38 Weeks

How Far Along: 38 Weeks (According to my calculations) 39 weeks according to Due Date of April 5^th.

Size of baby: Mason weighs about 6.8 pounds. He's about 19 ½ inches long from head to heel!

Weight Gain/Loss: 20 pounds, I was down to 145 when I weighed myself at work this morning (Monday 3/28/2011). Last week at my Doctor’s appointment I was 147. We’ll see what the Doctor’s scale says on Wednesday.

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes now.

Gender: It's a BOY!! Mason Carter Mitchell

Movement: Mason has been moving less during the day and more in the evenings. When he moves you can see it from across the room! He has even figured out how to kick me in the ribs. It make me jump/flinch each time!

Food Cravings: Not quite as crazy about french fries, but I think I could eat spaghetti almost every day.

What I miss: Sleeping on my back or just being able to sleep comfortably for more than an hour or 2. I also miss being fully content just being pregnant. I’m getting so close to my due date, plus Dr. Lamar acts so surprised that Mason isn’t here already. This puts me in serious limbo feeling. I’m growing more impatient about waiting on him to arrive when he’s ready.

Sleep: Still uncomfortable and interrupted too much by trips to the bathroom, position changes, and acid reflux.

Symptoms: A few Braxton Hicks contractions, acid reflux/heartburn, and muscle soreness in my upper abdomen. I’ve started to feel soreness and pressure in between my legs.

Best Moment this week: Well, I’m ahead of the game and getting this done on Monday, so nothing special has happened yet. Maybe I’ll go back and add the details of my Doctor’s appointment on Wednesday.

What I am looking forward to: I’m looking forward to Mason being here, and for this waiting game to be over with. I’m also really looking forward to some time off work to just enjoy Mason in his newborn sweetness. 

37 weeks

How Far Along: 37 Weeks (According to my calculations) However, according to Dr. Lamar and my Due Date I’m 38 weeks. I’ve always gone with my calculations, but now that we’re closer to the due date the difference in time is coming more evident. At this point I like Dr. Lamar’s calculations better than mine.

Size of baby: Mason weighs about 6 1/3 pounds. He's about 19 inches long from head to heel! Dr. Lamar said today that he expected him to be 7 – 8 pounds when he’s born, although he didn’t specify when he thought he’d be born. He was actually surprised that I made it to the appointment today; he was thinking that I would have already had him.

Weight Gain/Loss: 22 pounds

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes now.

Gender: It's a BOY!! Mason Carter Mitchell

Movement: Mason’s movements have slowed down just a little, and it’s just small movements most of the time. I think he’s simply just running out of room to move around in there.

Food Cravings: Still loving french fries, spaghetti, and Dr. Pepper (compromise of Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper).

What I miss: Sleeping on my back and the days when I had plenty of energy.

Sleep: Still uncomfortable and interrupted too much by trips to the bathroom, position changes, and acid reflux.

Symptoms: A few Braxton Hicks contractions, acid reflux/heartburn, and muscle soreness in my upper abdomen. I’ve started to feel soreness and pressure in between my legs.

Best Moment this week: Once again, my favorite moment this week was my doctor’s appointment…exciting life I lead, huh? The report this week is that I’m now 3.5 cm dilated (.5 more than I’ve been the last 2 weeks), still 90% effaced and he’s still in the +1 station. Dr. Lamar talked to me more about being induced. I told him as of now I don’t want to be induced next week (29 – 30^th), but I’d be thinking about what point in April that I might consider induction. I’d rather let nature take its course and let him come when he’s ready. God knows when he’ll be here and his plan is perfect. Now, I just need to be patient and wait… easier said than done!

What I am looking forward to: I’m looking forward to Mason being here, and for this waiting game to be over with. Oh, and for some time off work! That is high up on the list for things to look forward to.

36 Weeks

How Far Along: 36 Weeks

Size of baby: Mason weighs almost 6 pounds. He's over 18 ½ inches long from head to heel!

Weight Gain/Loss: 21 pounds

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes now.

Gender: It's a BOY!! Mason Carter Mitchell

Movement: Mason’s movements have slowed down just a little, and it’s just small movements most of the time. I think he’s simply just running out of room to move around in there.

Food Cravings: Still loving french fries, spaghetti, and Dr. Pepper (compromise of Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper).

What I miss: Sleeping on my back and the days when I had plenty of energy.

Sleep: Still uncomfortable and interrupted too much by trips to the bathroom, position changes, and acid reflux.

Symptoms: A few Braxton Hicks contractions, acid reflux/heartburn, and muscle soreness in my upper abdomen. I’ve started to feel soreness and pressure in between my legs.

Best Moment this week: I’m sure this is beginning to sound like a broken record, but I’d have to say the best moment was my doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, 3/16. Everything is looking great at this point. My blood pressure was 100 over 60, which they say is great. I gain 2 pounds since last week, and Mason’s heart beat was loud and clear. The most exciting info was that I’m still dilated 3 cm, I am now 90% effaced and Mason is in the +1 station. The +1 station means that his head has now dropped into my pelvis. Station is measured on a scale or -3 to +3. If you get past +3 I’m thinking the head is probably showing. Dr. Lamar continues to think this progress is awesome. He acted like I could have him anytime or could also stay like this for 2 weeks or so. We shall see, it’s a waiting game now.

What I am looking forward to: I’m looking forward to Mason being here. I also have a hair appointment this Thursday, 3/17. It always so nice to have a fresh hair cut!

35 Weeks

How Far Along: 35 Weeks

Size of baby: Mason weighs around 5 ¼ pounds. He's over 18 inches long from head to heel!

Weight Gain/Loss: 19 pounds

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes now.

Gender: It's a BOY!! Mason Carter Mitchell

Movement: Mason’s movements have slowed down just a little, and it’s just small movements most of the time. I think he’s simply just running out of room to move around in there.

Food Cravings: Still loving french fries and spaghetti. I’ve also started to crave Dr. Pepper. I cut out Dr. Pepper a few months before I got pregnant and did really good about not having any, but here lately I’ve not been as good. So, I bought some Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper. It’s nowhere close to being as good as the real thing, but it’s a good compromise.

What I miss: The only thing I can think that I miss right now is sleeping on my back.

Sleep: Still uncomfortable and interrupted too much by trips to the bathroom, position changes, and acid reflux.

Symptoms: A few Braxton Hicks contractions, acid reflux/heartburn, and muscle soreness in my upper abdomen.

Best Moment this week: I got to have a sonogram this week! Mom went with me this time because they were shorthanded at Scotty’s work so he wasn’t able to get away. At my appointment on Wednesday, 3/9/11, I found out that I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced already. I was TOTALLY surprised! Dr. Lamar said it was great that I was already progressing this much. I was worried that it was too early, but he assured me that it was fine. He said that I’m far enough along that Mason would be just fine if he were to be born now. That night I had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. At some points they were coming every 7 minutes apart. They weren’t really painful, but sure did have me wondering if I should call the doctor. However, after soaking in a warm bath and then laying down in bed they stopped. I was very thankful!   

What I am looking forward to: I’m looking forward to Mason being here. The thought of him coming early was very unsettling to me at first. I simply wasn’t ready emotionally; I had it in my mind that he wasn’t coming for another 4 weeks or so. But, now I’ve adjusted to the idea that he could come anytime now and I’m ready when he is. However, I would like for him to stay in another 2 weeks, he’s still got some growing to do!    

34 weeks

How Far Along: 34 Weeks

Size of baby: Mason weighs around 4 ¾ pounds. He's almost 18 inches long from head to heel!

Weight Gain/Loss: 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes now.

Gender: It's a BOY!! Mason Carter Mitchell

Movement: Mason is moving so much these days. I bet he spends about ½ the day moving around. Most of his movements are a smooth rolling sensation. However, every once in a while he gives me a good kick and it can be a little painful!

Food Cravings: Still loving french fries and spaghetti, nothing new.

What I miss: The only thing I can think that I miss right now is sleeping on my back.

Sleep: My hips become very sore after a few hours of sleep. I have to switch the side I’m laying on about once an hour. I’ve also started having bad acid reflux/heartburn at night. My nighttime bathroom trips have returned. Every night this week I’ve gotten up about 1:00 am and sometimes I’ve been getting up again around 5:00 am. Sometimes I have a hard time going back to sleep after my bathroom trips and that is frustrating to me. However, it’s good preparation for being up at night with Mason. Thankfully, I still manage to function the next day.

Symptoms: A few Braxton Hicks contractions, acid reflux/heartburn, and muscle soreness in my upper abdomen.

Best Moment this week: My doctor’s appointment. Everything looked really good, and Mason’s heartbeat was loud and clear. It was pretty funny because it sounded like he kicked the Doppler thing they put on my belly. He was very active in there. I will now have a doctor’s appointment every week, and next week they’ll do a pelvic exam for the first time. I’m a little nervous about how bad it might hurt. It’s also surreal to me that we are that far along in the pregnancy already!   

What I am looking forward to: I’m looking forward to my Breastfeeding class at the hospital next Tuesday night. I want so badly to be able to breastfeed Mason. I’m keeping a positive outlook about it!