38(.5) Weeks (third time around)

Lest anyone think I've gone and done the impossible for me (have a baby a week or two early), rest assured, I'm still here, still pregnant. *smile*


This past Friday, 38 weeks.

I went to the doctor today and I am proud to announce that for the first time this pregnancy I have not gained any weight (since last week, at least). So that just puts me at around 40-45 pounds gained overall, and I'm about 32 pounds up from the high end of my "normal" weight range…I was definitely underweight at the beginning of this pregnancy due to a stressful summer.

I'm feeling alright, I suppose. My sternum finally stopped hurting about a week ago. My back still hurts in that same spot. My reflux has almost completely disappeared. My only real complaint/problem (other than just general discomfort) is that I am really swollen, especially at night time. I now have to take off my substitute wedding band before I go to bed, because my fingers and hands swell up so that even it doesn't fit at night time. I'm just hoping that my fingers go back down to their regular size after the birth so that I can wear my regular wedding rings again! Someone please tell me that the swelling goes away!

I'm sleeping alright (when the girls sleep well, I sleep well). I have no stretch marks (hooray for good genetics there!). My belly button is still in, although it's mostly flat. I'm a "tight 1 cm dilated" according to my doctor. Baby is head down and well engaged, although she's kind of sideways inside me…head down but feet on my left side and bottom on my right, with her back running down the right side of my stomach/uterus/whatever. It's really weird to feel her push on both sides of my stomach but to know that she is definitely, 100% for sure head all-the-way down.

I'm hoping for a baby by Easter…I'm due sometime between the 19th and the 23rd…I say the 19th, doctors have all said the 23rd. So we shall see. Either way…I'm hoping that two weeks from today we're holding a baby in our arms!