Pregnancy Update #7: 35-36 Weeks

Almost 35 weeks in this pic and the one below.

An eclair for baby Claire :)

With Mandie & Eleanor and Shayly & Ellie at my baby shower.  These ladies are the best friends you could ask for! And our lucky little baby already has two little friends waiting for her when she arrives. Eleanor will be about six months older than Claire, and Ellie will be about fourteen months older. :)

35-36 Week Update

How far along: 36 weeks!

Total weight gain: 30 lbs.

Notes from Dr. Appointment(s): My 36 week appointment went great! My blood pressure was a little higher, but not bad--124/82. Baby's heart-rate was around 138-140 (from what I've heard--normal is 120-160). My fundal height was 36 centimeters, right on track for my due date. They checked my cervix (yikes/ouch!), and I wasn't dilated at all. They also checked with a mini-ultrasound machine to see if baby was head down, and she was! Hopefully she'll stay that way until go-time! At this appointment they also did a swab to check me for strep-b and did a blood test to check my thyroid levels--still waiting to hear back on the results of those tests.

Maternity clothes: Yep!

Stretch marks: Not yet.

Sleep: Just getting up a ton to use the bathroom--other than that, I sleep pretty well! I have noticed the past week or so that my right hip gets really sore and stiff when I sleep. If I have been sleeping on my right side and switch to the left, it aches so bad. I am excited to be able to sleep comfortably on my back and stomach again someday in the near future and not be confined to my sides! :)

Aches/Pains: Overall, I have felt really good the past few weeks. With the contractions scare I had a couple weeks ago (see previous posts), my doctors told me to just be pretty careful (not too active) until 34 weeks, and then I could pretty much do whatever. Since passing the 34 week mark, I have been a lot more active. I have been walking the hills in our neighborhood a few times a week, deep cleaning our house, etc. So far I have felt good--no painful contractions or cramping at all. It really doesn't feel like baby is coming anytime soon, and, as excited as I am to have that little baby in my arms, I'm OK with that! I'm glad she's taking her time to grow big and strong.

Best moment this month: My baby showers were super fun! We got so many wonderful things and are feeling a lot more ready for baby to arrive. Friends, family, and ward members have been so generous!

Miss anything: Sleeping on my stomach and back. (If I try to sleep on my back, it's super hard to breathe, and sleeping on my stomach is obviously not good option either.)

Movement: Loving the big, strong movements around the clock--especially in the evening! I don't even care when they hurt--I love feeling her move!

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing one way or another that I can think of. I have a major sweet tooth, but I do when I'm not pregnant too :)

Looking forward to: My due date! Getting sooo close!