August-how you doing? Pre-labor?

[myboysmom]

I'm now up to 33 weeks, but on Wed., my dr. told me I was measuring a couple of weeks early. . . (I'm excited about that!) But my BH contractions have increased quite a bit. . . yesterday there was about 2 hours worth of pretty consistent uncomfortable-ness. And my hips and back have been aching soooo bad!! I went to take my boys and the dog for a walk the other night and we made it 4 blocks before I told them we had to turn around, b/c it hurt too much to walk. ARRGGHH! It's so frustrating! The boys just want to go outside and go for walks with their bikes and power wheels and I told them I just can't. Will (my oldest) told me I could ride on his power wheel with him. Our city park/pool is just 8 blocks away, and I usually end up driving. How awful, especially with gas prices! LOL But, it will all change in a month or so, hopefully! How's everyone else in August doing?

[alwaysAJ]

Hey! I know this post is a few weeks old now, but I'm hitting my 33 week and suffering from the same uncomfort you speak of in your post...
Last night, I was awakened by 2 very distinct, painful contractions. They lasted about a minute or more each, but I didn't catch what time the first one hit, so I have no idea if they were very far apart. They were nothing like my BH contractions, which I have constantly.
I haven't had them check to see if I'm dialating, but I know I started dilating at 29 weeks with my last child. I always dialate early (up to 3.5 cm) and can stay that way for WEEKS. Arg! I'm so miserable.
So you must be, what, 35 weeks now or 36? You still hanging in there okay? I know I still have a long way to go, and I don't want him to come so early he is unhealthy, but geeze. I measured 3 weeks ahead at my last doctor appt. They are doing an ultrasound next week to see how big he is. I don't think it is likely they gave me the wrong due date, though... as much as I'd like it to be that way!
Oh, the misery!

[myboysmom]

Yeah, I'm still here, 35 weeks, and my edd hasn't changed, still August 9. But my dr has told me still that I'm measuring 2 weeks early. (fingers crossed!) About the last 5-6 days I've started feeling really uncomfortable. As I sit here typing, I have to shift positions b/c the baby thinks he needs to stretch or something. Jeez, doesn't he ever sleep? LOL I hope he wears himself out in-utero, b/c it seems like he's always moving! I haven't been checked yet either, but I go in next Wed for my Group B Strep test, so maybe she'll check me then. My BH contractions had actually slowed down before last wednesday's appt, but they've started back up again. I hope you don't go too early either. I read your post about that. But, on the other hand, I hope he's not monster sized! You said that you have to sit and watch your kids play; I'm to that point too, and it makes me feel bad. My hips and back hurt so bad, floor time is not an option. About all I can do is take them to the shallow end of the pool and let the water ease my weight for a while, while I watch them swim.

[alwaysAJ]

LMAO, our babies must be similar in size (mine is a monster, unfortunately--but all my babies have been huge, so I should be used to this). As I sit here, I too am constantly shifting or trying to put the leg rest up (which then somehow moves me a foot backward so I can no longer lean back, and then I'm flailing around like a turtle on his back trying to reach for the side pull thing to put the leg rest back down, and then I rock back and forth as hard as I can to get my chair to scoot forward.... I'm sure I will laugh about this someday, as it does look pretty funny). Or, I'm rubbing my hand over the top of my belly in a loosing attempt to massage my soar ribs. I'm surprised I haven't worn a hole in my shirts there.
He "dropped" into my pelvic area, so my hips are also sore and feel dislocated. But it doesn't seem like he's shifted any lower out of my lungs. It seems like overnight sometime last week, I was no longer able to get around. I cannot breathe, and I can't walk more than a few steps without needing to lean heavily on something or sit down--or I feel like I will pass out. Just to make lunch today, sandwiches no less!, I had to take several breaks. I feel rediculous. I went from fairly active to not active at all. I take baths every night just to float in the tub (it is one of those double person whirlpools, which is perfect, because it fits just me now). It is the only time I feel any kind of relief.
And then I remind myself that I still have several weeks to go! Yee-haw. Oh, and my almost 2 year old has figured me out. She knows I can't run, switch directions, or keep up with her, so she zig-zag runs several feet away from me and then stands stalk still while I lumber up to her and reach down for her. Then she shoots off another 4-5 feet and stands. She doesn't look at me, but I know she's listening for my hulking figure to approach. I can never catch her. One of these days, after the baby, she's going to try that and I'm going to get her... And when I do . Nah, I wouldn't do anything but probably tickle her. As annoyed as it makes me (like, when we're already late to go somewhere important), I try to take a humorous approach. I know, I just know, that what I'm going through makes for some good laughs for other people.

[myboysmom]

LOL I can just picture you trying to get up out of the recliner! I feel the same way when I try to get out of bed w/o pulling yet another lower ab muscle. Oh, the agony! This morning at about 4:30 am I started to have the "real" contraction. About 10 in 30 minutes, but they subsided like I figured they would. But it definitely made me get my butt in gear! I packed my bag this morning and finished folding most of the laundry that had taken over the kids' toy area. I called the dr. and she got me in tomorrow for my Group B test, so that is one of my biggest concerns out of the way. I let my almost 5 yo help pick the baby's clothes to pack for the hospital. He felt pretty important.
I also feel no relief in the rib area, but I do think he has dropped some. At least it looks like it to me. (Wishful thinking?) It is nice to have someone to commiserate with! We need to get lou in on this, though. She is due at the end of the month with her first, and I think she's planning on moving soon! I feel for her!

[alwaysAJ]

Awe, moving this late in pregnancy!!!! Yikes!

I went to the doc today for my usual 2 week visit, and she (different doc, same clinic as the other) said I was actually 34 1/2 weeks along.... uh, apparently I have 2 due dates in my chart. The other doctor went by the August 27th due date, which was taken on a machine by one of the doctors who wasn't quite familiar with it. The second due date, 8/17 was taken at my 20 week ultrasound. So... who knows. My due dates have never been accurate for any of my children.

Anyway, so she says I'm 34 1/2 weeks along, and she does my measurements and her eyes popped. I'm measuring 38 weeks now. Hm... She's like "You need to have an ultrasound scheduled asap! Do you usually have such big babies?" I said yes, I have one scheduled for next week (ordered by the other doc) and yes, I always have big babies (me and dad were both big ones). I also had her check me, since I'd had a lot of contractions, though mostly not painful ones. I am dilated 1 cm, my station is -1, and my cervix still has a little ways to go for effacement (she didn't give me a percentage, just told me it was still "kinda" long... whatever that means). So, basically, I could go anytime between now and the end of August. Gotta love pregnancy, eh? My mom is like "Just get your stuff together now and plan for it, just in case." Considering I didn't have anything for the new baby until yesterday, I'm counting my blessings.

In the meantime, my husband was/is planning to travel for work at the end of July. Now I'm telling him "no", but he will do what he thinks he needs to do. He went to China when I was 36 weeks along with the last one, but I didn't have her until I was 38 weeks, so there was a slight break (he was only gone for 8 days). Still... scary! She was his first child, and I would have been really mad if he missed it and I went in to labor without my labor coach (him). I guess this is all part of the package of having a husband who runs a big business. Great perks, but really lousy hours.

[myboysmom]

OMG, China!!?? That's not just the next town over on business! I would have been freaking a little, I think.
Well, I went in yesterday for my test, and she went ahead and checked me and told me "You're closed up tight". Just what I wanted to hear. Actually, it's okay. My body feels totally ready to be done, but mentally and house-wise, I guess, I feel like I've still got a bit to do. But I am making progress! Laundry is caught up, dishes are caught up, and I think I finally got all the boys' clothes put away in the right containers until fall. Now I just need to center myself and get enough patience to handle three kids 5 and under! LOL How do you do it??

[alwaysAJ]

Sorry it took so long to get back! My internet service provider has been rather sketchy these past few days. Anyway, how do I do it? Normally, I have a beer with my husband when he comes home (when I'm not pregnant). Pregnant? I more or less *itch at my husband when he comes in the door. LOL, poor guy! Seriously, though, it gets tough. I told him last night that I was trying to summon excitement about our latest family member, and I am having a hard time. Because all I think about is adding one more screaming child to the mix. I'm afraid I'm going to go nuts! I have a lot of fears about this upcoming birth, what he's going to be like (will he be easy going, or will he be colicky???). Dear God, please not another screamer. In the meantime, my older 2 fight ALL THE TIME about EVERYTHING and NOTHING. Constant, they are even fighting right now. Short of having them go to their rooms all day (which isn't fair), I'm stuck with listening to the bickering and trying to give them things to do (unfortunately, housekeeping is not on the list of things they comprehend without me standing over them and then doing it myself). So yes, by the time my husband comes home, I'm wound up so tight I snap. But I hear you, my body is ready to give out on me. I am just not prepared for the emotional impact. I'm torn between wanting this to "be over with" and being terrified of what's to come. Sigh. I guess I should go put something together for dinner. Today has been a very tiring and overanxious day. I'm in the middle of a phone call with a lady from church, and the phone goes dead. My phone doesn't work. And I realize my internet is booted off too (my phone and internet are tied together in one of those packaged deals). This is the third time in 2 days!!! Then my kids come running in to tell me there is a little turtle in the front yard. a "Huge little turtle." I'm like, it can't be both, and figured it was just a box turtle. Uh, no! It is this enormous snapping turtle! I actually had to call animal control to remove it because it was too big for me to handle, and I did not have any tree branches nearby that would have been able to handle the weight or bite. Not that I would have known what to do with it. It crawled back up to my front porch from where we found it, and dug up under a bush (darn near uprooted the whole thing) to lay eggs, I suppose. That is where Animal Control found it, and the first guy retreated and went and got "back up." LMAO, I wasn't kidding when I said the thing was huge. The second guy came and booted it up out of the ground and grabbed it by the tail. Better him than me, that sucker had to be heavy. I think they took it to a nearby creek and released it. It must've traveled through all kinds of yards before it located mine, but there is tons of ornamental landscaping to play in, so I'm sure it was in heaven. Lucky me.

[alwaysAJ]

Here is a pic of that turtle (lol). He doesn't look so big in the picture, but let me tell you! It wasn't what I expected to find in the yard . That, and I was worried if I lost track of him, he might hide somewhere in the bushes (there must be a half acre of landscaped mulched ornamental plants between my front and back yards). I was afraid if my kids went running through it or one of the neighborhood kids, or the dog, they might find him and (geeze) get bit. At least my older 2 knew enough to stay away from him, but I wouldn't trust my youngest one (almost 2). She touches everything, and routinely gets into thorny situations (if you know what I mean). The previous owners put all this stuff in, I'm still trying to grasp why they put rose bushes (with the most thorns I've ever seen) right next to the back patio, where kids play.... It looks beautiful, but it is a pain to maintain. Funny, when we did finally mulch it (we just moved in about 3 months ago--it had been vacant for a year, and overgrown), we had people driving by from all over to look at it. I felt kind of silly and giddy, because it did look really nice. But yes, it is a bit excessive. I would never have done it if we hadn't bought it that way already.

[myboysmom]

LOL That is so funny!! Seriously, not a month ago we had a snapping turtle on our block, and we live in the middle of town. I hollered at the kids across the street to leave it alone, then called my uncle (my hero) to come get it. Well, by the time my boys and I went back outside to look for it and show it to my uncle, he was gone! I'm thinking, it's a turtle! How fast can it move?? But we never did see it again.
My boys are only 5 and 2.5, and they fight all the time too. I hate it! I tell them that Mommy doesn't like to be mad or yell, so let's just all get along and be nice, huh? That usually lasts all of 10 minutes. But, if we go to the swimming pool, they usually behave the whole time there, so I try really hard not to hold that over their heads as punishment, b/c it's the only relief I get! I have felt so stressed out lately, even crying when they push me over the edge. I know it's mostly me, and I hate that, and then feel guilty about it on top of that. But it feels like my 5 yo is regressing or something. That's probably not the accurate term. But it seems like he's acting up more, or doing things that aren't in his character. Like last night, I go in to tuck them in (Again) and find that he's been chewing/sucking on his stuffed dogs foot! WTH? I don't know what to do. I'm trying not to scream b/c it's stressing both of us out even more, but I'm lost. He's also all of a sudden this summer decided that everything is at his mercy. No toy is safe from being destroyed or at least defaced. I'm sure it's just him being a boy, and I don't think he's anxious about the new baby or anything, but I do worry about him. He's always been my sweetie. Well, I guess I've rambled enough! Good Luck with dinner, I haven't been in the mood to cook at all this last month!