34 Weeks!

How Far Along: 34 weeks

Baby Size: a Ukulele

Current Symptoms:  Reflux, nausea, or morning sickness! Or all of the above! I feel like I am back in my first trimester! I think this resurgence of stomach based symptoms could be due to a number of different factors:  1. I am 34 weeks pregnant and massive…meaning my stomach is squished to the max! 2. Like many other people in the country, I am frustrated by my current health insurance situation. I was able to acquire coverage through the health exchange, however my actual insurance card has yet to arrive…therefore I am due for a refill on my reflux medication. It should be coming any day now! 3. The hormone known as progesterone loves to aggravate heart burn symptoms. The more pregnant you are, the more progesterone you have flowing through your body, hence an increase in reflux in your third trimester.  Very curious to see if Crosby has as much hair as his brother did when he is born! More reflux usually means more hair!

What's Different: Not having a gallbladder! This week marks the gestational anniversary of my gallbladder attack during Carson’s pregnancy that sent me into preterm labor.  I was hospitalized from week 34 to 35, and then was on bed rest from week 35 to week 38, when I was induced. Therefore week 34 has often stuck in my mind as “the beginning of the end” which is not the case for this pregnancy! As of 34 weeks, I had an induction date scheduled for October 26^th, so I knew for a long time when we were going to meet Carson. Definitely not the case with Crosby! He could really come any time in the next month or so! I have it set in my mind that I will not make it to my due date for a number of reasons. 1. I have what my doctor calls an “easily irritated uterus” which means little things such as standing up, sitting down, etc. cause me to have a contraction. Now these are mostly Braxton Hicks contractions, but my version of those tend to be fairly intense, which often can aid in dilation! I can pretty much make myself start having fairly regular contractions if I push myself too far physically, which of course I am avoiding at this point! 2. Crosby is a big boy! He is still measuring around 2 weeks ahead of schedule. This doesn’t necessarily mean he will arrive early, as many people have had large babies well past their due dates. But here’s hoping! 3. My pelvis hurts. A lot. My doctor has been super supportive about this, and has made it clear that she doesn’t want me to physically suffer any longer than I have to in this pregnancy. Basically any time after 39 weeks, if I just can’t stand the pain anymore, she is willing to induce me. I had a super easy induction with Carson so I am open to this concept, however I don’t necessarily want to force my body to do something that it is not ready to do either. I plan to take things one day at a time but something tells me that I will not choose to hang in there until February 14th!

Carson Comments: Carson is a really big fan of the #3. Probably because he is three years old. He wants to play for three more minutes before his bath. He advocates for just three more bites of dinner before he gets a special treat for dessert. He wants to read three books, not two. The list goes on…If you ask Carson when his baby brother will be born he says “THREE MORE DAYS!” Last week it was going to be in three more days, and I am sure the same increment will be cited next week and the week after! I will laugh when he says three more days, and Crosby actually arrives in 72 hours!

Daddy Updates:  I can tell Ryan is getting amped up for this baby’s arrival! He is starting to think if minute details regarding logistics. He wants to get copies of our house key made to give to both my mother, and our friends who may be caring for Carson depending on when I go into labor, that way they can access the house if necessary. His Google calendar is filled with all sorts of potential dates of various events and scenarios. He has begun shrink wrapping our windows to prevent the house from getting to cold during this polar vortex, knowing that they heat will be kept at a much higher temp once the baby is home! One thing I wish he would get more amped about is keeping his cell phone around! He is notorious for not keeping track of it or keeping it on silent, so much so that I had to drive myself to the hospital last time around during a gallbladder attack! I am grateful that he is intensely aware of this need of change in his habits thanks to a little guilt, so I am hopeful in the coming days and weeks, his phone is easily accessible and audible at all times! Wink wink, honey ;)

Baby Prep: I had an absolutely wonderful Baby Sprinkle this past weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “sprinkle”, it essentially means a lower key baby shower often for someone who is having their second or third child, with the belief that there is not a need for a large event with dozens of guests and lots of gifts. My close friends whisked me away to brunch at the Wentworth by the Sea, a fabulous ocean resort with amazing food and a definite classy atmosphere! I had so much fun with 6 of my closest friends - sharing birth stories, gabbing about our crazy toddlers, and just over all feeling really happy! We were there for almost 3 hours of fabulous girl talk!  I received some much appreciated practical gifts, with diapers and wipes being a popular item! You can never have too many of those! Following brunch, I was gifted a prenatal massage, the first for this pregnancy. (I had 4 or 5 with Carson, what happened this time around??) It was so relaxing and perhaps the best massage I have ever had. I was on cloud nine all day long, it was truly an amazing day! I can’t say thank you enough to Stephanie, Jess, Angela, Nicole, Allison and Kate!  I was able to use a few gift cards from the Sprinkle to purchase the remaining items on my “need to get for second baby” list such as a new set of baby monitors (we lost ours?), a double stroller, and some breathable crib bumpers. I am happy to say that by 34 weeks, I think we have pretty much everything we need for Crosby…and then some!

Looking Forward To: Hitting 35 weeks, perhaps the final milestone before officially being full term! The hospital where I plan to deliver has a Level 1 NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) meaning they are capable of caring for infants in distress that are born between 35 and 40+ weeks. I learned this when I went into labor with Carson at 34 weeks, and was ambulanced to a hospital a half an hour away with a higher level NICU. I don’t anticipate going into labor in the next week or two, but anything can happen! As of this Friday, if I go into labor, I can head straight to Exeter Hospital with the support of my local OBGYN team, a comforting feeling!