The Baby Marathon

This weekend we are going to an Austin Freescale Marathon party. Hard to believe that a year ago I was running that race. This year at 8½ months pregnant, I will gladly be drinking hot tea and cheering on other runners. This year it looks like 50 degrees and rain, so all those crazy people who have been training all year will need all the support they can get.

We are now in the home stretch of our own marathon. Only 5 weeks to go until March 22. We have been taking care of all the final details before our little baby arrives. We are interviewing some pediatricians next week. We have been cleaning, sterilizing bottles, packing hospital bags, posting emergency numbers, choosing baby names and freezing casseroles. We have been busy bees so we can chill those final few weeks.

We have both been reading lots of baby books. Drew’s reading about being a good birth partner. He is learning a lot about labor stages and relaxation techniques. I will need to read that book when he's finished! Meanhile I’m reading about the Babywise feeding and sleep schedule method that promises to have our baby sleeping through the night by the time my maternity leave is over. Even though I don’t agree with everything it suggests, most of the information seems to make sense.

We saw Dr. Polon today. Everything is still looking great. BP was normal, and the fundus has grown to 35 centimeters to match the 35 weeks gestation. I weigh 149 pounds, up 2 pounds from my last appointment. So now I’ve gained 23 pounds total. It feels like I am wearing a 23-pound belt buckle! It is cumbersome to climb out of the car. Drew asks me if I need a jack, which really would be handy. I am walking, stretching and doing yoga poses and kegels most every day, and so far this has kept away back pain and physical discomfort. Dr. P did the strep test which we have no reason to believe would be positive. We go back in two weeks when he will check the baby's position. He can tell just by feeling my belly. I think the baby is already head-down based on the fact that little baby feet are constantly jabbing my diaphragm. He will not check my cervix until week 38 unless I start having contractions. So for now, 5 weeks and counting...