I'm 37.5 weeks pregnant (due October 21st) and while this pregnancy hasn't exactly flown by, it's wonderful to be at this stage and look back on this year (which has flown by) since I've been pregnant for almost its entirety.
This pregnancy has been similar to my others with morning sickness.
A few noticeable differences:
- Cravings are different. I haven't really craved sausage or hot chocolate like I have every other time. If anything, I've experienced a little bit of pica the way I seemed to be with Declan. The smell of gasoline is so appealing to me (when usually I never really care for it) that I just want to sniff it and drink it. Haha, so weird. I jumped out to pump the gas at Costco yesterday instead of having Dalin doing it just so I could smell the fumes for a minute (yes, I know this is weird and probably not healthy but I could not resist).
- I've been sick with colds more than other pregnancies it seems like. So maybe my immunity has been extra poor or it's just been a bad year. I had to take Tylenol for a big chunk of the first trimester and that has stressed me out, worrying about how it might affect the baby. Now, here at the end, I've been sick again with an illness that turned into a cold or viral infection, and I feel miserable. As much as I want this baby to come any time, I don't think I want her here for a few more days until this cold passes.
- I failed my one-hour glucose test which was hugely disappointing. A normal level is about 139 and I was at 148. Gestational Diabetes is technically diagnosed if levels are above 190. So it was very tempting to skip the glucose test and I did at first (because I was in New Hampshire for 5 weeks right after getting the results). But my doctor encouraged me to take the three hour test once I returned. I had just gotten over a stomach virus and consequently fasted almost for 24 hours the day before so perhaps that contributed to me passing the test. But I was majorly relieved that I had. For the sake of remembering, my levels were as follows at each blood draw (did you know they make you do four??):
- After fasting: 67 / 95 (95 being the normal level)
- After 1 hour: 145 / 180
- 2 hours: 150 / 155
- 3 hours: 136 / 140 SO grateful I passed.
- A week ago I tested positive for Group B Strep for the first time. Apparently this is fairly common and the results can change within a short period of time, but I made the mistake of reading about Strep B and all the possible complications. Fortunately, I've since heard from many friends and family members with their experiences and was informed that as long as I'm on antibiotics via I/V during delivery, all should be well.
- Another difference--at 37 weeks, I'm already at about my maximum weight of 136 lbs which I was at with Declan at 39 weeks. So I was a little discouraged that I might surpass that by the time of delivery, but I guess what's one or two pounds really? I have also measured a week or two BIG where in the past I've always measured a week behind or right on schedule.
- As for delivery, I intended to try and wait until closer to my due date before being induced this time around, but with my higher than usual weight and measurements, the strep B test being positive, and my doctor being gone with his family just before my due date, in all likelihood I may be induced at 39 weeks as I have been in the past. It also would work out better with Dalin's schedule because he already has the few days around that time off. So October 14th may be the day!
- Another difference that I just thought of--we do not have a name selected! With the other kids we were fairly confident of their first names beforehand (we did call Declan "William" throughout most of my pregnancy, but Declan was always a high possibility and when we saw him after birth, he became a Declan). This time we were SO certain this baby was a boy, that we hardly talked about girl names. We had a boy name (even two) and I had subconsciously been putting all baby items in Declan's closet to be stored, assuming we'd pull them out for this baby.
When we went to Fetal Fotos for the third time (since Tayah was a surprise) at about 15 weeks, I was so confident the ultrasound tech (who we'd also had with Tenley and the second visit with Declan) was going to say "boy" that I bought three blue balloons, and three pink balloons to use for photos afterward. In my mind, Dalin and Declan would each hold a blue balloon, and then Tenley and Tayah would each hold pink, and I would hold pink for me and also blue for the baby. I figured if I was wrong and it was a girl, then I would hold a pink for her, and the kids would each hold their color and we'd just not use the other two blue balloons. But how surprised I was when that ended up being the case! We took photos outside the mall with our balloons shortly afterward, and the surprise on my face was genuine.
I am THRILLED about this little girl! I really am. I just still cannot believe it! The only hard part is not getting to use the boy name I love (there's always next time ;) and never having imagined myself as a "girl mom." It has truly never really entered my mind. (I used to tell everyone I'd have six boys and one girl and they all told me I'd probably get the opposite haha). But I believe that Heavenly Father knows us and what we need. And the fact that three girls signed up to have me for a mom in this life makes me so happy. I can't wait to see her face!
As for names, we've mostly narrowed it down to about four, though I think another could easily slip in at the last minute if it seemed right. I'd share my current list here, but whenever I do, there are always so many opinions and I don't want to feel discouraged from using a name I love. Whatever we name her, that's what people will call her, so they can love it or hate it at that point. I do hope that when I see her sweet face, the name will become clear to us.
Anyway, I haven't blogged in ages and I most likely will be too busy to continue, but at least for my pregnancies, it's important that I record the memorable aspects and especially each child's birth story. I do write in my daily journal as well, but it takes a lot less time for me to type than it does to write it all out so the details of the deliveries are better preserved here.
Well, wish me luck this month! I hope this sinus cold I'm experiencing resolves before she decides to come. It feels endless. Now is the time for nesting and resting, but also keeping busy so mind is distracted. Less than two weeks left before our littlest angel arrives!
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