This Saturday we will be 37 weeks pregnant, the magic mark in the pregnancy when we can say we’re full term! Of course, that doesn’t say when we’ll actually have the baby, as a full term baby can come anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks.

My doctor’s exam this week showed that the baby’s head was “very low” and indications were that I was presenting at around 38 weeks. This means that I will probably deliver at or before I am 40 weeks pregnant, but not after (as is statistically more common for a first pregnancy).

This is definitely exciting news! If anyone has seen me within the last week, you would hear me say, without doubt, “I’m done.” The pregnancy definitely hit a difficult place. Though I was able to breathe better when the baby dropped a couple of weeks ago, I have had a harder and harder time sleeping. Partly due to the “light sleeping” the pregnant women go through to “prepare for baby” (what a load of crap that is, don’t we go through enough??) but mostly due to discomfort. I have severe pain near my pelvis / hip joint, particularly on the left side (the side I have to sleep on) and, due to swelling and this side-sleeping, issues with my arm pain have resurfaced. In the morning, I have a fair amount of nerve pain in my hand which restricts me from even being able to make a fist.

Speaking of swelling, I’m really looking forward to dropping that! It hasn’t been “horrible”, in terms of aesthetics, but I do have lovely white splotches all over my legs and now on my arms and hands too from this excess water. The bonus will come when my weight drops quickly from all this water dissipating after the baby is born! And, of course, I’m looking forward to wearing shoes other than my Birkenstocks (the only shoes that have fit for months).

So, I’m definitely ready for baby to come! That said, there are things I know I’ll soon miss. Despite how ‘aggressive’ the baby has been with his kicking and squirming, I know I’ll miss this special time with him. It’s a very amazing process and connection to be a part of. Yes, pregnancy is difficult. But it’s also absolutely amazing. To feel him kick and move his little bum around, to see him respond when Ianiv talks to him or to feel all his little bouts of hiccups… just so cute.

Here’s a question I get asked a lot… Do I have cravings? Well, not for anything “weird.” Early in the pregnancy, and still a bit now, I’ve enjoyed lemons and limes (and lemonade) more than usual. For me, it helped with nausea (though I only had very mild first trimester issues). Now, I’d say that things I really enjoy are simply “enhanced” and the need for them becomes more urgent. More often than not I’ll crave french fries or ice cream or a muffin. However, I’m easily swayed by something I see on tv or hear about. If someone mentions Thai food I can crave it to the point of distraction, for example. That said, Ianiv has been a lucky husband – he’s rarely had to go out for any special “craving” trips. ;)

We’re now 34 weeks and a handful of days into the pregnancy. On Friday, we had another ultrasound. Early in the pregnancy, it was determined that I had about a 30% chance of being placenta previa, so this ultrasound was to check on the position of the placenta. We’re happy to report everything is now as it should be, with the placenta on the anterior (front).

At the same time, we also checked the position of the baby. About two weeks prior to the ultrasound, baby boy had turned breech (bum down). He’s an active baby, even now, but at the time was making turns at least once a day (once I realized that’s what he was doing). As he grew bigger, it was a lot more uncomfortable for me when he’d decide to switch positions. Thankfully, perhaps by his own choice or some exercises I’d been doing, the baby turned back from the breech position and has remained head-down since late last week.

At 34 weeks, the baby has also started to “drop” slightly, making it a little easier on me for breathing, though increasing my low back pain and the intensity of my Braxton Hicks contractions. We still have 3 weeks until baby is considered “full term” (which he is considered from 37 to 42 weeks), though the doctor says that if labor starts now, it won’t be stopped. So he could really come any time! The ultrasound very rough estimate has baby at near to 6lbs already.

The pregnancy has progressed to the “very uncomfortable” stage. My pelvis and lower back are both pretty sore and loose, in preparation for the birth, and I have discomfort from the contractions and just the weight of the baby. I’m sure his kicks don’t help either ;) I also have a fair amount of water retention in my legs and feet, making them a bit sore.

We have completed 2 out of the 6 prenatal classes. Let’s hope we can finish the full 6 before baby is born!