Week 27 – End Game (Third Trimester Begins)

The week started with my first Braxton-Hicks contraction. Basically, my uterus is now doing “practice” contractions in preparation for labor. I was lying in bed and felt the bottom half of my stomach tighten for about 30 seconds. It wasn’t painful (although it could be) but it did wake me up. It blows my mind what the human body does to create, sustain and deliver new life.

I also had another doc appointment. I did very well this month; I only gained 4 ½ pounds. Also, I got tested for gestational diabetes (don’t know the results yet). Best of all, we met with another mid-wife. If all continues to proceed nicely…I definitely want a mid-wife birth.

On a sour note: I despise Babies R Us. Dave and I drove 40 minutes to BRU to purchase a crib only to discover that the crib we selected a month ago is now discontinued. We found another model (more $$$ of course) and bought it. In another stroke of bad luck, the box was too big to fit into our truck and they do not offer delivery services. So we had to return the crib. It wouldn’t have been so bad had the staff been friendlier. I plan to purchase the crib from Amazon. Also, I plan to transfer my registry from Babies R Us to Target. I haven’t had a pleasant experience yet with BRU so I’m jumping ship. The one bright spot of the trip: I bought a pregnancy pillow and I love it!

Hate to end this entry on a sour note so I’ll end on something warm and fuzzy. Dave and I celebrated our 5 Year Wedding Anniversary this week. I can’t believe its been 5 years! Without a doubt, I’m as happy now (and maybe even happier) as I was 5 years ago.

Weeks 25 & 26 – Maternity Leave

After pouring over tons of paperwork, I think I have a plan for maternity leave. On the bright side, the state of California and my employer have generous leave benefits. On the downside, there is a mountain of paperwork to read and submit to obtain these benefits. Basically, I’m going to work until Friday June 17th or the Newbie's arrival, whichever comes first. Then I’m going to take 18-19 weeks off completely (12 full pay, 6-7 half pay). I should return to work sometime at the end of October. Finally, with my employer’s approval (request is pending), I will work part-time until January. Although I wish I could take more time off and work part-time longer, I know many women must return to work 6-12 weeks postpartum…so I consider myself lucky.

On the advice of a friend who is 9 months along, I removed my wedding ring. She told me that I could wake up one morning to find my fingers swollen and unable to remove the ring. It’s weird to be without my wedding ring, as I’ve been wearing it for almost five years.

Week 24 – Six Months and Snoring

I’ve reached the six-month mark and folks are starting to comment on my belly. Two weeks ago, it was “You don’t even look pregnant”. Now its “You definitely look pregnant.”

Dave says I’ve started to snore at night. Actually, its not a snore but more like heavy breathing (think Darth Vadar). It’s probably due to the weight gain and increased mucous throughout my body. The good news is that it should disappear once the baby is born. The bad news is that Dave will have to suffer with it until the baby is born.

I never realized how precious sleep is to humans. I can’t sleep on my stomach or my back, so I’m stuck with the left side/right side sleeping position. Every night I prop 3-4 pillows and myself in a position conducive to sleep (sometimes it works, sometimes not). I’ve debated on whether to purchase a pregnancy pillow. I will feel foolish buying a pillow for only 3 ½ months…but I’m getting to the point where I will do anything for a good night’s sleep (since I definitely will not be sleeping much after the baby arrives).