Pregnancy week 38- Time for Pampering

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I’ve reached 38 weeks of pregnancy. This is the final stretch. Sticky Bean can decide to come any time now, though, thankfully, he is deciding to stay in for now.

As I mentioned last week I have some wonderful midwives looking after me, so I am feeling more and more relaxed.

Over the last week Sticky Bean has stayed very active. He still turns into breach position, probably once a day, but is also often found head down, frequently in a partially engaged position. I do feel the difference: When he is breach my pelvis is very unstable and especially painful, in a head-down position I am pretty good at sitting and standing for longer periods, I know for sure when he is engaged, as there is a certain pressure very low on my back. (I am reassured by my midwife that it is normal for them to move so much in subsequent pregnancies and with excessive amniotic fluid like I have)

I’ve had some swelling in legs and hands over the past week and a blip of high blood pressure (back to normal now). These were all sorted with some “sexy” compression hosiery and a very good night’s rest on Monday night of just over 12 hours. I keep repeating my mantra- Sleep is magic! (As true for adults as for children)

This past week I have been focussing on the road ahead- relaxing and preparing for birth… with a bit of fun thrown in:

• End of last week I booked a lovely pedicure session with Mona from Studio Sparkle. It was a blissful hour or so of my feet getting some real rejuvenation and pampering. The products Mona used smelt good enough to eat. This pampering also got me ready for the wonderful warm weather we are having now with feet that I can happily show off and toe nails nicely shaped and painted.

• I have finally got around to picking up my trusty old CD: the Chilled Mamas Birth Preparation CD. This relaxation and hypnobirthing CD has helped me through my previous two labours with minimal pain relief needed. Anges’ voice quickly gets me relaxed and into “the zone”. I truly believe that it is with the help of this CD that I have experienced my labours in a very positive empowering way (despite the complications that came with them.) I do recommend it to anyone, it is £10 well spent!

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• Finally today I went back to Mona. Did I mention she is also an expert at face and body painting? (That’s the other branch of her business- Little Precious.) After brainstorming some themes- symbolic, flowery or an image of some sort (like a ultrasound scan) – and medium which to use – henna, body paint or glitter tattoo- I opted for a fun body painted image. We talked about Sticky Bean and the Mona suggested how about a Monkey (which was apt considering last week’s post). So she painted the Bump, aka Heffalump (during which I nibbled on nuts and drank a lovely smoothie… and may have dosed off for a while too). Then we had loads of fun taking pictures of the end result.

SPD (or PGP) is still making life very hard. Walking any distance is impossible, my back seizes up, I have to stop every couple of meters to catch a breathe and relax; I have no chance of doing simple chores like loading a dishwasher; if I drop something on the floor I rarely can pick it up myself, but look at it helplessly before asking people around me to help.
Sleeping has it’s challenges- I have to wake up to turn over, I grit my teeth and try stifling the screams of agony during this shuffle to my other side and more so when sitting up to get out of bed.

However, I am choosing to enjoy these last few days or weeks. This is my last pregnancy and with the end in sight it is easier to savour the small wonders of pregnancy like Sticky Bean’s hiccups, the distorted bump as a bottom, an elbow or foot gets pushed out. I have loved the pampering that I’ve indulged in.

This is the time to centre myself, shoo away any negative thoughts or doubts and get myself ready for the task ahead: deliver this baby in the serene way I hope for him to come into this world.

How did you spend your last weeks of pregnancy? Were you anxious? Impatient? Enjoying the calm before the storm?

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