Final Update: 40 Weeks

This day has finally arrived! I made it. I got my exams done. I started my second semester of my third year of law school. I finished the art projects for the props my son needed for his Mary Poppins play. The nursery is ready, all the baby clothes are washed, my Mom arrived last night, and my bags are packed. Trying to tell myself that I could have weeks yet to go, but with how much false labor I've had in the past two weeks, I'd like to think I'll have her by July 8th. 

40 WEEKS:

MORNING SICKNESS: With all this false labor, it seems to have stirred up my stomach and I feel pretty nauseated just about every day now. Nothing to complain about, but something to note.

CRAVINGS: None.

BABY'S MOVEMENT: All the time and her every movement causes more Braxton Hicks. 

HEARTBURN: Every night. I find Tums can help, but then it makes the nausea worse. I prefer heartburn usually, so I just tough it out.

PAINS AND ACHES: Two weeks ago the contractions were four minutes apart and lasted for a good three hours. I've had several nights of that since, but each day they get stronger and deeper and lower. Each day walking or moving gets harder and harder. How did I forget this part of pregnancy? Oh you ladies out there who run miles and miles up until they birth their baby, I am in AWE of you.

EXERCISE: Just getting up off the couch has felt like exercise to me these past two weeks. It is so painful sometimes! However, I've been trying to do certain pregnancy stretches to get the baby in the right position for labor. I get out for a very slow walk a few times a week, but oh do I pay for it later!

WEIGHT GAIN: I caught a stomach bug right in time for my two days of final exams. That brought on more contractions, but less of an appetite, so I lost a few pounds. I'll probably gain those pounds back this week, but in the meantime, I'm at the same weight as I was when I delivered my last two. 

FATIGUE/SLEEP: I can't catch enough sleep these days. I don't sleep well at night, so naps are a necessity and I take them whenever I can. 

MOOD: I've had a couple of mood swings, but I feel more in control than I did during my second trimester. I feel like I'm finally mentally prepared to have this baby even though I'm still scared as anything about labor. I plan to get an epidural, but even with an epidural labor is still one of my top fears. 

There are so many parallels and things that God teaches me through pregnancy and labor, and even with these amazing teaching moments and wonderful times of experiencing God's mercy and grace, I still fear the unknown of what this next labor might be like. I think one of the blessings of having prodromal labor for weeks is that I have been in so much pain and am so exhausted already that I'm finally ready to face my fear and just get this over with so I can have a normal day!

I know everything is in God's hands and this is going to be a great experience - but in the meantime, I am pretty nervous about what the next couple of weeks holds for me. Praying for strength, determination, and patience. 

My next post will have news of the baby. Thanks for following along on this little journey of Cecily's and mine. These 40 weeks may have passed by quickly for you, but it has been a long road for us and we are pretty excited to say that we've finally made it!