Weeks 37 and 38

Feb 8-14 & 15-21

Mommy
Weeks 37 and 38 have been tough on me.  In the home stretch, I'm starting to feel just a little uncomfortable although for the most part I continue to be amazed at how easy pregnancy can be.  However, after recovering from my stint with bronchitis in weeks 35 & 36, I developed severe inflammation in my ribs from extensive coughing.  It's been a tough recovery for me and for Big Brother Whit who suddenly cannot climb on or be picked up by Mommy.  Whit's been a trooper, I've been a little bit of a baby, but trying to see this ordeal as good practice for managing potential pain during labor.  I even took my first "pregnancy sick day" last week to stay home and allow those muscles to relax and heal as much as possible.  It was tough to sit for 5 hours and not do anything but I came through it ok. Otherwise, it's just becoming a little difficult to teach all day and then go home and be a wife and mommy.  And after being out of commission for nearly a week (and still wincing with the occasional sneeze), there's a lot to catch up on at home.  Thankfully, it's only a few more weeks to go until we can settle into our new (and improved) schedule.

I've spent quite a bit of time visiting with the medical professionals the past two weeks.  Per the norm, I'm heading out once a week for checkups.  Appointments at weeks 37 and 38 were good and now it's just a waiting game until Baby Girl gets here.

During week 37 I had my last appointment with the midwife until after the baby is born and my first with the obstetrician.  I've been transferred to the obstetrician as the midwives have not yet been granted attending privileges at the hospital.  I regret that they cannot be with me during the birth, but I've enjoyed the holistic prenatal care I've gotten and I love that they will do a home visit following the birth and a 3 week postpartum visit in addition to the standard 6 week postpartum check.  Those first 6 weeks after the baby is born are, to me, the most significant time when a new mother needs to have medical care and support.  And, I've been pleasantly surprised with the openness and forward thinking obstetricians who seem to be the rare of their breed.  One even said to me this week that women have been having babies for thousands of years without modern medical care, so surely the majority of women can do so now without intervention or treatment from professionals.

Daddy

Week 37 marked the first official week of baseball practice so Daddy has been up early and home late the last two weeks.  We miss him, of course, and with my bedtime getting closer to Whit's as I get more tired this last month, we don't get much time together.  At least once Baby Girl shows up I can nap more during the day and perhaps spend a little time with her father when he gets in from games.  Otherwise, it will be only Sundays and small glimpses through the fence until May.

Baby Girl

Baby Girl continues her job of getting chubbier and cuter. Although Mommy shouldn't gain much more weight between now and delivery, Baby will continue to gain about 1 oz a day or 1/2 lb per week.  I didn't quite make my weight goal but perhaps I need to accept that I simply gain a lot of weight with pregnancy.  I didn't have much trouble losing it with Whit, but I hear the second time around is slightly more difficult.

We know Baby is head down in position for birth, all curled up and alternating from head toward my back and lying on her side, so there is no need for any more ultrasounds.  We will just have to wait and see what size she will be.  I can tell that she is smaller than Big Brother as I'm only occasionally feeling feet in my ribs rather than a constant pressure in the lungs and heart.  I must say that I'm rather looking forward to delivering a child who isn't coming out the size of the average 4 month old.

(Check out what Big Brother Whit was up to during weeks 37 and 38)
 

37 weeks with Baby Girl!

35-36 weeks with Whit