Category Archives: Le Bebe*

How Far Along: 41 Weeks*
Size of Baby: A Mini Watermelon
Weight Gain: 27 pounds

Movement: She is definitely moving less now that she has less space, but all things considered she’s still very active. The coolest part is now I can feel exactly what’s moving inside me–I can tell when it’s a foot bumping out, or a hand sliding across my belly, and I can always tell where her little bum is positioned. haha

She still gets the hiccups, though it’s not nearly as often. She went from having them 2 – 3 times a day to having them once every 2- 3 days.

Cravings: Oh, I would have died for a pizza last night…

Food Aversions: Nothing this week.

Symptoms: I am… round. That’s my biggest symptom. haha! My belly hasn’t really grown much in the past few weeks, but it’s still large and makes my movements pretty awkward. I have a hard time shifting positions, especially if I’m trying to sit up after lying down.

I go to the bathroom. A lot. Depending on how much I drink in the evenings, I am usually up anywhere from 3 – 4 times a night. Thankfully I’m still sleeping really well and can pass right back out after I roll back into bed.

I hurt my foot this week, and that has been all kinds of not fun. I’ve basically been immobile for the last three days while I try to mend whatever damage I did to the arch of my foot. It’s definitely getting better, but the muscles underneath are still really tender to the touch. Fun!

Belly Button Watch: Still an inny!

Baby Prep: We are pretty much prepped at this point! Her clothes are washed, her crib and bassinet are ready, and her diaper bag is already in the car. The last touch we added this week was hanging a cute moon lamp on the wall above her crib so she won’t have to sleep in the dark. :)

Contraction Watch: Yes and no. I’ve had a few bouts of good contractions, but then they stop and I don’t feel anything. I get strong contractions when I’m out walking, or when I use my breast pump.

Things I’m Thinking About: You know, I expected the wee-bean to be late, but I never really thought much about being this late. It just goes to show that you can never ever predict these things…

I’m really glad that I opened up about my anxieties surrounding being induced on Tuesday. Most of the feedback I’ve since received has been really positive, and it’s made me feel worlds better about it. So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I’ve felt so calm about everything until now, I hated the idea of beginning labor with all these anxious thoughts people have put in my head.

That being said, I don’t really understand why so many women love to focus on the worst / hardest parts of childbirth and life with a newborn when talking about it with others. I have a whole post on this coming soon.

The wee-bean will be here (barring complications) in two sleeps. TWO SLEEPS.

…that also means that I’ll have a daughter in two sleeps.

And that I’ll be a mother in just two sleeps.

A mom. Me.

Holy crap.

Last night I mentioned that I was nervous about my impending induction date coming up on Tuesday, and I so appreciate all the love and support that has come forth from you lovelies. It’s reassuring to hear that induction wasn’t a horrible process for many of you… it really does alleviate some of the anxiety I have had.

There was also an outpouring of questions regarding why I was going to be induced if I was nervous about it. I probably should have explained better last night, but I was tired and more focused on the emotions behind what’s coming rather than the reasons for it.

First of all, my midwife is awesome and has let me make every single decision about this pregnancy every step of the way. She provides me with information, offers her opinion, then lets me decide how I want to proceed–even letting me mull things over for a few days if I need to before getting back to her.

Tuesday’s tentative induction date was a date that we talked about together. The week leading up to my due date, Olivia* and I discussed the reality that most first-time mothers pass their due dates and she wanted to have a plan in place in case that happened to me.

If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I like plans. I like schedules.

So, as you can’t always get in right away to see an OB for an induction at my hospital, she began talking to a few she knew and liked to see what my options were. After hearing back, she could only confirm a date with one OB–the others could only say that they would “try” and fit me in within a window of two – three days, which wasn’t firm enough for us.

So, Tuesday the 14th became our back-up plan.

When we first began discussing induction, Olivia let me know that she didn’t want to let me go much further than 10 days past my due date. I’ve been measuring a little under where I should be for the past several weeks, and I haven’t moved a centimeter in two weeks. So, when I was still a few days before my due date, 10 days after my due date seemed like a lifetime away.

But I liked having a plan in place.

I know that lots of people extend beyond 10 days past their due date–people I know have gone two weeks over–but another reason we picked a date before the two week mark was that induction does not always ensure immediate labor. Olivia wants to keep me within that two week window, so if I’m induced and it doesn’t work right away, we still have some time to play… the main goal being to avoid a c-section at all cost.

I also know there are other options to help speed up natural labor, and trust me, I’ve tried just about all of them. I’ve gone in three times to try a search and sweep with no success–my cervix has been closed each time. (Though there was noticeable progress at my last appointment. YAY)

So, for now I keep going and hope hope hope that things will progress on their own before Tuesday morning. I have a consult with the OB on Monday morning, as well as another ultrasound to make sure that my little wee-bean still has enough room in there and is getting everything she needs.

And, if she’s still not ready to make a move on her own, I’ll most likely check into the hospital bright and early Tuesday morning to get this show on the road.

So I would appreciate any good vibes you can send this way… hopefully we can will this little wee-bean out before Tuesday morning!

I haven’t felt terribly motivated to write this week.

The wee-bean’s due date was this past Sunday, though I had been fairly certain for some time that she would not be making her grand entrance into the world that day.

For the most part, I’ve been enjoying this quiet week with the Hubster. I’ve been sleeping in (all the way to 7am!), catching up on my favourite shows, and accomplishing all those tasks around the house that I’ve had rolling around in my mind. The wee-bean’s room is prepped and ready, her clothes are washed and organized, and her little library of books is neatly set out, ready for use.

I’ve also had a myriad of appointments all week long. They tend to watch you a little more closely once you’ve passed your due date, so I have been trekking back and forth to see my midwife, and I had an ultrasound today to make sure that she’s alright in there. All is well, but apparently my belly is just too dang comfortable. :)

It’s a bit funny: once you pass your due date it’s like everyone looks at you like a ticking time bomb. I feel like everyone is watching me waiting for me to either a) have this baby; or b) explode into a raving, anxious stress-case. At this point I’m not sure that either one will happen in the near future… haha! I’ve felt great all week, and still feel calm about my impending labor. While I would love for this wee-bean to arrive, I know she’ll come when she’s ready.

I just hope it’s before Tuesday.

My one niggling point of anxiety is that I’m nervous about being induced. My midwife doesn’t want to let me go more than 10 days past my due date, and has scheduled me for a tentative induction date on Tuesday. I’ve heard that labor and delivery is way more painful when it’s induced and I am not at all looking forward to any added discomfort. So, while I’m perfectly happy to let nature take its course and be calm about when she arrives, I’m just really, really, really hoping it happens over the weekend.

So, I’m testing out all the old tricks people have suggested–I’m eating pineapple, using my breast pump, eating spicy food and I was power walking two – three times a day…

…until I seriously injured my foot yesterday and now I can barely stand on it. I have absolutely no idea what caused it, but the muscles across the arch of my left foot are so, so sore and walking any type of distance is now out of the question. *sigh*

So now I feel like I have this big date looming over me, and I can feel the beginnings of anxious feelings creeping in as a result. While I was out walking I felt like I was at least doing something speed things along, and now I feel a bit like I’m back at a standstill. I’ve had to spend most of today with my feet up, as I’m sure labor / new mom duties will be slightly less stressful if I’m not also worried about a sore foot.

So, my little wee-bean… I’m so, so grateful that you gave me a few days to unwind after work ended, but we’re ready for you now and can’t wait to meet you. Come on out and play, okay? Okay.

Love,

Mom*

How Far Along: 39 Weeks*
Size of Baby: A Mini Watermelon
Weight Gain: 30 pounds

Movement: All kinds of it, though I am definitely feeling it in new places. She is still most active in the evenings, she usually starts rocking out around 8:30 pm and goes non-stop for about 2 hours. Last night I felt her lower than I have ever felt her before, which leads me to believe she she may be on her way fairly soon… which makes sense as my due date is, you know, tomorrow.

Still lots of hiccups, and now you can actually feel her little hands and feet bumping out as she stretches inside me. The Hubster loves being able to feel her feet as she pushes them out against my belly!

Cravings: Still noodles. I’ve wanted something noodle-y all week long.

Food Aversions: Nothing this week.

Symptoms: My cold is finally subsiding, and I think the Hubster is just as grateful as I am. I woke up early one morning to find his side of the bed empty, and I crept out and found him sprawled out in the spare room. Apparently my stuffy nose was causing me to snore sporadically… poor Hubs.

My feet and ankles are still quite swollen, though it goes down drastically if I just slow down and put my feet up. I find I get tired very easily these days, and I have to take breaks between most tasks I try and complete.

I haven’t had any back or leg pain, though my hips were a bit sore last night and this morning.

Lastly, I have made it to the end without any stretch marks on my belly! However, my thighs were not so fortunate…

Belly Button Watch: Still an inny, though the edges of my belly button have raised up a bit.

Baby Prep: We’re just wrapping up the last details to make sure we’re prepared for the day of her arrival. My hospital bag is packed, and my birth binder is ready to go. The wee-bean’s diaper bag is packed and sitting by the door, and the Hubster is putting his things together today.

I feel like we are just about as ready as we can be for her arrival. Today my “baby prep” tasks are focused primarily on cleaning the house and getting groceries so that I won’t be stressed about the state of my home when people drop by after she’s born.

Contraction Watch: A few here and there, but nothing consistent. I can definitely feel that she has dropped, so I expect to feel more of these in the near future…

Things I’m Thinking About: Today is actually the last day of my 39th week, which means that my due date is tomorrow.

(Holy crap!)

I’m finally done work… though it still doesn’t feel like it. Right now it feels more like it did while I was on Christmas holidays–like I had a nice short break but that there was still more marking and prepping looming ahead of it. It definitely hasn’t sunk in that I won’t be teaching again until next October / November!

The Hubster also worked his last day on Friday… and he’ll be off with me for the next 14 weeks. I am so looking forward to this time together. :)

I think it’s rather funny that anytime I call or text someone, the first thing out of their mouths is, “ARE YOU IN LABOUR??”. I feel like everyone around me is more anxious over this than I am–I still feel quite relaxed and calm about what’s coming.

(You know, the whole pain bit.)

The secret little deal I made with the wee-bean expires tomorrow, which means that she can come anytime. Not that she couldn’t before, but in one of our quiet moments she and I had a heart-to-heart about how I needed to finish my work contract and have a few days to unwind before she arrived in order for me to be properly prepared to greet her with all the energy and enthusiasm she deserves. She has been a most obedient and wonderful wee-bean to date, and I’d actually find it funny if she arrived tomorrow, as that was the earliest we discussed.

(We actually talked about waiting until Tuesday to give me a full week off between work and wee-bean. So she may be honoring that date instead.)

So, any day could be “the day” now… I’ll keep you posted!

Oh, heeeey.

Remember that time when I used to post more than once a week about things other than my pregnancy updates? That time before work completely took over my life?

Well, at long last… I’M BACK.

I made it!!!

It was a long, crazy 8 weeks, but I survived my LTO and submitted my report card marks with 5 minutes to spare on Tuesday. It still feels a little surreal–I have this terrible nagging feeling that I’ve forgotten something, but I think it’s just my mind readjusting to the idea that I have absolutely nothing to mark.

*swoon*

It feels… magical. It’s only my second day but I’m already having a love affair with my mat leave. I’ve caught up on my shows, visited with friends, been thrift shopping, and here I am writing… and not even feeling guilty about it. My house is still a disaster, but I’ll think about that tomorrow. :)

I honestly cannot believe that my due date is on SUNDAY. I’m fairly positive that she’ll be late (thank you, sweet wee-bean) but still. Holy moly. Most people I know told me that they were SO ready to be done with their pregnancy by this point, but when I think about it, it really feels like I’ve only been pregnant for about 3 weeks. It has gone by SO fast.

However, that being said, there are a few things that I am excited for… beyond, you know, meeting my daughter. ha.

I’ve really had a very easy pregnancy, but once the wee-bean arrives I am SO excited for:

*No heartburn.
*Being able to sleep on my stomach.
*Wearing my wedding rings.
*Eating hot dogs.
*Being able to bend over.
*Being able to put my own socks on.
*Walking. (Not waddling.)
*Entering a room at the same time as my belly, not after.
*The return of my appetite
*Wearing my pretty shoes.
*Having more than 5 shirts that fit me.

…and lastly,

*Ankles.

The end.