34 Weeks: How Is She Going to Come Out?!

Your guess is as good as mine.

We went to the doctor Tuesday and everything was going well. I was in a great mood - my blood pressure was off the charts. So they had a nurse come in and manually take it twice: first time was 102!!! Oh man... I about cried. I realized it was the only thing that was constant pre pregnancy that has come out during pregnancy (at the end, of course.... but still). Second time was 110; still MUCH better, but not as low as what I used to be. It made me a bit sad that my very very healthy and in shape self has long since been gone. But I am VERY hopeful and looking forward to getting my body back and making it mine again. What I'm happy with, what I'm used to.

Anywho: quick update then I'll run into the different birthing scenarios.

• - been taking the "stop cramping" pills for over a week now and menstrual cramps are pretty much all gone. Just get the sharp quick painful ones when I walk - not constantly, but still pretty regular while walking.
• - pretty sure bladder infection is gone. Didn' t know I had one in the first place.... so I'm assuming the antibiotics did the trick.
• - Mommy came all last week and helped a TON. Cleaned, helped me de-clutter and kept me company. The biggest project - the nursery - got done because of her. I would have been so overwhelmed.
• - Jaren set up the crib last Wednesday and I LOVE IT. All I do is go in and just stare and stare.
• - I also go in and grab my blessing dress and stare and hold it - I'm in love. So glad Mom held onto that.
• - Really really looking forward to spud harvest being over so I get my husband back. This has been the least demanding (this is my 3rd I've been married to him for) so far, so I shouldn't be complaining. But I miss him.
• - since regulating my own diet the scale has been somewhat under control.
• - Still have a super inny belly button
• - no stretch marks on belly - I check every day
• - but have found them elsewhere... and found some more this morning - REALLY bummed about it.
  
• - rib pain get's worse every day. The bigger she get's the larger her head is and it's constantly lodged under my ribs. Just my right side, but it's lately been hurting on both sides even though she's only on one side.
• - Informed Jaren I'm going to whine a lot about being miserably uncomfortable and in pain because it makes me feel better. He's ok with it.
• - Amazing how whining actually does make you feel better
• - I think I just need those Advent bottles (so expensive!) and then I'm pretty well set.... I think..... I hope.

Oh the possibilities:
She will come one of two ways: C section or vaginal birth (what other ways are there? Unless there's something new that I've not heard of....)

How we will get to either of those points will go one of these ways:

• At 36 weeks I stop taking my cramping pills and go in for an ultrasound to try to see if they can see why she wont budge. I'll also get "checked" again.....

• At this ultrasound if we see that she cannot move or budge then we schedule C section from there. We'll see if I can swing 38 weeks.... but I doubt it.
  

• Unless I go into labor before or she decides to turn by 38 weeks we will try to turn her. I'll go in the hospital, they will give me stuff to relax my uterus and some stuff for the pain, take an ultrasound find bum, head and placenta then a nurse and my doc will start the pain, I mean... process. He said they will try a front somersault, if she wont move, they will try the opposite way and if she wont move that way either; they give up. No need to try when obviously there's a reason she wont move. And then we would schedule a C section for a few days later.

• If I go into labor and she is breech and they have already established she wont flip, they will automatically take me in and do a C section.

• If at 38 weeks they get her turned, my doc is pretty sure that because she will be bigger she wont turn back around. So we wait.... and wait till my body and her's decides it's time to get on with life and get her out.

Or.

• We will enduce depending on the situation and what is going on and what my doctor thinks is best.
  

I am planning on a C section so that if she flips I will be pleasantly surprised about pushing her out the "normal" way. Then if I have to have a C section I wont be to shocked and freaked, I'll be expecting it. So, I'm mentally preparing myself.

It feels really nice to have some type of plan for each scenario. I'm not just sitting here wondering. I'm more terrified of the turning than I am of the birth(with the birth I get an epidural, not so with the turning). I hear how absolutly painful it is and I've already had a bit of a taste - and THAT was very painful. I cannot imagine a full on attack. I've been assured that she will be fine throughout all of it. They monitor her heart rate and wont force anything. If at any point she is under stress I'll opt out and just go for a c section. I really really REALLY don't want her stressed. She's this poor tiny little innocent thing that doesn't know she's being naughty so I will do whatever is best for her.

I feel very at peace with the whole situation. I know that with whatever happens both her and I will be fine. I just don't know exactly how we will get to that point. It's a bit scary at times.

Lately I can't stop thinking about holding her, seeing her and taking care of her. I can't imagine a little girl that looks like me - all I see is a dark haired, dark eyed and possibly dark skinned little thing. Which is all Jaren. I was a tow head and then my hair started to get dark end of high school and in College went the brown it is now. So it's possible she could come out blonde, but I think it would go dark before she even hit Jr. High because of her daddy.

She's around 5 pounds now and I keep thinking she's a BABY in there. A full sized little baby. She needs to have the finishing touches for her lung and nerve development, but she is getting so big!

I'm trying to be patient... I'm very, very excited. And very uncomfortable, so I'm trying to keep myself occupied. I love this little girl and am soooo excited to have her. She has been very badly wanted for quite some time.

34 Weeks:
I was tired and cranky
The PJ pants(maternity) are courtesy of my sister, Lindsey who had mercy on my "no pants fit me anymore!" dilemma. I have 2 pairs of jeans and b/c of her; 2 pairs of lounge pants. I wear 2 of Jaren's shorts, too. And that's it! I really really look forward to loosing the weight so I have clothes to wear again.