Week 36 Doctor's Appointment

Baby Butterball is on his way down the chute.  He has started to drop and is supposedly entering the pelvis area and my cervix is thinning.  This would explain the increased intensity when I need to urinate.  "Holding it" is not in my vocabulary anymore.  

The midwife at the doctor's office made me feel a little better when she said that Baby Butterball would not 

be making an appearance over the next week because David will be out of town.  But she said it is more than likely that he will arrive on or before the due date of November 19th.  During this doctor's appointment they gave me the week 36 handout - birth control.  It listed all the different types of birth control and I found it funny that they would hand it out at this point.  I guess if I was planning for the hospital last week then this week I have to start planning for after the baby.  

I have not experienced cramps for 8 months and it has been such a joy until last weekend.  Now that Baby Butterball is getting larger and shifting, I am experiencing minor cramps throughout the whole area everyday.  I have been told that labor contractions feel like intense cramps so I'm just waiting for the big ones.  I have found that when I do get the crampy feeling if I drink a lot of water and change position, they subside within minutes.  

Book and magazines suggest I should start packing for the hospital.  I tend to pack for trips right before I have to go, so this is going to be difficult for me.  Whenever I pack days in advance (if not weeks in advance) before a trip I always forget more things than if I just pack right before I'm leaving.  What do I have to pack?  It's not like I need an outfit for dinner.  If anything, I'll need less clothes at the time of delivery.  Do I pack all those good luck charms like the women at BINGO?  As long as the hospital room has a TV I'm good to go.   

After Research...

After all the research here is what I found with my 3 previous pregnancy questions:

1.) If you stay on your feet a lot in the last month of pregnancy then the baby will drop and you will have premature labor...FICTION.  

Walking and being active does not induce labor.  Walking is recommended to get the baby into a good position before labor begins.  After labor begins walking is helpful with contractions.  This is good news as I run all over the hotel each day.  Baby Butterball will be in prime position when he is due to come out.

2.) You should not eat parsley because it will dry up your milk ducts...FICTION. 

Although part of it is a Fact.  When you are pregnant though, eating

 parsley will not dry up your milk ducts.  I did read that consuming massive amounts of parsley 

may induce premature labor but I think consuming massive amounts of anything would lead to labor.  Once you are breast feeding, if you have an overabundance of milk it is recommended to eat parsley to help dry up the milk supply.  But that is once you are in full flow and if you are huge - I don't think I'll have a problem with that so bring on the Italian food.  Other herbs known to dry up milk supply are sage, mint, thyme, oregano, and lemon balm.

3.) If you play classical music will the baby is in the womb it will make him smarter...FACT.

Or at least I like to think so.  Expert opinions are actually divided on this but many do agree that it may stimulate the brain to help educational and emotional development.  Some studies conclude that playing music to the baby in the womb and in the early years helps build the neural bridges along with thoughts and information travel.  I guess I'll have to practice my guitar more.  I've been taking classical guitar lessons for over a year now.  With the guitar resting right on my belly the baby had to hear the music (although not very good music).  I'll have to set up my practice time around baby's bedtime over the next few years.  Go Mozart! 

Fact or Fiction?

I am at the point in the pregnancy where it is no longer a question if I am pregnant and everyone can tell that it is a boy by the way that I am "carrying".  Working in the hotel I come across many discussions with guests throughout the week and I get earfuls of advice.  Which leads me to the question, are what people telling me fact or fiction?  

1.) Fact or Fiction:

If you stay on your feet a lot in the last month of pregnancy then the baby will drop and you will have premature labor.

2.) Fact or Fiction:

You should not eat parsley because it will dry up your milk ducts and that would not be good if you plan on breast feeding.

3.) Fact or Fiction:

If you play classical music to the baby while he is still in the womb it will make him smarter.

There are more but I forget them right now...it must be a FACT that pregnancy causes memory loss.

Week 34 Doctor's Appointment

The Week 34 doctor's appointment came by pretty quickly.  My previous theory about getting the first appointment in the morning didn't pan out this time.  I had the appointment with a midwife and after sitting in the office for over 45 minutes listening to her discuss exercise routines with a co-worker, she finally came out and remarked "I guess I should do some work today".  I've decided to change my theory and take the first appointment after their lunch break.  Luckily I only have a few more appointments before Baby makes his debut, but after week 36 I'm going to have to come in every week.  

Baby Butterball has grown a lot over the past 2 weeks.  He now weighs about 5 pounds and my total weight gain from the baby is just about 30 pounds.  I asked about the hiccups that the baby gets at least 3 times a day.  The midwife said that that is a good sign that the baby is getting a lot of oxygen.  I have definitely felt like I hit the 3rd trimester brick wall.  The exhaustion has set in again but it's now coupled with pains, sprains, and cramps.  I have become more clumsy but the squats that I do, picking up everything that I drop, is my body's way of exercising.  

Off To NYC

It was the beginning of my 32nd week, and the start of my 8th month and there I was boarding a plane to go to New York for the weekend.  Many friends thought I was crazy and regaled me with stories of woman who had birth on airplanes that they all knew.  But I decided to take a chance.  I planned the trip by booking morning flights to eliminate possible delays.  I also found direct flights so total airtime was 3 hours.  The flights went smoothly and I was able to enjoy a great weekend in NY with family and friends.  

The main reason for the trip: Jessie and Mike's wedding.  Congratulations to the Gormans!  We had a great time at the wedding and the guys that passed the hors d'oeuvres loved me because I helped them clear their trays quicker.  Momma still wore her high heels, butterball...even at 8 months.

The biggest surprise for the weekend was a baby shower that my sister had put together with Martha.  Tamara really surprised me with all the little baby paraphernalia she managed to put up in the one hour set up time.  David surprised me with a strong desire to go to the local whaling museum that day - I should have known.  Thanks Tamara!  You're the best sister in the world. I love you!

It was truly a busy weekend last week which resulted in a work week of just work and sleep. Baby butterball is getting really big and making it very difficult to roll out of bed to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  The good news...my inny belly button is still not an outy.  The bad news...there is no bad news, we're anxious and excited.  Ahhh, time to get the baby room set up.