Could it be?

I've decided that everything about pregnancy is really just a mystery. For every symptom that could be one thing, it could just as easily be something else! :)

• Swelling in one leg: it could be a blood clot, or it could be completely normal.
• Pain in your lower abdomen before 37 weeks: it could be preterm labor, or the baby might just be positioned akwardly.
• Dilated 1 cm: you could go into labor tonight, or it could be 4 more weeks.
• And my latest... what feels like menstrual cramps nearly all day: definitely the onset of early labor, but still... it could take hours, it could take days, it could take weeks.

So while it's definitely hard not to wonder and try to figure out what's going on, I am definitely learning to just make mental notes, and keep on waiting. :) It's not like I really have another option anyway. But.. talk about making a girl crazy! What gets me through: No matter what, BabyW will DEFINITELY be here within the next 4 weeks. Guaranteed. I'd rather it be more like 4 days, but the end is definitely in sight! :)

Something Good, Something Surprising & a Mystery

I had another checkup today (31 weeks) and was really anxious to talk to the doctor (well actually it was the midwife I saw today) because of the intense pain I've had for 4-8 hours every single day since last Tuesday.

So the good news is this: my cervix is fully closed and shows no thinning yet, which means I'm not showing any visible signs of preterm labor. Very Very good news. They still sent off a sample to the lab to check one other type of preterm labor sign, and I'll find out those results tomorrow. Pray it comes back negative or else I'd get put on bedrest.

The surprising news: I measured right on target for 31 weeks (not big) and from just an external exam, the midwife said I shouldn't have much excess fluid because she could feel the baby easily (so can I). If I did have a lot of extra fluid, he would be floating around more in there and would be hard to feel from just touching my belly. He may not even be particularly big. Maybe this boy will stick in there to full-term!

The mystery (the most positive way I can word it): We still have no idea what is causing my pain to be so intense and so persistent. From an OB standpoint, the pregnancy looks great and other than round ligament pain, she doesn't see anything else pregnancy-wise that could be causing it. No infection, most likely no preterm labor... but this still leaves me with 9 weeks to go and some serious pain. I'm wearing a maternity support belt, drinking lots of water, taking tylenol, trying to rest when possible, warm baths... and yet when the pain hits... nothing seems to relieve it for several hours... it's ROUGH! I'm just going to have to take it one day at a time. I would MUCH rather this boy stay inside and grow and develop as long as possible, even if I have to find some way to deal with this for the next two months. So really, it was an answer to my prayer this morning. As much as I would love some relief for my own sake, I really don't want him to come early for his sake... and it is reassuring to know that some of the things I thought might be happening that would bring him early, aren't.

So that's my really long update. Now I just have to figure out how to "take it easy" when I have so much I need to do!

Happy Friday!

I realized that I post quite a bit about my pregnancy woes... and I hope I don't come across as a complainer or ungrateful... I've been trying to keep this blog updated daily, and sometimes there's not too much else exciting going on! I am so thankful that God has blessed us with this baby, and while it's been a much tougher pregnancy than I expected, I know it will all be worth it when we finally get to see our son face-to-face! I know women who have just loved being pregnant, and others whose struggles were so tough I'm almost embarrassed to mention mine. It's a crazy journey but it's a pretty miraculous process, no matter how challenging it may be. I've definitely already gained a greater appreciation for my grandmother, who had 3 babies in just 28 months & my mom who had my sister and I only 19 months apart. Crazy ladies! :)

Anyway... all is well. Tylenol helps my pain significantly and it's really worst at work. My boss is on the hunt for a better chair for me, so maybe that will help. I had my breastfeeding class last night at the hospital. It was very informative and overwhelming :) but I'm glad I did it. I even managed to score a great deal while I was there. I had been planning to purchase a SlingEZee brand sling online after Suzanne highly recommended it. Well they are $60-75, but apparently well worth it. As I was browsing the hospital's selection of nursing gear, I found that they carried the same slings in every pattern I loved and they were only $45 with a 15% Mother's Day discount! So I got one for $38! Nothing like a good deal to make my night!