Maybe it was the photo shoot I did on Saturday morning, chasing a 2-year-old boy around, squatting, standing, kneeling, running. Maybe it was the Bills game on Saturday night, plus the drive to and from the stadium. Maybe it was the apple picking in 90-degree heat on Sunday, or the six hours I spent in the kitchen preparing meals to freeze.
Regardless of what it was (and hey, maybe it was a combination of everything!), I think I have turned a corner in this pregnancy. And it’s not a corner you want to turn, really.
I am tired.
I am sore.
I am uncomfortable.
I have puffy, fat, Fred Flintstone feet.
I am WADDLING, people. Waddling like a freaking penguin.
But praise Heaven, I am FULL TERM! So I’ve been talking to this baby and telling him/her that he/she is more than welcome to come on out at any time now.
37 Weeks Pregnant
(For a progression week to week, check out the compilation of my belly photos I put together this morning. It’s hilarious, actually, to see how bright-eyed and energized I look in the second trimester, and how that has gradually disappeared until I now look exhausted in every photo.)
Have I mentioned that the forecast features 90 degree temperatures every day this week? Because apparently I need to be elevated to a whole ‘nother level of miserable.
I cycle back and forth between practically begging this baby to come out, like, NOW, and being scared shitless that ohmygod, the baby might come, like, NOW. I am simultaneously so grateful to be at the end of this part of the journey, while I am also trying to hold onto every last minute of it. It is quite confusing.
But mostly, I am just READY. Really ready. Ready to evict this little person from my body and welcome him/her to the world with open arms.
I have debated whether or not I want to share the state of my cervix with the internet, and if you don’t want to hear this… TURN AWAY NOW. But this blog is a journal and who knows, maybe I’ll want to remember this part some day. At my 36-week appointment last Wednesday, I had my first “check” and I was 1 cm and 50% effaced. And even though I know it means jack, I was still kind of surprised and definitely happy to hear about any kind of progress. Now I’m looking forward to my next appointment on Thursday to see if things have moved along any further.
I have some kind of weird “feeling” about next week. I don’t know, week 38 just seems like “the week” to me. But it’s very possible that is just wishful thinking. I guess we will know soon enough.
In the end, we are nervous, but we are SO excited. We want to meet this baby so badly. I “know” my baby right now. I know his/her hiccups, and the way he/she wiggles back and forth after I eat. I know he/she prefers to hang out on the right side of my belly. I know his/her heartbeat, and that it usually measures in between 135-150 beats per minute. I know baby likes to stick its butt out at the top of my belly, loves to cause mommy heartburn, and is taking up so much room in there that I almost always feel out of breath. We have watched him/her grow as we have watched my belly grow.
I know all these things, but I am ready to really know my baby. I am ready to know my son or daughter.
Come on out, Baby. Meet your parents. Let us give you your name. And say hello to the world.
9 Responses to 37 Weeks: FULL TERM
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About
I'm Heather. I'm 33 and have been married to Michael for seven years. Together, we have two beautiful little girls we love more than anything, and a miniature dachshund who drives us crazy. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little time for my own "stuff" these days, like home improvement, cooking/baking, cake decorating, and photography. Despite the team not making the playoffs since 1999, I'm STILL a Buffalo Bills fan, which I think speaks to my loyalty AND sense of humor. I can't wait to pick up the pace with travel again some day... you know, when we're done being ruled by tiny fists. Welcome to my blog.
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy. Your little one will be here soon! FWIW, I think you look great in all your pics.
Good news for you. I started getting check like at 32 or 34 weeks and was half a cm. Then at 34 weeks I was 1 cm. Then at 37 weeks I was a 2, that was a Monday. By that Friday I was a 4 and in active labor, even though I didn’t know it. So I am wishing good progress for you now!! So excited for you and I don’t know you personally!!
Waddling is good! Means your babe is moving in the right direction. :) Good luck as you REALLY start the countdown!
~Kristen M.
I would love to know about the freezer meals you prepared.
Just found your blog… I’m 27.5 weeks. Only ten more weeks til I’m full-term. Can’t wait to be where you are :) I’m sure it feels wonderful knowing that your little one can safely come out to play now!
@Jen–Thank you, that is very sweet. I am feeling like some level of garbage constantly, so I’ll take every little compliment I can get. :)
@Meghan–Don’t get my hopes up, girl! ;) Yours is the type of story that has me thinking, “YES, it could be so soon!” but then I get all of the stories like, “I was dilated to 2 cm for 3 weeks, and then I STILL had to be induced!” Not such a big fan of those stories!
@Kristen–Yes, I hope it means he/she has dropped a bit, but the baby still feels so high. I am still out of breath a lot of the time. But, when the doctor checked me, she did say something like “I can feel the baby’s head” so I wonder what that means in terms of how low he/she is. I’ll have to ask more questions at my next appointment, to get more info out of her! :)
@Jessica–Funny, because I have a post planned about my freezer meals. :) Look for it in the next week or so.
@Katie–Congratulations and good luck to you! It’s been a wild ride and it has been fun. But the last few weeks are definitely a little rough, and it’s hard to be patient.
Today, I was given my very first blog-award, and I passed it to you!! If you have time, please check out my blog and see your award!
You look fantastic!!!
[…] must be something about my pregnancies and week 37, because I wrote in my 37-week post with Nora’s pregnancy that I had turned an ugly corner, and well, yep—same thing this time. I am suddenly REALLY […]