38 Week Update

Well, I guess I've been blessed to have a (relatively speaking) wonderful pregnancy so far with minimal discomforts and the ability live life very normally. That said - life is no longer normal. I finally feel extremely pregnant. Since last Thursday, I have experienced numerous contractions and all the terribly uncomfortable symptoms and pain of an impending labor. I don't mind discomfort, but I keep thinking this kind of pain and discomfort must mean birth is in the near future and yet we just keep going day after day. We still have 10 days until our due date so it could still be a while, but my body says otherwise. In God's timing, everything will work out; I just wouldn't mind if it were sooner than later.

Interestingly enough, one of the seemingly minor but concerning problems I've been dealing with is swelling of the right leg. There has been and still is some concern that this could be connected to a blood clot. That said - they haven't been able to find one on the ultrasounds, but to be safe have asked me to keep my right leg propped up above my heart most of the time (perhaps as more of an effort to reduce the swelling). Given pregnant women aren't supposed to lay on their backs, propping ones right leg up above their heart can prove quite the challenge. As a matter of fact, it might even provide some comedic relief if you are to witness it.

That said - the vascular surgeon did give me permission to walk a couple of miles each day. Thank goodness because it is the one thing I feel I can do to potentially move this process along. While it may make no difference at all in the start of labor, it will at least help me stay somewhat healthy and fit in these last days/weeks of the pregnancy. Billy, the boys and I walk at least two miles each day and just love every minute of it. We've particularly enjoyed the beautiful and relatively moderate Kentucky spring weather!

We go back to the doctor on Thursday and will perhaps be seeing a high-risk OB tomorrow for a follow-up discussion on the clot issue. We are awaiting a conversation tomorrow morning with my OB to determine our next steps. We'll keep you posted!