Plenty of people would never lift their shirt to take a belly picture. Others would certainly never do it from these angles or at this close up range. I am not afraid, however. This is MY body. This is MY abdomen. It’s gone through 3 surgeries, and has healed perfectly well after each one. I have some ugly scars, some bad stretch marks, and a lot of blue veins, but that’s how it is. I also have about 20 extra pounds I’m scared to attempt to exercise away (hernia last time I did any sit ups, post baby), so.. yeah, basically, this is me. Overweight, hugely pregnant, scars, and all.
3 weeks to go! Full term BABY!!!
The 'fun' question was, what's going to happen with the belly button? It's a flat spot, FYI.
Well, we made it! I can’t believe it! 37 weeks! I didn’t update you last week, so here’s the scoop:
36 weeks: baby is head down and 1-2 centimeters dilation, with some thinning. The doctor did a happy dance, literally. At this time with Keeley, I was so walled up and closed off that it took forever for me to thin out and dilate — thus the horribleness of the whole hospital situation last time around. My doctor is going on vacation, and will be back in her office on the 8th. I’ll see a replacement doctor (who would deliver up until the 8th) on Wed. the 3rd (which is today now, of course!) I’m up about 16 lbs on my scale as far as I can tell. My pulled muscle in my rib cage seems healed. It’s harder for me to get up and down. I can tell baby is ‘down’ because I feel like I’ve got a weight there between my pelvic bones that settles, like if I use the bathroom and stand up, it’s like someone drops a weight back down on my bladder and surrounding ‘area’, if you catch my drift.
37 weeks: I saw a different doctor this week. If I go into labor before Monday (please God, no!) then she will deliver. She was nice enough, but said I was a 1, thick, so she really didn’t think any progress had been made, darnit! She said I’d gained 2 lbs this week. Man. Can’t win. She suggested an ultrasound to see how big the baby is. She also suggested stripping membranes, which my doctor had mentioned last week. I asked the nurse to find out if the u/s is covered or not. It’s probably not, to be honest, and if my doctor is going to go ahead and strip the membranes anyway, it’s probably a moot point. Anyone have any experience with this? I know they can be off by a pound either way, so it probably won’t do much good, but just give us a better view of the baby I suppose, and a general idea of weight and if the baby will ‘fit’ or not. So, I really don’t know much more now than I did last week.
I was wondering where your button was….glad you explained it! Mine got really funny looking with the girls, but i don’t think it ever went “away.” It stretched out and poked out. With Jacob, it never poked out, but it came “even” with the top of the buttonhole. Interesting how this all works, isn’t it?
I emailed you about the membrane stripping already. If insurance won’t cover your ultrasound, and the office won’t do it without charge, don’t do it. Because it is highly inaccurate. Jacob should have been a 7-8 pounder, and he was a 9 pounder. Lauren was supposed to be 7 1/2-8, and she was 9 1/2. I didn’t even pay attention with Rachel. Of course, she was a peanut, just 8 pounds 9ounces. They should be able to tell if baby is facedown and ready for lift off (or shoot-down??) or not. I don’t know if they can tell face up or not. Some people are better than others at telling. And it depends too on how much they have to feel through. THey had to feel through a lot more my second and 3rd time around!
Off to take the nap I mentioned in my email. Wanted to be sure Miss R was down first. All is quiet on the home front. Let’s hope for 2 more hours of that….
Keep me posted! We’ll be out of town Mon-Thurs, so call my cell if you have any news. Won’t have internet access there. My phone is slow and unreliable about the internet. HUGS!!!!!!