Wolz Baby Blog: February 2015

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

39 Weeks

39 Weeks +1 day. I am a day late updating the blog! oops!

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment. The doctor checked me again, and said that I have made no progress! In fact, he said that saying I am 1 cm is "putting it generously." What the heck!?! LOL He also told me that based on my measurements, he would guess that I have an 8 pound baby. (Yikes! At least that means he will be healthy!)

I have decided that I am just going to be one of those women who go from 1 cm to 4-5 cm active labor out of the clear blue sky. I have to at least hope that will be the case!

I honestly do not mind waiting, but I wish the doctor hadn't gotten my hopes up about an early baby! It is all guessing. No one really knows. I am just trying to be patient now.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit upset. I want to trust that my body will preform exactly as it is should, and that I will have a beautiful, natural, un-medicated birth. Each week I leave the doctor's office feeling discouraged! I feel like my body is not doing what it should. I am not dilating or having any of the "practice" contractions that my doctor keeps asking me about. I honestly wish that I would never have let him check me! I have to trust my own body and not listen to the numbers!

Next week, on my due date, we will discuss induction options. I want to allow my body the chance to begin labor naturally if possible. The doctor said the longest he would allow me to wait is 10 days after my due date. (Which would be Friday the 13th... not sure how I feel about that! lol)

Hopefully it will not come to that, but if it does, I plan to avoid medication if possible. My mom was induced by simply breaking her water, so hopefully it would work the same for me. If I have to have pitocin, I hope I can be taken off it once my body takes over the labor process. No point in worrying about it now. I am not even at my due date yet, and it will all go how it is going to go. I am just happy that I feel informed enough to make decisions in the moment as situations arise.

I have been feeling good overall. I have officially gained 40 pounds! I am super uncomfortable most of the time! He is sitting so low that he pushes on nerves in my legs constantly which really hurts! He is so big now, that when he stretches it is often painful. Oh and I forgot to mention... about 2 weeks ago I suddenly started to get a few stretch marks! Despite all of that, I have been able to get good rest and I feel generally energized and optimistic about everything. This is the hardest part, but I truly feel blessed to have had the experience of pregnancy and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It has been strange not working. I have had some cabin fever for sure! I find myself thinking about the labor and delivery constantly. It is making me more anxious. I even went out and bought a puzzle to keep my mind off of things! To be honest, that is why I did not update the blog yesterday. After my appointment, I felt a bit upset so I decided I needed to just take time to think about something else! I binge watched a tv series on Netflix, and worked on a puzzle, and didn't think about/ worry about anything! It was exactly what I needed!

I am not afraid of labor, I am just so anxious to meet my son already!

Bryson will be here in 16 days at the absolute latest. That is so exciting to think about! I love him so much already!

Bump-

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

38 Weeks

38 Weeks

Not much to say this week. The doctor said that I have not made any more progress. I am still at 1 cm and 50% effaced. He said he would guess baby will come around the time of my due date. Honestly, I was a little bummed! I got my hopes up that he may come early when he dropped 3 weeks ago. It is still possible, anything could happen! Ultimately I am just happy that the baby appears to be healthy with a good heartbeat. That is the most important thing, so I will continue to be patient! I am just so anxious and excited!

He said that if it were to become necessary, they would recommend being induced 7-10 days after the due date. He said that he doesn't expect for it come to that in my case. I really hope not! I really want to begin naturally. No need to worry... I am still 2 weeks away from my due date. It is exciting to think that our little guy will be here within 24 days maximum!

Tonight is my last night of work before I start my maternity leave. It is really weird to think that I wont be working! What am I going to do with my free time before the baby comes?? I am a bit stressed right now. I just hope that I don't spend half of my maternity leave waiting. I would rather spend that time with Bryson! I am worried that I will not have enough precious time with him as a newborn before I have to go back to work! That is the main reason that I want him to come sooner rather then later!

I still can't believe how close it is now. This whole pregnancy has gone so quickly! I am ready for the next adventure now... Motherhood!

Bump-

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

37 Weeks

How far along? 37 Weeks

I went to the doctor this morning and found out that I tested negative for the group b strep test. Yay. One less thing to worry about. He did another internal exam and it looks like I have not progressed this week. I am still 1 cm dilated and my cervix is still toward the back. Doctor said that he would expect me to be pregnant for another week or two, but "anything could happen."

He did say that Bryson is really low. He said that "often indicates an easier labor." YAY! :) He appears to be healthy with a good heart rate. It is just a waiting game at this point!

How big is the peanut? Baby is the size of a watermelon now! YIKES!

Total weight gain/loss? 36 pounds total

Maternity clothes? Yes... looking forward to getting my body back and being able to wear pants that actually fit at the waist! LOL

Sleep? Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night feeling uncomfortable and I want to turn over to my opposite side. Then I seriously debate whether or not it is worth it because as soon as I flip over I have to pee. Every single time. Seriously... Am I uncomfortable enough to want to get up out of bed? LOL It is a real struggle!

Other then that, I wake up occasionally with aches, pains, or cramps but overall I can't complain.

Best moment this week? Kevin's birthday. We had a wonderful day. I got us donuts for breakfast, we spent the day at the beach, and had a wonderful steak dinner at our friend's home followed by cheesecake dessert and a bon fire in their back yard. It was a great, relaxing day!

Symptoms? Since he has dropped, I keep feeling a ton of pressure super low on my cervix. Sometimes I swear he is going to push himself right out! It often results in shooting nerve pain through my groin and legs. It is quite shocking and uncomfortable! Nerve pain is the worst because it is like a sharp stabbing pain. I try to remember each time that it just means I am getting close to meeting my baby boy! It does become difficult when I am at work, but I am only working for about another week before I start my maternity leave so I know I will make it!

Food cravings/aversions? Not sure it is a craving... but I have really started to enjoy drinking herbal teas. Kevin and I have made it part of our nighttime routine. He has a "sleepytime" herbal tea and I am drinking pregnancy teas. They contain red raspberry leaves and other natural herbs that are supposed to help strengthen the womb and help with labor.

Gender? Little man!

Labor signs? I have so many different types of aches and pains, I am not sure what is a braxton hicks and what is not. None of them feel like what I would imagine a contraction to feel like.

Belly button in or out? Out

What I miss? Not having to use the restroom every single time I stand up!

What I'm looking forward to? Meeting Bryson! It feels so close now! We have everything ready to go. I can't hardly wait!!

Milestones? Baby is considered to be "term" now (He is "full term" at 39 weeks). This means if he were born today, he would not be considered premature!

Bump?

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

36 Weeks

36 Weeks!

Today I started my weekly doctor's visits. He did the GBS test, which I will find out the results next week. GBS stands for Group B Strep. It is a type of bacteria that 25% of pregnant women will test positive for. It is completely harmless to the mother, but could be dangerous to baby. If the mother does test positive, she will be administered an antibiotic during labor. Not a big deal.

He also did my first internal exam. The doctor said that he has already DROPPED! I can't believe it! I feel like I am still carrying him so high. I figured it would be a noticeable difference. The doctor also said that I am dilated 1 cm and my cervix is super soft! He said that for a first-time mom I am definitely ahead of schedule. He said that he would not expect for me to make it to my due date... but of course he can not know for certain.

He asked about braxton hicks and I told him that I have not had any. I described the low abdominal aches that I described on the blog last week (feels like menstrual cramps) and he said that was braxton hicks!

I did not think it was contractions because my uterus was not tightening when it happened... he said the tightening will come later, but it is still considered a contraction with out it. In order to have dilated to 1 cm, I would have had to have had some contracting... so I guess I just haven't really noticed or realized what was happening!

I am trying not to get my hopes up, but I can't help but be excited at the idea that he may come early!

I read online that with most first times moms, the baby drops about 3 weeks before delivery. I am due in 4 weeks. He could have dropped a week ago... That means he could come in 2-3 weeks!!! Obviously this is all a big guessing game and no one really knows! It is all just getting so close I can't help but be excited!!

I had some pretty rapid weight gain this week... I am up 35 pounds! I also started getting some swelling in my ankles for the first time when I got home from work. My body is achy and sore quite a bit these days... but nothing I wouldn't expect at this point. I am handling it really well.

Bump-

I made some mid-week posts to share photos so definitely check them out below. I shared our maternity photos and some pictures of the completed nursery!