This is exactly how I feel! However much I try to muffle the sounds, there's oohs and aahs every time I toss, turn or get up from bed. I feel like an old person. It's not painful or anything, its just the inconvenience of having a hard watermelon in my mid-section, making every move or bend a mission. I never knew how rigid or hard a pregnant woman's bump is (never touched anyone's!). It's different from being overweight and having folds of skin. Those might cave in to pressure, this one doesn't. And now, I also get why most pregnant women are so over it by their last few weeks. The belly keeps growing and normal everyday tasks become a mission; but its also fun you know! If something falls on the floor, you debate in your head whether or not it's worth the effort. I can no longer apply body lotion to my legs. Well I can but that will be one major uncomfortable task while standing in the bathroom. So husband it is! I get that lil extra pampering...while it lasts you know. It's going to be all about Blueberry once he/she is here. I mean this in both ways. Husband will also not get that love/attention because he is an adult and won't be a priority anymore :p
The rib pain on my left side under the breast is still going strong. My uterus is at its highest point at the moment so it's pushing for space as the baby grows. It's said that the baby starts moving down after week 37 so I'm hoping this pain is on its last legs. It just makes it harder for me to sit or stand for long periods of time. When I'm mobile and distracted, it's fine. Doing assignments and blogging while sitting gets a bit painful so I've been a bit of slacker in that department. Who likes to sit in pain when you can just lie down and cuddle your new best friend aka Maternity Pillow.
At NZBloggers BrunchClub last week, a pregnant friend mentioned HypnoBirthing and exclaimed she looked into it for birthing but it was too expensive. So this week I've been researching a bit about that. HypnoBirthing is not a new concept but is catching on thanks to celebs like Miranda Kerr opting for it. It's based on a book called HypnoBirthing by Marie Mongan. I've just downloaded the book and haven't started reading it but I get the concept. The technique focuses on breathing, relaxation, positive affirmations and meditation during birthing. It claims that when your body is relaxed and in tune with its rhythm and nature (as in contractions), you feel less pain (they don't use the word pain btw, its pressure). Positive affirmations state that birthing is a totally natural process and our bodies are made for it. When we put fear into this process, we trigger stress hormones (Cortisol) that does us way more harm than good, disrupting the rhythm and process. It makes total sense to me because I do believe in the power of mind to control and generate pain. I've had back pain for far too long to know the symptoms stress can manifest in physical form. The HypnoBirthing courses in Auckland are about $400+ and the dates are fully booked months in advance. If I knew about this earlier, I'd have actually given serious thought to the course. The reviews online are pretty good as lots of women have delivered babies this way, without any sort of painkiller. As I only have about 3-4 weeks in hand now, it's not enough time to practice all that book might preach, so I'm very keen to get started on it asap.
I've also been researching WaterBirth and being a swimmer & lover of all things water, this is something that really speaks to me. I was all pumped about going ahead with it, till my midwife said "Well a lot of my clients have been interested in it, some even put it in their birthing plan and prepared for it as well. Some hired a birthing pool at home so they can do part of their labor at home and the final leg of it at the tub in birthing unit but till date none of her clients have gone ahead and had a water-birth". Reason: When the pain starts, everyone wants a painkiller and wants to get to hospital asap. No judgment from me here because I have no experience or even the mildest clue how intense that pain (pressure!) will be. There are no painkillers in water-birth (no epidural at-least). Some birthing units have options of gas based painkiller while you are in the pool. I'm keeping all my options open and being totally flexible. I've asked my midwife for water-birth and when the time comes, we'll see how we go. Whatever happens there will be competent doctors around and they'll know how to get me and the baby alive out of the whole situation. Being a science and fact based person, I'm not going to be unrealistic. Flexibility keeps my nerves calm too and that is exactly what is needed on the day and the days leading up to it. I'm not interested in reading or listening to anyone's horror birth stories. Tell me the good ones out there!
Me and husband are being pragmatic and our only role is to try and keep the calm. If we can do that, brilliant. If we can't, screaming and moaning it is and that is fine too. I'm not going to stress about a day of pain when I can think of a beautiful baby that'll be in our arms on the other side of it. Every woman says its worth it so it must be. Billions can't be wrong...
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