40 Weeks - The Due Date

So here we are. Never thought I'd go all the way to the due date (and beyond?)! Made a little progress in the last week. Now standing at 2-3cm, mostly effaced and -1 station. That's one LOW baby! Still pretty miserable, but fighting the urge to cry c-section! As it is, we're scheduled for July 21st if things don't happen naturally. That's five days away! The OB said she's not sure I'll make it past the weekend, so here's hoping!!

39 weeks - Get her out of me already!

I'm done. My head hurts all the time, I'm swollen up like Fred Flinstone, my blood pressure keeps rising and one of my midwives (the one I don't really care for, but always wind up having to see) keeps telling me I'm fine...I wanna smack that look of false sympathy right off her smug face!

I've been dilated to 1cm for three weeks, about 30% effaced and baby is low. This means I'm walking around feeling as if I'm supporting a bowling ball in my pelvis! With 3-5 trips a night to the bathroom, sound sleep has become a distant memory, and with Gabe at work and no school or camp to occupy Miya, I am ON duty all day long...so no naps for mama. Not that I'm being a super mommy or anything. Poor kid is sitting out on this beautiful summer with me, missing all the fun activities we'd normally be doing. Oye, the guilt....!

On the plus side, I've had two contractions since writing this entry - but I'm told that since they are not painful, they are not doing anything. Lost the rest of my plug (I know, you were dying to ehar this news) this morning, so that should mean I go any day now!

Here's a couple of pics of my "growth". Weight gain stands at 38 pounds (oops) and yes, that means I am heavier than Gabe - sweet. Hopefully, the next post will be MUCH HAPPIER!

36 weeks - ready to go!

Things seem to be falling into place perfectly this time around! Baby is head down and in position, Group B Strep is negative (was positive with Miya), and I'm already dilated 1cm! I'm feeling large and tired, but good and encouraged that I'll be successful with this VBAC.

Here's the belly - not too much bigger this week, but I've dropped a bit!

34+ weeks...growth spurt!

Anemia, low platelets, swollen feet, oh my. Still trucking along!

Here's the latest belly shot - I've grown!!

32 Weeks - Home Stretch!

I don't remember already feeling DONE with pregnancy by this time with Miya, but I am SO there! I'm a mess of hip pain, rib pain, night time potty runs, and exhaustion. And at 23 pounds weight gain, I'm heavier than I've ever been in my life and closing in on Gabe's weight rapidly! Let's face it, I'm not a happy, glowy preggo by any stretch of the imagination. So thank goodness I have a maximum of 8 weeks left being pregnant for my entire life! Notice, I'm not even leaving the possibility of going past due open - uh uh, not going to happen!

As for the Hyperemesis (Oh yeah, this is an HG blog!), the nausea has crept back in a bit, but is still well controlled with my meds. Still taking small doses of Zofran, as well as nightly Unisom and B6 - which is thankfully helping me to sleep and fall back asleep after the many potty runs.

Well, here's my belly in all its glory. Just about time to make that belly cast (Gabe got me a kit for Christmas)!!!

28 week belly shot

Almost time for some formal preggo photos. I need to figure out how to arrange and shoot my own preggo session!

Everchanging

Gabe: Well Karen's been keeping up on the evolving (and new) conditions, and I had to be reminded that it's been forever since I chimed in here... I fell off from posting as Karen was coming out of the worst of the HG, but of course the Zofran has been a steady part of everyday life even this many weeks beyond the really bad days. Even with an HG pregnancy, after the HG has eased up a bit, there's still the regular challenges of cooking up a baby in the baby oven, and of course Karen doesn't have it easy on any front.

But focusing on HG for a minute, it's amazing to realize how bad it really can be. Everything that's ailing her now seems almost trivial by comparison... and they're not at all trivial of course. Looking back and remembering the misery she dealt with on a daily basis is kind of shocking. It was so normal for so long, but only after it's behind you do you realize the severity of it all. Even with the better medication/control and better planning, it still wrecked her. Anyway, in a twisted sort of way, I welcome the current problems because they're at least a little bit more 'normal'. Not that she's on easy street.

Eh, I wish there was more positive stuff to be posting about. There are some really cool things going on; early interactions with Karen's living belly, kicks and headbutts... talking to Siena, and knowing that she can hear me... just laying my hands across Karen's stomach, skin on skin, makes me so happy. OK, so there are positive things to post about, but it almost feels contrary to the theme of this blog. Maybe that's the point though; something really really wonderful is coming, all misery aside, and I hope Karen will feel as rewarded for her troubles with pregnancy #2 as she has been with Miya. I know she will be.