One more week to go before I hit the big 3-7. I’ll be considered full term next week and I’ll feel a huge relief. Nothing major has happened since that one day a week ago where I had cramps and back pain for 4-5 hours, but it’s made me very nervous about every little tweaky feeling I have in my belly. I’m hoping she doesn’t come early. I want her to fatten up a bit. Newborns loose a little weight after birth so the longer she stays in, the better… just don’t stay in TOO long. According to BabyCenter.com, my baby is gaining about an ounce a day right now. She’s almost 6 pounds and more than 18 inches long.
Speaking of weight, I thought I was starting to finally gain but turns out it was just a fluke, I’m down again. I’ve gained a net of 11 pounds and am still loosing. I eat and eat and eat. Amazing what a few carbs can do. I dream of bowls of cereal and I’ve been saying that’s what I want for my special postpartum meal. All the baby hardware in you weighs between 25 and 35 pounds (baby, water, placenta, blood, etc), so I figure I’ve lost between 20 and 30 pounds. Can’t believe I’m sad about that, but I am. I just wanted to have a normal pregnancy. The positive thing is that baby gets all the nutrition first, so in the end, as long as I keep trying, we should wind up with a healthy weight baby and a leaner mom. Since women who have gestational diabetes have a 50% chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 5-10 years, a jump start on a little weight loss has got to be a good thing. So all I can do is keep eating, stay positive, and hope I can hold onto as much of those 11 pounds as I can.
Other than the weight loss and the painful hip, I feel great. Lots of energy, I’m still really mobile and getting lots done. No swelling, my wedding rings fit better now than they did before I was pregnant. I have noticed when I lay down for naps, I go into a crazy deep, 2 hour sleep. Yesterday it felt like I had to wake myself up from inside of a dream. It takes a long time to get out of bed after a nap like that. I haven’t slept like that since I was a kid.
I finished up work last Friday and I’m so thankful to not have to sit in front of a computer all day. My hip was killing me from stretched out ligaments and lack of exercise, and now it seems to be getting better already. Lots of pool time this week, to try and strengthen my hips so it doesn’t feel like my leg is going to fall out of the socket.
I’ve been gathering up all the supplies needed for our home birth. Plus our friend is coming, so I needed another set of sheets. The medical kit is ordered, the extra towels and sheets are washed, I got extra pillows, and I just need to get a few more little things. I went on a marathon Ikea trip yesterday, I’m definitely in some sort of crazy, uncontrollable shopping mood, which is pretty abnormal for me. I got more shelves for the baby room, a laundry basket, a very adorable nightlight for mid-nite breastfeeding, and all sorts of towels and washcloths and linens, and a random assortment of household items. I was shopping as if I’m never going to be able to leave my house again. We’ve been washing the cloth prefold diapers, trying to get them worn in, and I’m going to get back to making diapers this week. I might make another swaddle blanket too while I’m at it. The midwives come to the house on Thursday for an in-home visit so they can scope out the joint.
Well, it’s been two hours since my giant three egg omelet with sausage. Time for second breakfast.