Pregnancy Update: 8th Month

I just finished up my 8th month in pregnancy #2....which means I'm in my last month!!!  So exciting!  Here's a quick update on how things went this past month.

Reid started back to work and I started watching Ella again at the beginning of this month - so it flew by!  That means I know this next month will fly by as well!  We finished painting all of Callie's bedroom walls and got all the bead board put up on the bottom half.  Also, we got all of the baby furniture moved in and put together.  We are currently working on washing things, organizing her room, and decorating the walls.  Pictures to come soon (hopefully)!

Callie's movements involve less kicking and more rolls across my body.  I love feeling certain body parts move across my belly - I know this is the part I will miss most about being pregnant!  When I was pregnant with Caeden, I used to read that they would start establishing sleep/wake patterns in your womb, and you would notice by their movements at the same time every day.  Did I experience this with Caeden?  No....He was literally active all throughout the day.  I loved feeling him move, but I used to joke with my doctor that he would have ADD because he never stopped moving. :/  Well, I'm happy to report that Callie has been very much the opposite.  First of all, she doesn't move near as much as he did - maybe she will sleep a lot???  Second of all, this month was the first time I started noticing some slight sleep/wake patterns.  She is consistently awake and active EVERY NIGHT between 9-10pm...literallyl!  Every night!  We'll see if this holds true once she enters the world! ;)  She also still has daily hiccups!

I've continued to have lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions this month - but I started having those at 17 weeks, so it wasn't anything new.  Several of them are more painful though - sometimes it's hard to breathe and I feel crampy all over when I'm having them.

My feet and hands have been swollen this past month!  This was something I never experienced with Caeden!  And he was born at the end of the summer, so I was very pregnant throughout the summer and I never was swollen with him.  NOT the case with Callie.  One day, my lovely husband said, "Your feet look like they're going to pop!"  Ha - thanks Reid!  My toes also swell so they rub against each other and it's just annoying.  HOWEVER, the last 3 days have been MUCH better (maybe the cooler temps?)

Like I said last month, I don't feel so great about my body lately.  I'm definitely past the "cute" pregnancy stage.  A lot of times I'm just self-conscious from feeling so big, I'm so uncomfortable, and it's hard to find clothes to wear - even maternity clothes are getting too small. :(  I don't like it one bit!  I'm continuing to work out 4 days a week, and at the end of this month I had only gained 18.5 pounds, so I know it's not bad - it's just the way I carry her - it makes me look so big!  My big-ness causes lots of other aches & pains...my hips hurt, it's hard to sleep, my abs hurt, back aches, feet are swollen, I have to go the bathroom a lot, etc, etc....

I'm really hoping I can go into labor naturally this time, and not be induced.  No, I'm not attempting a natural labor - I will gladly take the epidural!  But I would like to go into labor on my own - even if that means having her "late."  One of my friends who had a natural childbirth said her doctor had her start taking Evening Primrose Oil at 36 wks, and doing lots of squatting throughout the day.  So, I've already bought the Primrose Oil and will be starting this in a few days when I hit 36 weeks!  This will just help soften things up and prepare my body for labor.  As much pregnancy advice as I get - this is one piece of advice I'm excited to try!  This is not necessarily a way to induce labor - just helps it go more smoothly. Honestly, as excited as I am to meet her - I really hope she at least holds off until October - because I don't think we'll have everything done before then!

Here's my belly picture for this month.  The first one was my 8th month with Caeden, and the second one is with Callie.  Technically, my belly measurement was .5 inch smaller with Callie this month than it was with Caeden.  By the look of the pictures, it kinda looks like I carried Caeden a little lower...

 

I'm super super excited for Callie to get her!  Nervous?  YES!!  I'm very nervous about having two kids, and having a newborn again (not my favorite stage).  But I'm excited to have a daughter!  It's getting so close and I know she will be here so soon!  I'm just praying she's a "good,"  "easy" baby!