Baby Center says I'm fat. F you, Baby Center! Okay, it didn't really say that. It does say that with a weight gain of 20+ pounds already, I'm outside the ideal range of weight gain for this pregnancy. "What are you going to do about it?" Jimi asked. "Eat some more cake," I replied. I just don't care. I've not gained excessively, and I feel like I still look pretty damned good for a woman who's nearly 8 months pregnant, so I'm not going to stress over a few pounds. There will be plenty of time for boot camp and calorie counting once baby girl is here.
Baby girl is over 16 inches long and weighs over 3 pounds now (the size of several oranges, according to Baby Center). At my midwife appointment last week, my belly measured right on target, her heart rate was in the 130s, and she is already head down, because she loves me and wants our birth experience to be as perfect as I'm hoping it'll be. With just a light touch on my belly, I can feel her little feet or knees at the top of my uterus, and if she's laying just right, a butt or a back. It's crazy to remember those first little flutters back in September - movements and kicks now make my whole belly jump.
I've been listening to my Hypnobabies tracks. Well, I'm trying to. I can only get comfortable enough to stay still and relax for the required 30 minutes if I'm lying down, and so I tend to fall asleep while listening. Something about it makes me drool; I'll wake up with my mouth open and a wet spot on my pillow and chin. They say that you're still getting the info you need even if you're sleeping, though, so hopefully my subconscious is better at paying attention than my conscious mind.
I still feel good. Not quite as good as I felt pre-pregnancy; I have limitations now and that's a difficult adjustment. I can't stand or walk around for more than an hour without facing repercussions - achy, swollen feet, sore legs, serious exhaustion. The fingers on my right hand are in a state of semi-numbness just about all the time, and at night I have to constantly reposition myself or both hands will go completely numb. Of course, I have to reposition constantly because of my hips, too, so at least I'm killing two birds with one stone. As of a few days ago, my wedding band is too tight to be worn comfortably, and that's a bummer. At least I still have the garnet ring he gave me years ago - it's been way too big for my ring finger for probably 2 years (I continued to wear it anyhow), but now it fits just right. I've not been doing my yoga like I should, but I'm getting back on the bandwagon - I have a lot of aches that seem to be aleviated when I'm doing it regularly, plus I need to stay on it to keep up with my flexibility; I'll regret it at birthing time if I don't.
The nursery isn't any closer to completion than it was the last time I updated. BUT. Karen is coming over Wednesday to paint - she claims to enjoy painting, and says she wants to do it as her gift to us. I'm all for it - Jimi and I are great at making plans to do things, not so great at the follow-through. Once the painting is finished, I think things will start to come together rather quickly. We've got a new light fixture to install, and the dresser/changing table should be ready by next weekend. I need to find some comfortable cushions for the rocker, since it looks like a new glider or recliner isn't going to happen. Mom & Dad are buying the crib - I don't know when, but at least the room will be ready for it when it arrives. We've got the bassinet and bouncer and swing upstairs ready to be moved into place. My first baby shower is scheduled for January 12th, the second for the first weekend in February, and I anticipate those events will provide the finishing touches.
Time is flying by and she's going to be here before we know it.
You've only gained 20+ pounds? Good for you! In total I was more than 40 pounds, but most of it dropped off quickly. Now, with baby boy almost 4 months old, I'm hovering around 8 pounds more than my pregnancy weight. I'm confident that by continuing to breast feed, I'll have no problems getting it all gone (and more?). And in any case, if I were to actually start working out again, I'm sure my weight would be just fine.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy pains. They might not be so much fun now, but they are something to look back on and remember semi-fondly. :)