Pregnancy Diary 38 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 38 Weeks – I’m officially on Maternity Leave. Woo hoo! I really didn’t think I would be writing an entry for this week. I thought I’d have my baby in my arms by now.

Braxton Hicks

I hadn’t really or at all experienced these previously, but this time round they’re coming thick and fast. It makes it quite confusing to know if I’m actually in labour or not. I know you’re probably wondering as a third time mum how I wouldn’t know if I’m in true labour or not, but my previous birth experiences have been far from text book.

My first labour was extremely quick with no contractions in the lead up. My waters broke and then nothing happened until I was in established labour and ready to push.

My second labour I was induced due to gestational diabetes. I don’t remember having Braxton Hicks at all and the labour was long and painful.

This time round I know I’m older but I feel like my body is screaming for this Pregnancy journey to be over and done with. My back gave up quite early on and this time I have a definite pregnancy waddle and am finding walking around makes me out of breath and aches all over.

It’s hard to know how this labour is going to strike. I’ve pretty much thought I was going into labour every day this past week and as I sit writing I’m breathing through either Braxton Hicks or contractions.

With each one, once the pain has gone done through my back my left eye has a massive twitching session. No idea what that’s about!

I’m hoping that when I’m having real contractions that I’ll have a ‘show’ so that I’ll know, as well as them getting closer together and more intense.

Nesting

It’s hard to do the whole nesting thing when your house is totally tipped upside down. We have stuff in boxes waiting to be unpacked, newly built shelves, half decorated rooms and bits of other rooms in every single room in the house.

As with most impending parents it seemed like a good time to get sorted. Of course it’s the perfect time to do it (not) but it did need to be done.

I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to be camping out with my newborn in my bedroom a lot since the work isn’t due to start until the end of this week, and the odds are that this little one will be here.

I’ve just got to remember that it will look good when it’s done and if I have to hide out lying on my bed watching you tube videos then that’s the sacrifice I’ll have to make. Ha ha – it’s not like I was planning to do that anyway.

It’s all the boxes and bags of crap that needs sorting through that’s going to take the time. We’re not hoarders but it is amazing how much stuff as a family we accumulate.

Wednesday – we’ve now got as far as Wednesday and still no baby. I honestly didn’t think I would get past the weekend but here I am still very pregnant watching Fern Mccann – First Time Mum. I love watching these kind of programmes and seeing into the lives of others. Clearly it’s not a normal persons reality as we don’t all live in the limelight and have make-up artists etc to make us look glam BUT when the door is shut and night time comes, the same emotional stuff comes into play.

The mum guilt.

Body image crap – although she looks pretty amazing!

Being a bit clueless.

Just generally winging it.

As a third time mum I may be considered as experienced but a new baby into any household changes your current normal. Isabelle’s arrival was quite possibly the same as having a hurricane rip through our lives so we’ll see what impact this one has on us.

My biggest concern is bedtime when I’m not going to have Chris around to help me out because he’s usually at work.

I’m hoping to get a good routine established but if anything is going to put a spanner in the works it’s more likely to be Isabelle than the baby. Isabelle plays up most nights and is up and down the stairs like a yo-yo. She doesn’t do this when daddy’s home which makes it more frustrating.

My plan is to get the bath ready and for Belle to get in with the baby in the baby bath at the other end. We went for a shnuggle bath which will sit at the end still giving Isabelle enough room.

I’ll then take the baby out and get him/her dried whilst Isabelle plays.

Once the baby is dressed I plan to put them in the crib or bouncy chair so that I can wash Isabelle’s hair and get her sorted.

Hopefully we’ll then be ready for feeding and Isabelle can have a chill before they both go to bed.

I’m going to return to this post in a couple of months to see how this is going down!

Thursday

Friday

Saturday and we’re still here waiting for baby. I’m not allowed to go into labour today as it’s the cup final. It would be hilarious if it did happen. Chris would be amongst fellow dads also feeling robbed of watching the football. On the plus side we now have an awesome new flooring which will be so much easier to keep dog hair free than carpet.

Development

The baby is the size of a marrow – I would say a prize marrow!

The baby will weigh around 6.8lb and measure about 49.8cm.

He or she is fully cooked and ready to be born (please come soon). The average baby weighs around 7lb but of course this varies from baby to baby.

All their organs are fully formed so it literally is just a waiting game now.

My next post I really hope I have the babe in my arms – irritable pregnant lady syndrome has definitely set in now. Oh and it’s now the school holidays which is even better…….

Lisa x

You can read all of my Pregnancy Updates Here.