So that's where waddling comes from...

I think I may have mentioned this weird pelvic pain I've been having for the last few weeks. As with most everything else, it continues to get worse and worse, to the point that I could hardly get out of bed this morning, or put on socks/shoes. It.is.seriously.painful. Walking from my car to work this morning was also a chore...and then I realized I was waddling...not b/c I've gained so much weight, or have such a big belly, but b/c I was in serious pain. It feels like someone took a baseball bat to my girlie parts. No joke.

Upon googling, I found this...

Pubic bone pain in pregnancy is also know as Pubic Symphysis Diastasis. This is where, usually in later pregnancy, the hormone relaxin causes the pelvis, particularly at the pubic bone, to loosen. In general, this is a good thing as it makes birth easier for mom and baby. However, sometimes the separation is exaggerated and can become quite pain for the mother at the end of pregnancy or in the early postpartum period.
While pregnant women have been known to waddle, the relaxin and loosening of the pelvic ligaments is the reason behind the waddle. When there is too much laxity there can be instability and pain. You may notice this pain when walking, standing or trying to move your legs apart like stepping into pants or the bath tub. Most of the pain is typically centered up front in the pubic bone area, above your mons pubis (below pubic hair).

In FUN news...I'm 35 weeks pregnant today:) Holy crap! Also 35 days to go until due date. Now that is a HUGE holy crap!

I'm definately starting to wear down. I feel more like I did in first tri...tired really easily and just a general blahness that I can't seem to shake. Of course, the rain in STL this October could be part of that. We set a record last week of most rainfall in STL history, and it has continued to rain almost constantly SINCE that record, so who knows where we'll be by the end of the month.

Things are getting close to being ready. The carseat is installed, baby clothes are washed. I need to make some shower returns that we ended up getting too many of, and need to purchase a few necesseties that we didn't get at our showers. Apparently people don't think a crib pad or changing pad are necessary before baby comes;) I'm certainly not complaining. People were SO generous to us!

I'm also thinking of starting a new blog for Sophia, mostly to keep friends/family updated with pics and such. I'd like to keep it in blogger, but I'm afraid that people may inadvertently come across this blog. For the most part, I don't care. But I also don't want some random co-worker (or family member!) to find this and be able to read up on the inner workings of my girlie parts.

I know I didn't post a pic last week at 34 weeks, so I'll do that when I get home, along with a pic from tonight. Here are a few from the shower, at 33.5 weeks.

"Your belly is hanging over the counter."

This was the sweet compliment that I was greeted with this morning. Appropriate I suppose, as I was shoving a piece of left-over shower cake in my mouth...and yes that was my breakfast, topped off with a glass of milk of course. No offense taken, I'm excited to have a bump to hang over the kitchen counter:)

33w4d OB appt was this morning. All is still looking good. Baby seems to be head down, as OB found her heartbeat about 2 inches below my belly button. Still holding at 17 pounds which is starting to make me a bit paranoid so I bit the bullet and asked Dr. S if she thought it was ok. Thankfully, she was fine with it, and told me not to worry at all. She said if baby was starting to measure small that would be a concern, but she's measuring exactly 33 weeks so we're right on track. I wonder if her measuring ahead for the last two appts was really just a result of the position baby was in? I didn't think to ask, but I'll just concentrate on the fact that dr is pleased. Because things look "perfect" now, I may not get another u/s. Dr S said she has to have justification to give over the standard 2, approved by insurance, although she did tell me she would see what she could do.

We also talked about the contraction I had last week that led me to call the nurse. She wasn't overly concerned but did say if you have more than 6 of those in an hour it's time to get to L and D. She also asked how things were going at work, to which my response was "I'm starting to slow down." She mentioned maybe reducing work hours if things start getting tough, so we'll revisit that next time. I have contemplated using a sick day once a week in Nov, which would be a nice reprieve, and also let me get some things done at home. We'll see.

She also threw me for a loop by asking if we are "all done with your classes." Um...nooooo....haven't even contemplated a class. Actually, that's not entirely true. I have thought about it, and really don't think a birthing class is for us. I get most of my info online (not the best place, but I'm good at reviewing and getting the most out of what I find) and from books. Dan will do better going in without a clue...with him, more info means more anxiety. We will probably do the hospital tour though. It's just hard to believe it's getting to that time!

Next appt is in 2 weeks, and then they start weekly. EEEEK!

A McBaby shower!!!

Yesterday was the day my friends and family helped me to celebrate Sophia. Of course, most have been celebrating with us the entire pregnancy, but this was the official "you made it, the end of this journey is near." To say I was overwhelmed by the generosity would be an understatement. There were gift, and gifts, and more gifts. Everyone is just so excited, and wrote such sincere, heart-warming comments in their cards. It was a very special day. I'll post pics once I have them...silly me forgot my camera, but there were many others there so I have no doubt the day was captured as well as it could be:)

The whole experience left me beyond exhausted. Once home, Dan helped me get everything up THREE flights of stairs to our condo. We put it all in the nursery and just shut the door. I wasn't prepared to deal with it, physically or emotionally. Unfortunately, that came back to bite me in the bootie as I was trying to fall asleep...thinking about all those things in the room next door and what would I do with them all, where would they go, what would need to be returned, etc. The end result was a total of 2 hours sleep last night.

I jinxed myself last week too. She FINALLY moved off my bladder, which allowed me total and complete relief, for the first time in about 4 weeks. I posted about it on FB, and wouldn't you know it, about 36 hours later she was back on the bladder. I am miserable once again, but this time she seems to be giving bits of relief at a time so it's not *as* bad as before.

I also have a new development today, in that my entire pelvic area feels bruised. Is it? Not sure, can't see the girlie parts anymore:) But it sure isn't comfortable and I think is making me walk funny. I googled of course, and apparently it could be her head hitting my cervix. Fun times.

Oh, AND...last week I got to experience some wonderful lightning bolt type feelings that started at belly button and worked downwards. All this pain in combination with a BH contrax. I called the nurse the next day just to run it by her. She seemed concerned that I was having this pain along with the contrax and asked about bleeding, d/c, leaking, etc. All fine on that front, but she warned me again if more than 4 in an hour than to get off my feet, chug some water and start monitoring frequency.

She also told me no need to be worried about calling to report something like this. She said at this point in the pregnancy, err on the side of caution as anything could mean pre-term labor.
I passed this on to Dan who, after the contrax and in response to "please go get my Ma.yo C.linic book" said "please don't turn back into a hypochondriac." Deer in headlights would be the most appropriate description of the look on his face when I relayed the info from the nurse. Um, yes dear this could happen sooner rather than later.

OB appt tomorrow. Really hoping for an u/s!!!!!!!!!!

A bittersweet day for me and little HONEYDEW

She has graduated from a squash finally!! She's a honeydew melon today:)



Things are heating up inside as well: Baby may grow up to a full inch this week alone, and his brain is developing like crazy. Pretty soon, he'll be able to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Also, his bones are hardening, and he's started to keep his eyes open when he's awake.

The bittersweet part is that I was reminded that our embryo transfer was 7 months ago today. It's just amazing to think about how she's been with me for 7 months. And also a sad feeling about the other two that were transferred and didn't make it. I've also been getting sappy about the fact that she won't be with me for much longer. Of course I want to hold her and see her, but I also enjoy feeling her:)

And feel her, I have. She woke me up yesterday morning at 4 am, and did.not.stop.moving. until after I went to bed, about 10:30. I wonder if maybe she was changing positions. May.o Cl.inic book said that's supposed to happen this week.

In fun news, I had a work shower on Monday. Dan was able to come, and it was really nice. We were floored at the generosity. One "group" that I work with gave us our infant car seat. I was totally shocked, and obviously extremely grateful. Our friends/family shower is on Sunday. I can't wait for that, it's finally time to celebrate little Sophia:)

The nursery is coming along (and yes, Fran I will post pics soon:-)). She officially has her name on the wall and things in the closet.

Symptoms-wise, my reflux has taken a turn for the worse, as have the middle of the night calf cramps. I woke up with another bad one Sun morning that left me limping for 3 days. THose things are no joke. And the peeing continues as well. I went shopping on Sat morning and I swear I had to stop and use the bathroom at every store I went to...one store twice.

Last week at 32 weeks.

Today at 33 weeks.

Her name plaque that I made:)

update from dr appt

Last Thursdays appt did not happen. OB called as we were walking in the office to say she had an emergency. I guess that's what happens in the life of an OB. Soooo we rescheduled for today, and all is well.

I've gained 17 pounds, and am measuring 2 weeks ahead still. My next appt is in 2 weeks. If I'm still ahead at that point she'll schedule an u/s to get a better idea of Sophia's size. She did ask me to schedule one last appt with her, 3 days before due date, but went on to say I might not need it. I also found out that she'll be out of town on Dec 3,4,5 and I was NOT happy about that, but she didn't seem to think it was a big deal. Maybe she expects McBaby to be here a bit early?

I did ask if she could get an idea of Sophie's position. She started to push around, but then said my belly was just too tight (i.e. not enough fat to really get the leverage she needed to tell). She did say based on where she found h/b (which was in the 140s) that her head was most likely on my right side, which may confirm that what I thought were the hiccups actually were the hiccups:)

I also told her about the abdominal tightening I've been having. Last week, Sun-Thur I had episodes when my abdomen would just tighten up, hard as a rock. At first I thought they might be contractions, but there was no pain at all. Dr. S said they could have been contrax, but also could have been baby butting her butt out or something. If I have 3 in an hour I'm supposed to call.

Otherwise, we got a clean bill of health. Next appt two weeks from today.

ETA: Oh, and I talked to her about my ummm...peeing...and peeing...and peeing...she said it is totally normal although very frustrating. Seriously, I go, wash my hands and usually don't get out of the bathroom before I have to go again. She told me to be patient. Yeah right! In the AM, I go twice in about 5 minutes then walk Sierra. We're not even halfway done with our walk before I realize that I may not make it home, although I have...so far. Her walks keep getting shorter and shorter...

SQUASHed again

Miss Sophia is a squash again this week! Perfect for the season, but I hope she graduates to something new next week.

Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days. Her irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (She won't pick up anything from her nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.)

She continues to move ALOT. Last Saturday, I swore I felt hiccups. It felt like extremely consistant little spasms that lasted for several minutes. Almost like a heartbeat, but I knew it couldn't be that I was feeling. Interestingly, I felt those on my far right side and at the same time felt these little tickles on my far LEFT side, which makes me wonder if she's laying across my belly.

Sciatica is better this week, but a major calf cramp on Sunday night left me with a very bruised feeling right calf. I am only now able to walk without a limp.

Otherwise, we're just trucking along. Dan has taken it upon himself to help with the condo cleaning and organization (thankfully!). We are doing some MAJOR deep cleaning, as well as getting rid of lots of things we have no use for. Our space is still cramped, but it does feel good to purge that stuff.

I spent last weekend washing all the clothes that Sara gave me from her daughters' first year. Holy clothes batman. I think Sophie will be set for the year, WITHOUT having to buy anything new!! We're starting to hang things up, and it just seems crazy to see all these teeny tiny pink outfits in the closet:)

Next dr appt is tomorrow. I hope to get a final u/s scheduled-fingers crossed for that!

To finally get caught up on weekly pics...

Here's last Thursday at 30 weeks. This was the night of my sciatica attack. I could barely stand on both legs...so if I look pained that would be why.

And here's today at 31 weeks.