I think I'll follow this up with my birth story... (note to self!), but for now, let's recap the final 20 weeks of my pregnancy, shall we? I got huge. Like seriously huge. I was doing great on my weight gain until the last 2 months when I started retaining water; my fluid levels were quite impressive. My ankles and feet blew up like balloons and my coworkers started taking bets on when I'd go into labor. I was unable to do the stairs at work any longer and had to use the freight elevator (I had myself a little giggle each day as I read the sign "Frieght Only"... I totally qualified). Dr. Ruddy Cheeks took me out of work at 37 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. High blood pressure, swelling & spilling proteins into my wee... yup, good times. Oh my, it was nice. SOoooo nice to be out of work; getting around was ridiculous... I didn't just waddle, I teetered and huffed & puffed; quite comical, really. My shoes ceased to fit months before and even my biggest 'big girl' maternity shirts barely covered my belly. I avoided most of the stretch marks until the last 2 months, then they came out meaning business. Here's me at 36 weeks pregnant:
So many things about your body change during pregnancy, it's just wonky. I got freckles like everywhere, my face, arms & shoulders mostly - plus a few new birth marks. My hip was freezing up more and more often and causing me no little amount of pain (I really don't blame it, I was a house). I felt like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka ("... Violet, you're turning into a BLUEBERRY!") and that I deserved a round of applause for getting up off the couch (I wasn't able to sleep in my bed since about 6 months along).
I was so full of excitement though... I really only felt like I was ready to be 'done' with this whole pregnancy thing in the last few weeks (I did end up going right to 40!). I loved feeling him roll and turn, I could feel his little body often pressed against my hand from shoulders to knees... he felt SO long. Doctors were predicting I'd have a very large baby based on how I continually measured 4-5 weeks ahead, but that turned out to be mostly fluid. He got the hiccups quite often and in those last few weeks, I would just sit and talk to him, enjoying having him be just *mine* for a little while more. He seemed to like me to sing to him and enjoyed when I would lay out in a warm bath and 'pat' him through my belly. He still enjoys the baths and singing! I would really love to be pregnant again... it was such a wonderful feeling that I wasn't sure I'd ever get to experience - a total blessing and I can't wait to do it again!
Through all of this, I had the love and support of my husband - he was amazing. He not only thought I was beautiful while huge & pregnant, he went out of his way all the time to make things easier for me. Whether it was helping me off the couch or picking up (yet another) gallon of milk, he was my total hero. He's half the reason I want to do it again :) Okay, maybe only 25%, but that's significant, no? :)
