From this to that
Thank you so much for all of the sweet comments on the belly slideshow– it will be a fun thing to look back on.
It’s amazing that the belly went from this:
to THIS:
and mad props to lululemon for stretching with me along the way.
Yesterday was my original due date. I asked the midwife to extend it by a few days because my cycle is longer, and I was glad she was totally cool with it. I was really worried about being set up for induction before I’d need to, but it looks like that could end up being an option anyway if little baby doesn’t decide to come out in the next week. I have a midwife appointment tomorrow, which I’m a little anxious about because we’ll figure out a plan and it will be my first time getting checked for progress. I heard it’s uncomfortable/not fun, so I can’t really say I’m stoked about it.
Today was my second day of acupuncture in a row to encourage the little lady along. The brilliant thing about acupuncture is that it won’t work if the baby isn’t ready, but has many benefits besides the ability to initiate labor, like stress reduction, balancing the body’s systems, etc. When I went yesterday, I didn’t feel extremely confident about it because I couldn’t focus or relax. The baby was moving and kicking like crazy, but I was distracted the entire time by the bra that was cutting off my circulation. Nothing to restrict energy flow like a bra that could break at any second. I was wearing athletic clothes, and had grabbed a sports bra out of the drawer to wear. I looked at it and thought “I think it might be too small” and then wore it anyway. During my treatment, I debated asking the acupuncturist to bring me a pair of scissors so I could cut said bra down the middle… but that would be weird.
For today’s appointment, I could relax a lot more, and feel like even if it doesn’t get the ball rolling, I feel really good, refreshed and relaxed.
I also don’t feel like going anywhere in public, but have to for sanity purposes- if I stay in the house right now, I think I’ll go crazy. But when I venture out, I think it’s obvious that I’m about to pop because everyone keeps asking me. Yesterday, the optical tech at Costco asked if I was “feeling preggy today.” Feeling preggy? What does that even mean? I just said “Haha, yeah” and punched him in the face in my mind.
In other news:
-My pump came. I tested it out on my thigh (and on Tom’s belly) and it was intense! I do like the tote bag it came with and can definitely see how it will come in handy. Thank you so much for your pump tips, too <3
-I’ve gotten really good at picking things up with my toes. I’m like a monkey.
-I’ve been checking out my nose every morning. Apparently –it’s a wives’ tale- your nose will appear wider the day you go into labor. It’s a common question in our house to ask how my nose is looking today.
-Also, word on the street is that a full moon can induce labor. Full moon this weekend……
<3
102 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
So excited for you! Can’t wait for the day when she finally decides to join us out here 🙂
If a stranger asks when you are due you should say something like April to freak them out, that would be hilarious!
That’s so funny! Wish I had done that when I was pregnant!
Or you could say ‘she is a month old now, I’m just having trouble losing my ‘baby weight”.
then cry.. 😀
Or you could say something like, “What?? I’m not pregnant!!” THAT would be funny, but also a little mean… haha! 🙂
I love these, I seriously hope you do that if you get the chance again! 😉
I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear any of these responses in real life . .
Sunday it’s gonna happen!! I’m sending my vibes and the full moon will help 😉
I can’t believe your Lulu top stretched with you! My H&M tanks went with me the whole way but none of my workout tanks did!
Full moons and storms are two rumored kickstart to labor. Storms are scientific. It ha something to do with a change in barometric pressure.
“I just said “Haha, yeah” and punched him in the face in my mind.”
Literal LOL.
I DIED laughing when I read that part. But it’s good advice. I might mentally judo chop and ninja kick some people in the future. It is satisfying, and yet avoids being jailed. Thanks for the idea, Gina. : )
ME TOO!!!! Literally laughed out loud. Gina you are a doll, you say all the things I’m thinking, but never know how to put into words!
LMAO!!! yes
Same! So funny!
I’m definitely hoping for you! It can be scary just scheduling being induced, but you never know when she’s going to decide to come on her own 🙂 My daughter waited till the last minute too, haha. I haven’t commented much, but I’ve been following all along 🙂 I hope everything goes smoothly for you!
I’m so insanely excited for you. Is that weird? 🙂
I can’t believe she’s almost here – I’ve enjoyed being a part of your journey!! 🙂 I am so excited for you guys and can’t wait to start hearing about new parenthood!
The thing about the moon isn’t a wives tale — it is the truth! (Apparently something to do with gravity and lunar pull?) My mom is a labor & delivery nurse and every time she has a shift during a full moon, she helps a lot of babies into the world! When I was growing up, I’d always look at the moon to know if my mom was having a busy night at work or if she would the next day.
yay yay yay! i found your blog perhaps a week before you announced you were expecting & besides completely falling love with your recipes and fitness tips, i’ve gotten so excited to meet peanut!!
on a random side note, i’m reading along reading along, smiling throughout your whole post … until i hit the widening of the nose point. WHAT?! people in space will know i’m going into labour. seriously, my honker will be colossal.
I loooove old wive’s tales. I completely believe in the full moon. It makes people cray. That baby better come soon or I’ll send you cayenne peppers!
It’s going to happen…most babies are born on a full moon, when the northern lights are in full glow, and I think on some level – Miss Bella is telling you something…. 🙂 I hope she’s ok…
Gina – all the love and positive energy to you and Tom – your going to do incredible!
xo – Natasha
You have been lovely and glowing your whole pregnancy!
It must be funny having all of us blog readers waiting around impatiently for your little girl to arrive. 🙂
I check my google reader a few times a day at work, and when I scroll down to your blog – I’m always hoping to see “It’s time!” or “She’s here!” in your subject line.
I hope Bella is feeling better. Pups and babies are not supposed to be sick. 🙁
Give her some xo’s from me.
Yay!!! So close! We had a full moon when I was do and it didn’t do anything..lol, but I’m hoping for you!!
I already asked my fiance for one of those grabber tools that the elderly use – immediate veto.
Is that the same tank in both pictures?
Hahah!! What the mind can see, it can achieve…so maybe you really DID punch the tech in the face 😉 Awww, preggy….
I feel its going to happen like in the next couple days for you!! YIPPE!!!
xxoo
My doctor jokes about how after she schedules induction baby comes. My first was early, my second a week late, but came two days before her induction 😉 Good luck! And my first I had no signs of labour, no dilation, no effacement nothing and went zero to holding baby in 4hours, my second was 2cm dilated for weeks and I went from that to holding her in 1.5hours. So none of it means anything! Goodluck! and hopefully it happens ANYDAY.
Who ACTUALLY asks someone that question? Seriously. I kind of wish you had punched that guy in the face for real, and not just in your mind.
I haven’t commented yet but I’ve been reading for awhile and just wanted to say I’m so excited for you!! My mom is an OB nurse and SWEARS by the full moon/storm thing. She’ll say things like “I’m on call tomorrow, but it’s a full moon, so I guarantee I’m going in…” — haha! I’m due in March and we’ve already checked the full moon schedule.
So I think the odds are good for this weekend!! Hang in there! 🙂
lol so true about the nose…not sure if its like swollen or what but there is a different looking back on pics I had taken at the hospital..
and the pump….it may feel intense, but you do get used to it. BUUUUUTTT the first time you actually pump “your girls”….it’s crazy! the first few times I was like whoa, how is it humanly possible for *that part* stretch and be suctioned that faaaar. lol it’s hilarious. but really, if it hurts, it won’t hurt forever. ; )
You look fabulous and I totally feel your pain!
My little man came on a full moon 8 months ago, and my niece was born on dec 10th which was also a full moon. i totally believe in that!!!!
Good luck:)
Hi Gina! it’s my first time to comment. So, let me just say that it was a love from the first site! I found out about your blog a month ago. Very informative and bc of you I started working out again. So, THANK YOU :))) As for my pregnancy in my son (2 1/5 years old now :D) I took my whole ninth month and an extra day! A lot of my freinds even went beond and took 10 days extra! but finally delivered naturally.. So, I say it is always worth waiting for your little one to intiate labor and all the luck in your appointment tomorrow, it might actually start your labor!
Hope you have an easy labor and best time with your hubby besides you 🙂 A memory to keep for sure !
Hanaa
I worked at the Women and Children’s part of our hospital for a few years, and things ALWAYS got crazy on a full moon. I thought it was totally crazy when I first heard about it, but it happened every time. Hopefully it’ll work for you so you don’t have to be induced. Good luck, my friend! You have done such a wonderful job. Can’t wait to see that sweet baby!
I am SUPER excited for you!! I also loved the slideshow!! You are absolutely stunning!! I love how you say you’ll miss your belly… I feel like I would too, although I’ve never been pregnant. 🙂
Do you know why my comments require moderation? Do all of them or is it just me? Just curious…
I’ve always read that pumping can help kick start labor (if you’re body is already close to that point, obviously), but have no first hand experience. Manual stimulation of the nipples (in a rolling motion) is supposed to help even more…
I would take your pump with you and have the LC watch you pump, just to make sure you are using the correct horns, etc.
Looking over the comments, it seems like the consensus is that you’re going to meet your sweet baby girl this weekend! Just to throw my two cents in there…my best friend had her baby on a full moon as well. She wasn’t due for another 2 weeks, but as we were leaving Target on Thursday night, she looked at the moon and told me she was having her baby that weekend. The next night I got a call to meet her at the hospital…her water had broken in the middle of a restaurant while they were having dinner!
Good luck! You’re going to do so great!
Love this. Good luck!!
A GUY asked if you were “feeling preggy??” I laughed out loud when you said you punched him in the face in your mind…haha Thinking of you Gina!!!!
When I get pregnant I am coming to you for advice- you look amazing!!
I’m thinking this weekend is “Your Weekend”!! Full moon, acupuncture and a midwife appt! Three things to get you started!! Can’t wait to see pictures of the little lady!!
hahaha, I guess my son was pretty stubborn! We had a full moon about a week or so before he was born, and for WEEKS, my coworker checked my nose and kept telling me how big it was getting 🙂 every day. And even after the midwife suggested I stop working, it was still 3 weeks until they finally decided I should be induced. He was pretty snuggly, I guess, but I just wanted to hold him, and I was getting so anxious not being able to work and listening to all the old wives’ tales and everyone’s predictions about when I would finally go into labor. Try not to go too crazy! 🙂
hahaa – I love the mental face slap. Although sometimes I wonder if they can see the anger in my eyes…
And I’ll say “yes!!” again to the old wive’s tale of the full moon. My mom is also a labor and delivery nurse and without fail, they have many more babies born when there’s a full moon. Hopefully it’ll happen for you too! Also, she says that babies are often born around the time that they’re conceived – not sure if this is true, but apparently a lot of the doctors wish that more husbands would come home for lunch. How many people are born at night??
The exam is NBD..really, only slightly awkward/uncomfortable.
Hi! I don’t know if this is an option, but my midwife “stripped my membranes”, twice, and after the second time I naturally went into labor. I wanted to avoid any type of medical induction due to post dates, so this was a very natural option. I was not painful ( I think it sounds so!), and seemed to work for me. Good Luck!
The day I went into labor my two dogs would not leave my side, which in normal. I told my husband early morning I thought I was going into labor cause the dogs were so attached to me and sure enough at about noon my water broke.
Ok so you are seriously hilarious! I literally burst out laughing … out loud. at my desk. all alone. after I read about you punching him in your mind. Seriously, I don’t know if I’ve ever burst out laughing from reading a blog post. Kudos to you rockstar! Your baby bump is adorable. I love it!!!
You may already be on this…but at your appt tomorrow, ask the midwife about sweeping your membranes. It can help things along naturally 😉
Full moon. Skylar was born on a full moon. She was in tune with all that yoga and Universe and moon stuff I guess 🙂
And the pump…I know it feels strong but a baby can suck about 5x stronger than the pump can when it’s on max. Babies can suck blood from a rock so to speak. Actually though, it feels good to have something STRONG suck that milk out because the pressure that builds up…yeah, you want a little Hoover vacuum on your hands.
As for getting checked..no worse by any means than a routine gyno appt. And at this point, to be blunt, maybe someone rooting around in there for a minute will kickstart labor. Not a bad thing 🙂
So excited for you guys to meet the little lady in person! With gorgeous parents, she’s destined to be beautiful. <3 Thanks for letting all of us tag along on the journey! Come on full moon!
This is getting so exciting! What a jerk face at Costco. I’d like to see him “feeling preggy.”
My little girl was born on 12.8.11- I had my 40 week appointment on 12.7.11 and was sent to the hospital that afternoon to schedule an induction. I finished my appointment at 1630. Was back at the hospital by 1900 and she was born at 0227. So maybe she will be like my lil one and come on her own!
I feel like you’re going to meet baby before the weekend is over!
I honestly cannot get over how great you look! I have a feeling youre going to bounce back to normal after birth quite well!
I don’t have any tips for making a baby come (as nothing I tried actually worked) but I can tell you what my “be on alert” signs were: first my feet swelled up (it happened to my sister too so maybe it’s some kind of genetic response ?) and my toes looked like sausages and my biggest flip flops made indents into the swelling. That lasted about …a day and a half to two days and then that night I had to go to the bathroom. Big time. I don’t want to be graphic, but your body knows what’s getting to happen and will start to prepare. I didn’t know it was a real clue at the time though and went to bed at 11, woke up at 2 in labor. I don’t know if you want advice right now so I’ll keep it to myself but good luck to you–my son was a week and a day “late” and according to what I read, that’s not uncommon.
Oh I can’t imagine how anxious you must feel to go into labor! During my week long “vacation” at the maternity ward there was a full moon, it was sooo packed they were letting women who had natural labors go home at 24 hours (their policy I guess is 48 hours) just because they didn’t have the room for everyone going into labor! Hopefully that’s what little girl is waiting for! And there I was, 26 weeks pregnant taking up a room haha my badddd
I am watching your blog like a hawk! Every time you post something I have to read it! I have a friend due in a week so I am on baby watch lol. I remember (almost four months ago) when I was preggo I didn’t even want to update my status on fb anymore. I just posted that” we were waiting patiently for our little girls arrival and we appreciated that everyone was just as excited to welcome her to the world as we were and we would let everyone know etc..” (or something like that) I left that up for a few days before she was born then my husband posted when she arrived 🙂 Its gets very intense towards the end 😉 You are adorable though and I love reading your blog. You are inspiring me to lead a healthier more fit life and to start my own blog! Can’t wait to hear all about the the birth and your adventures in motherhood 🙂 hugs and prayers P.S. I got a kindle for Christmas and its the best thing ever! Very handy while nursing!
eeek, i’m going on a European excursion tomorrow and since I am a housewife the birth of your baby is one the few things I have pending LOL anyway, I just wanted to thank you for sharing this incredibly private and sensitive journey with us! can’t wait to meet her when I get back! oh, and kudos for including questions for us childfree people! i really don’t want children of my own, and your style of writing is quite inviting, you didn’t venture into any eye-rolling territory:)
I’m 36 weeks 4 days pregnant and I walked into work today(at a school) and one of the ladies i worked with practically yelled in the hallway ” WOW, baby has really grown!!!” I kind of wanted to hit her too:)……but of course I just smiled and said something nice, all the while wondering how she can think I enjoy hearing how very large I have gotten over the Christmas holidays!!! Luckily the day before a different co-worker told me I was the cutest pregnant lady she had seen soooo….I guess you take the good with the bad:))). Hoping you get to meet your baby soon!!!
I’m pretty sure if I’d said anything to my sister that resembled ‘you look huge’, I would have been slapped with a chocolate croissant. It’s important to say only true positive things (and sometimes, to lie).
haha amen to that
I hope Bella ended up being okay but if she is still acting funny maybe she knows or senses something is happening soon. I’ve heard different people say that animals know about that type of stuff before people do.
Oh good point!