Pregnancy Update - Week 36

I'M HUMONGOUS.  Or at least that is how I feel right now, so that's obviously the best way to start this post. :)

   I had my week 36 appointment yesterday and everything is pretty on track - my belly measured 35 cm (or approximately 35 weeks), Dr. H said James felt on track as far as size, and Dr. H also said that I'm dilated 0.5 cm and slightly effaced.  Translation?  James is starting to think about his debut but is likely to stay put for a few more weeks.  Patric seems to think James will follow the Leuschke side of the family, and grace us with with presence a punctual 5 minutes before his scheduled due date of July 21.  In fact, Patric has even planned his schedule this way, to be off starting July 21.  However, if the Pipkin side of the family has anything to say about timing, we may not see him until August :).  Dr. H and I did discuss induction the weekend of July 23 if he hasn't arrived yet, so that is a possibility.

   This past week was also really exciting for us because Patric and I visited a friend who just gave birth to their second little girl.  Holding her really got us excited to meet our little guy.  Super congrats to L and K on the new addition to their family!

36w1d

Pregnancy Update - Week 34

   Well, the last 2 weeks have been eventful, to say the least.  A pleasant Saturday afternoon of dog walking over Memorial Day weekend resulted in an overnight visit to Regions Hospital and what Patric and I are now calling our "dry run" of the labor and delivery process.  The short story is that Patric and I were walking Jackson and Sam back from lake/park by our house and another dog came running at us from a house across the street.  Apparently pregnancy brain caused me to forget that I was pregnant and lacking any sense of balance whatsoever, because I bent down to grab the leash on the random dog to keep him away from Jackson and Sam and tumbled to the ground.  We called HealthPartners' Baby Line and as a precautionary measure, they sent us to Regions for a 4-hour observation.  During those 4 hours, I started having contractions every three minutes (which I had no idea I was having!), so I got to stay another 20 hours until Sunday afternoon.  Luckily, all the blood tests and next 20 hours of observation passed without incident and both James and I are just fine.  Now Patric and I know EXACTLY what the room and monitoring process is like, and what to bring with us on our next official labor and delivery visit!

  Otherwise, I must comment on how James and my Dr. are not communicating clearly.  At my last appointment, Dr. H mentioned that while James should still continue to be active, his movements should be smaller and less jab-like due to the lack of space in his little home.  I don't think he got the memo.  He seems to think that while it appears there is less space in there, if he kicks or punches harder, he can create the space he needs.   Good for him, not so great for me, but if the kicks and punches means he stays in there for another 4-6 weeks, I can manage.  Below is my 34 week pic!

34w1d