37 Weeks

*THERE IS SOME COMPLAINING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*


I am now 37 weeks and my goodness I feel like I am 42 weeks! If you compare my 36 vs 37 week photos you'll notice my belly has dropped. I'm pretty sure (because of the constant need to pee) that Malachi has dropped. Everything you read tells you that in the first pregnancy it means labor is close, but in additional pregnancies, it means absolutely nothing. You could go into labor any second or stay that way for 3 more weeks. Fabulous. I feel none of the "pros" that come with when the baby has "dropped". I am still short of breath and he is still kicking my ribs constantly. My ribs feel bruised!

My feet have now started to swell. All the time. If I stand too long, or sit too long, or lay down too long, or cross my ankles, or cross my legs, or get too hot, they swell.

I am starving all the time. Sunday, at my in-laws, I ate a hot dog and two cheeseburgers, plus several cups of lemonade, handfuls of chips and dessert. Not pregnant, I would have been lucky to eat just one cheeseburger or one hot dog. My appetite is off the charts crazy!

I have prepared 6 homemade frozen meals and have cleaned all the baby clothes/bottles/toys/pacifiers/blankets/bedding. I have cleaned every inch of the house. I have packed my hospital bags. I am ready. Unfortunately, as nice as it would be for Malachi to come this week, I don't really want him to. My mom and sister get here on the 29th and that's a good two weeks away. I need mom to be here in the first weeks! I figure if I can make it until I'm 38 weeks (the 21st) then I'm good. I should have enough dinners, especially with help from family and friends. And preferably the middle of 38 weeks because then Brian wouldn't have to take much work off before mom gets here.

Here I am talking like I actually have control over any of this...HA!


This side by side is a comparison between my pregnancies with Brandon vs Malachi.

If you notice I am turned to the side a bit differently in Brandon's picture compared to Malachi's. That does make me look a little bigger in Brandon's. However, I still weigh less than I did with Brandon, by 5-6 pounds. Plus, I haven't retained water nearly as much. I think it comes down to two things. (1) I chase Brandon around. If you've ever been around him very long, you understand the amount of energy he has and the amount of energy it takes to take care of him. (2) I eat WAAAAY better now than what I ate with Brandon. When I was pregnant with Brandon I was working full time and we had two incomes. Translation....I could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. And I DID! My pregnancy cravings are rarely, if ever, healthy. So, with "exercising" and eating better, that makes me weigh less and therefore have a "smaller" pregnancy. I am actually extremely grateful for this because that means less pregnancy weight to work off later!

(I wrote the above Monday the 14th. I waited to post because I had a doctors appointment this morning.)

At the doctors office I found out that I gained 4 more pounds. That is a total of 30-ish pounds gained total. My blood pressure, stomach measurement and Malachi's heart rate were normal too. I am 1 cm dilated. At this point with Brandon I was 2 cm dilated. I have been more careful the last week or so because I was having so many contractions, I was worried that Malachi would pop out too soon. I figure that if I am only 1 cm dilated I don't have much to worry about, so I am going to stop holding back and just do what I have energy for. Also, the plan is to be induced on the 28th if Malachi hasn't come by himself then. I will be 39 weeks!