Baby's Almost Here - Last Weeks of Pregnancy
It's been a while! We finally made it to our 37th week - that's where baby's considered full term. The baby could come any day now! It's also that time where moms-to-be are encouraged to prepare for labor and do exercises to help dilate the cervix.
Our hospital bags are all packed and ready - we bring them with us whenever we head to the hospital for prenatal checkups. (I actually saw why this is so important during my last checkup when a fellow preggy mama in the clinic was suddenly told to get admitted for an emergency C-section. So yeah, better safe than sorry!)
My doctor told me to start walking and doing squats, plus take primrose oil 3x a day. Lately, I've been feeling all these new aches near my pelvis and lower abdomen, sometimes in my back too. It's always such a relief though when I feel the baby move after!
Things are definitely different now - I've been super poopy and needing to pee way more than in my second trimester. Plus, I'm eating tons and gaining weight like crazy. It's wild to think that before pregnancy, I was around 53 kgs and now I'm nearly 70 kgs! But I guess it makes sense when you think about the baby's weight, placenta, and everything else in there.
I'm both super excited for the baby to finally meet the world and pretty anxious about when labor actually happens. I keep getting these Braxton Hicks contractions, and honestly, sometimes I can't tell if it's the real deal or just my body doing practice runs! My mom and other moms I see online keep saying labor pains feel like menstrual cramps. Since I used to get pretty bad dysmenorrhea during my periods, at least I kind of know what I might be in for - though I haven't felt anything that intense yet.
This pregnancy has been such a crazy ride for me and my husband. Especially that first week of November when we had all three of our chaotic kittens spayed at once! Looking back, maybe those sleepless nights were just prep for when our little one arrives soon!
Anyhow, at this point, I'm practicing staying calm, be strong for my baby and I, and breathe through it all. A new adventure awaits in a few days or weeks!