Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 – The Countdown is officially on!

Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 - The Countdown is officially on!

Eek, as I write this I’ll be 38+3 – where has the time gone?! I can’t our due date is in just 11 days time – if we make it that far, that is! These last few weeks have been a rollercoaster (as most of pregnancy is) so here is our latest update, and potentially our last before baby arrives as the official countdown is on! Last night I was reading my ‘What to Expect When you are Expecting’ book and they reckon that only 2% of pregnancies truly go overdue, the rest are down to miscalculation of dates. So, based on that and seeing as we couldn’t miscalculate our dates after having IVF, that means (unless we are the unlucky 2%) she’ll be in my arms within 11 days. CRAZY. I don’t know if that is true, but I’m telling myself it is…..! 🙂 So, this is what we’ve been up to in the last month:

HOW HAVE WE BEEN FEELING?

In one word – Uncomfortable! I’ve got to that stage where nothing is comfortable anymore, I can’t lay down, sit on the sofa, stand or bounce on my birthing ball without something aching, hurting, cramping or otherwise. It’s crazy, my body just feels so huge now, I can’t imagine how we could get any bigger.

Last week at 37 weeks I began all the ‘old wives tales‘ to ease labour. It seems a bit of a myth you can bring it on early, but anything to make it easier when it happens would be a win. I’ve been drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea, eating 6 dates a day, bouncing on my birthing ball and sniffing Clary Sage essential oils. All of this seemed to progress things slightly as they do bring on some quite strong Braxton Hicks, but as you can tell, no baby.

She also kept us on our toes last week with two trips to the hospital, once for reduced movements and once for a suspected ‘slow water leak’ – but by the time we got there both times, everything was fine. Typical! (Although best to always get checked!) It was still nice to be popped on the monitors for a while and check in with her though, she was moving away nicely and I was having very mild contractions, which the midwife said was more of a ‘practice run’ than the real deal. I also found out she is engaged and in a ‘good birthing position’. So lastly, on Friday had my ‘show’ which convinced me she’s on her way imminently…. but a week later, I’m not so sure.

This week (38 weeks) I’ve been riddled with a nasty cold, which is horrific whilst pregnant as you can’t take any medication. I’ve gone from wishing the baby would arrive to hoping she stays in as I would hate to go into labour feeling like this. Currently on lock-down on my sofa until it clears, drinking orange juice like it’s going out of fashion. If I could have a couple more days to recover from this cold, then go into labour early next week – that would be perfect! We shall see……!

MATERNITY LEAVE AND NESTING

Obviously, I am LOVING maternity leave – who wouldn’t love a year off work? Although I’ve been so busy working my way down my ‘Maternity Bucket List‘ it hasn’t really felt like leave, it’s been a whirlwind. I’ve been whizzing about having coffee’s here and there, manically scheduling blog posts, organising the nursery and getting all of her baby clothes ready. PHEW, maybe it’s no wonder I have become so run down this week.

As soon as my maternity leave started, I felt such a strong urge to nest, so have been following various ‘KonMari techniques‘ to declutter and fold everything away neatly. Here is my attempt with her baby grows – I might also add they are folded in size order and separated by whites and colours! 😉

Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 - The Countdown is officially on!Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 - The Countdown is officially on!

We had a nightmare earlier this week – I had been getting on so well with the nursery organisation, so it was a bit of a kick in the teeth this week when our workmen cancelled sanding our floors ( seeing as we booked them in Dec!) As the floor isn’t finished we had to move everything out into the living room, so I’m currently sitting with everything in boxes again (although thank GOODNESS my folded babygrow drawers are all in one piece – I could have cried if they were messed up after all that!) We are currently waiting for another company to come and help us out, but that will take a bit of time, so everything is in chaos again. I’m a bit gutted this happened so close to baby, but at least we have the essentials done – The Snuzpod is set up by the bed (looking CUTE!), her clothes are ready, we have nappies, bottles, clean muslins and her car seat installed. Thats all that matters for now, right? Nothing is ever perfect.

HOSPITAL BAGS AT THE READY!

Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 - The Countdown is officially on!

Last week I received this amazing Pacapod Changing Bag, which actually has worked really well at this stage as the babies hospital bag, plus – it’s the most gorgeous changing bag I’ve ever seen! Once she is here I’ll be doing a more indepth ‘What’s in my Changing Bag‘ style review once I start using it properly, but for now I can’t wait to get using my bag, our first trip being to the hospital. It’s currently sitting by my front door, packed with her first outfits, special toys and the crochet blanket I made a couple of months ago. I think I will actually cry when I see her in that for the first time, it took me MONTHS! She will also be coming home in the same babygrow I came home in, 31 years ago, so that is safely packed up too.

Pregnancy: Weeks 34-38 - The Countdown is officially on!

So, thats it from us for the time being! Who knows, maybe my next update will be a birth announcement, or maybe there will be time to squeeze in another ‘bumpdate’ before she arrives…… Watch this space!

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  • Omg lyndsay I’m so sorry to say this but we’ve only been home from the hospital 5 days and you should see the drawers 😩😩😩😩😩😩
    I hope you’re not that 2% and that little baby peaches decides to come soon!! Hopefully just as your cold goes away so you’re on top form! xxx

  • How exciting!! I’m feeling ridiculously uncomfortable too. The heartburn is killing me slowly. My husband has always said that they got my dates wrong with Ava as she was 8 days over and they kept telling me that she was measuring small, she was 7lbs9! I hope everything goes well for you. xx

  • Can’t believe they cancelled!! I hope you get it sorted before Baby Peaches comes. If I have a baby, would that make them Baby Winter?
    Also I was fine reading your post till I got to the bit about your crochet blanket and the babygrow, then someone starting chopping onions on the bus! Xx
    Holly ∣ Closingwinter

  • Wow you look amazing mrs. I’m so sorry you’ve had a few scares and hospital visits – they do like to keep us on our toes, don’t they! I can’t believe how organised you are! Can you come and tidy our nursery please? 😉 Try and get your feet up at some point as well as working through your list. It will be a while before you get to rest again once she arrives. Xxxx

  • Oh you look so lovely and definitely blooming. I hope baby comes soon I’m so excited for you xxx #MaternityMondays

  • You look fab! Good luck with it all. I’m convinced a long walk helped start my labour. I love that changing bag! #MaternityMondays

  • You look fab! And so organised.Mine is an IVF baby too and I am under consultant care. They have said that they will not let me go beyond 40 weeks and I shall be having regular scans near the end. All the best – and look forward to hearing your happy news x #MaternityMondays