeBaby to show herself!
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3 comments:
Hurray for Erin! It won't be long now, I am sure.
Alex Jefferson Fuller arrived last Wednesday, the 15th, and we're eager to meet him.
We'll be eager to hear news.
Christine Fuller
Actually, probably the swelling issues will take care of themselves within days of the birth. I can't tell you how reassuring it was when I realized I had discernible ankles again. I've had a hard time with the baby weight--still carrying plenty around with me (nursing makes me RAVENOUS)--but the extra fluid I retained in month 9 fled pretty quickly after the birth.
So. For what it's worth, PROBABLY your blood pressure and extremity swelling issues will take care of themselves soon. (I am not a medical doctor.)
And...count yourself lucky in _some_ respects. The Boy dropped early, which meant I waddled and had painful hips for weeks. My midwife actually observed that I must have felt as if I was sitting on a bowling ball for the last 6 weeks of pregnancy. Also, I envy you your slow pre-labor dilation. It took me hours of back labor to go from ~1cm/100% effaced (when my water broke) to 3 cm dilated, which you have achieved painlessly.
You'll be uncomfortable, sure, but perhaps this perspective will help you endure. Still, end-stage pregnancy was not a lot of fun for me either, so I empathize. Hang in there. You sound like you're doing great.
Karen, I definitely appreciate what you're saying. I guess it could be more difficult, couldn't it? ;) I'm sorry that you were so uncomfortable in the last stages of pregnancy. I bet it was all worth it, though, wasn't it? (Oh, please, tell me it is!) Anyway... hopefully I'll have something to show for this soon!
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