Today, I’m 35 wks along with this sweet baby! No picture today. I had another prenatal appointment today. I lost 1/2 pound since my last appointment 2 Â wks ago, but my uterus grew 4 cm! That’s the way to do things! HA! I’m certain the tummy bug I had over a week ago had something to do with the weight loss. Plus, Stephen and I have started exercising again (doing a walking video a few times a week).
So, the report from the midwife today was this—the baby is already getting quite low in the pelvis (I can feel that as I mentioned in my last post), head down still. She said right now, she estimates this baby to already be about 6 pounds! And, she feels the baby is long. (Now, disclaimer is that all of this is just an estimation, not fact. Shoot, even ultrasounds are off at this point. But, experienced practitioners are typically better than ultrasounds honestly). Anyway, she did also feel like the baby was in military presentation at this time. We had that with Abriella…and that was not fun pushing with. Soooo, while I’m not really concerned as my body could probably much more easily handle a military presentation at birth now than like baby #1, I am going to do some different exercises to try to get the baby up out of the pelvis a bit and hopefully allow the little one to flex his/her head more for a better birthing position.
And, 6 pounds already! I have said for a while that I felt like this baby was bigger than my others. I told my midwife again that one of my very vivid dreams was that the baby was born at 37 wks, weighing 7-13 and 23 inches long. Ha! If the baby is 6 pounds now, that 7-13 weight very well could happen by 37 wks! (For reference, my 37 wk Abs was 6-6, my 38 wk Colbs was 7-7, and my 36 1/2 wk Rids was 6-4). Babies tend to grow about 1/2 lb to a lb a week from here on out–of course, all babies grow to their unique size.
I had my GBS screen today and also a final CBC (to check my iron levels). I’m praying for a negative GBS this time. I was negative with the 1st 2 pregnancies, but positive with Ridley, so I had IV antibiotics in labor with him—which I actually feel caused lots of issues for his immunity. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a huge deal, but I’d love to avoid the whole thing. Â I plan to do things a bit differently if I’m positive this go round.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve had some different “butt” issues this pregnancy. Now, don’t stop reading for fear of grossness yet! It’s a nerve issue. I think it’s my sciatic nerve that is bothered at times this pregnancy, but it is only my right butt cheek that suffers. ha! The result is me having a very difficult and painful time walking. It tends to happen mostly at night, so at my last chiropractor appointment, she adjusted my pelvis based on that information. I have only had I think 1 or 2 nights in the last 2 weeks with that issue this time, so maybe that helped. I go to the chiro again tomorrow. This baby has also managed to find a spot that hits a right inner groin/thigh nerve that nearly brings me to my knees! It’s like a bolt of electricity right through that area! That has only started happening in the last week or so. Fun! HA!
But, on the upside, my phantom-gallbladder pain is much more rare now! In my other complete pregnancies, I was in pretty much constant pain from the late 20 weeks to delivery. Now, I realize that was my pregnant uterus pushing up on my gallstone filled gallbladder. I had pain in my upper right abdomen that radiated to the back. Didn’t know it was my gallbladder then, but hindsight, I know that’s what it was. So, I’m thankful I don’t have a gallstone filled gallbladder this time! Yippee!!
So, now, the wait for when this baby will come starts. I’m still praying for at least 37 wks (considered a term pregnancy). But, honestly, I don’t want to go all the way to September. I know, I know. It’s true though. I’m still trying to mentally prepare for that, but can’t say I’ll be pleasant if that happens. HA! I’m probably just asking for it now. :-/
Also, a neat thing this week. I had talked to a retired lady that goes to church with us about making me some baby items for our “rainbow baby.” These will be some things that we can use for pictures. I had sent her a few pictures of some items on Etsy. She said she’d love to make them! She has a small business. A few days later, she tells me she’s done. She brought them over and I gladly paid the price for them! Here are some pictures of them. Â She went ahead and made a girl specific hat, which was a bonus! So sweet! So, there is a rainbow blanket (it’s long like a rainbow), a girl hat, a gender neutral hat, and then a snuggie that you can put the baby in for pictures. I thought she did amazing work!! No pattern (just a few pictures from the internet), and it was done in just a few days. Highly recommend her! She said she has been crocheting since she was 10 yrs old, so she can go really fast. Simply amazing.
So, that’s the update for now. I am praying that God brings this sweet life into our lives soon, very happy and healthy. I’m praying that I will continue to be healthy. I’m praying for the labor and delivery to be uneventful and sweet. I would ask you to pray that with us! Thank you!!