Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Pregnancy - Final Trimester!

This is a very exciting time! You should be feeling pretty good early on in this trimester. Your energy might be a little lower or it might not. But you are probably starting to feel fatigued. REST, REST, REST. Sleep in whenever you can. People often say to sleep a lot now since you won't be once baby comes - and you need to bank that sleep. I want you to sleep now just because you never will AGAIN!

At about 33 weeks, I started having these strong pains in my groin, pelvis and upper thighs. I was so worried about it because initially, it was so bad I couldn't stand up straight or walk very well. It turns out that this was normal. Once baby gets into position or "drop," there can be a lot of pressure down there! Just rest as much as you can to relieve the pain.  (And sometimes baby never drops or waits until labor actually begins.)

I also had a lot of contractions. They are uncomfortable like moderate menstrual cramps. They feel like your belly is churning. But they never progress to major pain. And they never get closer together. When those two things happen, you are in labor!

Another pain that surprised me was the one during the internal exam. Most doctors will start to do a pelvic exam around 34 weeks (sometimes later.) It is like getting a pap smear. She checks to see if you are dilated and effaced. Well, it HURTS!!!!!! And, for me, it gave me regular contractions for almost 24 hours afterwards. My doctor assured me that it would not initiate labor unless I was already ready to go into labor. BUT, I did go into labor the morning after one of these exams.

Be prepared to have a c-section. You never know. But if you have to have one, you'll need someone at your house 24/7 for about a week. So, if your husband can't take off, get a family member. You shouldn't get up more than you have to and you certainly can't empty a dishwasher. And you are not allowed to carry baby up the stairs. So, you'll want to set up a pack-n-play in the family room. Or camp out upstairs.

And if you do have a c-section, buy some really big underwear that come up high like at your belly button. You don't want bikini cut because the waistband will hit right on your scar. And you want them to be bigger than usual because your belly is numb, but yet very sensitive.

Whatever happens leading up to the miracle of child birth, just remember your overall goal.  You want a healthy baby!  Trust your doctor, trust your instincts and keep your eye on the prize.

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