Well we have made it another week. Things are looking good. I went to work on Monday and knew pretty quickly that I unfortunately was going to need to stop working. I was super winded and uncomfortable the whole time. By the end of my day I was having contractions again. As much as I HATED admitting that I was not super woman I knew that I needed to make the call. I would never forgive myself if she came early and it was because I was being selfish and wanted to work. That’s not fair to any of us. The good news is I’m not on any strict bed rest or anything. I am just taking it easy. I can obviously still walk and do things just when I get tired I have more opportunities to rest. Vs being at work and standing 8 ish hours a day. It’s much harder as a hairstylist to take the breaks I may need and eat and drink appropriately while at work.

Speaking of eating all my meals from my delivery meal service are pretty good! I was actually surprised by how much I enjoy them. They have a good variety and it’s so nice to not have to worry about the carb and sugar amounts because they are already made for diabetics! Because of this my numbers have all looked pretty good. I’m so happy I can control this with my diet and keep her safe. I definitely miss my sweets but I am working on finding other options. I found Keto ice cream and while it’s definitely not the same as regular ice cream it works. It doesn’t raise any of my numbers and I feel like I get a little sweet treat at night before bed. I even found some cookie recipes I may try. Who knows maybe I’ll stick with some of these things.

Because of all the changes I have actually lost weight now at this point. Karen was understandably worried about that part. I knew I had lost weight because my wedding ring barely stays on now! I figured it had to be because I was eating much more healthily compared to before. We made sure to ask the Dr and she confirmed that was likely the reason.

Yesterday at my appointment with Dr Sammons she said my fluid levels looked to be in the normal range now. She said she didn’t measure but she said by the looks of her she looked perfect. So I was excited for todays growth scan to see what they say. They measure her head, belly and leg bones to determine the size. First thing they said was the fluid levels were down even more from last week! Woohoo. They are now completely within the normal range! It’s funny because remember Dr Sammons told me they tend to increase and peak around 32 weeks and then they would likely level out. Well here we are at 34 weeks and they are now leveled out and fine. I love that I can trust her with all my pregnancy stuff. Baby Girl is also still head down!!! We all know how happy this makes me. She knows what to do and is clearly prepared for her grand introduction to this big world. We haven’t done any more checks for dilation or anything since I don’t want to risk it stirring anything up. Next week though she said she thinks she may want check me since it’s baby number 7. She estimated 4 weeks or less for baby to arrive. She doesn’t think I’ll make it to a 39 week induction. I am totally happy with a 37/38 week birth. I feel like that’s a good amount of time in and she would be safe to come out. I’m just a bit sad it’s really almost over now. Oh also at the growth scan they estimated her weight again! They said as of today they would estimate 6.8 pounds!!!! 😳😩😬🤣

On one hand I am glad she is healthy and her chubby cheeks do make me think she could be a good size already but on the other hand I know these ultrasounds can be off by a good amount because they have done this to me before. Except they had us so scared the baby was going to be too small. So it’s hard for me to know or trust this. Roger’s other two daughters were big babies when they were born though. 9 and 10 pounds! So I’m pretty excited to see how big or little this girl is going to be. She could be my biggest baby yet if they are right! As of now Everett has been my biggest at a bit over 7 pounds. He was honestly also my easiest birth so maybe the bigger they are the easier they will come. That’s what I’m hoping and telling myself at least.

I’m looking forward to easter this weekend and having a family dinner after church. I’ve been occupying my extra time by watching call the midwife on Netflix. It’s a great show if you need anything to watch and there are like 13 seasons! I’ll have plenty of time to watch them now. I’ll post what baby Mac is up to and some cute pictures.

How’s Baby Mac?

Right now, Baby Mac is measuring in at somewhere around 18 inches, the size of a savoy cabbage, and weighs in the neighborhood of 5 lbs. But your baby still has some growing to do, and your little one’s lungs, brain, and central nervous system will keep rapidly developing. Baby Mac’s immune system is still not yet mature, so your little one will depend on your body sharing antibodies to help them fight future infections. What other exciting developments are happening? The vernix caseosa, that slippery coating that protects Baby Mac’s skin, is now covering their body as they get closer to delivery day. Your little one is also peeing up to a pint (473 mL) a day, and preparing that tarry meconium for their first poop.

What’s new with you?

As Baby Mac gets stronger, you might feel yourself struggling a little. Try to get as much rest as possible, to stay active with movement you enjoy if you can, and eat a range of nutritious foods that help you feel good. This won’t make all of your symptoms go away, but it can help you feel as good as possible — and your due date is on the horizon now.

What symptoms might you be dealing with in week 34? Confusion and blurry vision can be fairly common as your hormones rage. Third trimester symptoms like swollen feet, constipation, and hemorrhoids may also be at a high point right now. And while these symptoms are common, if uncomfortable, side effects of pregnancy, make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you notice your vision changing, headaches, pain in your upper abdomen, and/or if your hands or feet swell suddenly, as these could be signs of preeclampsia, which is dangerous for both you and your baby.

Your hormones are also preparing your pelvis for delivery, so you might notice some new symptoms, including increased vaginal discharge and the need to pee more frequently. And your expanding belly and pelvis could cause an increase in lower back pain at this point. As annoying as these symptoms are, just remember that these changes are your body’s way of helping your body prepare for labor and delivery.

It’s also time to make sure that your hospital or birthing center trip and your return home are planned out. Is your bag packed? If you already have a little one at home, do you have someone on call for babysitting? If you have a pet, do you have someone ready to pet-sit? Do you have any details to sort out at work? And even if you know the way to the hospital or birthing center, it doesn’t hurt to review — after all, you never know when Baby Mac is going to decide to make an appearance! If you’re delivering at a larger hospital, it’s also a good idea to double check what entrance you’ll want to go in and what paperwork you’ll have to deal with on your way to the delivery room. If you get all of these ducks in a row, it will leave you with a lot less to stress out about in advance of the big day.