32 weeks pregnant

Yay! I am officially starting the 8^th month of pregnancy!



32 Weeks and 1 day! We went to Liam's first SF Giants game that night.
 

     Today marks 32 weeks and 2 days of being pregnant. I know I say this a lot, but time is seriously flying by. We are now down to 8 weeks left and 54 days to go. The closer we get to our due date, the more my mind is filled with a million and one emotions. 

     The pregnancy is starting to become more difficult, especially physically. My bump is getting a lot bigger and breathing has become more difficult. I find myself extremely out of breath just by walking up the small amount of stairs in my home. I notice that sometimes I find myself waddling around as it is more comfortable for me to walk like that. Sitting on the couch is nice and relaxing, but it's another story when it comes to getting off the couch. Most of the time I have to ask Calvin for help if I'm lying on the couch and need to get up to pee. We always get a good laugh. Even last night as I was changing into my PJ'S, Calvin started laughing at me and I asked him what was so funny. He said its hilarious to watch me change because of how difficult is has become for me and how I do things differently now to accommodate my growing belly. By differently I mean, not so lady-like and lots of moans and groans because Liam is a heavy little thing pushing on my bladder or kicking me in the ribs. Thanks Calvin. I get so tired very easily and usually have to turn in for a nap in the afternoon. No matter how hard I try, I can't keep my eyes open and the next thing I know, I slept for an hour. It's funny how I can sleep nicely and without any interruptions during my nap, but sleeping through the night is a different story. If I'm not getting up to use the restroom, I need to turn because my legs are cramping up. Let me tell you, trying to turn from your right to your left side or vice versa with an enormous belly with a little human in it kicking and punching any organ he is near, is NOT easy! But nonetheless, I can't complain because soon my little Liam bear will be here!
 

     Besides getting everything ready for Liam’s arrival, the other thing that is constantly on my mind is the labor and delivery. Calvin and I have been attending the childbirth preparation class that they offer at the hospital I will be delivering at. We’ve learned quite a few things so far like breathing techniques and signs of preterm labor. When I attend the class, I feel like it is possible to try and do a non-medicated birth. Then when I actually talk to moms who have gone through this process, they always tell me to get the epidural. I obviously do not know what labor feels like whatsoever and it’s difficult for me to give a definite answer to anyone. At this moment in time, I just tell people that I would love to have a non-medicated birth, but I am not opposed to an epidural. You can only imagine the amount of crazy looks I get, which I’m sure many of you reading this will have that same look on your face too.

Why non-medicated? There are many reasons as to why I really want to do a non-medicated birth:

1. Longer labor which can cause more problems and could lead to a c-section
2. I want to be able to move around
3. Better recovery after birth
4. Safer for Liam
5. My body is made to give birth, why not let it do what it’s suppose to do

Why medicated? The main reason:

1. No Pain!

     Calvin doesn’t think I can do it and would suggest me getting the epidural. My doctor said it’s a personal choice of the mother and about 90% of women get it. She said that she would recommend a women get it if they can’t control themselves during labor like excessive screaming and tensing too much which could affect their labor and pushing. She suggest that if I plan on non-medicated, that I attend some classes to learn some meditation techniques. As long as I am in control of the pain, she won’t push the epidural on me. I have A LOT to think about and not much time to do so.
 

     I am now seeing my doctor every two weeks. My last appointment was on May 16 and it was literally a 5-minute appointment, which is great. My doctor is on vacation for 4 weeks so last appointment and the next one, I have and will be seeing one of the other doctors in the office. All she did was come in, ask how I’m doing, measure Liam’s growth by measuring my tummy, and check Liam’s heartbeat. When measuring my tummy she said “perfect” and Liam’s heartbeat sounded nice and strong. Then she said see you next time! The waiting period to see her was so much longer than the appointment itself, but we can’t complain since that just means everything is going well! The next time we see the doctor will be May 30!

     We also had our baby shower with our family and friends on May 11. I’ll write a separate post on that. My mom, brother, and I made a lot of the decorations and it came out amazingly! It was stressful going through the process and there were countless days where we all stayed up until 3 A.M. but the end result made it all worth it! 

Our little DIY Photobooth. Special thanks to our friend Jenn for the props!

      That’s it for my 32 week update! Next post will be about our "My Neighbor Totoro" themed baby shower.