34 Weeks

Yeesh. It's funny how fast time is flying by these days. I'm waiting for the day when I wake up and feel completely preggo miserable consistently, but I've been pretty lucky so far, and it seems to go in spurts. I had hoped to post a big update at week 32, but that week turned out to be pretty horrible, and emotionally, it completely drained me. I suppose I should start back there...

I had my regular MD appointment that Monday, and when she took my measurements, she muttered a "hmmm" - not a noise you want coming from your OB. She told me that according to my measurements, the munchkin wasn't growing on track, so they wanted me to get an ultrasound to check. Well you can tell yourself a thousand times over that you're sure that everything's fine, but it really doesn't change the worry and panic you feel, and I felt both. When I called the ultrasound unit the next day, they first told me that they couldn't possibly squeeze me in for 4 more days. I politely informed them that I am a hospital employee and that if they had any cancellations before then, I could make it work to run up there. They had a cancellation that afternoon, and according to the ultrasound, Baby was smack dab in the 50th percentile for weight, now head down, and has hair. After breaking out in full out sobs for the previous 24 hours, I had a few tears of relief. It drained me for the rest of the week, though. That Saturday, I was running with my bud Haley who has been kind enough to slow WAY down just so we can get in a chatty run now and then. We were out for a 7 miler and had just hit the turn around when I hit a lip in the sidewalk and biffed it. I didn't see it, and neither did Haley. Luckily, I landed on my hands and knees and then did this pseudo-roll to the side. My first thought was embarrassment, and then I remembered I'm pregnant. My MD had warned me that if you fall after 24 weeks, it basically buys you a 6 hour admission for observation. I felt fine (just a little skinned up and embarrassed), but I knew that running home could be really stupid, so we called Steve to come pick us up and walked a half mile to wait at the next stoplight. He drove us home, and I called the Labor and Delivery Unit. I explained that I hadn't hit my belly but had fallen pretty hard and was worried that I could have hurt the placenta somehow. I didn't know if they would just tell me to rest for a couple of hours and monitor Baby's movements or if they'd want me to come in, but after they talked to the MD on call, they told me to come up. Luckily, the 2 mint chocolate Gus I'd eaten right before the turn around had the munchkin all fired up, and he/she was moving so much on the monitor that they let me go after only an hour or so of observation. I was warned by so many people this winter to be careful, and I never even slipped while running. Now that the sidewalks are clear, I need to remember to pay close attention to my footing! In talking to my friends, I was amazed to find out that most of them have fallen during pregnancy. One tripped over her dog, one slipped on the stairs, and another one fell on some ice. Hopefully this will be my one story.

I had another regular checkup a few days ago, and my measurements are back on track. The good news is that everything's still looking OK. The bad news is I'm headed for an 8+ pound baby. My MD told me that the biggest predictor of my baby's size is how big I was when I was born. Considering I was just an ounce shy of 9 pounds, I'm hoping she's wrong :)

So an update on the rest of life...

I'm still running. I can't run 9-10 miles anymore. Four to seven is now a long run, and seven takes so long that I only do that with company and a lot of Gu. For as much as I've been cursing the crappy MN weather this spring, I have been secretly happy that I'm not overheating on my runs. If we were having 85 degree days right now, I'd be toast. It's also nice to be able to sleep with our bedroom window open at night. Being a little chilly and actually being able to stay under the covers has been helping me sleep a little better.

The baby's nursery is almost complete. We still have a few items that are "must haves," like our changing pad, but for the most part, we've got all of the essentials. We've got the bedding all on the crib, pictures on the wall, and clothes washed. We have the car seat. We just need to put it in the car. Baby's and my bags are packed, and I've been stockpiling TP, paper towels, and anything else that I don't want to have to leave the house for. I've also been going a little crazy buying diapers. The coupons have been great lately, so I figured I'd better stock up while I still have a full paycheck. Next on the agenda is making some food to freeze to cut back on the need to cook for the first few weeks.

I'm still gaining weight - way more than I ever thought I would during pregnancy, but my MD is reassuring me that I'm still in the normal range. Still, as we get closer, I'm realizing how much work it's going to be to get this off. I've always been at a very average weight and have been up or down 7 pounds or so but never really had to try to take it off. I just have to trust that my philosophy of listening to my body (and breastfeeding) while making sensible food choices will eventually bring me back to fitting into my old pants - even if it does take a while.

I'm still biking on my trainer 1-2 days a week, but even the super squishy seat gets uncomfortable after an hour. I may have to use the recumbent ones at the Y for these last few weeks. Plus, I'm getting really sick of Coach Troy. At least with a recumbent, I can get through a few chapters of a baby book or catch up on a magazine.

I miss racing. I went to the Falls Duathlon to cheer on Steve and Matt this weekend. I miss being out there. I miss biking outside, and I miss being able to get my heart rate up in a way that doesn't involve simply going up our stairs! That being said, I am now signed up for what will likely be my last race while pregnant. The TC one mile is May 12. It should be fun. Steve was registering me and asked whether I wanted to be in the "friends and family" wave. I think I just looked at him astounded that he would even ask. I think most of those folks will beat me!

I have been having some SI joint pain in the last few weeks - likely from those ligaments relaxing. I know it will be even worse after Baby's born, and one of my good friends who specializes in women's physical therapy suggested this belt. Although I haven't worn it while running yet, I have worn it afterward a couple of times, and it feels like a miracle. Running and even standing in one place for a while both make that joint sore. It kind of feels like the stiff, achy feeling I get in my hips and knees after a long run. Just thought I'd pass along the info if any of my fellow preggo or post-preggo friends are looking for one.

It's funny how, especially as a healthcare provider, I've been so focused on hitting certain milestones that it never really occurred to me that I may be pregnant until almost July. That reality is starting to set in. Physically, being pregnant has been way easier than I thought it would be. Sure, I've been tired and my back hurts sometimes. I've had more than one day of feeling particularly chunky but have overall been OK with the way my body has been growing our baby. Lately, lots of friends have been telling me how much they miss feeling baby kicks. I've realized that I really need to savor this time because it will be over soon, so that's what I'm trying to do!

Finally, a picture update so you can agree that my belly, and the rest of me for that matter, is definitely growing!

Ignore the cankles... They're not terrible, but taking the pic at the end of the day didn't help...