15 August 2012

39 weeks

I felt that were wasn't much to update with this week, but when I got down to writing, I had lots to say. Although, most of what I wrote last week is still valid, so I've only updated the sections that have changed or are relevant.

Total Weight Loss/Gain: No weight gain this week, in fact, my scales said I lost a kilo this week. That makes me weigh in at 85 kilos (+19 kilos total). I think this has to do with the fact that I wasn't so bloated this morning. Although, according to the neuvola scales, I have gained 100 grams.

Stretch marks:
In a week, my tummy went from 107 cm (42 inches) to 111 cm (43,5 inches). I'm not sure if Paxlet has really grown that much more, or if this 'growth' is due to his changing position in utero.

Sleep:
Sleep is getting a bit more difficult. I still sleep well when I am asleep, I just find myself tossing and turning and waking up more often. My hips also ache and swelling, especially in my fingers isn't so nice. I definitely feel more tired when I wake up in the morning.

Movement:
Monday morning I looked down to see that Paxlet had moved position! Instead of him being lumped over on the right side with his spine going down my tummy (just to the right of my belly button), I had a ridge going horizontal across my tummy (and belly button)! Now my tummy feels very different when I palpate around to see where Paxlet is sitting. I'm curious to see what the neuvola nurse says when I go in today. I so so hope he hasn't moved out of the head down position!


Update: No worries about Paxlet moving from the head down position! The midwife student said (with neuvola nurse confirming) that Paxlet is firmly head down and has even descended (I have no idea the correct term) a bit into the birth canal. The move I saw Monday was most likely Paxlet just changing where his spine is, more to the right, in relation to where it had been.

Symptoms: This week I've noticed little things are changing in my body. I'm not able to pin point what they are or even describe them all, but I just feel different. One of the changes is every time I bend over (to grab something off the floor for example), is a pain in my lady bits. I've had these previously during the pregnancy, but generally only every once in a while (growing pains, I'd think), but now they are almost every single time I bend over.

The midwife student wasn't able to get a good fundus measurement (from pubic bone to top of placenta) this week as Paxlet has moved down a bit and it skews the readings. She only got 31 cm today and last week it was 33 cm, so things have changed on the inside.

What I miss:
I'm still able to get around and do most of what I normally do, albeit at a much slower pace, so I don't really miss much. I'm still enjoying this pregnancy and everything that it is sharing with me.

What I look forward to:
The impending birth of Paxlet!

Milestones: Paxlet is the size of a watermelon! Being this far along is a milestone in and of itself. I'm just blown away!

Medical concerns:
This isn't a concern, but just something that was sort of confirmed to me today. I've never really felt that many Braxton Hicks contractions. in the beginning I was sure I wasn't having them and then at one point it dawned on me that the slight pressure and hardening I was feeling was a BH. So when the midwife student and neuvola nurse asked me today if I have been feeling any contractions, I told them I'm not feeling too many, but I am sure there are more than I am realizing. And to confirm this, when the midwife student was palpating my tummy, she told me I was having a contraction right then. I, of course, wasn't feeling anything!

Although, since I have gotten home after the appointment and food shopping, I have been feeling more tightening and cramps of sorts in my tummy. I hope these things are indicative of something more to come and soon!


Sex: One of the things I had hoped I would gain from being pregnant (along with funny food cravings) was an active sex drive. It has not happened and has in fact been one of the furthest things from my mind, most of the time, during this pregnancy. I mentally want to have sex, especially for Mr Siili's sake, but my body just doesn't quite get the message. So when I had a dream this last week about having sex with Mr Siili, I thought I would make it a reality and wake Mr Siili up in a very happy way that morning. Unfortunately, it totally backfired on me and I ended up in tears instead and then we just went to sauna. There is no problem with me getting Mr Siili turned on, but once again, my body just didn't want to listen and he got a bit frustrated at having to do all the work. I didn't mean for it to be that way and I do understand where he was coming from. It just frustrated me even more, especially since what my mind was thinking didn't translate into my body. I sure do hope that at some point (soonish) after Paxlet is born we can try to claim back a somewhat normal sex like. I really want to want my husband physically and not just mentally/emotionally.

Misc:
I had a dream last night/this morning that I was working at my old coffee house in the US. A bus load (=a rush of people) of people came in and it was insanely busy. I loved it!

I had lunch with a friend today. We went to an Asian place and I ate mostly sushi (no raw fish). Yum!

My next neuvola appointment is next week's Tuesday, August 21st, as that is Paxlet's official due date (according to the doctors). I know I have been using Wednesday as the weekly change over day. That comes from the very first ultrasound reading from the fertility clinic and it is what I have decided to go by. It's not like one day makes much of a difference.

This week's bump pictures can be seen in the Paxlet Pictures tab.

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