35 weeks

I had written earlier this week that I was feeling the pull to abandon the to-do list and just maintain things from here on out. But now that I look to link the post, it is gone–I’m not sure what happened there. So I will say it again: the nesting urges diminished considerably this week, and I have just been trying to keep the house reasonably clean while being present with the children as much as possible. I have also been trying to take more pictures.

I did make two more freezer meals this week. And I recovered my boppy pillow. Other than that, there’s been a lot of just existing.

The Discomforts

hip pain

The aforementioned epsom salt baths continue to help with the pain in my right hip. Though the pain never does go away, I haven’t really had an episode where I couldn’t put weight on it since I started taking the baths. Sometimes I have to take a painkiller to be able to sleep, though. And sitting is a trial. So is standing, walking, and lying down as well. Really, at this point things just hurt, and I think that’s part of the plan, because it makes the idea of labor much more tolerable. Ha!

Irritable uterus

When I was pregnant with Anselm, I went to L&D at around 37 weeks with what I thought were contractions. I was told instead that I was experiencing irritable uterus, which I will describe briefly as a contraction that just never really goes away. I’ve had it every with every pregnancy since then–some worse, some easier to ignore–and even now, when I stand up to walk I feel it kick in immediately. It goes away when I lie down (not always when I sit.) Even though I’m aware of it, I don’t think it’s bothering me too badly this time around. I judge this by the fact that I’m not thinking about it constantly, as I have in some past pregnancies.

35 week appointment

stretchy-legs flannery

Once again, at our weekly ultrasound, Flannery had her legs stretched out with her feet in her face. She is essentially in a frank breech position, just upside down. I am so curious about this habit. How many of the other kids did this, and I just didn’t know it? Does she do it because it’s more comfortable? Is it because when she does pull her legs up, she stretches out sideways and I’m always pushing her little feet back in because it really hurts when she does that?

Her ultrasound also showed that she has lots of hair. So far everyone but Elvie has been born with a full head of hair. But Eldore certainly won the prize for the most hair ever on a newborn Kransling. His hair was wild! We’ll see if she gives him a run for his money or not.

I always have great ultrasound techs, but the one I’ve seen for the past two weeks has tried extra hard to get me a picture of her face. Her little squished up nose reminds me of Eldore and Elvie. I’m always eager to see who the new baby will look the most like, and the children have already begun a steady debate around the dinner table concerning what color her eyes will be. Whatever her looks, she will be perfectly herself. It’s that mystery that I find utterly fascinating. That and how they look so familiar even though you’ve never really seen them before.

progress already

At this week’s visit I was 2 cm dilated and 75% effaced; Flannery was at a -1 station. This means she’s about a centimeter from being engaged in the pelvis. I could tell at the beginning of this week that she had gotten very low, so that information wasn’t too surprising. I dilate early every time, so it seems like we are right on schedule. My doctor said he’d “see me in a week, if not before”, which is what I have always been told by every doctor once it’s known I’m already dilating. However, 38 weeks is just when things seem to actually happen.

An exception to this, though, was Beatrice. With her I was 4 cm dilated and she was a +1 at 35 weeks. After that bit of news I put myself on bedrest and basically only got up to use the bathroom and go to my doctor appointments. It was a long couple of weeks! I had her the day after I took myself off bedrest at 38 w 1 d. I am not sure what would have happened if I hadn’t done that–if she would have come earlier or not.

Cravings

Really, that should be singular: craving. And really, also, craving is kind of the wrong word, because I’m not craving it, but it’s often the only thing that sounds good to eat. And it’s macaroni. I’ve made an obscene amount of macaroni over the past couple of weeks.

I’m also eating ice and hating that I’m eating ice. Every time!

Preparations

The last two things that need to be done are to wash the carseat covers (I keep forgetting about that!) and to recover the pad for the extra moses basket.