Week 34: Feeling Ready to Burst
I've only got six weeks to go until my estimated due date. On the one hand, that seems like no time at all, like it's the day after tomorrow. After 34 weeks, 6 weeks is nothing. On the other hand...have you seen me lately? I look like I have an inflatable stomach, and I feel like it's so full it's about to pop. I can't imagine continuing to get larger for six more weeks. Am I really capable?
Many seem to think I'm not. The majority of people I've spoken to seem to have a very strong opinion that I will have this baby early, either due to the fact that I'm, supposedly, too small to carry much more baby weight or because, again supposedly, my tummy is so large that the doctor just has to be incorrect about my due date, that I'm farther along than they think I am. So, at our doctor's appointment a week ago, I asked my doctor her opinion in the matter, thinking she'd probably be the one with the most educated guess. She was no fun, though, and just shrugged her shoulders and said there's really no way for her to know and, once again, it could just be that I'm going to have a big baby. This reminded me of a conversation I'd had with Angela and Jeff, in which they had remarked that they never felt their questions or concerns were really answered at the doctor's. Either doctors are really just as clueless as we are, or they don't want to tell anyone anything for fear of a patient becoming irate or, worse, suing if the outcome varies even slightly from what the doctor predicted. I totally understand this and don't blame them, but it's extremely frustrating when the lady who works in the mailroom seems to have a stronger opinion about how my pregnancy is going than my own doctor does.
Either way, whether people are correct in their prediction concerning my due date or not, I'm beginning to feel more and more ready for this kid to pop out. And I'm even beginning to think that him arriving early, without being premature, of course, wouldn't be such a bad thing. I've been quite fearful about the actual delivery and wondered on a daily basis how in the world am I possibly going to get through it? I think I'm beginning to figure it out: Labor = Relief. I got up four times to pee last night, and afterwards it took 15-30 minutes each time to fall back to sleep. I woke up at least 10 times with abdomen or back aches and had to flop around endlessly to find the position that offered the least amount of discomfort (and I say "the" position because I have found there is only one position at each given time that is tolerable...and each time this one position is different). I swear I spent 3/4 of the day sleep-working and pray I didn't get drool on anything of high importance. The other day, I gathered up one load of laundry, put it in the washer, took out one load of laundry from the dryer, folded and put the clothes away, and I felt like I'd spent four hours at the gym. Physical exhaustion - from doing a load of laundry. Pathetic. My back, right now, is absolutely killing me - from sitting in a nice, cushy office chair. I struggle putting my shoes and socks on, worry about falling and breaking my hip when attempting to put on underwear and pants because I can't lift my legs more than a foot above the ground, and washing, shaving, and/or applying moisturizer to the lower halves of my calves and feet is next to impossible. And, I've discovered I no longer can lift my bodyweight - I tried to hoist myself up on the kitchen counter the other night, and nothing happened. I couldn't even raise myself a quarter of an inch above the ground. Mom is right - I probably ought not to lift myself onto the counter anyway for a couple of reasons - I hadn't thought about that when I made the attempt - but it was still the strangest feeling to not be able to.
To sum it up: I think I'm almost done being pregnant for now. Almost. I'm not quite ready to give up The Giant Squirmy living in my belly or all of the attention I get from looking like I've swallowed an enormous basketball. People voluntarily pick things up for me when I drop them, and they open doors for me. Best of all, for once I actually have an excuse for my insatiable appetite and am encouraged by others to do all I can to fulfill it. I'm really going to miss all of those Chips Ahoy cookies and cheeseburgers. (Not together - I still haven't had any true cravings, let alone weird ones. Disappointing.)
Many seem to think I'm not. The majority of people I've spoken to seem to have a very strong opinion that I will have this baby early, either due to the fact that I'm, supposedly, too small to carry much more baby weight or because, again supposedly, my tummy is so large that the doctor just has to be incorrect about my due date, that I'm farther along than they think I am. So, at our doctor's appointment a week ago, I asked my doctor her opinion in the matter, thinking she'd probably be the one with the most educated guess. She was no fun, though, and just shrugged her shoulders and said there's really no way for her to know and, once again, it could just be that I'm going to have a big baby. This reminded me of a conversation I'd had with Angela and Jeff, in which they had remarked that they never felt their questions or concerns were really answered at the doctor's. Either doctors are really just as clueless as we are, or they don't want to tell anyone anything for fear of a patient becoming irate or, worse, suing if the outcome varies even slightly from what the doctor predicted. I totally understand this and don't blame them, but it's extremely frustrating when the lady who works in the mailroom seems to have a stronger opinion about how my pregnancy is going than my own doctor does.
Either way, whether people are correct in their prediction concerning my due date or not, I'm beginning to feel more and more ready for this kid to pop out. And I'm even beginning to think that him arriving early, without being premature, of course, wouldn't be such a bad thing. I've been quite fearful about the actual delivery and wondered on a daily basis how in the world am I possibly going to get through it? I think I'm beginning to figure it out: Labor = Relief. I got up four times to pee last night, and afterwards it took 15-30 minutes each time to fall back to sleep. I woke up at least 10 times with abdomen or back aches and had to flop around endlessly to find the position that offered the least amount of discomfort (and I say "the" position because I have found there is only one position at each given time that is tolerable...and each time this one position is different). I swear I spent 3/4 of the day sleep-working and pray I didn't get drool on anything of high importance. The other day, I gathered up one load of laundry, put it in the washer, took out one load of laundry from the dryer, folded and put the clothes away, and I felt like I'd spent four hours at the gym. Physical exhaustion - from doing a load of laundry. Pathetic. My back, right now, is absolutely killing me - from sitting in a nice, cushy office chair. I struggle putting my shoes and socks on, worry about falling and breaking my hip when attempting to put on underwear and pants because I can't lift my legs more than a foot above the ground, and washing, shaving, and/or applying moisturizer to the lower halves of my calves and feet is next to impossible. And, I've discovered I no longer can lift my bodyweight - I tried to hoist myself up on the kitchen counter the other night, and nothing happened. I couldn't even raise myself a quarter of an inch above the ground. Mom is right - I probably ought not to lift myself onto the counter anyway for a couple of reasons - I hadn't thought about that when I made the attempt - but it was still the strangest feeling to not be able to.
To sum it up: I think I'm almost done being pregnant for now. Almost. I'm not quite ready to give up The Giant Squirmy living in my belly or all of the attention I get from looking like I've swallowed an enormous basketball. People voluntarily pick things up for me when I drop them, and they open doors for me. Best of all, for once I actually have an excuse for my insatiable appetite and am encouraged by others to do all I can to fulfill it. I'm really going to miss all of those Chips Ahoy cookies and cheeseburgers. (Not together - I still haven't had any true cravings, let alone weird ones. Disappointing.)
3 comments:
Six weeks will be here before you know it! You will be considered full term at 37 weeks so maybe Baby Neener will come then (when it's safe).
As for the back pain, unfortunately, it may not go away completely....I still experience a lot of pain.
Keep us posted with weekly updates (or more often if you are up for it).
I think you look awesome Kim! Keep positive, I'm telling you you're going to miss him inside your belly once he's out. You don't realize how much you get used to it!! Oh and on a non-pregnancy note, your hair looks freaking amazing!! Beotch!
Laurie, I had the opposite experience after giving birth to Rowan. I was so stressed out and busy taking care of the new little baby, I couldn't really remember even having him inside me anymore! My friend Sarah said the same thing.
I have to consciously stop and think about the fact that Rowan used to be in my belly. And even when I do that, they don't seem like the same being, as if the fetus Rowan was a different person than the Rowan I know now. It's really weird.
I love this picture of your belly - you look very cute and fertile.
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