39 weeks...and perhaps she will be here sooner than I thought?!

Ahhh, I am almost done with this pregnancy journey!!!  Just got back from one of my last few prenatal checkups with the midwife, and I'm glad I agreed to a cervical check when she asked, because she said I'm 4cm dilated and 80% effaced already :P. Now, I realize I could stay stuck at these measurements for awhile...or not.  But I did NOT realize I was even dilated already, so that is a promising sign that things are moving along.  She may even make her appearance this weekend rather than next (although we were all hoping for an Independence baby, I'm eager to see her whenever she is ready!)

This past weekend, I had experienced contractions (the "false" ones) and they were so frequent that I was starting to think that this was it.  I started timing them and was getting ready to call the midwives until they became more irregular and then finally went away.  That's when I knew it was probably not real labor.  I've been experiencing Braxton-Hicks for probably a month now (at least that I've noticed) and while uncomfortable (my stomach will get really hard and tight and it's hard to breathe), they thankfully have not been painful.  But I'm sure when I get the real thing, there will be no doubt that I'm in labor.  Or so I've been told.

I think I've also lost my mucous plug in stages over the last few weeks (sorry for TMI, but I really would like to remember these details for my own sake!).  The first time I read about mucous plugs, I literally was imagining a "plug", like something hard and unmistakable.  But for me, it's just been a glob of goo, really.  The only reason I could tell it was something other than normal discharge (which is normal for any pregnant woman to have) was because it would come out really fast and in one huge glob.  Pretty hard to miss.

So sorry again for all the gory details...but it always helped me to read about other women's stories and to read about what they experienced at different stages of pregnancy to help calm my fears about anything.  If anyone is wondering about something, I'd hope that this would help.

So obviously I haven't yet experienced the big day yet, but until I do, here is a summary of what I experienced through all three trimesters:

1st Trimester (1 Week-14 Weeks):

• Very sore breasts from day one, before I even knew I was pregnant.
• No real morning sickness except for two separate days where I felt queasy and threw up one of those times.  It's possible that was also from something I ate that didn't agree with me.
• Since I wasn't too big yet, sleeping wasn't too big of a problem although I'm a natural insomniac--so it was hard to tell on the nights I lost sleep whether it was from pregnancy or just me being a night owl.
• I didn't have any obvious cravings or aversions the first few months.  There was a weekend where I ABSOLUTELY had to have Mexican food, but that passed.  Another short period where I couldn't stand food prep with either raw meat or vegetables. That also passed.

2nd Trimester (15 weeks-27 weeks):

• Still felt pretty good, although I caught more colds this winter and it took much longer to shake off due to a weaker immune system.
• Insomnia went into overdrive this trimester but surprisingly, I never really felt tired during the day.  I had a lot of energy, which I was thankful for since I still had to work.
• Had to buy more maternity clothes as my belly grew.  Thankful for leggings and long tunic tanks :)
• Was delighted that I hardly shed any hair-- and therefore less shower drain cleanup for me!--due to pregnancy hormones (and prenatal vitamins).
• Started craving more sweets like cookies and ice cream!
• Found out we were having a girl (which explains my sweet tooth maybe?)!
• Passed the famously dreaded glucose challenge (which really wasn't too bad, but maybe that's because I didn't have to re-take the 3 hour one if I were to have failed the one hour challenge)
• At the end of this trimester I made the decision to switch from an OBGYN to a midwife--really the best decision I made this entire pregnancy.

3rd Trimester (28 weeks-presently 39 weeks. Could possibly go to 40, 41 or 42 weeks for some women):

• This was the trimester where I got huge and started feeling my center of balance get away from me.
• Right around the time I took maternity leave (or let's just call it what it is: I quit working, lol) is when I started getting the sore feet.  Ah! Now I'm starting to really feel pregnant!
• At 35 weeks I got the Group B Strep test and passed, thankfully.
• Belly button OUT and even though no stretch marks to date, finally found two stretch marks that I've been vigorously putting lotion on and hope they go away after pregnancy.
• Week 38 until now, started experiencing pelvic pain and have to waddle rather than walk.  It also is impossible to find a good position to get a good night's rest now.  I've moved to the guest room as a result so that I don't wake Ryan, who happens to be a very light sleeper.  It is hard getting up in the mornings, not to mention frustrating for someone who used to be very active and agile. I can't just sit up and jump out of bed.  Instead, I have to slither on my side to the very edge and slowly push myself up, then gingerly stand up to try to avoid that sore pelvic pain.  Once I start walking, it does get better, but those first few steps are very uncomfortable.  I hesitate to use the word "pain" here, because I am positive I don't know what true pain is yet!  But it is not fun.

So that's what the past 9 months have been like, so far.  I know I'm lucky.  It hasn't been terrible.  The first 8 months are really where I felt my best and loved being pregnant; but once I hit 35 weeks, I decided that I could do without being pregnant for at least a few more years:P

Thanks for bearing with me on what really has been a one topic blog for most of the year.  Soon, this will become a "Mommy" blog *rolls eyes*.  But seriously, even as excited as we all are for Madeline to make her appearance, I'm determined to maintain my own identity and not turn our house into a "child-centered" home.  I hope and plan to discipline and teach her to not be a spoiled brat, lol.  And mostly, I'm eager for her to simply add to our family, not to overtake it or our marriage. That is very important to us.  Of course, I know I'm going to feel emotions I've never felt before the moment I hold her.  I just can't wait.

Thanks for reading :)