**April Bunnies 2015**

[RebeccaR19]

Maggz- 36 weeks is a milestone for me for a couple of reasons. For one, my due dates are so far apart that my April 8th due date (in my mind) is like the least amount of weeks I am (if not more). So, whenever I make it to a new week, I think to myself, "Well, I am at least this far along if not technically further along." So, since week 36 is the beginning of the 9th month and 1 week away from 37 weeks at full-term, I consider myself almost full-term if not there already now. Because there is also that good chance that my due date is going to go along with a week prior to the ones given to me by ultrasound.
My body seems to have handled pregnancy in the same way in both pregnancies now. So, things sort of go slowly for awhile. Then, at 36 weeks, it's like BAM everything just catches up. My baby starts growing really fast as if the baby was due on the original due date all along and has catching up to do! That's another reason 36 weeks is a milestone for me.
I really want the baby to stay in as long as possible, though. The longer she is in there the better it is for her health. It's just reassuring to know that if something did happen at this point, she'd basically be just fine and not have to go in the NICU or anything.

I haven't been that hungry lately, which surprises me. I expected to be ravenous. But my digestive system seems to have slowed down again. So, it doesn't take much for me to stay satisfied for a long time now. If I eat too much, I just end up with terrible heartburn. And the heartburn just makes me not want to eat. I had been eating a snack before bed. And then when I was waking up hungry at night, I increased what I was eating. Now, I'm the opposite! If I eat anything before bed, I just lie there with such terrible heartburn, I can't sleep. As long as I don't eat before bed, I sleep fine with no heartburn. I also haven't been waking up hungry, but it's probably because my body is taking forever to digest whatever I have eaten.

Amelie- I'm glad that you had a good appointment! I didn't know that expressing colostrum with the 3rd child increased chances of things starting sooner.

I couldn't sleep to save my life last night. I was tossing and turning all night. Baby Holly ended up getting like 1,000 hiccups. And then my back was giving me some trouble. I got up at about 6:30 to go to the bathroom. I laid in bed awake for another hour trying to sleep. I gave up and just got up. I see a nap in my future today! Getting geared up for being on baby's schedule when she gets here. lol

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I'm not really sure expressing would make much odds to be really honest. Everything I have read has said that is just as likely to cause something to kick off if it is going to happen as a bit of nipple twiddling. It would only happen if your body was incredibly ready.

I know what you mean about different due dates. I really believe this baby is not due on 27/28 of April so I always feel a bit weird about my 22 April EDD they are working too.

I think that is why I think myself 'less' pregnant than I am.

 

[Perplexed]

I am determined baby will arrive a week after due date that's why I'm looking at it as 6 more weeks rather than 5, lol. Most things I need to do are done except for a few finishing touches. I'm throwing my friend a bridal shower next week since there's a chance I won't make it to her wedding (around mid April).

Yikes, I woke up feeling incredibly sore down there. I do feel sore every now and then but never this constantly. Things are feeling more drastic as the weeks pass by.

 

[Beanonorder]

Perplexed I've been feeling the same! The pains in my lady parts is really getting bad! I was walking back to the office after lunch with some of the guys and I got a very swift kick in the cervix which made me gasp. They all looked at me horrified and said is it happening? Lol.

I'm really focused on doing all I can to get baby to turn. But I have decided that when I go for my 39 week appointment on the 1st April, if he still hasn't turned by then I'm going to go with the c section on the 2nd April. I honestly believe that if he hasn't turned by then it's not going to happen. And at the rate he is growing he is going to be over 3.5kg already which is a good size. At least that way I'll have my parents to help me for just over a month.

 

[Perplexed]

I only feel better after a 2nd round of paracetamol around 6 hrs after the first one. I had a terrible morning!! Is it still every 4 hrs during pregnancy (paracetamol that is) or should I wait longer?

 

[GreyGirl]

Fingers crossed they turn, but if not, at least you'll have help when the time comes

 

[Beanonorder]

I had to pull out the doppler this evening for the first time in months! I've had a terrible day - dd woke up super early, I found her playing on the toilet later, I took her grocery shopping with me, lost a shoe of hers while shopping, Internet doesn't want to work properly, dd took a three hour nap ending at 5:30pm and it's now it's now 10:30pm and of course she's still awake and I've realised I haven't had a drop of water all day! So after my day I couldn't remember whether I'd felt baby move at all so out came the doppler!

 

[northern_me]

Those dopplers we all invested in were so worth it.

 

[RebeccaR19]

I agree that the doppler does pay off. Glad you had that on hand to check on your baby!

 

[Perplexed]

I'm sorry you had a busy day and didn't get a drink even! I'm glad you have a doppler to put your mind at ease.

 

[stripeycat5]

Right ladies time for bump updates me thinks! Here is me today. I feel fit to burst! . Have had a birthday party with DS this am which involved a soft play area so me crawling around after him was mandatory . Then went to my mums and walked round the garden with her. Came home then my aunty and grandmother came round. Then my mother and father in law came up! So had a housefull making tea etc yawn. OH came home just as everyone was leaving - typical man how do they manage it?? Anyway needless to say am exhausted now bath time and then feet up with some chocolate I reckon!

Hope everyone is ok x

 

[RebeccaR19]

Great bump picture, Stripeycat!

 

[Christina86]

I think I have hit the stage where I am just not hungry. I'm eating. But I guess my stomach is being smooshed to much now. I can barely eat half my meals without feeling full and if I try I then feel like I'm going to throw up. It stinks because I'm hungry. It's good because I'm not stuffing my face all the time. lol.

 

[Dini]

Hi ladies. Sorry I've been so MIA lately. I've being trying to read but this carpal tunnel really keeps me from doing much online. It's hard enough to get through work.

So question, lately if I bend over sometimes when j stand back up I get a cramping or tightening in my lower belly that's a bit painful. Is that a BH? It's only been a few times but I'm thinking that's what it is.

35 weeks today. Can't wait to hit 36, and like Rebecca I bet this week drags!

I'm so exhausted, got 3 hours of sleep last night and had to work today. I am praying they really let me take off at 37 weeks on disability for the carpal tunnel so I can try to get some rest. I know everyone is tired around here!

Oh and welcome Kate! So sorry to hear about your son. How is your little girl doing?

 

[Perplexed]

Stripeycat: you look amazing!

Dini: I'm so sorry you're struggling and hope they let you off at 37 weeks. That would be great. I'm not sure what the crampy feeling could be, maybe ligaments? It could be bh as well. For me bh feel more like my uterus turns into a ball and will fall...but it almost feels like I'm describing real contractions (though I don't remember what they feel like).

I have a growth scan at the hospital tomorrow. Dd has her vaccinations today and I decided to go to the ladies clinic nearby. I wanted to ask about these intense pains I've been feeling in my inner thighs and after checking baby's position she said his head is low. I asked if he's engaged she said no but brim. Being engaged will hurt a lot then!!! She made a guess saying she thinks I'll give birth within a week, but obviously no one will know yet. But she did say the placenta is starting to calcify. This was mentioned when I was 38-39 weeks with my daughter and my fluids were measuring borderline low. I didn't know it could start this early. I'm glad my growth scan was postponed till tomorrow so that whatever is happening could be noted in my file.

The dr advised me to do kick counts and count 10 movements in 12 hrs. I've never kick counted before. Are there any app that could help?

 

[northern_me]

All doctors want something different with kick counts. Mine wants 6 movements an hour.

 

[Perplexed]

I don't think I've ever had 6 movements in 1 hour...but I've also never counted.

 

[Christina86]

My doctor hasnt had me do kick counts she just asks me if the movements feel the same most days.

Dino- it could be ligaments. I get that feeling randomly on both sides at the bottom of my bump now. Before this week it was only on one side. My BH is my entire bump going very hard. I am to the point where when it happens I can't move well bc its uncomfortable. But I try to anyway bc even repositioning in my seat if I'm sitting will make it stop.

34 weeks! 6 weeks to go. Though For some reason I have a gut feeling I'm going somewhere between 38 and 40 and idk why.

 

[Perplexed]

Does stretching count as a movement?

 

[RebeccaR19]

Dini- I think you are probably experiencing some ligament pain like others have said. I get that same feeling, and I have just figured it was more intense ligament pain since everything is so much more stretched out at this point.
Happy 35 weeks! I hope the next week doesn't drag for you. If it's any consolation, after week 35 felt like it was just dragging on for me, time has picked back up again. Week 36 seems to be going by pretty fast.

Perplexed- I hope that your growth scan goes well. My baby was like yours at my last appointment..at the brim but not engaged. Any movement counts, stretching, rolling, kicking. Anything. As long as you feel something from baby moving, count it.

I keep having real contractions, but they aren't lasting. But every day I am having at least 4 real contractions a day on top of BH, of course. I haven't lost my mucus plug as far as I know. Maybe it came out and I didn't notice (although I don't know how that could have happened because it was really obvious last time). I tried to see if I might be dilating because these contractions, when they do come, are very strong and I don't see how they aren't causing some sort of dilation. But I couldn't really tell if I am. I think I am, but I wish I had some sort of talent at figuring that out. I've read about it, but it's so much more difficult to actually do. I do know I am somewhat effaced.
With these things happening, I keep thinking back to my last pregnancy and how this is what was happening in the week before I had my son. I didn't know they were real contractions at the time with him because I hadn't experienced real contractions before. But with him, I also started having some real contractions throughout the day before my water broke. It started at the tail end of week 37 (which would have been week 36 by ultrasound dating scans) and then I had him at 39+1 (which of course would have been 38+1 by the dating scan). So, I can't help but wonder if this means she'll show up on that same timeline. She is growing at a very good clip now too!