37 & 38 Weeks

 First off, I apologize for the bare belly! This blog is about documenting memories for me and my family so please forgive me for wanting to remember my bare BIG belly!  The good thing about that picture is that you are getting a sneak peak at the baby's new room.  The furniture is not placed appropriately yet but the paint job was complete : )  I really like how it turned out!  I was crazy the day before I took these pictures of myself and painted the baby's room all by myself before we got new carpet.  The above pictures were taken at about 36.5 weeks and then the next pics are from week 37.  Santiago wanted to get in the picture with me so I squatted close to the ground and let him sit in my lap.  He is getting more and more excited about the arrival of his baby brother! 

 At my 36 week doctor visit I learned that I was already 1 cm dilated and 75% effaced.  I couldn't believe it!  When I went to my 37 week visit, I was expecting to have made more progress because of the way I had been feeling leading up to that appointment.  I have been getting pretty swollen in my legs, feet and hands and have been pretty achy all over.  My hips, pelvis, tailbone area has really been hurting and sounds gross but I felt a lot of pressure down there like the baby is just about to fall out of me!  From one day to the next this week, I felt like the baby dropped and my belly looked different and felt different.  When I went to the doctor and he did my exam, I learned I had not made any more progress.  I was exactly the same!  I was really surprised and so was my doctor because I have Braxton Hicks contractions every night and he said that usually makes you progress more.  The good thing is that my blood pressure remains on the normal-low side - it's usually in the 104/64 range and I didn't have protein in my urine like I did at 36 weeks.  I only gained one pound this week also.  That gives me a total of 29-30 pounds so far.  My doctor still thinks I will probably go into labor sooner than my July 22nd due date but he doesn't want me to hold him to that because there just really no way of knowing. Originally he said he thought it would be a good idea to induce me at 39 weeks because Santiago was a 9 pound baby and this one is looking equally as big but he doesn't even think I will need that anymore.  I'm sort of glad about that, I don't really know how I feel about being induced.  It scares me a little.

 So today I am actually 38 weeks pregnant!  I thought I may have been going into labor last night because I had contractions from dinner time (around 6 pm) until I made myself fall asleep around 11ish.  They felt different that the contractions I have been getting off and on because I had lower back pain that was coming in waves right before my tummy tightened up and I was getting cramps as well.  I have an app on my iPad for timing contractions and Hector made me start using it.  I was averaging about 8 contractions in an hour.  They must have tapered off around when I made myself try to go to sleep.  I was very tired and when I put a heat pack on my lower back it made me relax more and I was able to go to sleep. 

 Today I was so exhausted that I had to call my loving in-laws to take care of Santiago for me so I could just rest.  I took an hour and half nap and then went and got my haircut.  When I was finished with my haircut, Santi was napping so I was able to come home and put my feet up and just watch TV.  It sure is different being pregnant the second time around.  It's exhausting but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I feel very blessed to be having a second baby - it's just different when so much of you time and energy goes toward your first baby!  I am counting my blessings to not be working up until the last day like I did with Santiago.  I went into labor while teaching first grade with him and I'm very thankful to be home for the summer at the end of this pregnancy! 


I will go to my 38 week appointment on Monday morning.  My parents are coming to town on Sunday and it will be really nice to have them here to help out as well.  Hector and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family members to spoil us and our children!  We love you all!