Week 39

Weight gained: ~30lbs/13.5kg
Feeling: Ready... I think
Baby stats: ~19-20", ~7lbs

It's the end of my 39th week and I've realized that being away from work isn't all that I hoped for. When you're at work and have a ton to do, all you want is to get away from it all. But when you have no work and nothing to do, all you want is for something to keep you busy! Taking leave is even less productive than being unemployed, because at least when you're unemployed you're actively looking for a job on a daily basis for long periods of time. These days I can only do so much web-surfing and tv-watching a day before I begin feeling useless. Of course, I should really just enjoy this time and relax since I won't have this freedom much longer, but it's really difficult! I really didn't think that the transition from busy-bee to lady-of-leisure would actually need adjusting to.

This week we picked up even more stuff from the baby store as we realized there were still a few missing items. Each week we think of new things to buy--it's unbelievable how much stuff a little baby needs! We finally bought a comfortable chair to sit in for feeding time. It's so comfy and we will be able to use it later for lounging in the living room and reading a good book. Another item that we checked off is a bath stand. Originally we were going to bathe the baby in her mini-bathtub placed in our bathtub. But then we realized that when she's done bathing, we have nowhere to place her down and wrap her in a towel (since our bathroom has no counter space), and then we have to walk across our apartment to her nursery to the changing table for drying and dressing. What a hassle! The other option was bathing her right in her nursery, but there is no way I can carry a mini-tub full of water back and forth since it's too heavy and Vincent won't always be with me to bathe baby. So we decided to buy a bath stand which holds the tub, can be locked in place, and can be rolled around for easy transport. Anyhow, our nursery now has more furniture than our own bedroom!

Yesterday I had an internal exam at our Dr's appointment, but due to my tenseness (and cringing in pain), she was unable to tell us if any progress had been made. So for now, it's still a waiting game and just in case, my induction has been booked for next Friday. I'm praying that the birth will come on naturally though!

This past week and most recently the past two days I have been experiencing quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions. It basically feels like a tightening of the tummy each time it happens, but is painless and inconsistent. Hopefully baby isn't scared of the squeezing in there, since I know she's already running out of space to dance around. I have also noticed some pelvic pressure (some very short, slight pain) and more frequent nightly trips to the restroom.

According to our parents and contrary to Feb 18th being Chinese New Year, Spring officially started on February 4th, which means that any child born from that day on will be a piggy. Ever since Sunday, my mom keeps calling the baby 'piggy' and I keep insisting that her name is 'babe'. I suggested the name "Spamela", which both Vincent and my mom liked. But Vincent prefers just "Spam" even more. Let's just hope I get to the birth registration papers before he does.

Since I am going to be on a strict diet for a month after the birth, I've been treating myself to little things here and there. It's probably not the best time to load up on sugar before my due date (or at all, in general), but it hasn't been excessive and I've actually been eating heaps of fruit the last couple weeks. I've just baked some butterless (yes it's true!) muffins, and this will probably be my last oven-effort for a while. I love how fresh blueberries explode in the muffin when baked and drip a purplish stain throughout parts of the muffin.


I wrote all the above last night, and it's now 6:30am Wednesday and just past 4am this morning I got "the show", which means the cervix is ripening and dilation has begun (hopefully!). We called the hospital, but they told us not to worry and to call back when my water breaks or the contractions start and are regular. But ever since then I've been getting lower abdominal cramps, which I'm guessing are early contractions. They aren't super painful, but painful enough to make me not able to fall back asleep or warrant a trip to the hospital. It's much more bearable when I'm sitting upright. Ok, time to go read a book and wait for things to really start happening!