36 week update

Summer finally arrived in Seattle.  Wednesday was the first day in something like 260+ days that the temperature got above 75 degrees!  We had the darkest summer solstice in 15 years last Sunday!  Needless to say, this CA girl is happy to see the sun!  However, I already notice a huge difference in my body's ability to regulate temperature!  A mere 70 degrees feels like 90 to me.  So, I suppose it's a good thing I'm no longer a CA girl (at least not right now). 

We had our 36+ week check-up today and everything looks good.  I'm now measuring exactly 36 weeks!  Who knows if there is an explanation for this.  One thing I noticed over the last few weeks is that my stomach is rounder whereas before the bulk of it was just below my rib cage before quickly sloping downward.  Perhaps the change in shape contributed to my no longer measuring big.  This could also explain why Tray measured big.  I read that baby's in certain positions will read bigger on an ultrasound machine.  I'll be surprised if I end up with a big baby.  I'm expecting an 8.5 pounder or less.  :)

Tray is head down and starting to settle into my pelvis.  I'm about 1 cm dilated and it's unclear how effaced I am because my cervix is still pointing backward.  Once it comes more midline, our OB can make a better estimate of whether it has started to thin.   I'm still having tons of Braxton-Hicks contractions and menstrual-like cramps.  I'm now taking 3 trips a night to the bathroom (it used to be just one).  I usually wake in the middle of the night to a full bladder and a rock hard stromach in the middle of a contraction.  It's VERY uncomfortable but not painful.  The last couple of nights I've been able to feel Tray's little butt just below the left side of my rib cage.  I wonder what a contraction feels like inside? 

We were able to have a nice long conversation with our OB about our birth plan.  She read through the whole thing and offered a few caveats, but overall it sounds like we're not asking for anything too out of the ordinary.  The one potential issue is if I were to need a c-section.  The hospital's policy is that you can only have 1 guest in the operating room with you.  I've never had to stay in a hospital or have surgery.  I really hate hospitals, always have.  It's important to us that if I can't have skin-to-skin contact with Tray (which I can't in the case of a c-section), Matt take my place.  The problem with this is that I'm then left alone for the remainder of the surgery (the baby comes out in the first 10 minutes; it takes another 30+ to complete the procedure).  I REALLY don't want to be left alone, awake on an operating table with my stomach cut open.  We asked our OB that it be noted in my file we'd like an exception to the rule so that our doula can be present with me if/when Matt leaves my side to be with the baby.  She was sympathetic but ultimately said it's up to the anesthesiologist assigned to us.  They call the shots.

We're looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend starting now!