37.4 weeks
OMG, OMG, OMG, I have had enough and I want this little baby out!! When they say that the last few weeks are the hardest they weren't telling porkies! I have to say the last week has been miserable (and I do try not to moan too much!).
I feel I live in the bath! I have one every night as it is the only place I can seem to get comfy and the baby stops moving and I just feel so light! The nights are the hardest.... my baby seems to move around so much now, a kick in the ribs, a ripple all over the belly, an elbow out here and there and it's so heavy!! All this tends to start from 8pm until the next morning, during the day, even when I'm relaxing the baby is happy to sleep and stay in a nice belly position. I now sleep with a pillow under my back, one under my belly and now one between my legs. Poor Dan has no room and all I do is toss and turn through out the night, attempting to get comfy or needing the loo (again!).
I have learnt that if I stop drinking liquids from about 9pm I don't get up for the loo as much so have been doing that for the last couple of nights and it's been better! The tossing and turning though is here to stay I think. I find that I get such sore hips and sharp shooting pains into my vagina. I've read up on it and it's just the baby making it's way and my pelvis etc softening ready for the birth! I sometimes wake up and move my body to get out of bed (which is never as easy as it use to be, I actually look like a beach whale!) and I just hear this massive click, which is my hips popping into place, it's rank but doesn't hurt too much!
When I wake up at night I keep thinking, 'oh, is this is, is it a contractions?!?!' then I realise that nope, no contractions just yet. Same in the morning, I wake up and think, nope didn't happen that night (here I am assuming that I will go into labour during the night!).
I think the hardest thing is not actually knowing when the baby will arrive. I think I would be getting through it better if I knew that on 23 Jan I would go into labour but with the excitement going through your mind that it may come earlier makes me all more impatient!
I take each day as it comes and I have my next midwife appointment at 39.2 weeks (next week) so the baby should hopefully be looking like it will be coming soon. I think I'm going to ask for a Membrane Sweep at that appointment too. It is a natural way of inducement, the midwife gentle sweeps around to loosen the membrane from the cervix, it's suppose to be uncomfortable but doesn't hurt (I don't think anything will be as bad as labour so it should be ok!). Some midwives are happy to do it from 38 weeks, others prefer to wait until overdue. Again it doesn't always work and some women need it done several times however if it does work it can bring on labour within 48-72 hours. We will see, hopefully the baby will be 'dropped' and engaged by then so will be here quickly.
We went to view the Birth Centre and Labour unit at St Helier. I kind of knew where it all was but it was good for Dan to see how to get there and where to park etc. The birthing centre rooms with the water births look really nice. A lovely big bath, a sofa type bed, bean bags, mood lighting, ipod docking station, all lovely! I am hoping to be able to get one of these rooms but it is on a first come first served basis so hopefully they won't be busy when baby Hawkes decides to arrive. Also, you can't use the birth centre if there are any complications so again another reason to avoid going overdue as I can't use it if I have been induced! We didn't get to see a labour room as they were all being used but I can imagine they just look like a hospital room.
I have my heart set on a water birth as I just know it will work for me and relax me more. I will be so gutted if it doesn't work out that way. But, as long as me and the baby are safe and healthy however it happens will be fine.
I went into London to meet Vic for lunch, had a walk round Borough Market (to collect baby shower cake), up to St Pauls and back again. I was knackered and actually felt the baby was going to drop out there and then! It was a bit of a wake up call that I need to rest my body a lot more and I can't run around like I am use too. I had to waddle so slowly and it also didn't help when the heavens opened and the rain came (good old England!). I did kind of hope that the long walk will help the baby along but nope!
I have also started taking Raspberry Leaf tablets, these are suppose to help soften cervix ready for labour. They advise you don't start taking them until at least 28 weeks so I'm ok. I also bought online some oil for the bath and to burn, it was recommended by Morwenna and gain suppose to help labour. It contains Clary Sage which is a natural herb which helps inducement. All of these things should help! It's called Natalia Labour Ease and I actually have some burning in my oil burner right now!
In the last part of this post, I just want to say a big thank you to my gorgeous hubby! Over the last week or so (and weeks to come no doubt) I'm sure I have not been the best to be around. I moan about feeling tired, heavy and just exhausted. I toss and turn all night and wake him up all the time and he has to get up at 6am to get to work but, he has still not made his way to the spare room to get that 'good night sleep'. I think I probably worry him when I get up at night as he thinks the contractions have started. I love him so much and can't wait for us to be a little family and to bring our baby home. Thanks for all the support Dan, I couldn't wish for anything better. Love you!
Right, corny bit over, back to me.... time for cake and a cuppa I think ;0) xx
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