I was procrastinating this week’s post because I thought there might be a slight chance I wouldn’t have to write it! But lo and behold, here we are just 1.5 days shy of 40 weeks. Baby girl is quite cozy in my belly, it seems! I guess it’s pretty common for first timers to think they are going to go early. The joke will be on me if I’m induced on Sept 30th or Oct 1st!
I totally get why pregnant mamas start feeling anxious to go into labour by this stage in the game. I’ve noticed so many more aches/pains, tiredness, bloating, nausea, and other symptoms this week. It’s like all of the pregnancy symptoms and emotions resurface simultaneously during the last week or two.
My energy levels have been so up and down this week. I alternate between feeling full of adrenaline and nesting urges (I scrubbed all the floors on my hands and knees this week, which was quite comical) and then some days I literally have to force myself to do the smallest of tasks because I feel so drained. Sleep has been a joke. I’m averaging 3-4 bathroom breaks a night which really isn’t so bad, but then I can’t fall back to sleep. I’m also waking up super early in the morning for no good reason. Hopefully I’ll be used to the odd waking hours and it won’t be such a shock to my system. The natural solution would be to nap during the day, but I’ve never been able to nap. My mom tells me I completely quit naps when I was only 14 months old (my poor mama, hah). I’ve napped once this entire pregnancy (when I had the flu). Eric can nap anytime, any place, and is fast asleep within minutes. So jealous! It’ll be interesting to see if I can learn to nap when baby is here. Maybe I can try out these tips?
This week’s appointment: My OB confirmed what I already suspected – baby dropped even more this week. I can definitely see the difference in the mirror now….my belly is so low and my pants are constantly sliding down. I am 1cm dilated and my cervix is starting to shift forward. As my OB says, the cervical checks don’t tell us anything about when labour will begin so I really don’t put much emphasis on the numbers. It’s just interesting, if anything else. I’ve had a lot of menstrual-like pains this week on and off which is how I hear labour starts for a lot of women (and is how it started for my mom’s first labour too). We shall see! So much excitement.
Food: As I mentioned, I’ve had some nausea return on and off this week. It’s not horrible or anything, but just annoying when you love to eat as much as I do. Sometimes it’s hard to think of anything appealing to eat. Other times, I’m totally fine. I still can’t get enough of fresh fruit – raspberries, pineapple, Honeycrisp apples are all in heavy rotation!
In reno news, we are officially moved back into the kitchen. I’m spending so much time in there cooking (when I have the energy). We’re still waiting on a lot of smaller details to be finished and we need to order a fridge, but at least it’s functional and starting to come together.
Eric and I watched a couple baby videos this week – Laugh and Learn about Childbirth and Laugh and Learn about Childcare (it was his first time watching them but I joined along for a refresher). Eric told me the next morning he had nightmares all night long, hah. Oddly enough, the one who has to push out a watermelon hasn’t had any nightmares to speak of!
I’ll try my best to update when I go into labour, but that’ll depend on how it progresses. You can check back here or on my personal Instagram account – @theglowspot for updates!
[I realize I’m writing this post as if I won’t have a week 40 update, but I guess that is totally, totally possible. Time will tell.]
xoxo
Hi Ange — I wish you a short and, relatively :), pain-free labor and delivery! The one, and only consistent piece of advice, I hear from parents is to enjoy it, because the time goes so fast. It’s so true. I cannot believe my little munchkin is 2.5 already! :) I’m thinking and praying for you!
September babies rock (and I’m not just saying that because I am one!)
Totally relate to your experience of discomfort at this stage of pregnancy. And then strangely, and suddenly, when the little one appears, most of those symptoms are gone (except, obviously, the sleep disruption).
You don’t know me from a bar of soap but, for what it’s worth, this is the best advice I heard about having a new baby:
Don’t stand up when you could be sitting down.
Don’t sit when you could be lying down.
Don’t lie awake when you could be sleeping.
I tried to follow this and was successful some of the time. To enable it to work, it also helps to place your vacuum cleaner and a full basket of clean unfolded laundry by the front door – so hopefully your visitors will perform a chore for you when they arrive! If they get the (rather unsubtle) hint.
All the best for the days and weeks ahead. It’s such an exciting time.
Nicola
Hi Angela
I followed your blog for a long time a while back, until it got too complicated looking at your yummy recipes and trying to find the ingredients in France. I must admit to checking back every now and again to see if you were having a baby. I got such a surprise when I checked in a few weeks ago! Congrats and I hope it all goes well! I had baby number two in January and I still haven’t learned the art of napping. I guess that’s just the way I am. I heard that eating pineapple was a good way of getting labour started, and I was happily chopping away on some when I realised I had been having contractions sporadically all that day. Baby girl arrived the next morning… So maybe it’s more of a good early labour food to move things along quickly (very quickly in my case ;-))
All the best for a beautiful birth and safe arrival of your little girl. I look forward to reading your birth story.
Tasha xo
you look utterly fabulous!
So excited for you! All the best!
You look so lovely! :)
You are such a beautiful pregnant lady Angela! I’ve been following your pregnancy updates and I gotta say it’s giving me major baby fever! Haha!
I also wanted to say that I bought your cookbook recently and I LOVE it! I’ve already made more than half a dozen recipes out of it (I’ve had it for about a week and a half; and I’m only cooking for my boyfriend and I!) and I have absolutely loved each and every one of them!! Best of all, it’s gotten me excited about cooking again! So thank you!! Best of luck with the end of your pregnancy and I hope you have a smooth delivery :)
Best of luck! All of our thoughts are with you. Labor is tough but you can do it!
Do your sleep a favor and check out The Happiest Baby on the Block video. It is truly life changing.
You look amazing as always Angela (I love that dress!!). Excited to hear the upcoming news about your little one :) You’re in my thoughts!
You look great. Things can be spotty with energy toward the end of the pregnancy. Baby #1 came 2 days later, and baby #2 2 days early. Try not to kill yourself as you approach your due date with cleaning, etc. I worked 9-10 hour days before I went into labor with both kiddos, and also cooked dinner, cleaned, etc. As labor started with baby #2, I recall commenting to my husband that I really wished I could have gotten some rest before labor. Labor is called labor for a reason – it’s very tiring! I also never napped, but I did learn that you can take a 15-20 minute quite moment to rest. I really hope I slow down this time with baby #3!!!
Can’t wait to read her entrance blog…I check daily…you are truly beautiful! Thanks for all the updates…from a grandma.
Blessings to you and Eric during this exciting time. I don’t know the author of this little verse but I have thought of it often over the years. My daughters are 33 and 31!
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait ’til tomorrow.
For babies grow up, I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
Also, thanks for the fabulous cookbook. I’m loving it!
You look absolutely beautiful! I LOVE the belly! I have a 2.5 yr old and a 6 month old and seeing these pictures makes me want to be pregnant again :) enjoy these last few days!
Adriana is beautiful…a name I love and would give my daughter if I was still child bearing years. You look stunning too…that glow! May all the days you both have with Adrianna be blessed. Thank you for allowing us to follow your journey of your pregnancy. Isn’t it wonderful to give birth? Thanks again for all your delicious recipes.
YAY! At the time I was reading this update she was had already made her entrance into the world. Congrats!!! :D
Angela you really are a poster pregnant lady! You look fabulous!
Good luck! Wish you all the best with the delivery!
Congrats!
Aaand I just saw on the Instagram that you delivered :))) Yeeeey Congrats!!! She is adorable!!! Love the name! Enjoy :)
I just saw your post on on Instagram (I don’t have one myself, but I still stalk everyone I love :P), and I squealed. Congratulations! She is so precious! Mama and baby both look wonderful. (:
Congratulations on your bundle of joy she is so cute