Breadcrumb Week 39

How far along: 39 weeks! 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 24 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight as of 8/4. 

Symptoms:

• exhaustion 
• loss of sex drive
• getting winded easier
• super vibrant dreams  
• heartburn / acid reflux - This was just occurring during the night, but it's also been happening during the day as well this past week. 
• I've officially had to go up a size in underwear. 
• Gestational Diabetes 
• General aches and pains. Hello third trimester! 
• Increased discharge
• Charlie Horse cramps
• Two Three weeks of contractions after a bout that sent us to the hospital. 
• A few days this last week I've had to take my rings off due to swelling. 

Maternity clothes: I have two shirts that fit now. I refuse to buy more maternity clothes, so they're just going to have to do!

Stretch marks: The ones I have are getting darker and longer. I now also have tiny ones on both sides of my hips. 

Sleep: I'm in love with my pregnancy pillow. I may not give it up after baby comes. 

Best moment last week: Keegan and I got to have a weekend of "lasts before baby comes." We went out for our anniversary, went shopping to stock up on a few necessities (but of course forgot the toilet paper, the main reason we went!) and just generally hung out. 

Movement: Movement has slowed down a lot. I still feel him at least once a day, but they're slow sweeps across my stomach and small bouts of hiccups. 

Food cravings: Water, I can't get enough! I'm also loving fresh fruit.

Gender: Our little man!

Labor signs: As of 8/4 I'm 100% effaced, 3 centimeters dilated and my cervix has "moved in front of the baby instead of being behind his head." Breadcrumb is measuring 8 pounds, 6 ounces according to the ultrasound. 

Belly button? Pretty much completely flat! The top of my belly button is sticking out a bit, but you can't see it though my shirt yet. 

What I miss: I want a fountain Coke, alfredo, and a chocolate cupcake after delivery.    

What I am looking forward to: Our little man getting here! As everyone has been saying, it could be any day now! 

Baby Buys: Nothing. Saving any baby buys for until after he gets here and we figure out if we need anything. 

Milestones: Woohoo 39 weeks! 

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We had a long talk with our regular doctor, Dr. L, today and ultimately decided not to induce. We're not really sure why Dr. G brought up the idea of induction last week, but we're assuming it's something that she does with all of her patients. 

Dr. L said that we could have induced today if we wanted since from week 39 to week 40, all baby does is add on weight, but Keegan and I have never wanted to induce and we've wanted to do as natural a birth as possible which includes allowing baby to come when he wants. 

Since I'm progressing by myself (3 cm dilated, 100% effaced,) baby could come any day now. Dr. L said that since I'm so dilated, if my water breaks, I'll know for sure since it'll most likely come out as a huge gush. 

However, if I haven't gone into labor by our appointment next Tuesday, then we will induce. Dr. L doesn't want me to go much past 40 weeks due to the gestational diabetes and baby's size (he's measuring around 8 pounds, 6 ounces,) so we'll help things along with a bit of Pitocin. I really didn't want to use Pitocin, but Dr. L made a good case for it. I asked about cervical ripening medications, but Dr. L said that once that's inserted, what happens, happens (basically we don't have any way to control what's going on.) However with Pitocin, we can turn it up, down, or off, depending on how my body reacts. We're hoping baby will come on his own and we won't have to worry about induction at all, but if that doesn't happen, it's nice to have a plan.