The very last days of a pregnancy

by Linda Lee (Subscribe to Linda Lee's posts) Jan 30th 2008 4:00PM

Categories: Just For Moms, Pregnancy & Birth

I keep thinking how UNBELIEVABLY pregnant I am, and as each day goes by I keep getting, you know, more pregnant. I'm 38 weeks this week, which isn't even as pregnant as a person can possibly be, and yet I can't possibly imagine being even one more minute pregnant because holy crap, can a human body seriously take this sort of EXPANSION? And the answer, of course, is "Yes, but not without consequences!"

I have new annoying symptoms, the worst being a sort of buzzing nerve pain shooting down the inside of my right thigh whenever the baby gets into a certain position. I don't know what in the heck he's pushing against, but it suuuuuucks. My pelvis feels like it's about to crack in two, and I've officially begun to waddle. I try and keep decent posture so my back doesn't get bent out of shape, but it's nearly impossible: I look like a giant letter C when I lumber around the house.

The grossest side effect of all? When I'm lying down, if the baby rolls against my stomach in a particular way, it's like the acidic contents of my belly just get pushed up the back of my throat like a squeezed tube of toothpaste. Thank god for tropical-flavored Tums, which I've eaten my own weight in over the last several weeks.

I'm complaining, but oh, not really. I'm so glad I've made it this far, and that my baby has been healthy and active the whole time. The whole crazy, astounding process is worth every battery-acid-burp and sciatic twinge, because the result is so damn wonderful.

Just a few more days, friends. Riley's baby brother will be here on Monday.

Comments (17)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

honeybecke 1-30-2008 @ 4:18PM

monday! monday! monday!
wow :)

Shannon 1-30-2008 @ 4:39PM

My kids were both delivered by c-section at 38 weeks and I remember thinking it was absolutely unthinkable that some women go as much as four weeks longer than I did! A whole month! There should be a law forbidding such barbarity. Way to go for making it this far. Enjoy your last few days. I can't wait to read your posts about being a new parent again.

biscuit 1-30-2008 @ 4:44PM

I had a non-stress test this morning + I am scheduled to be induced this weekend! OHHH THANK HEAVENS! Today I am 41 weeks 1 day pregnant; it's scary just how pregnant I can be. I believe if Baby had her way then she wouldn't come out period.

I too have been hittin' the Tums all too often. I like the Smoothies kind, so much easier to swallow.

Here's to our bundles of joy! YAH!

toni 1-30-2008 @ 5:21PM

biscuit....drink Castor Oil and have sex! seriously! i know they're "old wives tales" but it worked w/ my 11 year old. they were going to induce me on Monday so on Friday I drank Castor Oil, walked around the block a few times and had sex w/ my exhubby. My water broke 3 hours later!
Induction is necessary sometimes, this I understand, but if you can get around it.....I recommend it!

claire 1-30-2008 @ 6:15PM

Biscuit, I went into labor at 41 weeks, one day. I feel your pain. I didn't have him for over 20 hours, so . . .
The castor oil and sex and MANY OTHER THINGS didn't work for me. But apparently scheduling the induction did, because 8 hours before I was due in the hospital, I started labor naturally, so here's my fingers crossed for you to go into natural labor before your induction appointment!
Linda--I too had to eat my weight in Tums and Rolaids over the last two months of my pregnancy. I would eat any kind as long as they helped with the heartburn and the bloating. Good god.
Also, the last six weeks or so I was pregnant, my left hand tingled like it was asleep, CONSTANTLY. I begged my doctor to make it stop and he just said "sorry, I can't. Just something going on with your nerves. Only delivery will make it stop." I might have hurt him had he been wrong, but the great thing about delivery is that all those little, but quite aggravating, annoyances go away immediately and you have a precious, squirmy little newborn. Monday, gosh.

Melissa 1-30-2008 @ 7:08PM

Biscuit -

I think the trick to going into labor is plan something really big, like reservations at your town's most exclusive restaurant. Babies like to interrupt things - on their way out and ever after!

Seriously, I've had three friends I've suggested this to try it, and it worked for every one.

toni 1-30-2008 @ 5:21PM

oh....and Linda....I'm 27 weeks and already right there with you on the Tums. Maybe we should buy stock! LOL

ame s 1-30-2008 @ 6:27PM

You could try not shaving your legs for several days, I'm convinced that's what finally put me in labor with both my girls after 41 weeks. :)
I have a couple of great suggestions for trying to conceive, also. With DD10, we mixed it up every day for a year. I went to the ob/gyn, got a prescription for some high dollar fertility drugs our insurance didn't cover, filled the prescription, and waited for my next period so I could take them. Surprise! I was already pregnant. DD8 was much less expensive; I went off the pill for a month, bought a huge industrial sized package of tampons and sanitary napkins. I started using them 18 months later.

Melissa 1-30-2008 @ 7:10PM

Monday! Goodness, Linda! You're so CALM. If I'd had any idea when my kids were coming, I'd have been a nervous wreck!

Good luck! I can't wait to hear all about baby #2. Don't forget to take some high-fiber cereal to munch as a snack. It makes that first poop SO much easier.

Sara 1-30-2008 @ 7:17PM

I'm 28 weeks with my third and i know how horrible the last couple of weeks can be. with my daughter, i was crying because i was still pregnant. my pubic bone was about to snap and my hips would go numb if a laid on them too long so i woke up every 45min to have my husband help me roll over. YUK!!!! but i do recommend trying baking soda for heart burn instead of tums. the directions are on the box and too many tums can cause calcium deposits on your placenta. plus the bakings soda gives unparalleled relief!

Samantha Jo Campen 1-30-2008 @ 7:31PM

Um, I don't know if *I'm* ready for you to have him on Monday. Just yesterday you were announcing you're pregnant!

But I do look forward to hearing all about it, since I'm 8 weeks behind you. I'll be taking notes, just you know. No pressure.

kim 1-30-2008 @ 8:11PM

I am thrilled for you and your pending arrival. I am visualizing a fast recovery, a miraculous stroke of luck that your hospital suddenly gets a gourmet chef, and that little Riley is instantly in love with his little brother and will give him sweet baby kisses with a thin coat of drool to really break him in properly.
I also look forward to living vicariously through your experiences with a newborn and a toddler as I will be in the same boat in 18 weeks. Forge those trails for me, and don't leave out a THING.

Shannon 1-30-2008 @ 10:21PM

I am SO excited for you! You will have this awesome baby to love soon! It is one of the best things in the world to breathe in that new baby smell! Good luck on Monday! You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Kathy 1-31-2008 @ 10:02PM

Oh...I wish you the best of luck! I was lucky in that I never had discomfort while pregnant, and I was huge both times. The problem with your thigh is that the baby is lying against or on a sciatic nerve which in your case, probably could be in your lower spine or pelvic area. It's strange, but those nerves run all over your body, and sometimes you can have thigh pain, but when you massage your shoulder, the pain will cease...therefore that's where it initially came from.
About taking antacids...this is the first time that I've ever heard of taking them while pregnant. I had my kids 34 and 29 years ago, and back then the doctors never stated that we couldn't have certain over the counter "drugs" or certain foods or caffeine. I had a very bad headache one day, and wouldn't take an aspirin while pregnant (1973)! My daughter does everything the natural way, and would probably recommend a more holistic method of easing the indigestion. Oh yes...as I recall, decaf. peppermint tea works, or anything peppermint.
I wish you an easy labor and a beautiful, healthy baby.

Kaitlyn 2-01-2008 @ 7:16AM

I went to 42 weeks pregnant. Sigh. Longest. Month. Ever!!! It was actually, quite miserable. But anyhoo!! I was actually writing to say it's so neat that you actually know what day you're baby is arriving. If it weren't for the, you know, major abdonimal surgery, I think it would definately be the way to go for everybody.

nancy 1-31-2008 @ 8:24AM

please be careful about the tums. i had the same situation with my second daughter 9 years ago, and i took a lot of them. she was born with hypocalcemia, and had to be hospitalized for seizures for over a month, she couldnt maintain normal calcium serum levels. finally, after a transfer to ucsf, an endocrenologist was able to control it. she is normal now, but boy it was scary, and the only explaination that dozens of specialists could come up with was my huge consumption of tums, which have calciim....

Ginitag 1-31-2008 @ 11:20AM

LOL - My second was also born on a Monday (scheduled C) and I think that that was the only time in my life that I have so looked forward to Monday.
YAY for Mondays!
You're almost there Linda!

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