oh baby :: giant belly update

yesterday, i had my last monthly check up.

at 35 weeks i was measuring 1 week ahead of schedule (a.k.a. my big ball of a belly is measuring at 36 weeks instead of 35).  i guess i can throw out my hope of delivering a 7 lb. baby at this point. ha!  but, seriously...another possible chance of an 8 pounder?

i gained about 4 lbs. this past month, which has put me at 28 lbs. total weight gain through out this pregnancy so far.  but i feel like i gained double that every time i look at my belly.

i had my GBS testing done, but decided that if the results came back positive that i would forgo treating it with antibiotics.  after doing further research on the subject, i feel like there's a very, very, very low risk in me passing it to the baby upon delivery.  plus, gibson was not affected by it when i delivered him since i didn't receive the full dose during my labor with him. my midwife was fully supportive and was already aware of all the alternative treatments we can try (*sigh* i love her).

we are signed up to deliver at the new birth center based out of the hospital.  when i delivered gibson, the center was still under construction.  i'm hoping that we'll be able to try it out for this baby, as long as there isn't anyone using it already.  they have a nice giant tub in there, and i'm hoping this time around i'll actually get to go in it and deliver the baby.

i did have colleen check me to see if i've started dilating.  the past couple of weeks i've had this feeling that my cervix was changing.  nothing big, but the "practice" contractions felt different.  as if the braxton hicks were not really braxton hicks but they were all at the same time.  i know, that doesn't make any sense, but i don't know how to articulate it any better than that.  i could feel something was changing...it was weird.  it turns out i'm dilated at 1 cm (almost 2) and 25-30% effaced.  baby is head down (yes!) but not engaged yet.  which is good (since i'm not due until march), but it sure feels like he/she's about ready to come out already.

at home, we are so not prepared yet.  i haven't taken out any of the newborn stuff, the baby cradle or purchased any newborn diapers.  we still need to look over our birth plan and start putting a plan in place for people to contact when i do start labor.  on the plus side, gibson is moved into his new bedroom (right next to emma's room), and his old room has returned to our guest bedroom again.  we don't have a nursery for this baby since our plan is to have baby in our bedroom for at least the first 6 months.  after that, we'll decide if emma and gibson will end up sharing a room (emma's preference) or if the guest bedroom will end up being the baby's room (though we really like having a spare bedroom for company).  i'm not too worried about the whole sleeping arrangement issue.  it's hard to tell how gibson will respond to the new addition so i think it's probably best to play it by ear.

the baby's arrival seems so close, yet so far away at the same time.  some days i think i still have plenty of time, but other days i feel overwhelmed and behind after thinking about all the things i need to get done before the baby comes.  i think all i can do right now is to just take it day by day.  the baby is not going to have a fit if i don't get everything on my list done!