Having constant painful contractions is getting really old. I got a short "break" (meaning less frequency and intensity) for a few days, but for the past two days it has been back with a vengeance. Last night they were coming back to back and I finally broke down crying. My husband is so sweet and started an epsom salt bath for me with candles, bathed me, and got the bed all set up for me to be propped up in and just relax.
I just don't understand how someone can contract this much and not have it progress to active labor???? The only thing I can think of is something must be wrong to where I'm not progressing. I just know that it's very VERY tiring and I'm really ready to have my baby. We'll see what my doctor has to say at my 39 week appointment, but this can't be normal, right???? I need some non-hormonal non-exhausted insight.
38 Weeks
I can't believe I'm showing this picture, but even more I can't believe that I actually went out in public like this with how self conscious I feel. Pardon the funky facial expression, but I was literally thinking "I can't believe I'm doing this". Today I went to the pool for only the second time during my pregnancy. I should have been going the entire 3rd trimester! It felt SOOOOOOOOOO good! The water was amazing and I also felt so weightless. It really became obvious once I got out of the pool and my belly felt so heavy. Now I also feel so relaxed and sleepy! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful... I can't wait to go again!
Nothing new to really report.... I'm still pregnant, still having a ton of uncomfortable contractions that don't progress, still passing the NST's with flying colors. Sleeping has become quite the chore. I sure can't wait to meet this precious boy of mine. On Wednesday we have another growth scan and I'm so interested to see how big he is now. I definitely feel like he's 100 lbs already, hahaha! Most of all I'm just so excited to see exactly what he looks like and to kiss him over and over.
So Proud Of Myself **UPDATED w/pics**
Before I was pregnant I cooked for my husband constantly. I'm talking big, delicious, intricate meals. I would even come up with meal plans for the entire week and would write down every little detail. Shoot, I made the man meals that I couldn't pronounce, complete with homemade salad dressings. Since I've been pregnant I have no desire to cook and I think the most complicated thing he has gotten is pasta with P.rego sauce, lol! So, I am quite proud of myself that I actually took time to make him something tonight. Now keep in mind I am still a pregnant lady so one part of the meal doesn't exactly "go", but I crave what I crave. He's going to grill hamburgers when he gets home from work, but I made Mediterranean Pasta Salad and a Greek Salad with homemade dressing. That doesn't sound like much and it's really not, but I'm impressed that I had the energy to do anything, especially being that it's 105 degrees today and super humid. Anyways, perhaps I'll post pictures later, but here are the recipes... as you can see they are very easy, pregnant lady friendly, and VERY tasty.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
Ingredients:
*1/2 box of elbow noodles
*Mayonnaise to taste
*Mustard to taste
*1 large jar of green olives
*1 small can of sliced black olives
*1 small jar of pimentos
*black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook noodles according to directions on box, drain, and run under cold water until no longer hot. Place noodles in a large bowl and combine with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight (or at least for several hours, but it's better overnight).
Greek Salad:
Ingredients:
*1/2 bag of Romaine lettuce
*1 tomato cut in large chunks
*1/2 red onion sliced
*1/2 small can of black olives
*1/2 cucumber cut in large chunks
*1/2 green bell pepper cut in large chunks
*1/2 red bell pepper cut in large chunks
*1/2 container (or to taste) of feta cheese (pasteurized of course for you preggos)
*pepper to taste
**If it's your thing, you can also toast some pine nuts and add those, unfortunately I didn't get the nuts this time and I loooooove them!**
Directions:
LOL, this is obviously self explanatory... combine ingredients in a bowl!
Greek Salad Dressing:
Ingredients:
*5 tbs olive oil
*1 tbs red wine vinegar
*2 tbs sugar
*1 tsp dried oregano
*juice from 1 lemon
*black pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine ingredients and place on Greek Salad immediately prior to eating.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
Ingredients:
*1/2 box of elbow noodles
*Mayonnaise to taste
*Mustard to taste
*1 large jar of green olives
*1 small can of sliced black olives
*1 small jar of pimentos
*black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook noodles according to directions on box, drain, and run under cold water until no longer hot. Place noodles in a large bowl and combine with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight (or at least for several hours, but it's better overnight).
Greek Salad:
Ingredients:
*1/2 bag of Romaine lettuce
*1 tomato cut in large chunks
*1/2 red onion sliced
*1/2 small can of black olives
*1/2 cucumber cut in large chunks
*1/2 green bell pepper cut in large chunks
*1/2 red bell pepper cut in large chunks
*1/2 container (or to taste) of feta cheese (pasteurized of course for you preggos)
*pepper to taste
**If it's your thing, you can also toast some pine nuts and add those, unfortunately I didn't get the nuts this time and I loooooove them!**
Directions:
LOL, this is obviously self explanatory... combine ingredients in a bowl!
Greek Salad Dressing:
Ingredients:
*5 tbs olive oil
*1 tbs red wine vinegar
*2 tbs sugar
*1 tsp dried oregano
*juice from 1 lemon
*black pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine ingredients and place on Greek Salad immediately prior to eating.
Lavender Soak Review
For Lindsey and Marjorie (and of course anyone else who was curious)... the lavender epsom salts from my previous post are A-MAZING! My body aches feel so much better and I feel so relaxed. The lavender smell is so soothing and the best part is once you get out of the bath you smell like it! My cats must have found it intoxicating as well because they stayed with me the entire time and kept sniffing the water. I highly recommend getting it, just be warned that it will put you right to sleep. Lol, as if that's a complaint!
Marjorie, I know what you mean about not fitting in the tub so well these days, I have a big garden tub and my belly wasn't covered with much water when I was laying down. If I utilize it while laboring at home before I go to the hospital I'll probably have to get in the "frog" position and hang over the edge of the tub.
If you ladies end up getting it I would love to hear what you think.
Marjorie, I know what you mean about not fitting in the tub so well these days, I have a big garden tub and my belly wasn't covered with much water when I was laying down. If I utilize it while laboring at home before I go to the hospital I'll probably have to get in the "frog" position and hang over the edge of the tub.
If you ladies end up getting it I would love to hear what you think.
36 Week Appointment
My Group B swab still came back (+), but oh well since they were planning on giving me antibiotics during delivery regardless. She said the only difference is now they will have pediatricians standing by just to make sure Cor.ben is okay. I've had 0 weight gain in my last few appointments and this time I have actually lost a few pounds, which I've read is typical when you get close to delivery. Speaking of delivery... she said that due to my contraction frequency, strength, and the fact that they are getting longer (some last up to a minute) that it's very possible that I may deliver early, but they would really like for me to make it another week. Watch now that I've said that I'll probably be 2 weeks overdue (NOOOOOOOO!). I've been in a really grumpy mood lately which I hate and I haven't been sleeping well at all. My entire body just hurts and is so uncomfortable. Last night I was really restless and got out of bed at 3:30am and couldn't fall back asleep until 6am. Hopefully tonight I'll be able to sleep better.
My OB recommended that I get Lavender Epsom Salt and said that I could find it at Wal.greens. I just picked some up (for $5... score!) and I can't wait to take a bath with it tonight (which she said was fine)! My body is so sore and I've always loved lavender for relaxation. We used a lavender spray in prenatal yoga that I plan to use during labor also. It really does work! Just spray it on a hand towel and put it over your eyes and breath in the scent and you feel like a new woman =). I just got a new bottle from my yoga instructor, but previously I got it from an herbalist at creationsoap.com for $12.95 and it comes in a really cute blue glass bottle. 
My OB recommended that I get Lavender Epsom Salt and said that I could find it at Wal.greens. I just picked some up (for $5... score!) and I can't wait to take a bath with it tonight (which she said was fine)! My body is so sore and I've always loved lavender for relaxation. We used a lavender spray in prenatal yoga that I plan to use during labor also. It really does work! Just spray it on a hand towel and put it over your eyes and breath in the scent and you feel like a new woman =). I just got a new bottle from my yoga instructor, but previously I got it from an herbalist at creationsoap.com for $12.95 and it comes in a really cute blue glass bottle. 
Little kids are so cute!
We were at a pediatrician's office today to interview her and in the waiting room there was this cute little girl "reading" a book to herself and just being hilarious. She turns to me and asks "Do you have a baby in your belly", I told her that I did and then she says "Why?". Lol! What are you suppose to say to that? Luckily she was pleased with my response of "because I like babies". I love little kids and the funny things that they say!
**On a side note we LOVED the pediatrician and have decided to go with her. What a stress reliever! We've been looking for one for SO long and didn't think we would find one that we liked and that was open to more natural treatment methods. What a great day! Oh... and I'm still contracting like crazy. They've been regular since yesterday morning and at my NST yesterday my toco number was 100. They said I'm in latent labor. Hopefully it will continue until I'm full term, but not last until my due date**
**On a side note we LOVED the pediatrician and have decided to go with her. What a stress reliever! We've been looking for one for SO long and didn't think we would find one that we liked and that was open to more natural treatment methods. What a great day! Oh... and I'm still contracting like crazy. They've been regular since yesterday morning and at my NST yesterday my toco number was 100. They said I'm in latent labor. Hopefully it will continue until I'm full term, but not last until my due date**
35 Weeks
I'm still having pretty much constant braxton hicks contractions, but have been told that it's just the norm for me and not to worry. I now go to the doctor once a week and have NST's twice a week. Cor.ben always passes those with flying colors (they love him at the fetal diagnostic clinic) and I get the fun of watching all of my contractions on the monitor. They also check my amniotic fluid level once a week, which has also been marvelous. I get another growth scan in a few weeks, yay!
I had a doctors appointment today and I was really hoping that they would check me because I'm so curious to see if I've made any progress at all. Unfortunately they won't check me (especially with being group b strep positive) unless I'm in labor or overdue. They did do the swab to see where I'm at now. The good news is that I was wrong about having to rush to the hospital for antibiotics once I'm in labor. My doctor said if my water doesn't break I can labor at home until my contractions are about 4 minutes apart... if my water does break then I have to head for the hospital. Oh... and my belly is measuring in the 95th percentile! Hahahaha!
I'll be full term in 12 days and I'm definitely feeling very ready for my little boy to arrive! The nursery is done, we have everything we need, my hospital bag is packed, the diaper bag is packed, all of his clothes are washed and everything else has been sanitized. We still need to install the carseat, but we're waiting until the cars get detailed next week. Come on out Cor.ben! My doctor said that if I went into labor now they wouldn't stop it, eeeehhhh, that made my husband very nervous.
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