I finally got my iPhone’s playlists ready – I don’t know how it took me this long, but I just synched my favorite mellow music to my device. Lots of enya, classical stuff, and other soothing songs (ie Buddha Lounge Ensemble). I have different tunes too, but I feel most serene when I’m listening to tranquil types of music. Hopefully that’ll help during contractions.
And since I’m on the subject of my iPhone, check out all the baby related apps that now dominate the screen. Geez! I used to barely have two pages of stuff, and now I have an app for timing contractions (Full Term), an app for tracking nursing/sleeping/pooping (Nursing Timer), and both What to Expect apps (the addition of baby is new, I had the pregnancy one previously). Hooray for technology 🙂
I’ve given up on trying to make myself go into labor. I sorta came to the realization last weekend that he’s going to come when he’s ready and me willing it to happen is pointless and semi-selfish. Better that I have a fully developed healthy baby than a few less days of discomfort. Plus, I know my pregnancy is almost over, which makes me think I’ll actually miss (certain parts of) it. As annoying as his incessant hiccups are (which are so strong now that they shake my entire body), it’ll be weird to not have him all safe and snuggled up inside me. The fact that I’ve gotten to feel his movements strengthen and change and develop over the past 9+ months makes me feel like we have a special bond. And now that pregnancy is ending and his birth is imminent, I’m starting to feel like I should really soak up these moments. It’s a pretty cool thing. [That said, I wouldn’t mind it would be awesome to be able to drink a beer during the Super Bowl]
I started reading up on post-partum stuff, too. I’d been putting it off for fear of overwhelming myself (which I ended up doing anyway), but maybe some stuff will stick once I start that journey. It’s all kind of a jumble right now. Fortunately I’ve bookmarked lots of websites (www.kellymom.com) and books (What to Expect, the chapter on the first week with baby). And I know Kyle will be doing anything and everything to help.
Speaking of my better half. He’s been especially awesome this past week. He lets me whine, he rubs my feet, he goes on walks with me, and he asks me what I need around the clock. He’s going to be the best dad ever. I’m so lucky to have him as a partner through this. He’s been amazing throughout the entire pregnancy, but I can tell he’s as anxious as I am now that it’s getting down to the wire. His last day of work (at his paying job) is on February 1st, which means we will have all hands on deck when the time comes. I’m not going to go into much more detail about him quitting his job, but it’s definitely something we are excited about. His future is in his solar start up company, and in the meantime, he gets to be at home with his wife and son.
My (hand me down) medela pump has all new parts now. It was a pain in the a$$ trying to sort out which parts I needed (why are there 800 pieces to these stupid freakin’ things) and then trying to track them all down (I almost got suckered into some fake knock-offs, but amazon ended up coming through with all medela parts). But in the end I finally got it. They’re still all wrapped up and just sitting on the kitchen counter because I have no clue what to do with them at the moment.
I finally broke the 20 pound barrier. Ironically, my weight gain stalled for a bit during the holidays, but has now returned. I’m officially up 20.5 pounds. And yet, my belly button is still flat. I guess I’m never getting an outie? Some people must just not be able to get one (which is kinda a bummer because I always thought that was like the timer that popped out when things were done cooking).
He definitely still seems to be growing. Every time we meet with our OB he tells us that soon movements will decrease as he runs out of space, but so far that has yet to happen. He’s crazy active at all hours of the day and night. In just the past week I started feeling his kicks against my right rib. It’s only at night, when I’m lying on my side, though. It feels so weird. It’s not really painful; it just feels like whoa that shouldn’t be there. My body reacts kinda spastically when he does it, as if to try to move out of the way to prevent it from happening again, but that’s not really possible. Prior to getting pregnant myself, I remember hearing pregnant women complaining of this very phenomenon. I guess I’m lucky that I somehow avoided it until week 39.
It’s so weird looking back at the first trimester pics. Was my abdomen ever really that flat?? Those were the days…
The painful cramping that began back in week 30 and continued to plague me throughout my third trimester (forcing me to stop working earlier than intended) have now stopped. I mean seriously!?!? What the heck! My body is so confused. I can’t tell if things are moving along or not since I’ve always been carrying pretty low. I feel more pressure (I think?) when I walk, but it could be in my head. I could simply be paying more attention than I was previously.
Sleeping through the night is a problem, yet again, that leaves me feeling drained during the day. I wake up no fewer than 5 times and have a difficult time falling back asleep. If it’s between 11 and 3 am, I can usually get back to my slumber state eventually, but after 4 am it’s a struggle. I often lie awake for hours and hours, trying to zone out and think about nothingness to get back to sleep. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been awake long before Kyle’s alarm goes off. Sleep deprivation feels so pointless without an infant! Once I have a newborn, at least I’ll have a reason to be up at all hours. I swear, if one more person tells me to "get your sleep now, while you can!" or "do x,y,z now, while you can!" I’m going to scream. I’m not a bear. I can’t store up sleep. And even if hibernation were a real possibility, I’m definitely not comfortable enough to take advantage. More importantly, I knew what I was getting into when I decided to become a mom. I’m thrilled that our family is growing, so stop acting like my life is over and I’ll never be able to do anything ever again. This is a very exciting time. Yes, things will be totally different and my world will be turned upside down. But that’s what I want! I’m going to be a mom!!
And that’s about all I’ve got.
The countdown is in the single digit territory. Mind blowing.
It’s so great that you have shared your pregnancy experience with all of us! Having gone through it, I can say that I still have dreams about being pregnant – and not in a scary way. I remember, though, the first night after my son was born, waking in the middle of the night, feeling my empty belly, and just crying. I missed him so much, I called the nurse & she brought him to me to snuggle even though he was sound asleep. (again, a nice perk of being in a hippie-place like Western MA)
Oddly enough, though I was exceptionally tired for the first year with my son (he was a HORRIBLE sleeper), I loved getting up & seeing him in the middle of the night. The love you’re about to feel for this little guy is going to be off the charts. Sleep shmeep… nothing is as beautiful as that baby (screaming or sleeping) in your arms.
Besides, it doesn’t last forever. Before you know it, yours will be doing what my son just did today: tell me he wasn’t going to walk into his after school program with me because “it’s embarrassing” NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
My son also had hiccups constantly when he was in my belly. And he would panic and be much more active when he had them. Fast forward 12 years later and he still has daily hiccups and totally panics and runs for a glass of water! It’s so funny that an in utero experience carries on even years later!
I also remember the jabs and feeling elbows and knees protruding from my belly. What’s really cool is being able to feel their little knees after their born and recognize that that’s what you were feeling in your belly. It really is cool. Fair warning that if you think the pre baby advice makes you want to pluck your nose hairs, wait til you go out with baby and listen to what each person deems the most important thing you will ever need to know!
Hang in there, it won’t be long now!
ha. pluck your nose hairs.
Hang in there, only you can experience YOUR pregnancy – and your mothering experience will be the same. Enjoy the now, enjoy the then. It’s all good. You rock, you’ll be great ! x
Cheers
Lori
coolgreendays.blogspot.com
I am so excited for you! One thing to keep in mind during all these sleepless hours is that even if you’re not sleeping, your body is still resting and resting is good 🙂 Growing a human is hard work, and truly a miracle. I really loved The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. He has great tips for fathers and how they can actively parent a newborn.
Stopping by to see if he’d arrived yet. Eeekkkk! So close Elise, and I could not be more excited for you guys. A world turned upside down indeed…in the best way possible. Now go get some sleep! Hehe, just kidding. I could never get back to sleep either while pregnant.
PS I totally miss feeling those little hiccups.
good luck during the final stretch!!
Best of luck in the home stretch! I’m thinking of you guys!
This sounds lame coming from me, but it seems like things have gone so fast! I also love your relaxed attitude and again, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re delightful because you’re not freaking out and acting like you’re the first person to ever have a kid. You are so level-headed and sound like you’re just waiting for a new little buddy to show up and not this bundle of exploding bodily functions and stress like some other people around 😉
With that said, you’re almost ready to meet your little buddy! So exciting!
Whenever I see a new post pop up from you in my reader, I think this is going to be the one! I’m excited for you and I definitely laughed out loud at the bear comment.
Almost there! My belly button never popped either, no sure why. Good luck with everything. I can’t wait to see him. As sleep deprived as I can be some days it all goes away when my little smiles at me or snuggles up. It’s the best feeling.
Boo on the no sleep! I could never ever ever sleep when I was pregnant. I think it’s God’s way or preparing you to stay up all night with a babe…which is actually sort of enjoyable ONCE the babe arrives.
I think about you every day, I can’t wait to see the little man!!
dude, i cant call or text ANYONE these days. people freak out on me. ha.
its funny you put it that way because thats exactly how i feel…but i mean really, what control do i have? none. (hello left brained side)
truthfully though, i figure every first time mom must feel like shes got no clue going into this. and most of the time things work out. plus, thanks to the internet i have answers and advice (and the ability to overnight ship anything) right at my fingertips. we will survive. 🙂
thanks shawnna!
awww…i remember the days when i said that to my mom too, hahaha…i guess its inevitable 🙁
thanks so much lori 🙂
btw, is it completely weird that im STILL wondering about which blogger had the camel toe. ha!
still waiting…!!!
im so freakin’ excite heather – thanks for popping in 🙂
thanks sheila – good luck in your first trial 🙂
This is such an incredible post. I’m due in march, so this really hit home. I’ve actually re-read it a few times. I think you should submit the ending part to Huffington Post, I couldn’t agree more with the idea of “I knew what I was getting into when I decided to become a mom. I’m thrilled that our family is growing, so stop acting like my life is over and I’ll never be able to do anything ever again.” I wish you the best in the next few weeks & will be thinking of you 🙂
thank you lani!
thanks so much katie! and a huge congrats to you too 🙂
Um there’s a Whole Foods app and a FODMAPS app!?!? Haha I realize these are completely irrelevant to your post but now I’m going to have to look them up.
yup! and both are awesome.
the WF app is cool for searching recipes by ingredients (so if you have certain things on hand you can use them) and by dietary requirements (gf, vegan, vegetarian, etc.).
i love the fodmaps app too – i use it all the time. it was expensive but all the $ goes to the university that does all the fodmaps research so im happy to support it.
I thought he was starting a gluten free waffle company?
It was my daughter’s 6th birthday yesterday and when I was putting her to bed the night before, we talked all about “6 years ago tonight I was doing…”, etc and that’s the really great stuff you have to look forward to. Cherish every minute leading up to it, because you’ll be so sentimental about it all soon enough. 🙂
I’ve been a long time follower and I don’t comment much, but I love this post! So happy for you and your family 🙂 Sounds like you have an amazing attitude about it all too and that’s wonderful. Take care and sending you good vibes from another west coast Canadian hippie.
Laughing at “I’m not a bear”!! You’re too much.
happy to entertain 🙂
thank you so much nadine…i feel your hippie vibes from up north 🙂
awww…so crazy how time flies. my birthday meant something much different to me this year, too. its odd how pregnancy has changed the way i feel about my relationship w my mom.
negative. he ditched that sinking ship. 🙁
ive mentioned the other company he started up a few times on the blog – its called greenbotics (http://www.greenbotics.com/). robots that clean solar panels. its getting big, so its definitely exciting.
OMG – I woke to this comment this morning and snorted my coffee across the kitchen – you are too funny! I am simultaneously feeling bad I said this and itching to tell you! Ha-ha!
Eep! Any day now…I am SOOOOO excited for you. And you look amazing, BTW. Seriously, better than me and all I have working for me is a bagel/coffee/peanut butter cookie baby at noon on a Friday.
Love you!
thx holly 🙂
ps i want a bagel/coffee/pb cookie baby now too!
tell me!!! hahaha
So by this point I’m probs a little behind and you are now 40 weeks? Eek! So exciting! I’m just over the 38 week mark and am trying my best to be patient! Is crazy, isn’t it. I feel like I’m limbo and in the calm before a very welcome storm.
I hear you on people saying “make the most of…” and being all doom and gloom about how my life is going to change. Bring it! 🙂 Tom’s getting really impatient and just wants baby to arrive now. Plus, I desperately want to check that we are actually having a boy- our sonographer wasn’t the most convincing.
My belly button is now flat and hasn’t popped to an outie either. It’s so weird. And sleep isn’t happening much here either. In fact, right now it’s 6:20 and I’ve been awake since 5:40 despite not getting to sleep until gone midnight. Ugh. So I’m up for the day.
Ok, I’ve blabbered on enough. I’m so excited for you guys!!! Not long now, woo woo 🙂
due date is today! kyles also impatient. im pretty calm now. i was anxious until about week 38 and then i just kind of surrendered to whatever fate will be…
so excited for you guys. make sure you let me know when anything happens, ok?
Go for a drive on a bumpy road, eat spicy food and then have sex! It’s foolproof!!! 🙂
Good luck!!