Woah baby…we are officially FULL TERM over here!
And we are certainly rockin’ a big ol’ belly to go along with that full term status.
Baby Tooth is just over 37 weeks today and is about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard.
Here’s what Baby Tooth has been up to this week:
- Baby Tooth weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches (<—not necessarily true…apparently he’s ahead of the game!).
- Little guy is now considered full term! If I were to go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb.
And here’s what’s been happening with me this past week:
Weight gained: I think I’m around 28 pounds, if I’m doing the math correctly.
Workouts: Not many – actually, I don’t think I’ve done any significant ones since my treadmill workout last week. I continue to be active though, and have been working quite a bit around the house and moving a lot at work. I’m alright with all of that though…I’m just trying to do what feels right.
Labor Signs: I’ve definitely been getting contractions on a daily basis but none have really been overly significant and/or painful. Yesterday, however, was a different story. While I was at work, I started getting the most intense cramps and low back pain. It was seriously like nothing I’ve experienced so far – some of them even had me physically cringing. They became so intense, along with a lot of pressure, that I called my doc and they asked me to come in. Unfortunately, it was just some very early and/or false labor. I’m not even dilated at this point…go figure?! I thought all these cramps were supposed to be making some progress for me. 
Symptoms:
- Low back pain, pelvic pressure, and menstrual-like cramps
- Braxton Hicks and/or contractions
- Fatigue
- Itchy belly/skin
- Sore feet – when I wake up in the morning is the worst
- Lots of potty breaks
Movement: Absolutely! Little guy is not so little these days, so any movement he makes is pretty obvious and funny to watch.
Food Aversions: None, really.
Food Cravings: Nothing crazy. I crave toast with butter pretty much daily but never really wind up eating it. I’ve been craving thick, cold smoothies too – but again – have yet to make any. It’s a little tough while at work and I never feel like making them in the morning. Maybe once I’m home on leave I’ll break out the blender!
Sleep: UGH. This past week has not been great, but Saturday night was probably the worst. I had some gas pains and just couldn’t get comfortable, so I wound up heading out into the living room and sat/bounced on my stability ball while watching TV from about 3-5am. It’s a good thing I had a episodes of Friends and Candy Crush to keep me occupied!
Stretch marks? Knock on wood…we’re still in the clear!
Miss Anything? All the same stuff as I’ve mentioned before.
Fun and/or Interesting Things from the Week: Our appointment last week and getting to see Baby Tooth on the ultrasound was by far the best part of my week!
I look at those photos at least a dozen times a day. My gosh, I cannot wait to see that little face in person!
We’re also pretty much done with the nursery for now too! The only things I have left are some frames/pictures for the walls, but since most of what I want to put up can’t really happen until he’s here (letters for his name, a handprint frame, and a birth announcement frame) I’m holding off for now. I’ve had to tell myself that it’s okay to not have it 100% where I want it. He’ll be fine without the extra wall hangings. 
Belly Button in or out? In and/or flat – definitely not “out” but it flattens out quite often, especially when I get hardening of the belly/Braxton Hicks.
Wedding rings on or off? Still on, but snug in the heat.
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy most of the time, but I have been experiencing a wee bit of crabbiness. Sometimes, the discomfort and difficulty sleeping gets to me, but I try to keep it all in perspective. It’s all for the best possible cause there could be.
New Baby Items: I did pick up a few remaining items on our registry over the weekend, including car seat mats, some storage bins, nursing items to go along with my breast pump (just got that on Friday in the mail – SO happy insurance covers it!), and decals for the wall.
Looking Forward To: Keeping these next few weeks moving! I’m ready to see my little guy in my arms!
Question for the moms and moms-to-be:
How long did you experience contractions and/or early labor signs before actually going in to real labor?
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