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Thursday, June 17, 2010

27 weeks and a funny story

Today marks 27 weeks - the first day of my third trimester! I can hardly believe that we are two thirds of the way through the pregnancy. I will be meeting my baby before I know it! The baby is still the size of an eggplant but sometimes feels like it's taking up wayyyyy more room in there than an eggplant would!

I have decided to stop doing the weekly updates using the survey I normally use because I'm finding that it's getting somewhat repetitive. I mean, I don't need to tell you week after week that I am maxin' and relaxin' in maternity clothes at all times, that we don't know the sex of our baby, or that I could press elevator buttons with my outtie navel, as my friend Bigg Burd so nicely put it.

So, instead I'm now just going to write weekly posts to document anything significant that has taken place over the course of the week so that I can try to remember the finer details of pregnancy. I am still taking one diclectin at night - I have tried twice now to go off it completely, but it seems to that it's necessary for me to have one before bed to ward off the morning sickness. I'm hoping to try again next week and see what happens.

We finished our childbirth classes last night. We really enjoyed them! The instructor was a retired midwife from our clinic who is now a SAHM so it was wonderful to get some information and perspective from someone who is incredibly familiar with the practices and philosophies that are used at the clinic while also mixing it with some first hand Mommy information. We were able to ask her some questions that don't always come up at midwife appointments and found her to be so helpful!

Over the past week, I feel like the baby has been doing little dances all over my bladder. It's not a constant pressure, but just tiny little taps every once in a while that make me have to race to the toilet! My dad said that maybe the baby is just tapping his fingers on my bladder and wondering, "Hmm, how much longer do I have to wait in here?"

After a few weeks of what seemed to be somewhat of a plateau in growth, I seem to have a major growth spurt. On Sunday evening, I was doing something in the kitchen wearing a pair of the Dude's gym shorts and a big tshirt (read: lookin' mighty fine) when he said to me, "What's that big thing under your shirt? I think your belly grew today!" So, I got out the tape measure and discovered that I had grown an entire INCH since Thursday. One inch in three days! As of today, we're at 11.5 inches total, 1.5 since last week!

Here's a little comparison of what 10 weeks can do ....

17 weeks
27 weeks

I've definitely been noticing a little bit of what one might call, um, preggo brain. I cannot seem to keep myself organized or remember anything! The other night, I reached up to take out my earrings and got upset because I realized one was missing and I was wearing my favorite pair of pearls. I told the Dude that I would be super sad if I lost one. I went to my earring drawer to take out the remaining earring and when I opened it, found the "missing" earring right in it's place. Apparently, I went to the dresser to take out my earrings, got one out and put away, and forgot what I was doing and wandered away for a few hours until I decided to take out my earrings again.

And the last thing I have to share this week is a somewhat humorous story. As I have been getting bigger, I have noticed that the desire for people to touch my belly has been getting more intense. I tend to get at least a belly rub a day, if not more. I'm not really one who is picky about my personal space, so it doesn't really bother me. I don't feel uncomfortable if people touch my tum tum. Wait. Let me re-phrase. I don't feel uncomfortable if people whom I know and am comfortable with touch my tum tum. But seriously - there is something not so cool about strangers rubbing up on my belly.

The other day, I was with my mom and a lady whom she knows (but who is a stranger to me) came up to us. She asked me when I was due and I told her. We were having the basic pregnancy small talk conversation - do I know what I'm having, how have I been feeling, etc - when she surprised me by asking me a question I have not yet heard in this pregnancy. The following documents our conversation.

"So, how is the baby laying in there?" (I was not 100% positive what she was asking me.)

"Pardon?"

"What I'm trying to ask is, well, where is the baby's head right now?"

"Um, I'm not really sure. It moves around an awful lot and I can't really distinguish between what parts are what." (Is it just me or is there no way for me to really know this at this stage?)

"Oh, hmm, I see." She says as she steps back from me and begins to really examine my tummy. "Well, because I'm looking at you here, and it seems to me as though your baby is somewhat transverse". (That means when baby is laying sideways)

"Oh, umm, okay."

(By this point I am thinking, "Dude ... what are you talking about?")

THEN ... she proceeds to begin poking me over and over again all over my belly.

"Yup. Your baby is transverse".

My mom and I walked away, both somewhat confused and perplexed by this conversation. I don't know if other people think it's quite as odd as I do, but it was definitely an experience unlike none other I've had when she began examining me in this way. When I told my SIL the story, she told me I should have been wearing this shirt:

(source)

Does anyone else have any strange pregnant belly touching stories?

18 comments:

Lucky in Love said...

I'm so glad your child birth classes were awesome and you learned a lot :)

And I am so not looking forward to the whole people touching my belly thing. It's weird to think how comfortable other people are just putting their hands on you.

And what a weird convo to have with one of your mom's friends...??? Ha!

Jessica McCoy said...

Funny stories! Sorry about the lady giving you a medical exam! Creepy! I have a very specific personal bubble that I don't like invaded so I'm not looking forward to that part of pregnancy.

Meg said...

I love that pink shirt. haha

Tricia said...

Oh.My. I had serious issues with the "strangers touching my belly" thing! Serious issues. By the third one, I just came out and said "Please don't touch me. It's rude." lol. I Love the shirt!

Unfortunately it doesn't end with your belly. You will have lots of stupid strangers attempt to touch your baby as well. The worst for me was always at the grocery store, when the baby was in the car seat on the top of the cart.

People, usually elderly, or obviously other parents would reach out and touch her toes. I was VERY forceful about that. At least by the time Paige came, I made it very clear that if they came near my baby, I would break their fingers! haha. Ok. Maybe not THAT forceful, but clear.

Be clear, L. No Touchy!! ;)

Meredith said...

Oh yeah, people would insist that she was breech and try and touch my belly to "confirm". I was always like, "Um, she does FLIPS all day, so its kinda a 50/50 chance..."

Amy Silver said...

I haven't had many strangers reach out to rub my belly, just family and I guess I am really open or something cause I think I make THEM uncomfortable by talking about leaking and crap like that, haha. I think I will be SUPER protective once the baby comes though, because I think people tend to touch babies just as much.. What a difference in pictures too! You look adorable!

jv726 said...

I love that shirt! I might have to think about getting it when I have a baby. I have a very big personal space bubble and the thought of someone touching my belly freaks me out!

SnoWhite said...

crazy! who knew you could tell how the baby is laying just by looking at your tummy. Wow.

Jackie said...

LOVE that shirt. I am so with you about the touching--fine with close friends, family, etc. but what's with TOTAL strangers?

I can't believe you are already done with your classes! We didn't finish until like a week before she was born.

And I hate to tell you, the pregnancy brain never fully goes away. At least for me--that's my excuse. :)

Emily said...

So funny!

I was real lucky, no one really ever touched my belly... both pregnancies!

Brittany Ann said...

So weird! I mean, a little pat is one thing, but to poke and FEEL FOR the baby? Yikes! That's a bit of an invasion of personal space!

Abby said...

Another mom at our church ALWAYS wanted to tell me/touch my belly to see how the my baby was positioned. She asked all sorts of personal questions. Now I am an open and friendly person, and don't want to offend anyone especially a church family member, but man I wished I could come up with a tactful solution to the problem! Good luck!

Gina said...

People touching me doesn't bother me a bit. I don't get too many rubs. But someone feeling around to figure out baby's position would probably freak me out a lot!

P.S. Totally with you on the repetitive surveys. :)

Brooke said...

LOVE that shirt. :)

Jen @ Canadian Rhapsody said...

Girl, you definitely popped early!

I actually haven't had many strangers put their hands on my belly. Maybe I don't look very approachable. lol.

I've come to hate those fruit/veggie comparison things. Seriously, where do they get their fruit? She's supposed to be over 5 lbs and 18 inches by Monday, but they're comparing her to the size of a honeydew melon.

You'll know which body parts are which pretty soon. He should get and stay head down in the next few weeks, and once he's upside down you know it's either feet/knees or a bum and they're really easy to distinguish (feet you can move out of your ribs, a bum you can't, lol). Soon you'll get him sticking his feet up at you (uncomfortably) and when you push down on them his head compresses your bladder.

Every single time she kicks or sticks stuff out or into me, I still grab my belly and feel the movement and rub at whatever's sticking out. It's just such an amazing feat of nature (and God) to have this little human being growing and moving inside me and everything she does just makes us love her more.
We're definitely lucky!

Holly said...

Awww, cute preggo belly! Just think, you've got another 10 wks plus to go! ;)
Funny shirt!

Shaina said...

LOVE the belly. LOVE IT. :)

Amy Vine said...

I was once in an elevator and a rather obese strange man started rubbing my very pregnant belly. So I rubbed his belly back, and then he seemed to realize that it's NOT cool to touch other people you don't know.
Some people clearly didn't get that memo....