Oh my gosh, I'm almost to thirty. For some reason, in my mind, I associate thirty weeks with "officially pregnant." And boy, do I feel that way. I hadn't felt pregnant until about now. I can feel how so much of my energy is going to this boy. I don't feel sick or miserable, just more tired and slow.
I've officially hit the 20 pound mark, which makes me want to punch someone in the neck. I'm making a person what a miracle I should only worry about being healthy blah blah blah. I'm still a female with a fragile sense of self.
Braxton Hicks contractions have shown their ugly face. They're not painful, just uncomfortable, and we're just going to blame the amount of self-peeing that's been happening on those. They happen when I walk a lot, when I stand up after sitting for a long time, or when I'm dehydrated. So basically, as long as I drink a lot of water and sit down for a while (but not too long), I can avoid them.
There is a person inside me. We all knew this, of course, but now it feels like a person with actual body parts. I can feel his little elbows and heels poking my organs (usually my bladder). A midwife friend of mine was able to feel all his little parts and tell me what position he was in, which was the most magical thing. "This hard, flat part is his little back, and his head is down low, so he's upside down and facing the right." Favorite sentence ever.
I'm getting waaaay too into imagining what he'll look like. Of course, there's not really a way for me to know at this point, but I'm almost sure he'll have blue eyes, be totally bald, and have freaky long legs like his dad. Also, probably a shapely nose like each of us.
My brain is filling with questions.
How do you decide what your baby will call all the grandparents? Do they decide?
Is it normal if my belly button doesn't pop out?
Will I get hemorrhoids?
Will my belly sag forever like those pictures online?
Should I buy a giant workout ball? And what the heck are those good for, anyway?
What if I wait too long to go to the hospital?
Can I hire someone to come do all the items on my nesting list?
1) I let the grandparents decide what they wanted to be called. One less thing I had to worry about.
ReplyDelete2) My belly button never popped out.
3) Um, I'll give you the honest answer and say probably. The medicated pads with Witch Hazel help a lot. I found a generic brand at Walgreens.
4) I don't know what pictures you've seen but I doubt it, especially if you stay as fit as you are able under the circumstances. My skin was (obviously) stretched out so when I'm sitting sometimes I'll notice a little pooch that wasn't there before, but when I'm standing my belly doesn't sag at all.
5) YES! Sitting on a giant workout ball will help tone your core muscles without you noticing, helps with lower back pain, and will be easier to get up off of then a couch or chair that you sink in to (especially in those last weeks). You can also use it for exercises both during pregnancy and after your sweet baby is born. Check out this site: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Gym-Ball-During-Pregnancy-and-After-Childbirth.
6) First of all, make sure your hospital bag is packed well in advance. Then you can read up on procedures to take if your baby starts coming before you make it the hospital if that will help ease your mind. However, DON'T STRESS about it too much. Odds are (seriously, look them up) you'll get to a hospital in plenty of time.
7) Yes, if you're willing to pay. LOL. I had a lady in the ward who was looking to make some money clean my bathrooms and mop the floors for me before baby arrived. My husband was swamped at work and I couldn't get around my bellow to do the cleaning properly by that last month (not to mention I was exhausted) so that deal worked out for everyone. Happy nesting! ;-)
If you are planning on using a birthing ball, I would ask the hospital if they allow them. The one where I delivered didn't. You should take a maternity ward tour. Even if you've been there they give you lots of great info and take questions.
ReplyDeleteMy belly button never popped out with either one of my kids. I don't think it's the norm, but it's totally fine :)
1) We're letting Libby decide what she wants to call them. The hubs & I both called all our grandparents Grandma & Grandpa, so we're not really concerned about special names or whatever.
ReplyDelete2) My belly button only popped out in the last month. And it didn't really even pop like some ladies.. sort of just went a bit inside out. I have a deep belly button.
3) I didn't get hemorrhoids, BUT pretty much every other lady I know who gave birth got them. The maxi pads are also amazing for the swelling that happens. Put a bit of water on a few and throw them in the freezer. You'll love it (relatively)
4) My stomach isn't saggy, but my abs are alot looser than they were before birth. Meaning I have to work at not looking like I'm 5 months pregnant. I have stretch marks and my skin won't go back, but my stomach doesn't sag over my jeans or anything. You'll just notice you have more of a belly than before (unless you start doing a lot of ab workouts (which I haven't!))
5) I used a exercise ball at the hospital while I was in labor! My hospital let me take it in the shower in the delivery room so I could have hot water on my back during contractions. Once I sat on that thing I didn't sit on anything else until I had the baby - they're pretty great! Check if your hospital has them before buying one, unless you think you'll use it before and after delivery.
6) Trust me, you won't wait too long to go to the hospital. Once those contractions start coming regularly, you'll be itching to get there. I went when they were 3-5 minutes apart, and actually got sent home because I wasn't dilated enough. I have heard of few women who've waited too long to get to a hospital unless it was their 3rd kid and their entire L&D was like an hour (which is unlikely to happen for a first delivery)
7) You probably could if you want to spend the money! I wish I had hired a cleaning lady instead of deep cleaning all my bathrooms at 38 weeks.
1. I just had my daughter call my in-laws what all the other grandkids did. My parents have always wanted to be classic Grandma and Grandpa, so we just went with that on my side.
ReplyDelete2. Mine never did and I got HUGE. I guess my belly button is deep?
3. I never got them. I have a secret. Take one or two magnesium capsules every day starting a little before you have the baby and a few days after and they help with constipation better than anything they gave me at the hospital (and totally natural too!)
4. I don't know what pictures you're looking at, but I don't think mine will ever be bikini acceptable again. My skin is pretty tight and doesn't go back quickly once it's been stretched out. It just depends on each individual body.
5. I do not have a work out ball, but I wouldn't turn one down. . . It would just be fun to work out with.
6. I was always induced so I'm no good there.
7. I'm sure you CAN hire someone, but would they do things the way you like???? (I'm a little bit of a control freak!)
After I get below 10 weeks remaining, it always seems to fly by for me! Start the count down!
Thanks for the magnesium tip Kimberly! I'll have to try that with my next baby.
DeleteHi, congratulations on your pregnancy! I am a mom of three children (please, that's not the same as being an experienced mom), but maybe these answers will help:
ReplyDelete1) I didn't know this was a problem. My children's grandparents speak different languages, so it's "babcia" and "dziadek" for my parents and "Oma" and "Opa" for my parents-in-law. Sometimes, it's "grandparents from Poland" and "Frandparents from Germany". In Poland, it's usually: "granddad so-and-so), or sometimes there are cute nicknames for each of them- these things develop naturally.
2)Yes!
3)It depends... if you're lucky, you won't... just beware of contipation and try not to push too hard during labor.
4) It doesn't have to... after three births, my belly has tons of pregnancy stripes but they're no longer visible, and with some work-out, it doesn't have to sag. Or you could be lucky and your belly just won't sag at all!
5)You don't need a work-out ball. They're supposed to help during labor and when sitting in pregnancy is not comfortable. Also, they bounce, and bouncy things are fun, right? But, no you don't need one.
6) If it's the first time, chances are it won't happen.Most women end up in the hospital either too early, or just at the right time.
7) COf course, you can, but it depends on what do you want to do :)If it's re-renovating the whole house, then I'd wait :D
Hopefully that was helpful! Besides, I was 30 weeks pregnant with my first one when I got married so my wedding dress was fitted for a 30-weeks pregnant belly. So, when I was 30 weeks pregnant with my two other children, both times I celebrated 30 weeks of pregnancy by putting on my wedding dress. So, I think you should really celebrate, because 30 weeks that's really something! Good luck!