Squash- Week 32
This week you are the size of a squash. You weigh in at 2.5-3.8 pounds and measure 15.2-16.7 inches. You are getting ready for birth- have been in head down position for a while. You are starting to get cramped, moving around more and more. Recently I started reading another birth book- this time I had picked up Hypnobirthing: the Mongan Method at Birthcare and it caught my attention. Hypnobirthing teaches simple techniques to release fear and let the body be at ease for birth- which founder Marie Mongan believes is a natural, joyful expression of life. This is how I feel about birth! We as women were created to birth and our bodies should be honored and celebrated for their abilities to do so. As I read more and more birth books I am ashamed and appalled by how women have been treated historically by men about birth. To have gone from being admired as goddesses and revered for our ability to create life, to shamed and shunned and told we had the "Curse of Eve" for childbirth to be painful. This continued and perpetuated and has now been engrained in the minds of both women and men for so many generations that it is sadly no surprise birth is now viewed as a "medical event" needing "managed" for pain, and even that pregnancy is an "ailment" women "suffer" through. (Yes there are complicated births that require management and pregnancies that must be monitored- I am talking health women with healthy babies and normal pregnancies- which about 90% of women have). I am excited to keep reading this book and bring its philosophies into our birth experience. This week I finally bit the bullet and visited the dentist. I do not have a long term hatred for the dentist- I love my dentist who I have had since I was a child. I do have a hatred for finding new health care providers every time we move- everyone has a different way of doing things. As a result of my stubbornness I haven't been to the dentist since July 2012 in Arizona. Note to self- don't wait that long again! Between being pregnant and waiting so long my poor gums were SORE! The dentist, the hygienist and her office were nice (also nice is having insurance with no copay) so I will continue to see her in Virginia. Being pregnant can't do any xrays- have one spot on a molar to keep an eye on- Im really hoping its not a cavity! Apparently the new thing is not only giving you the floss lecture but making you watch in the mirror HOW to floss. Stephen also went to the dentist this month so we will both be better about flossing..... With Memorial Day on Monday this week was filled with activities. Stephen's work had a 1st IO Founder's Day picnic on Thursday before the holiday weekend. It was a warm, but nice day for a picnic and I was able to meet all the people Stephen works with- finally putting names and faces together (since most of the time they are walled off in their secure area where I can't go visit). We also stopped and saw Stephen's plebe (freshman) year roommate who was having a change of command ceremony. Erik, one of the civilians who works with Stephen and now a friend, and his wife Janel hosted a Memorial Day party at their house down in Fredricksburg on Sunday- lots of fun, sun, a band and pool :) Unfortunately the night had kind of a bummer ending with Erik's brother in law wrecking his original '69 Trans Am (thankfully no one was hurt).
Captured at the 1st IO Founder's Day Picnic by Brandon
How Far Along: 32 weeks
Total Weight Gain: 40ish pounds- haven't been gaining as much lately- not hungry (feeling like first trimester without the "hangover" nausea)
Maternity Clothes: yep
Stretch Marks: earning my tiger stripes!!
Sleep: happening but doesn't feel completely restful- getting up 2-3x to use bathroom
Best Moment This Week: was a good week overall- nothing stood out- still loving being your mom and vessel to come into this world!
Miss Anything: sitting up- missing my abs! haha
Movement: more pushes and waves than kicks- starting to get more kicks in the ribs. I love watching my belly move- looks like an alien is inside or something!
Food Cravings: back to not wanting to eat- frustrating
Aversions: ugh smells- always the smells :( Gender: boy Labor Signs: too early! Belly Button: in Wedding Rings: on-ish. With the warm up my rings still fit but I don't always wear them. If we are going out I often wear the promise ring Stephen got me when we were dating before he deployed- its a half size bigger and doesn't get tight. Exercise: swimming and walking Odin- adding in more yoga and stretching Mood: generally happy- like a normal person (not a crazy preggo lady) most of the time Looking Forward To: seeing what you will look like- will you have dark hair or light? how big will you be? will you have Dad's dimples?
