Countdown to Wriggles

With the nursery finished, the freezer meals made, the house cleaned top to bottom, the baby gear bought, the car seat installed, the hospital bag packed, the parents in town, and me on maternity leave, now all we need is for Wriggles to make an arrival. I'm one day past my due date now and starting to get just the tinsiest bit impatient. Even knowing that most first babies come late, one can always hope for an almost-on-time arrival, right? I know all you mamas out there will tell me to put my feet up and enjoy the quiet moments while I can because everything is about to change. Well I AM enjoying the quiet moments. And drinking hot tea. And napping in the afternoon. And taking long, hot showers. And stealing snuggles from Paul. And going to movies, and eating out, and having date nights... everything you should do before a baby comes that you might not get the chance to do for quite a while. The thing is, Paul and I had 6 lovely years of marriage to enjoy all that us time, and I've had a good 30 years of me time and now I'm ready for our little one to join us. It can be hard not to be impatient when you've been waiting for something for so long!

I am grateful, at least, that I'm still quite comfortable and mobile at the end of the pregnancy. Other than rolling over in bed (which is painful/uncomfortable) and fitting behind the steering wheel, I still haven't encountered any real problems. If Wriggles needs two more weeks to finish baking, then so be it.

Hah, I say that now, but how will I feel in another week?

I have only just started dipping my toes into all the "it might induce labor" myths - long walks, curry, pineapple, bouncing on my birth ball etc. Without work to keep me busy and with all the nesting already done, I'm struggling to fill my time up. I don't want to do anything too exhausting, but I'm supposed to keep active and upright to encourage Wriggles into a good position. What did all you mamas do out there when waiting for your baby to arrive? I know that in less than two weeks Wriggles will be here (they don't let you go THAT overdue!) but those two weeks kind of feels like an eternity! 

A girl in my pregnant-yoga class made a very good observation yesterday. It's like you've been training for an ultra-marathon for the past 9 months and you know it's almost time to start. But it could be at any moment in the next few hours/days/weeks and you don't know when! So you have to enjoy your time, but also rest. Eat enough food in case it starts during the night, but not too much. Always be on the lookout and ready for signs, but not be anxious. Because at any moment someone could shout, "Go!" and the race has started!

Thoughts on Pregnancy and Baby Growing

It's been a while since I've written anything, but not much has happened over here. Except, you know, growing a small person. I can't believe I am nearly 36 weeks pregnant - only one more week until I'm considered "full term"! I fully expect to have this baby 2 weeks late, so I'm mentally preparing for another 6 weeks of being pregnant and hoping for a pleasant surprise when the little one comes near my due date (or not, babies do whatever they please!). 

I have enjoyed this pregnancy more than I could have ever imagined. All you hear from anyone is how terrible is it to be pregnant. And for some, this is very true. Those poor mamas who suffer through never ending nausea, joint pain, sciatica, high blood pressure, debilitating back pain ... the list can go on and on and on. I have been extremely lucky and had very few problems. Yes, I feel rather large and yes, I knock my poor baby bump into walls, doors and the back of children's heads (sorry students!), but on the whole I feel great.

Maybe it has something to do with it taking longer than expected to become pregnant, the intervention required or how much I have longed to become a mother for as long as I could remember. Or maybe it's just good biology (thanks mom!) which has made this pregnancy easy. Whatever the reason, I love it. Feeling little Wriggles kicking and elbowing and jabbing, hiccuping and flailing is a highlight of every day. Yes, even when s/he finds my ribs. It looks like an alien is attacking!

I love knowing my baby is there with me all the time and s/he is safe and warm and happy. I look down at my tummy every day and wonder who this little person is. A boy or a girl? Sporty? Creative? Serious? Dark hair? Blond hair? None of it much matters, I'm just excited to meet them and get to know them!

Playing a game with Paul while Wriggles kicks me!

It's not all sunshine and roses of course. Some days I feel particularly exhausted, and with three weeks left of work and the end of term looming nearer I can feel myself ready to start maternity leave. I feel so lucky to live in a country that allows the opportunity to take time off work before the baby comes which I know is not true for everyone. The work days are long but pass quickly and I know I'd be bored as ever if I stayed at home. Unfortunately, teaching is not exactly a relaxing job, especially because I spend the majority of each day standing, bending over desks, picking things off the ground, etc. I think it's actually healthy to stay active, but I wouldn't say no to a nap in the afternoons if I had the chance (which you don't, when you teach!). The mornings are especially brutal with a 6am wake up that never allows me quite enough sleep. Everyone keeps telling me to sleep now while I can. The only time I get the chance to sleep in is the weekends, and even then my internal body clock gets me up around 7. Still, I'm not complaining. I look forward to seeing my colleagues and students and I enjoy teaching. I just keep ticking down the days - only 14 more wake-ups! 

I have found a few things especially useful throughout the second half of my pregnancy. First, I take prenatal yoga classes with other pregnant mamas. I love this because we take time to talk about how we're feeling each week and address any aches or pains. Mothers who have had their babies come back to share their birth stories which help us consider questions we might otherwise not have known about. I also have mostly kept up with going to gymnastics. I can't do much at this point other than stretching, handstands, cartwheels and strength training. I love still doing something I did pre-baby growing and it's always nice to visit with my friends! Handstanding pregnant - 27 weeks, 32 weeks, and 35 weeks respectively. If you do it throughout your pregnancy, it's not as difficult as it looks.

The one thing I've really been trying to do (and this is so hard for me!) is to allow myself to be lazy and to let things go and rest when I need it. I like to have things done RIGHT NOW, and will come home from a long day of work to a messy kitchen and feel like I need to clean it, cook dinner, and then clean it again. I've let myself be lazy and ignore the kitchen and eat leftovers. I get myself to bed at a (sort of) decent hour and leave grading assignments for the next day. I ask Paul to help me do house things more than ever instead of just struggling through. It's hard for me to do but it's important to start asking for help before the baby comes and I'll need help more than ever. Like, for example, getting rid of all these boxes and things in our playroom, Paul did most of the heavy lifting and work! This room is now thankfully box free and clean and baby ready :)

Before...

After

New pictures are on the walls!

I've also been so lucky to have wonderful and kind colleagues who have thrown me a little baby shower! I got to wear a special "Mummy to Be" sash, eat delicious food, have lovely chats and receive gorgeous gifts. I felt so special!

 

 

So that about sums up all my random thoughts. With all our baby gear in the house and the nursery basically set up it's not just a waiting game. I know that life is going to change forever in a wonderful way and I'm savoring every last moment. Next update I might have a baby with me!