38 Weeks

I had my 38 week check-up this week and really can not believe that we have already made it to this point. This pregnancy has flown by so quickly. It is amazing to me to think that we will be meeting our new little girl in just a few short weeks.

As for that growing baby girl - All is well! I met with our midwife Blair and when I first arrived (I was running a few minutes late) I went to her office to tell her that I had arrived. She noticed that I was walking funny / limping (my new way of getting around since this extreme sciatic pain has set in even more). She said to me, "come here for a second." So I walked closer and she asked me what in the world was going on. I explained that the back pain I was "starting" to get last week, had set in even more and was making it difficult for me to walk. She expressed her sincere empathy for me and my pain and said, "This weekend sounds like a great weekend to have a baby, I think!" I agreed that really the sooner the better is how I am feeling at this point. I never had back pain with Sierra and I really can't complain too much, but it is becoming quite difficult to do much of anything, especially tasks that I must do in order to take care of Sierra.

Needless to say, Blair decided that we should do a check this week to see if there has been any progression and I obliged. She "checked" and "checked" and initially said that my cervix was closed, which I was okay with; then she said "wait...you are 1cm!" Not quite sure what she was feeling prior to that, but she commented, "I didn't think that felt like a cervix!" Hmmm....interesting! :) When she did "find" my cervix though, she said, "I am just going to hold my finger here for a minute." Let's just say "WOW!" That was not the greatest experience, but maybe it will help me progress; whatever it was that she did.

Following the exam, she told me that I have a really great pelvis...a comment that I have gotten before, after the delivery of Sierra. Not exactly sure what that means, but hopefully it means that pushing this baby out will not be too difficult either. Sierra was pushed out in a little less than an hour and it was her head, arm, and elbow that all came out together. I was praised for having an amazing pelvis for getting all that out in such a short amount of time for a first time delivery (and needing only 2-4 stitches at that). Of course I didn't know any different; but here's hoping this baby just falls right out! LOL!!!!

I am excited to already be 1 cm dilated at 38 weeks, considering I was closed up tight at 40 weeks with Sierra; but I am not getting my hopes up. We are still waiting on God's perfect timing and just enjoying our little family of 3 until then.

In other stats, my blood pressure was 99/64, the baby's heart rate was in the 150's, and I lost 1 pound. :) My weight seems to be wavering between the same two numbers...up one week, down the next; right around 9-10 pounds gained so far this pregnancy. A very healthy number for me! :)

Lastly, some belly pictures. However, these are much better pictures than I have been taking at home. During this 38th week of pregnancy a sweet friend of mine, Amanda, offered to do some maternity photos with me. She is a free lance photographer who works out of her home (having two small kiddos of her own). She is building her portfolio and has not done many indoor maternity shoots, so she asked me if I would be willing to be her model. I had all but given up on getting maternity pictures done with this pregnancy, so I jumped at the chance to have Amanda take a few shots. She sent me a preview of 3 images that she took and I can't wait to see the rest of them - click HERE to see a preview of the yummy ice cream shots too! Here are the 3 pictures that she posted so far. Isn't she super talented?!?! For more information about Amanda and her beautiful photography, check out her web site at Kimberlin Gray Photography. I highly recommend her!