40 Weeks: What I Know Now
- Tomorrow’s my due date. I have a feeling we’re going to see it come and go.
- At my 39 week ultrasound my doctor saw the baby’s head and said, “Holy Moly!” I knew he was thinking “holy moly that’s an adorable baby!” because I can’t bring myself to think that meant anything else.
- This due date thing is kind of like saying that Christmas may happen on December 25th, but it could be a few weeks before or a few weeks after, so just be ready. Oh, and you may be getting 7.4 gifts, or you may be getting 8.14 gifts… but if you get over 9 gifts, they won’t fit through the chimney, so we may need to get them in another way…
- After being frustrated for a few weeks at no sign of an early delivery, I decided to just ENJOY. Once I realized it was COMPLETELY out of my control, I embraced each day, and even got a whole night of uninterrupted sleep! {ne’er one trip to the bathroom!}
- It’s bizarre being pregnant. Somehow the goings-on of your uterus and cervix are fair game for anyone to talk about. Your coworkers, your distant relatives, strangers…
- I have Shrek feet.
- The “last two weeks of pregnancy” warning I kept hearing has come to fruition. You weren’t kidding. My shoes don’t fit, my shirts don’t fit, my rings don’t fit, my feet are so puffy I can’t bend my toes, and I’m losing energy by the second. I can hardly breathe for most of the day… clamoring to get air in. It sounds like I’m operating heavy machinery, but I’m really just trying to catch my breath even sitting at the computer.
- Even when strangers aren’t talking directly to me about my pregnancy {rare}, they are still talking. I was in line at Old Navy and after a moment of silence, the lady in front of me leaned over to her friend and said, “Did you hear ‘so and so’ is pregnant?” Not ten seconds later did the lady behind me say to her husband, “Becky had her baby last week, a boy!” Subliminal?
- I’ve heard of ShrinkxHips, but what about ShrinkxFeet, ShrinksBoobs and ShrinksFace?
- I think it’s funny that doing the dishes after you use them and keeping up on laundry constitutes as “nesting.” I’d love to hire someone to do the ‘nesting’ for me.
- I went to the library to do some last-minute research on labor techniques. The books were on the BOTTOM SHELF. Are you kidding me? I probably looked like I was practicing the all-fours form of delivery as I tried to get to the books.
- I’m kinda sorta dodging a few phone calls that I know are people asking “how I’m holding up”… All 190lbs of me are trying to just keep moving and enjoying my last days with my hubby without feeling anxious or having expectations. But if *you’ve* called and can’t get ahold of me, I was probably in the shower.
- I can’t WAIT to get skinny. With a 5lb growth spurt in one week that my nurse likes to blame on the water-weight and I like to blame on my McFlurry “medicine,” I have gained 41 lbs. I’ve seen numbers on the scale I never thought I’d know. I’m really excited to get back down to normal digits {and will never take them for granted again!}.
- Growing up, I always wanted to have my kids close together {my sister and I are 14 months apart}. I tell you this so you aren’t surprised when I get pregnant again soon after, or so you can point and laugh when I finally realize how lofty this idea sounds.
- My husband has been so supportive of me through the ups, the downs and the really downs. We went to the beach last weekend and he even dug a {sizeable} hole in the sand so I could lay on my stomach for the first time in months. And though it was a process getting lowered down into the hole, it felt great and I loved him for it. If we could see what our future would be like with our spouses on our wedding day, we’d be even more excited I’m sure of it. I love my hubby more today than I ever have.
My pregnancy, month by month:
36 Weeks
32 Weeks
28 Weeks
24 Weeks
20 Weeks
16 Weeks
14 Weeks
Let me know you stopped by »
Brooke,
It been wonderful to read your take on pregnancy! I am crossing my fingers that your delivery goes well! Best of luck, and thank you again for sharing such an intimate part of your life!
Awww… the thought of your husband digging a hole in the sand for you makes my heart melt! So sweet!
brooke-
love reading your blog and your preggers story. my sweet baby girl is about to turn 1 on april 12th and i know exactly where you are. hang in there. your sweet baby is the best reward for a the crazy mumbo-jumbo your body is going thru.
can’t wait to hear about your post-partum stories, too!
You look so beautiful! That little nugget of joy will be here soon enough. Can’t wait to see him!
You look absolutely amazing! I wanted to say ‘for 40 weeks’ but 1) I hate when people add that onto things, and 2) you look amazing in general!
I am 33 weeks and I feel/look bigger than you…so who knows if I will even be able to roll myself outta bed in 7 weeks!
Good luck with everything!
Brooke, I am so excited for you! Best of luck!
You look stunning! Congrats; can’t wait to read the BIG post soon :)
Brooke,
Just a few words of encouragement…
Despite how you feel, you are beautiful. This time will come and go quicker than you think. Labor and birth is only momentary. There is such joy afterwards! My oldest son is graduating this year and is enlisted in the Marine Corps. It seems like yesterday that I gave birth to him. Treasure all the time that you can with your little one(s). :-) It goes by faster than you think!
Judi
Your child will love reading this when he (?) is older.
Your last comment on your husband digging the hole just made me cry! That is soooooo sweet, and thoughtful :)
fwiw you look fantastic and not big at all. I’m pregnant with my third and feel bigger than you!
and also fwiw the ultrasounds at the end are notoriously wrong. my friend was told she’d be having an 11 lb baby and they did an immediate c-section only to find out she was just over 9 lbs (which is still a very normal birth weight).
good luck with delivery! I’m excited to hear how it goes.
I hope, hope, hope this baby boy comes before next weekend!!! Need to see him! Can’t wait to see you all. I love what you’re learning at each stage of pregnancy. You look amazing. I never had to go a full 40 weeks and am thankful. Hang in there. Just don’t give us an April fools baby announcement unless it’s the real deal!
My hub also dug me a hole at the beach when I was pregnant–and it was amazing. He couldn’t understand that, but man it was the best. Just wait until you can hug someone belly to belly (man that sounds awkward out loud, but you get it, right?). Good luck in the next few days/weeks. You’re so smart to have already realized you have no control and to just enjoy it. I kind of dug the built in side table those last few weeks:)
Love your post!
1- I got my labor going by going on vigorous walk around Osage Park. Care to try?
2- Big head = Smart kid
11- Do you think they have a hidden camera in the library to film the pregnant women trying to access those books. I mean really, that’s just mean book placement.
13- I gained 40 lbs with each kid. Isn’t it amazing the transformation your body can make. Shocking! Not to worry. It will transform back.
15- Your husbands definitely a keeper!
You are doing great! You look good, I wouldn’t have guessed that was the 40 week picture. #12 made me laugh :) Only labor thing that worked for me was going on two VERY long and fast walks (although probably like normal walking now). But this was days after my due date…I wanted her to be late for our insurance, and then we amped up the walking. Good luck!
Good luck Brooke! Can’t wait to see your little peanut!
Love the Christmas post! I almost peed myself laughing! I wish my doctor would have said that to me. I had a 9lb baby “down the chimney” and the doctor looked at me afterwards and then said “thats a big baby!”
I feel your pain! Hang in there!
You’ve inspired me to start writing in my journal. How great to have all of this documented in such a cute way.
You look great! It’s so nice to check in once in awhile and see how you’re doing. Thanks for sharing with all of us mostly strangers!
Love this post. I’m sad to see the series ending, but will be so excited to see the little one!
Good for you for enjoying every day. You won’t regret it.
The beach story is really beautiful. I love that and hope to have a hubby like that one day myself.
You look beautiful and ready. ~Kelly
unDeniably Domestic
I have to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading about your pregnancy. Ifeel like I am following in your footsteps. I am 24 weeks preggers with my first. It’s nice to have someone tell it like it really is and have a little forewarning of things to come!
I adore reading your pregnancy updates, and wish you the best of luck for your baby’s birth. I also had to comment on #5 in your list — when I was pregnant (a little less than a year ago), I was shocked the things that people felt it appropriate to ask or say. I got, “was she planned?”, “are you going to go back to work, because you wouldn’t be working to your best potential if you didn’t”, and the best one “you’re pregnant? WHY?” Don’t worry, us moms can commiserate, but when you see your baby for the first time, every ache and every annoyance from the last 10 months will slip away!
Oh I can relate to that end of pregnancy bloat! You look beautiful though! Your life is going to change in the most incredible ways!
Many blessings to you!
I am anxiously awaiting a phone call telling me that he is here! I am so excited for you guys, and I love hearing that my brother is such a good husband! I love you guys and I hope everything goes well!
Thank you so much for this encouraging post! I’m “only” 38 wks with our second, and WAY more miserable than with our first! You DON’T look 40 wks – I’m so much bigger than you are! My hands ache with swollenness (another thing I didn’t have the first time around) so it’s nice to know I’m not alone. Our daughter was less than 7 lbs and I only gained 26 lbs with her. But this time it’s a boy, and they think he’ll be 9+! And I’ve gained more than 40lbs – stopped looking a couple weeks ago. It’s very discouraging. So thank you for sharing; I hope things go fantastic!
New Reader,
LauraC
Oh my, this was SO funny! I loved #3, especially. I’m petite and am terrified that my son is gonna be huge. Also, I’m pretty sure I found my first stretch mark today – not a good way to start the week! And this is only week 28! Good luck to you – I hope that your baby has arrived and you’re feeling well!
thinking about you, dear! i hope you are doing well.
hugs, susan
i love love love hearing your pregnancy stories! They’re hilarious and heart warming all at once. :) good luck with everything!
God damn this bitch my cocks hard