32 weeks

Some of the uncomfortable pregnancy complaints have definitely caught up with me in the last 2 weeks.  I even googled the other day, "how to survive the third trimester" and have had thoughts of, "how am I going to make it another 8 weeks with her continuing to get bigger and bigger?!".  Luckily things are a little different every day and some days I still feel pretty good.  The main things ailing me are stiffness/pain in my hips and pubic bone area.  Either the baby is pinching a nerve or with things moving in that area I've had some nerve pain in my lower back and upper right thigh.  Ligaments in my pubic area have been quite painful, especially after walking long distances.  The other week I went on a nice walk with two girlfriends and their sweet baby girls (3 months and 5 weeks), it was probably about an hour and up a biggish hill, but I felt great and thought all was good.  And then that evening I could barely walk with my hips and ligaments in pain...I guess I over did it a little bit.  And that is the frustrating thing is that I'm not able to do the things that I'm used to doing with no problem.  Take getting dressed and undressed for example.  I had Neil move a chair in by my closet so I could sit down to put on/take off socks and pants, etc.  Standing on one foot has seemed to exacerbate the ligament and nerve pains, so I've started taking smaller steps and avoiding standing on one foot for any reason.  I'm pretty much just taking it easy and moving slower since I don't always know which movement will send a sharp pain through my hips.

Of course, I say all this and today I haven't felt the nerve pain at all and haven't felt at all like a 90 year old walking around the house and up and down the stairs.  So it's not consistent and seems to be a bit random.  I think the days of long walks are over for a bit and I'll stick more to swimming, stretching, and prenatal yoga videos. 

The pain under my right rib that sometimes goes through to under my right shoulder blade has been consistent and usually appears in some form every day at some point, but is never a severe pain, just kind of annoying.  Sometimes it's worse than others, like if I've been sitting for a long period or driving to/from Bozeman.  However, it seems to come on if I'm standing for a long period as well.  General rib pain comes on a bit too when I'm sitting for a while.  And then lastly the intermittent mid back pain has started as well with the shift and gain in weight.  Fun!  Oh, wait, not lastly...one last fun detail.  Heartburn is a common pregnancy complaint, and until now I haven't had it that bad.  However, last night I woke up at about 3am to a shot of stomach acid hitting my throat and burning extremely bad.  For the rest of the night I slept propped up on a pillow and at an angle.  Did I mention that I've started to wonder how I'm going to do this for the next 8 weeks?!  

To look on the positive side, my fingernails are growing faster and stronger than ever before.  I have to cut them just about once a week!  And I'm loving feeling the baby's movements.  Hiccups are consistently in the low left and she pushes out on the right usually with lots of alien like movements across the upper right.  I can't really see my belly buttom any more and today Neil was laughing at how much of an outie it has become lately.

On Friday Neil and I went to the 32 week appointment with our midwife, Cassie.  Blood pressure was 112/78, baby's heartbeat was great and everything seems to be right on schedule.  She was still head down in pretty much the same position as 2 weeks ago.  I was describing a number of the things I've been experiencing lately...shortness of breath when I'm not even doing anything, sweating at night, heart beating fast sometimes, hands a little puffier than normal, all the aches and pains.  Cassie was like, "All of this that you are describing is all...being pregnant."  I also asked at one point if she was around 3 1/2 to 4 lbs now, which is how big most books say babies are at this stage.  Cassie said, "Yep, probably right around that.  You're lining up to have yourself an 8lb baby!"  I told her that Neil was a big baby, over 9 lbs, and she said, "Did you know that when you married him?!"  We had a good laugh.  She had delivered a baby at 3am that morning and I was glad I got in for the 8am appointment with her before she cancelled some of her afternoon ones, understandably. 

This weekend our good friends, Matt and Ashley and their 2 year old daughter, Piper, came up for a spontaneous Big Sky visit.  It was so much fun to hang out with Piper...to watch her play with Rooney, listen to the funny things she says, go swimming and take her down the waterslide that she loved, etc.  And it was so much fun to hang out with Ashley, who is due with a baby boy 2 weeks after me, and talk about pregnancy and baby stuff most of the time.  Neil had a fun time skiing with Matt and we all had a great time together at the Christmas Stroll in Bozeman.

Tomorrow I'm flying to Portland, Maine for the work week, which I'm really excited about.  Quality time with the whole team and office, lobster rolls, the holiday party, and a quick visit with the Maine Hadley relatives...should be fun!  The flights and travel will most likely be a bit uncomfortable, but I think it will work out and be good.

Here's me and my belly at 32 weeks.  And the baby bulging out giving me a lopsided belly!