37 Weeks!

I feel: way too awake for 10:30 p.m. on a week night.

Happy or Moody: I guess moody is a good word. Current state is happy, however the mood does seem to shift quickly between happy, irritable and emotional… Oh pregnancy, hormones.

Showing: Yes – and I think she may be starting to drop!

Maternity Clothes: Rockin’ maxi dresses and skirts, my maternity capris and shorts, lots of tank tops with cardigans and v-neck t-shirts. The only pre-pregnancy clothes I wear now are jackets/cardigans and the items I know I won’t stretch out and destroy.

Exercise: Dog walks.

Miss Anything: Wedges. I wore some for a wedding the other weekend and it’s just not the same. Not only was it next to impossible to bend over to put them on, but, in addition to the uncomfortable factor, not being able to see them when I look down makes it that much more pointless.

Anything make you sick/queasy: No

Movement: Her movements are still frequent but have gotten slower and less aggressive. Now she feels more like she’s rearranging herself (hopefully getting ready)

Excited for: the nursery to FINALLY be finished this Saturday.

Favorite Moment of the Week: Getting our maternity photos taken by Katie & John at Catherine Ann Photography and getting to review the photos!

The 37-week mark started with our maternity photo shoot on Sunday evening with Katie and John at Catherine Ann Photography. Katie and I have been friends for a few years now, and it was a no brainer when I found out I was pregnant that she would take our maternity photos. She and John will also be shooting our wedding photos for that event next year. I love their use of natural light in all of their photography, and they are so friendly and make it so comfortable to work with!

This was Mike and my first time getting professional photographs taken together, and will probably be our last until the wedding. I think we did pretty well together 🙂 We got to review our photos with John and Katie tonight, and they are INCREDIBLE! We got some great baby/belly shots and some great overall couple shots. Of course, I wound up buying all the digitals because I just can’t say no to great photographs. And when else is this kind of event going to happen, right!? Never.

This afternoon I had my weekly check up. It was a new experience because I got to visit with the midwife at the women’s clinic I frequent. For those who don’t know, I am a patient at Partners in OB/GYN, a clinic with a division in Tampa. At the clinic, patients cycle through different doctors each week so that you can meet each one before your delivery. You are not guaranteed one particular doctor during delivery as any of them could be on call at that time (let’s face it, that’s life), so they allow you to get to know each one. I must admit, I was a little skeptical at first, but now I really appreciate getting to meet new doctors and hearing their opinions about different things. The midwife I met with, Dr. Edmonson, had a great perspective on natural birth at St. Joseph’s as well as some great advice for those moments when I feel as though I am starting to go into labor. She recommended:

• Staying at home as long as I can before admitting myself to the hospital. This is partially because home is much more comfortable than the hospital and also because, once admitted to the hospital, they do not allow you to eat or drink until delivery. This I was SO happy she told me and had no idea.Who would deprive a woman about to go through something more labor intensive than a marathon of food and water?!
• If I start having 5-1-1 contractions (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long for 1 consecutive hour) and the doctor finds out I am less than 4-5 cm dilated, ask to go home for a few hours or walk around outside for a few hours before coming back to get checked and admitted.
• During the labor process, walk around, sit on the medicine ball, etc. as much as possible. The minute you start laying on your back on the hospital bed, the pain of contractions can become more focused and more intense than if you are moving around and putting your focus elsewhere.

Dr. Edmonson also did a cervix exam and said that I have plenty of pelvic room for natural birth (Yay!). She also mentioned that Baby M should have no problem arriving on her (without induction) as she was already slightly dilated and the cervix was softening. Dr. Edmonson could actually feel M’s head through the amniotic sack during the exam, which of course I found absolutely amazing.

This week I finished packing mine & M’s hospital bag and preparing the small gifts for our nurses. Stay tuned for that post soon.

I know last week I promised a nursery post, but unfortunately it didn’t get completed last weekend. We tried, but there were a few things that need to be purchased to hang some last minute things, and we didn’t have time to run out and get them. The nursery WILL get finished this weekend because a.) Mike can’t take the clutter and b.) frankly, we’re just running out of time, so a nursery update will be provided then.