The kiddo's not ripe, we don't have a carseat, breast pump, or nearly enough diapers, and the kitchen/bedroom swap hasn't yet happened in our apartment (there isn't room for a crib in what is currently the bedroom, and while the plan is to cosleep, a crib is good for naps and stuff). And it would be a gross exaggeration to say I'm miserable even at this point in pregnancy. I get tired more easily than I did a few weeks ago, yes, but I'm still far more energetic than I was first trimester. I'm heavier than I've ever been, yes, but I still run four days a week. And I'm achier and more sore than usual, but no worse than I used to be the day after doing yoga (when I didn't do yoga regularly, that is!).
As I've said before, I have no room to complain about pregnancy! The braxton - hicks contractions (inefficient, 'fake' contractions to prepare the uterus for the real thing) are annoying and frequent, but not usually painful. The rule of thumb most doctors use is that anything more than four braxton - hicks an hour is a cause for concern (and a phone call), but I've been exceeding that regularly for months now. They're more frequent than ever as of late, but since they're irregular and I'm not progressing towards labor/dilating, my doctor isn't particularly worried. They've become painful on occasion this past week or so, but still...no progress, no regularity, no cause for concern. I guess I'll have a very fit and toned uterus by the time I actually do go into labor!
Life goes on. The reality of our impending parenthood is about halfway sunk in - it still seems extremely hypothetical and hazy, but the alternate endings ("this was all a dream" "something went wrong and we didn't end up with a baby" etc) have fallen away and left us to (hastily) prepare for the day I go into labor and beyond. I've begun shopping for baby clothes, Chris offered to set up the baby's dresser whenever I decide I'm ready, our work baby shower was last week. I've begun, as suggested by BabyCenter's pregnancy app several days ago, to wash the baby clothes we have so far. Tiny elbows and feet and a scrawny little baby butt regularly jut out of my stomach, indicators of a strong and healthy baby whose bones are hardening with each passing day. At my next appointment (which will be my last bi-weekly one - they'll be weekly from there on out) she's going to run the final lab work before delivery and check for dilation. It's becoming real.
And I can't wait to see those tiny arms and legs and feet and hands for myself. 46 days to go...
I'll leave you with an awesome picture, courtesy of the photographic skills of my lovely sister in law...
We went urban spelunking last month, baby and all. Hear that, kiddo? Your mom and dad are not lame, and we took you awesome places even before you were born.
No comments:
Post a Comment