3rd Trimester

Whoo-hoo! I made it to the 3rd trimester and I can't wait to be done! We have completed our birthing classes and are feeling much more confident about the labor this time around. I was very excited about all the options Mary Birch has to offer such as birting balls in each delivery room, the ability to be up and moving, the ability to push and labor in a squatting position rather than on my back. The nurse who ran our class (which was provided by the hospital) just kept saying you can do whatever you want as long as you, baby and your OB are ok with it. Since Lillian's delivery had many ups and downs, Greg and I discussed what I wanted out of this delivery. Very simply I want the ability to move around, I don't want to be induced or have my labor augmented in any way (maybe breaking my water once I'm pretty far along) and I'm open to the idea of an epidural but I really just want to see how this labor is different going into it on my own without such strong contractions that are accompanied with being induced. Unfortunately, after our weekend getaway learning about the hospital I very bluntly asked my doctor the likelihood of him being the doctor to deliver me..... his answer.... only 10%. So that really means, as long as I'm doing well, the baby is doing well and the on call doctor is ok with it then I can have the delivery I want. Since it is based on who ever is "on-call" we have decided to go to the hospital as late as we can. We will most likely head down and walk around outside without being admitted in hopes that walking and gravity will help speed labor along (and considering how fast my labor was by the time contractions actually started I anticipate this to be a fairly easy delivery). 

Charlotte is very low these days and I've been having a lot of pelvic bone pain and tailbone pain.  I have started staying home more and resting; it has improved my pain quite a bit so that is the plan for the remaining 7-10 weeks.  Actually after a week of being home I took Lillian out in the morning just to run to a couple stores and I think the lifting her in and out of the car seat and shopping cart really aggravated it again.  So if I was doing that for an entire week no wonder I was having so much pain! I have been having regular Braxton Hicks for a while now and they usually come at night.  When I was out and about most of the week I'd have them at least 3x a week but now that I'm resting more I haven't had them too much.  These are nothing to be concerned about, the rule of thumb is if I can sleep through them and they are gone in the morning they are not true labor contractions.  Sleep is a luxury these days, I find myself limiting the amount of fluid I have after dinner because if I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom forget it!.... I'm up for hours after that.  Lately I wake up every 2 hrs throughout the night........ but I find I can nap when Lillian naps.  The only time I do sleep through the night is if I choose to go lay on the couch so it may be where I reside the remaining weeks to come!  I feel like the last couple months have gone by quick but we were also in the market for a house so we were pretty busy.  Hoping the next couple months go by as quickly, we can't wait to meet our new little one.