The "J" Files: Week 36

Well, we've made it into the home stretch. Now that I've reached 36 weeks I'm set to deliver at the Birth Center barring any true emergencies requiring major medical interventions. I can't tell you how that makes me feel. It's a jumble of things that makes me happy.

- I'll be able to deliver Joey in the same place/bed where Jimmy was born.
- We'll get to put Joey's footprints on the wall next to Jimmy's at the Birth Center.
- It's such a peaceful, intimate and cozy environment along with music and candles.
- I trust the midwives to do the best for me and Joey while still respecting my desires as far as how I want to labor.

I am hoping to let Joey incubate a little longer...I feel like 36 weeks is too early and 37 is kind of pushing it too. This might be erroneous thinking but knowing that he's already such a big guy makes me hopeful that if we do have to induce at 37/38 weeks he'll be a stong little booger that can handle it. More than anything I don't want to have to transfer him to the NICU across the street because of respiratory issues...so if a few more days or another week will help us avoid that then I'm down with that.

On the OTHER hand....I'm ready to have him here already and be done with this discomfort. And really it is just discomfort...its nothing too horribly painful...although there are painful moments too. Last night was particularly miserable - between Jimmy waking himself up coughing several times and some pretty bad hip/pelvis pain with every toss or turn, lots of acid reflux, lots of getting up to pee, some pretty strong braxton hicks contractions...at least I think they're braxton hicks contractions...and just not being able to sleep it was a really long night.

Beverly, a midwife at the Birth Center, called me yesterday to let me know that my blood work came back and my iron is pretty low and I'm bordering on anemia. I've known that for awhile since I've been chomping on ice non-stop for weeks now. But since it actually showed up on my blood work and the midwife told me to take iron I got some. I'm having a hard time bringing myself to take it though, I've been having flashbacks of taking it when I was a teenager - Yech! Maybe I'll get some blackstrap molasses instead. I actually like that stuff. So I wonder how long it will be after I start taking the iron before I stop chomping ice? I know my teeth will thank me but man I do love a big glass of ice, or five.

I have my 36 week appointment tomorrow and I'm told they'll schedule another sonogram for me. I'm loooking forward to that! It's really not necessary except that I'm getting to be more high-risk and they need to monitor the baby a little more than they would a normal low-risk patient. I guess if I have to be high-risk I can at least enjoy the perk of extra ultrasounds.

Here is Joey's fruity picture for the week.