I am almost 34 weeks now. And I finally have a new camera so you can see a picture of what I look like above! A bit different than 24 weeks, my last picture, right? Things change fast at this point in pregnancy!
Baby’s head down and a bit lower than in the past (I can actually touch baby’s head now, if I’m so inclined!). Of course, subsequent babies don’t necessarily stay down; they can move up and down. But I’m happy this baby is finally head down and staying that way. I know they can turn right up to birth…but I don’t think it will. Once my babies settled in, they rarely changed positions (if ever). My other two never switched from head down past 20 weeks! It took this one longer to settle in but I think it will stay now. Which makes me happy because I know things are very slowly progressing towards birth.
Speaking of which, I’ve had more frequent Braxton-Hicks now and I’m about 2 cm dilated, which isn’t really different than the last several weeks. I wouldn’t be surprised if I dilated another cm or two before labor started. Nothing else is changing yet, though; no softening or effacing. Just early preparation.
I had a massage this week, which was nice. I’ve scheduled massages at 36.5 weeks, 38.5 weeks, and 40.5 weeks. We’ll see if I even make it to that last one! I’ve never carried a baby that long, so who knows. It’s so hard to say because I’ve felt like this baby would be late, but since my body is preparing so early…is it going to be a marathon (and still late) or is all this preparation going to lead to another 38 or 39-weeker? We’ll see.
I’m feeling a strong need to connect more with this baby. I’ve been so busy with my kids that I rarely have more than a few seconds at a time to sit and think about this baby. Not knowing the baby’s sex and not having a name is another stumbling block for me. I’m hoping to spend more time looking through baby things, making things for the baby, taking a few minutes alone to just think about/talk to the baby, start setting up some baby areas… We have no baby things around the house anymore (both kids eat at the big table and sleep in twin beds so we literally don’t even have high chairs or cribs or anything!) so it just doesn’t feel real. And we’re close enough now that I need it to feel real.
It’s just struck me that I’ve looked at this baby as someone who will just have to fit in to the dynamic that we already have. And that’s not true. I’ve done this twice before, I should know: when a new baby comes along, you have to evaluate things, get to know this new person and his/her needs, and adjust to a new normal. I don’t know why I somehow forgot that. Yes, I have more peoples’ needs to balance this time and I can’t let my older children fall by the wayside as I get to know the new baby, but I can’t just expect the baby to “get up and go” and just deal with the dynamic as is. His or her personality and needs must be taken into account just as much as my older kids’.
In the coming weeks I will need to spend more time away from my computer as I immerse myself in my home and family and really prepare myself for this new baby and this change that is coming. I can’t do that when I’m so focused on work and business. That can’t be my priority at all right now.
Hopefully in the next few weeks I’ll get more done and feel more prepared for this baby to arrive.
You said:
It's just struck me that I've looked at this baby as someone who will just have to fit in to the dynamic that we already have. And that's not true. I've done this twice before, I should know: when a new baby comes along, you have to evaluate things, get to know this new person and his/her needs, and adjust to a new normal.
That is so true…really, as I heard someone say once, with each new member, you basically have a new family! EVERYTHING CHANGES! You are not the same family you were before the baby comes…you are a new, different family. Just remember that and it will help the adjustment. (c: May you be blessed.
I don't want this to post as an actual comment, but just as information for the author….please wear a bra the next time you post a picture. My husband was actually the first one to notice the 'headlights' in this photo and that really irritated me.