First off, here is last week's belly pic (of course a new one will be taken tomorrow):
And what the hell, here is a front-on from week 34 and 35, showing the stretchmarks:
I started using Neutrogena Hand Cream on them and it has made them fade somewhat, and really helped stop their itchiness.
So that was Monday night. Tuesday I went in for my biweekly NST, and that went really well. In and out in thirty minutes. On Wednesday, Tim installed one of the car seats in the back seat of his car, and had it inspected. They needed to make it a little more level, and showed him how to do that. They also tightened the straps a little bit more. The woman doing the inspection was one of our baby/birthing class teachers from our first pregnancy! She was excited for us.
I started doing infant laundry in the middle of last week, wanting to make sure we have a few gowns, pajamas, onesies, hats, and socks clean just in case we need them before Mary Anne gets here this coming Saturday. (Planning on the two of us organizing a lot of the clothing and washing the smallest stuff, and storing the rest.) I also washed all the bassinet linens, all of our receiving blankets, and all of the hooded bath towels and washcloths. So those are all set!
I did finish packing the labor and hospital bags, the pillow cases for the pillows we're bringing, including our very large twin nursing pillow. So all that stuff is laying on top of the massage table set up in our dining room, with the car seats and video camera tucked underneath.
Beginning Wednesday, I noticed my pelvic bones were very sore. Any time I stood up, it was like they were broken, and I would hobble like a very old lady. On Friday, there was more pressure on the pelvis, so I wondered if Baby A's head was now engaged.
So that day I went in for another NST and my weekly office visit. It was a productive visit. The NST went fairly well, they were very active, but we needed to toot the alarm horn at them to get their heart rates to accelerate. I also had three or four contractions while laying there. Then during my office visit, they swabbed me for the Group B strep test. I'll get the results tomorrow. I was negative last time with Thomas, hoping for the same again. If it is positive, I have to be on an IV for antibiotics during labor, to prevent the babies from getting it. So just one less thing to worry about if it is negative. (Knock on wood.)
Since I was in an exposed position already, NP Lynne went ahead and checked my cervix and Baby A's station. My cervix is completely closed but I am about 50% effaced. Effacement is the thinning of your cervix before it starts to dilate. Baby A's head is still where it has been for weeks/months, a few centimeters above my pelvic bones. So she isn't engaged at all. I wasn't too surprised, since her butt is still sticking out the left where it has been wedged for weeks. I think she has tried pushing herself as far away as possible from her little sister, B! Lynne told me she thought I was safe from labor for at least another week, based on these signs.
I was writing this stuff down in my Pregnancy Journal when I asked her if she could let me know what the results of my weekly urinalysis showed. So she went and got the numbers and came back. She was shocked and suddenly serious. I had positive numbers for the first time this pregnancy! I was spilling protein and sugar into my urine! If protein is found in your urine late in pregnancy this can be a sign of preeclampsia (pregnancy related hypertension). But my blood pressure was only 111/71, so she wasn't sure if it was just a fluke or not. She says I will have another urinalysis on Tuesday when I come in for my NST, and if the numbers remain positive, I will have to do a 24-hour urine collection test. We discussed a few of the other symptoms of pre-e, and I said I would pay attention to them.
On Saturday, my pelvis felt much better for some strange reason. Tim and I ran a million errands, including a shopping trip to Target. We had a list of things to buy (hamper, dish tubs, laundry basket, etc.), but made the mistake of going off aisle to look at food and Easter items. So our quick trip really slowed down. I was very tired. I probably had about twenty contractions! (But I've been ignoring them since they really aren't doing anything, and they don't hurt. They are just annoying.) After we finished up there, we drove to the cemetery to visit Thomas and swap out his Valentines for some green St. Patrick's day flowers. Tim said I looked really flushed. I also felt a little dizzy. When we got into the car to drive home, I noticed I was seeing little black dots swimming through my vision. This is a classic symptom of pre-e. But it only lasted a few minutes and never came back.
At home, I got into bed and rested on my side with a big glass of water. I finally called the OB on call, just to make sure I was okay. He said yes, the dizziness and spotty vision could be a sign of all the fluid changes going on in my body at this late in the pregnancy. I felt better after a while, but it took it easy the rest of the evening.
Today I felt pretty normal at first. But as the day wore on, I felt I was really slowing down. My feet are so swollen, I can barely fit into my slippers. I have run out of comfy pants and underpants to wear, and only two pairs of house shoes fit me now (sandals and large clogs), and only my Ugg boots fit for outdoors! I finally crawled into bed around 2pm because I felt like the skin on my feet was going to split. Even though I stayed there for three hours, it didn't help.
I just don't feel great anymore. I really am slowing down. Now it is just a matter of surviving the next few days or weeks!
I have more to add, but I need to head to bed. Just didn't want to put off this update any longer. Hopefully will post more tomorrow or Tuesday.
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