Pregnancy 1: Week 37

37 Weeks:

Symptoms: Feeling sick continued into this week, though I did start to feel better than the end of last week. I mostly just battle heartburn that sometimes leads to vomiting. Emotions were definitely at the peak intensity this week which probably added to the muscle tension I have been experiencing. Constant need to pee (finally think I am hitting the level most talk about during pregnancy, though fortunately not during the night). Otherwise I have all of the same symptoms I have had through my entire pregnancy really except I am actually experiencing contractions and cramping which I haven’t really had until more recently. My right side still hurts (though I would say little Patrick has discovered the ability to stretch out and be on both sides!), I used to walk the neighborhood and I really can’t handle walking that far anymore, I still do my prenatal yoga though, and Patrick’s movements are very intense to me now (some not so cute feeling).

Weight: I have gained 18 lbs so far now in this pregnancy.

OB Visit: We started this week with our OB appointment. We went nearly 2 weeks between appointments this time but all of our future appointments are scheduled exactly a week out. This was just a standard check up week. I had done the strep b test at my previous appointment and found out that I am negative for it this week. This means I don’t have to worry about getting medication during labor to prevent Patrick from getting it (since I’m not a carrier). Other than this just routine checks. I weighed in (18lbs gained)...noted I am likely going to hit that 20 or over which is totally okay but I was hoping not to get too high (please not 25! heehee)...I also had a great blood pressure again (118/78 → seriously how is it better than before I was pregnant!?). Also baby Patrick is doing great: measuring right on track (length not weight...he supposedly weighs about 2 weeks ahead...we will see) and his heartbeat was 147bpm which is healthy and in his typical range. Every week I have to pee in a cup but it’s funny because the front desk lady is so used to me coming in and begging to go pee before sitting there waiting that she always jokes about it. However, this time I came in and asked and she said they already had 1 accident and didn’t want me to be another so she rushed to get me to the bathroom, which I thought was quite funny. Most of my appointments are before 10am and so I do fine but when I have 10am appointments it is much more difficult because I have to wait to pee (again I don’t pee enough to use the bathroom in the morning and then be able to again at 10 until now!) So overall easy appointment. Checked in with OB to make sure that the OB will be circumcising our little guy (sometimes the pediatrician does so we just wanted to check...and she said it would be her or the OB on call the day after we deliver -- so day 2 of our stay). Funny, my OB ended the appointment with, well I will see you next Friday...or maybe sooner? We will see. Yikes! No I am not ready! Lol Daddy says he will come on Thursday, I guess we will find out in the next blog since that will be the start of our 38 weeks.

Rainy Week: This week was pretty rainy and blah. So staying inside watching netflix and relaxing was basically it. I at one point reorganized my hubby’s section of the closet, finished more loads of laundry, and got all the dishes done, but really there just wasn’t much more to do. My hubby had a guys night one night and so I did decided to go ahead and make a craft that I had been contemplating doing for a while. I wasn’t sure if the hospital would be okay with me having one so I didn’t really want to put in the extra work on it for a while but then I was so bored I figured it would be at least a fun project to do. I talked to my doula and found out that the suite doors have hooks on them so we are assuming they will be okay with mine.

Hospital Door Hanger: I created a HP Gryffindor inspired hospital door hanger with our baby boy’s name and a piece to write his stats on after his birth. This craft cost very little, I estimated initially about $3 (though not sure exactly). I bought the two pieces of wood from Walmart that were only $1 for both! The rest of the materials (paint markers, hot glue, twine, felt backing) I already had on hand and so in the end my specific cost was $1 but with elements I already had probably around $3-$5 max.

So now this cute little sign is packed away in our hospital bags to go to the hospital with us and share our cutie with others. If you are interested in making one yourself just find out a few things first: 1) Does the hospital allow it? 2) Do they have hooks on their doors (if not you can ask if you can take a 3M hook with you, i’m taking one with us just to be safe), 3) Is there anything in particular about it required? I.e. I was told to add felt to the back of the wooden ones so they aren’t clanking the entire time.

Mall Walk: Over our weekend I was getting a little stir crazy being stuck inside the house all the time. I just wanted to do something that wasn’t being inside the house and since I can’t drive in the rain I had been cooped up for a while. I honestly wanted to go to the state fair or to the zoo (I wanted to see the penguins) but it is good that we didn’t do either of these things. Tomek was worried about how much walking I would really be able to handle and he was right. We ended up walking one of the local malls found a couple of cool things but by the time we got back to the car I was exhausted, and we didn’t even walk the entire thing.

Emotions & Support: I really have been struggling with being upset this week more. I was hurt to hear that someone was sharing personal information of mine with others, even though I don’t talk to them. So, I went from angry to just really upset. I felt like they were again finding away to boost themself for something that had nothing to do with them and everything to do with me. I thought about quitting this blog but realized I couldn’t. I need this blog. Writing helps me process and is such an important outlet in my life right now that I would be letting someone else take away my form of healing. So, I am here still writing but I decided to write a separate blog this week called “The Truth Will Set You Free” Link → https://noblelivingstore.wixsite.com/home-1/blog/the-truth-will-set-you-free as a way to put the truth out, to share my personal experiences, and to help with moving forward. I have went through so many emotions this week and after this experience I just felt pretty depressed. Everything felt like it had built up so long and I just needed to let it all out. I am sure I will be working through some of this for a while but to have the love and support of so many during this transition has been wonderful! Thank you all for all of your kind words and love. I truly am blessed to have you all in our lives and that positivity and support is more than I could have ever imagined. Again thank you!

After writing this blog, processing the many emotions that came with it, I saw this image (see below) and it just really spoke to me and felt encouraging and uplifting. I am doing all that I do to be the most positive person I can be in this world and I know that what I did will continue to help me grow in that direction.

Amazon Baby Box: So you likely saw my baby freebies blog I did quite a while back, it included the amazon baby box https://noblelivingstore.wixsite.com/home-1/blog/baby-freebies-and-boxes However, I was on my registry thee other day after we had purchased everything and it popped up saying I qualified for an amazon baby box...again?! So I cautiously added it to my cart, went through the check out making sure it wasn’t charging my card, and it indeed gave me a coupon for the cost of the box and was completely free! I ordered it over the weekend and still got it to my door on Tuesday! WOW talk about speed. Now many have told me the boxes aren’t so great about half-way through the year compared to early on. I received ours in the review early on in the year (Dec., Jan., & March) but did notice the later ones had less items so I was really curious to see what this box, in August, would contain.

So here is what was in this box…

And here’s a picture of all four boxes by each other….

So….

Similarities: The swaddle blanket, tiny sample of lotion and shampoo, & breast pads (though a different brand in the latest box), baby bottle (though again different type), a couple of diapers, & a large pack of wipes (again not the same brand this time).

Differences: The last box excludes: 1) sleeper, 2) toy, 3) Pampers travel pack, 4) Tiny mom samples (nipple cream, lotion, granola bar) The last box includes: 1) a plain white onesie for 3-6 month old, 2) a organic cotton onesie with elephants on it also for 3-6 months, and 3) baby laundry detergent pods.

When I saw I was eligible for this offer all I could think was please another muslin swaddle blanket!! So despite the lack of all the other items and the changes in items I managed to get the one item I was hoping for and it is super cute, gray palm trees! So, for it being completely free definitely well worth it again!

Pediatrician Interview: This week we went and interviewed a pediatrician that is near us in an attempt to have a pediatrician lined up for little Patrick when he is born. So now at this point when he is born either his pediatrician or someone in their rotation will come to the hospital during his stay, we will setup a 2 week appointment, and we will see her regularly for his shots, check-ups, etc. We met with our potential pediatrician and she was wonderful. Very sweet, answered all of our questions, and has boys of her own. We are thrilled to have her as Patrick’s doctor.

Friends Gabe & Mere Baby #2: Early morning Wednesday the 22nd the world was blessed with another precious baby from our friend group. Our friends Gabe and Mere had their second child, a baby boy named Locryn. He was due 2 days before our little Patrick but was induced 2 weeks earlier. He was born at 6lbs 14 oz and is doing wonderfully! He has a little bit of hair, a sweet demeanor already, and his big sister (and of course all the rest of us) loves him so already! We were thrilled to be invited to the hospital and see all of the family. He is such a cute little guy and we can’t wait for all of the friend’s babies (Hazel, Locryn, & Patrick) to grow up together so close in age and living near each other, plus our family members that are having babies too right now! It is clearly baby season for all of us but we are all so blessed to have these children and they are already the light of our lives!

Labor Symptoms: NONE! I figured I will start adding this to each blog as we go. I have had cramping and braxton hicks contractions (nothing measurable, frequent, intense, repetitive, etc) but otherwise nada. Part of me is over here going...but wait really? Where are all the symptoms the moms in my Sept. mom support group are having? They are due after me and have more symptoms and some are having their babies now. However, the other part of me feels as though this is just another answered prayer as I have been so hopeful to have our little guy in September not August that he is just in there going, “But mommy you said to wait.” heehee. And right he would be. I am thankful to have no symptoms yet.