39 or 41 Weeks into my Pregnancy

I had these really strong period-like pains Sunday evening and as I went to the loo during the night, I realised that I definitely lost my mucus plug. It’s not at all like that clever white sister explained it to me! It’s not like a type of gel consistency as she said – this looked like gob with blood in it “a lot of gob”!

I’m so excited now! This means that labour can start any day now! I read that normally within three days of the bloody show labour can start, but then again – I also read of woman who lost theirs a week or so before labour. I hope it’s not so with me!

I’m starting to wonder if I haven’t wasted my money by hiring a doula… I mean I seek advice from her and it’s like she can’t answer me so she just rolls over to another topic. I told her about the bloody show and when she thinks I would go into labour, instead of telling me whatever; she simply asked me how far my pains were apart! My word I got so frustrated! It’s like she has no advice for me, and that she’s only there for the labour! I really hope that she’d prove me wrong through all of this; I hope she’s the money’s worth I’m paying.

It almost feels like the Braxton Hicks contractions have lessened since Monday. I’ve had no more pains or discomfort like that of Sunday evening. I’m so exhausted; it feels like my body doesn’t want to go on any more. I get all these ideas of things I want to do; but between the heat and my unwilling body I’m fighting a losing battle.

Every day I wake up; I hope and pray that today will be the day! But nothing has happened thus far.

Looks like Sunday is the day for things to happen! I’ve had strange aches and pains in and around my abdomen again today with almost constant Braxton Hicks Contractions. Maybe something will happen later tonight or early next week. Well, I really hope that little one makes her appearance soon; because I for one cannot wait any more!

41 Weeks into my Pregnancy

We have entered this week hoping and praying every day that this would be the day in which Tazlin would come. This week is really turning out to be the worst one thus far. Not just is this pregnancy stretching me to my wits but I’m worried out of my mind about Tigger. We heard a cat meow both Monday and Tuesday morning, and it sounded exactly like Tigger on Tuesday – it sounded so close yet I couldn’t find him! I will not stop praying for his safe return home. William recons that this is a sign from God; since Tigger is an Attention Addict, he thinks Tigger would get jealous when baby gets here and run away anyhow.

I’m getting increasingly uncomfortable with “strange” aches and pains all over which is all supposed to signal impending labour – though it feels like I’m just going to carry on forever like this! I’ve made Tazlin’s comforter and all her clothes are washed, I’ve got just about nothing more to prepare for her.

I went for my check-up on Friday, and now they don’t know how far I really am! They recon between 38 and 40 weeks, now I just have to go by that and hope my baby will be fine!

Tazlin’s fully engaged so now we’re just waiting for her to come out! I hope it will still be this week or early next week. I’m so tired of walking around like this!

The sister at the clinic said that if baby has not arrived by the 30^th of March that I should go in to Dora Ngenza Hospital on that day so they can induce my labour. I hope it doesn’t come to that… I’m just scared that they would want to give me a caesarean and that is the last thing I want! You take so much longer to heal from that than with normal birth!

40 Weeks into my Pregnancy

Mum came to visit this week, I’m hoping that this little rascal would come whilst mum’s still here.

I’m worried though, what if she doesn’t come on her due date – the people at the clinic still recons that I’m three weeks earlier in the pregnancy. Doesn’t it get more dangerous for the baby the further you go over your time? I just pray that she’ll come out in time.

Finally I could go for a walk, with mum here I can be assured if something happens on the walk, there will be someone by my side if something has to happen. I’ve been both more active and more tired this week, I took advantage of mum being here to go for walks, but I practically had to have a nap every day for about an hour and a half, then I’d still feel like I haven’t slept for days.

Tigger and Mischiff have been acting quite differently towards me this week, it’s like they are iron and my stomach is a huge magnet, they simply can’t get enough of me!

My heart’s broken! Early Wednesday morning I got up to go sleep in the lounge since I got too hot in the room – Tigger had just come in from outside and was sleeping at our feet along with Mischiff. I rubbed him and then went off to the lounge. When I woke up later to get Will ready for work, Tigger wasn’t there – so I figured he’d come when I give nice-foodies to Mischiff; I called to him but nothing. I should’ve closed that window – he would’ve perhaps still been here!

We went walking around the block calling to Tigger, hoping he’d come back home. I figured he’d be home by sunset but yet again – nothing. So I decided we have to go round the neighbourhood on Thursday. I call to him every morning and evening, so that if he’s nearby he’d hear me, I’m totally devastated; he’s never gone away whilst I was still around, he once disappeared for a day and a half when I was visiting my family in another province – but this is just ridiculous. I pray God will protect him and show him the way back.

We walked a lot again on Friday; I started getting strong period-like pains. Nothing like I’ve had thus far; so our hopes really went up – thinking that perhaps this could be the very early stages of labour. Could it be that me worrying about Tigger is keeping labour away? I’ve read that stress could sometimes keep labour from progressing since you’re all tense, I try doing my relaxation breathing but how can I put away the concern I have for my missing feline baby.

Mischiff has been taking full advantage of Tigger not being here, she has conquered my belly and taken it over as her territory. It is interesting to see how she has gone from avoiding me  to being all over me – who knows, maybe that’s another sign of impending labour, but when exactly – I don’t know.

The time has finally arrived for mum to go home, and disappointingly enough – Tazlin has still not been born!

39 Weeks into my Pregnancy

I finally made the canvasses for my little butterfly’s room, so I’ve decided to paint the butterfly metamorphosis on them, starting with the caterpillar this week. I hope it will all come out ok.

Shame Elmarie was quite nervous when I got there this week for our painting date. She was just so scared that I might go into labour. But that didn’t happen – we painted for four hours again, it’s fun! I love it – you totally get lost in what you’re doing, it’s like an escape from reality.

It feels like I’m on a train who’s departure keeps getting put off, I am really tired of being pregnant now – the only joy I still find in it is when my precious moves within me, that’s it! I am at a point where I have but a few items in my closet which still fits and it ain’t enough to last a week, I am so frustrated for what will the point be in buying new clothes now if I know I’ll be delivering my honeycomb in the next few days. I suppose all I can do is to hold on and hope for the best.

Tigger is taking up all the attention, I really try and give both my cats equal attention but it’s difficult when one is all over you and the other on its own mission, I’m actually scared that Mischiff will look for another home if it goes on like this. I have to find a way to give her equal attention to what Tigger is demanding! I love them both so much and can’t imagine losing either one of them; they have been my babies for four years after all.

I’m starting to wonder if I’m not only 36 weeks pregnant after all, I did some research the other day to see if you can in fact feel foetal movement from 11 weeks. With the hope of finding out that it is absolutely impossible I came across a website where almost 30 first time mums claimed to have felt their baby move at 11 weeks and their pregnancies progressed normally. I simply can’t see myself walking around like this for another four weeks!

38 Weeks into my Pregnancy

I’ve been waiting expectantly for baby to come, but she seems rather comfortable where she’s at now. I’m truly hoping and praying that my butterfly would come this week – since my mum will be visiting from the 26^th to the 6^th of March. I’m getting much more Braxton hicks and I’m sure she’s getting ready to come – other than the Braxton hicks I’m just experiencing heavy discomfort and fatigue, the slight pains of last week is gone – the sister said those could’ve been false labour pains – which I certainly knew because it was simply a discomfort to me and didn’t really hurt.

I tried painting something for Tazlin’s room last week, but I think it’s too dark – it didn’t come out quite as I had hoped. And to top it all off, I spilled a whole lot of turpentine on the lounge carpet – so it reeked for quite a while as if I was painting.

I woke up with a fever blister under my tongue on my gums this morning; I don’t know what that is all about. But I suppose it’s all part of the pregnancy.

We were looking at some pictures last night and I’m really starting to think that I had a quite alright build before I fell pregnant – I just can’t wait to get my pre-pregnancy body back and to be able to fit into my clothes again. But more so I can’t wait until baby’s born, so I can sleep on my back and tummy again and not have this problem of swollen feet and hands that leads to numb fingers. I know I won’t have a proper nights rest in the next few months but at least the sleep I’ll be getting will be worry free except for the worry of my baby waking up.

Oh, it all seems like a dream! I hope Tazlin comes soon!

And just as I thought to be one of the lucky ones not to get kicked in the ribs, it happened; at the most difficult of times, 3:30am as if my sleep wasn’t interrupted enough she had her foot lodged in my side and didn’t matter how I laid it just kept on hurting like hell.

Today was a very lazy day, apart from me trying to sort my books out for studying for my exams; I had a very quiet and peaceful day – topped off with a late afternoon nap. Maybe I can do what I wished to do then tomorrow; make canvasses for Tazlin’s room.

37 Weeks into my Pregnancy

It felt strange waking up Monday morning and not having to get ready for work. It was Valentine’s Day & William’s Birthday; we were invited to a braai at his step-grandmother’s for his birthday, they had some friends of her husband’s there and they were playing “boeremusiek” Honestly, I did not enjoy the music at all – but William rather enjoyed playing with the old ballies (^^,)

I started washing baby’s clothes, and sorting things out. It’s just that from 3 months up that needs washing now, it feels like I have piles of clothing for baby – but in honest truth I think it’s not that much. I’m starting to wonder if I am in actual fact ever going to have a baby shower for my friends here – I think I should just have organised it myself. I had the show today and that means that labour could start any minute, day or week from now. Maybe we’ll end up having a welcome party for baby instead!

William promised the guys at work that I’d be sending mini doughnuts to work, but honestly – I don’t feel like bothering with that still in this heat. I’m going to another lady from church’s baby shower Tuesday evening and I’ll be making mini doughnuts to take with – I suppose I can make an extra batch for William to take to work then on Tuesday, I could even make the dough and let him make it! I think that sounds like a better idea.

We’ve decided that I should go for my follow up visit Friday morning since I’ve had the show – that’s if baby hasn’t come by then.

So we have been scheduled to sing at Saturday’s Valentine’s dinner, I am working on my dress for then – but if baby comes before then, we’ll only go for the song – shame we can’t totally drop them. At least go do the song and come home, I’m sure William’s mum won’t mind looking after Tazlin for an hour or so; she must just leave her brat dog at home!

I never made the mini doughnuts, not for the baby shower nor for the guys at his work. Man I just don’t feel like it! This hot weather’s driving me insane! I mean if it was a bit cooler I might get more done, but I’m swollen up like a balloon and everything I try ‘n accomplish is more than a mission and a half. I haven’t had any other signs of labour apart from the show on Monday, though I am getting dull period-like pains with my Braxton Hicks and lower backache now and then – but it’s not consistent enough to say “I am officially in labour”. I wish it would just happen already, I’m sure I’d get more done being my old self! It feels like baby could come though, this week – William’s saying she’ll come next week Tuesday, though I don’t know what is so significant about that particular date – maybe he just sensed it in the spirit. Though he did say that he wants baby to come on the 28^th when my mum’s here, I think he’s trying to get out of being in the labour ward with me.

That man is so stressed out, honestly – you’d swear he’s going to go through all the pains of labour.

Tonight, Wednesday 16 Feb, we’re having the rehearsal for Saturday’s Valentines Dinner – William says though if baby comes before Saturday there’s no way we’re going anywhere! So much for not wanting to let the people down.

I’m going for my follow up visit tomorrow, coz my Doula contacted me to tell me that their having a pregnancy education week at the clinic tomorrow – so I figured I’ll go for my follow up; then I wouldn’t have to go into town again on Friday.

I saw the white sister again! Somehow I’m starting to dislike her, she never says anything I want to hear, I thought I had my show on Monday but it turns out that it was just part of the mucous plug that came out and not all of it, but she still figures that I’m only 35 weeks pregnant!

Saturday evening was a huge success, and lucky for them – baby didn’t come before then. I experienced though what I thought was nesting on Saturday; but I’m not too sure if that was it. I had this energy to do a whole lot of things I’ve been putting off and it was operation deep clean. I hope this means baby will come soon.

36 Weeks into my Pregnancy

I’ve been “dying” of tooth ache since Saturday after the pizza we had for lunch. I’ve been taking panado’s and paracetamol coming out my ears and I’m still sitting with this daunting ache. The thing is that the pain shoots itself into the whole right side of my head, from my eye, to my ear, right around to all my other teeth and even into my throat. So basically I’m not a happy camper at this very stage. I’m really wishing baby would come sooner, just so I can have this tooth sorted out.

I’ve started preparing her for when she must come, I tell her the date every day and how many days or sleepies are left until her daddy’s Birthday. Who knows, perhaps she’ll listen and surprise us all by making her grand appearance on Valentine’s Day – I know one thing’s for sure. William would be beside himself if this has to be so!

The Youth is planning a Formal Valentines Dinner for the 19^th of February, and they asked that me and William perform a duet; but I told him that if baby is born before then I won’t be going out until at least three weeks after baby’s birth. Now he’s scared that the baby may be pre-mature if it comes before the actual due date. It took some explaining from me to make him realise that baby will come at the right time and will be fine; we’re past the stage of the baby being prem anyway.

I got in contact with my Doula about my follow-up visit to the clinic and it sounds me like she also thinks it might be a February baby. I was concerned about them scheduling my next appointment only in six weeks time from the previous; I thought I’d be going bi-weekly since I’m closer to the due date now. But I suppose everything’s fine. It better be, because if anything has to go wrong with me or baby because of their negligence I’m afraid the government’s going to have to pay for their muck up!

Cardel started giving me off half day since Thursday; I hope this won’t affect my earnings! But they’re good people, I doubt it will. As I’m working more with her, I’m getting to know her better – she’s a really fun person; reminds me a lot off me and Diane, it feels strange; I respect her as my employer but I also see her as a friend.

God has been awesome to bless me with such awesome people as employers, William might also soon have a new job – we pray! He applied for a position also at a packaging company, but it sounds more serious than what he’s got right now and that they might actually deliver on what they promise. We’re hoping and praying that this will be his breakthrough, that this will be his door open from God!

I can’t really tell if I’ve started nesting, since we’ve just moved and such we still have some boxes that needs unpacking and things that needs re-arranging – so I’m mostly busy trying to make sense of things, sorting out boxes and things we need from what we don’t. I’ve been busy in the Nursery/ Guest room and it almost seem liveable, all that still needs fixing is the compactum and the bedding for the cot. Then most of the stuff should be sorted.

I’ve got the baby’s bag sorted out for the hospital, but my bag is still a thousand miles from being sorted. There are still so many things I need for myself for the hospital – I hope I can get it all before it’s time!

We had a braai on Saturday for William’s Birthday and we had quite a good turn-out. I’m sure this was the best birthday he’s had since moving here to PE, most of the friends we invited actually came and we all had a wonderful time together.

35 Weeks into my Pregnancy

The reality of moving has now kicked in, though I have barely started packing. I have so much to do yet I can’t seem to find direction about where to start. I try and pack a little every night, hoping that by Friday Evening most of the stuff will be in boxes.

I’ve been working at the house office this week and I find it much cooler than working at the kennels itself, the only schlep is that my office isn’t totally set up as yet, so I’m working off the floor which can be quite a mission as much as it is comfortable.

I actually pulled a muscle in my gluteus maximmus this week from all getting up from seated positions on the floor at the office, not funny! Having this extra weight can be quite tricky sometimes.

The people at the Maternity Clinic are ever so clever, seeing that I’m in my last month you’d think that I’d go for more regular check-ups now. Ha! They simply scheduled my appointment two weeks later because there were some blood tests they had to re-do at 32 weeks, which I’m not! But they did those tests this week and only scheduled my next appointment in another 6 weeks. Absolutely, unbelievable! Baby’s going to be there already by then, and then I would’ve missed out on important check-ups! I suppose that’s the best you can expect from government health care.

I had to ask to have off on Friday in order to do packing – since I didn’t get quite as far as I would’ve expected. Thankfully my bosses are really understanding and gave me off. One thing to look forward to though, is that when I return to work on Monday I’ll have a desk to work at! Yeahj!

It was the most awkward move I’ve ever endured, trying to get things done with a stiff gluteus muscle is no joke and it’s even less of a joke trying to be useful whilst moving being pregnant. Our move went quick and I can thankfully say that baby is fine after all the excitement and so am I.

I have the most wonderful husband on the face of this earth, even though he did most of the moving – with his friends, he still pulled it together to help me unpack and arrange everything in our new home, he basically did most of it! He deserves the best Husband Award Ever!

34 Weeks into my Pregnancy

The Lord is so good! We have found our very own “house” to move into and there we got discount as well! From R2800 to R2600, God is awesome and I believe He’ll give us gigs for the sound hire and photography when I’m on maternity leave, to try and make up for the loss of income.

I’m almost at my very last and thankfully I have not been woken by baby moving nor have I received any kicks in the ribs – which I hear hurts so much. It just sometimes feels like she wants to climb out, by the way she’s punching. The Braxton Hick’s contractions are getting much stronger now, sometimes it leaves me gobsmacked and I don’t know how to move or stand. It can be quite uncomfortable. I doubt that I’m going to be as lucky as mum not to have labour pains.

Though I’m not scared at all about giving birth, the only thing thus far that has scared me was the thought of being on my own – without William by my side. For some silly reason he has gone from being eager to cut the umbilical cord to rather wanting to stay outside the ward for the fright of seeing me in pain and not being able to do anything about it. It really freaked me out when he said that, I mean – what has kept me calm all this time was that I knew he wanted to be right there and be as much part of the labour as he could and being there to support me. And from going from having that assurance to nothing is quite scary, it’s almost like being abandoned.

I told him that I don’t care I want him there with me, so he agreed to be there. I don’t know if he wants to cut the cord anymore though.

I’d say my mood swings are really starting to kick in this week, more than any other. My moods change quicker than the direction of the wind in PE from being happy and content to wanting to rip someone apart for making what seemed to me a stupid suggestion. From being angry about something to crying because my feelings got hurt in the way I was spoken to. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions and William has partially joined in – lately he’s gotten very soft and my harsh moods are affecting him more than what it would have before. It makes me feel bad though, because he used to be able to take my moods with a pinch of salt and now he almost drowns in them.