I am one and a half days from my 38 week mark. This past week, and these upcoming days/weeks that I have left are going to be a doozie, I can already tell. I'm starting to get stretch marks above my belly button now (dang it!), and things are getting more and more challenging. My weight is still going up, and now my feet, ankles and legs are swelling (and it is unavoidable!). They look almost normal first thing in the morning, but if I can't keep them elevated, they immediately get huge. I went to my doctor's appointment on Friday, and she said I was 1 cm dilated and 30% effaced, which is exciting! However, she said that it could still be a 39, 40 or 41 week birth, so to get that in my head and try to hang in there. A few scares at my appointment:
-When they checked my blood pressure, it was higher than normal, though still in the normal range. It was a flag though, for possible preclampsia. So we have to keep an eye on it. There are a bunch of other side effects that accompany preclampsia that I have not experienced yet, so just keeping an eye on things is the suggestion for now. If it gets higher, I think they may induce.
-At the end of my appointment, I stood up from the table and noticed some wet marks on the paper where I was sitting. The doc thought maybe it was from the exam since she used lubricant to check my pelvis, or maybe seamen from intercourse the night before, but we did a fetal heart monitor and contraction monitor, as well as measuring fluid levels via ultrasound just to be sure. They didn't say much of anything (and I don't think they had any fluid levels to compare it to prior to the exam), so I am due back Monday for another checkup. Oh the joys...
I have been having contractions, but they are still very mild and not regular. When I was on the monitor at the doctors office, I could see them, which was neat. They were tiny and short, just like I have been feeling, but it was neat to know I wasn't crazy and was actually having some. I'm trying tricks for contractions/labor, hoping to encourage things to get going. Mostly just walking as the consistent one, but just started drinking raspberry leaf tea, and getting massages in the correct pressure points (or asking my hubby to massage a little for me), and trying to get some sex in (a challenge in itself). Hopefully I won't be pregnant much longer, this is getting ridiculous. I feel so huge, heavy and fat, lol. My stomach often feels like it is going to burst. I'm ready to stop getting up every single hour (though the night too) to pee. I would be happy to get up a few times during the night to feed my daughter, but it's just a nuisance to pee every hour! Ugh..
At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I gotta stay strong! One month from now, I will NOT be pregnant..I have to keep reminding myself of that :)
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