Week 40 - Braxton Hicks Arrived
September 18, 2006
To answer the question that everyone has been asking me, yes, I’m still pregnant. The baby is apparently still not ready to come out. I have finally been having some Braxton Hicks contractions. My sister-in-law was able to give me a good description of them - I don’t know what a tightening uterus feels like, but I can feel the muscles in my stomach tighten occasionally. As my sister-in-law would say, it feels like your stomach gets hard, like a basketball in your stomach. It is actually interesting to feel the outside of your belly when this happens, because it really is hard. For me, I start to feel these contractions in my lower abdomen, which then moves up to the rest of my belly. I’m not sure when these contractions started, since I wasn’t really certain what I was feeling. They don’t really hurt, though they can be a little uncomfortable at times.
On another note, my due date is officially this Thursday, the 21st. So, if the little bundle of joy decides to stay in longer than Thursday, can I start charging rent?
I know I’ve said before that I’m ready to be done being pregnant. I really mean it this time. My bag for the hospital is packed and in the car, along with the car seat and my brand new breast pump. My belly button has popped out, so I feel like my “turkey timer” has popped - the baby must be done cooking by now. The nursery is ready, the bassinette is set up in our bedroom, along with a changing station. All of the bath supplies are in a basket just waiting to be used - I’m not kidding you when I tell you I’m ready. Of course I’m definitely not looking forward to the pain that comes along with labor, but I can’t wait to meet the kid!
I have been amazed in the past week or so how many people have first asked me when I’m due (not a new question - I’ve been getting that one for months) and then when I tell them I have over a month to go, they look shocked. So apparently, I’m looking overly pregnant already. The meter man in town (the guy who writes up tickets if your meter has expired - Frank), the cashier at the local market, other tennants in the building where I work, etc. Everyone seems surprised that I’m not due earlier. Should I be worried that I’m going to have a huge baby, since 5 weeks early I’m looking ready to pop? Ironically, my weight has been about the same for over a month now. I would assume that the baby is still growing, and my stomach certainly seems larger, but my weight is the same, which is weird to me. I’ll definitely ask my doctor about it during my next visit next week.
Sites like 