I was on the phone with a friend the other night and she wanted to know why, at 38 weeks pregnant, I wasn't complaining more. I guess the reason is that I feel very fortunate with this pregnancy: I haven't had any major problems (only brief, minor annoyances), I don't have to work a 40-hour week, and my husband will be taking 7 weeks off when the baby arrives. All these things make me feel as though I have no right to complain.

But now that you mention it, these final weeks definitely are a little... uncomfortable. So, here are all my complaints in one, easy-to-read list:

• I am so fat. There's a shelf that appears on top of my ass whenever I sit down. I cannot believe how gigantic my ass is.
• I am exhausted. Just going to the grocery store is grounds for a two-hour nap. This is different than first trimester exhaustion because my whole body gets worn out by the smallest activity.
• I am worried that I've gotten too out of shape over the last few weeks and it will negatively effect my ability to deliver a baby. Before I got pregnant, I was in pretty good shape. But, 40 pounds and limited exercise later, I feel like I've lost any strength or stamina I had at Week 16.
• There's a lot of pain down there. That sharp pain I first felt last week has been recurring ever since. I just breathe and walk through it, but sometimes I just have to stop and try to let it go away. Unfortunately, walking seems to aggravate the pain.
• My boobs hurt again. The sensitivity from the first trimester has returned.
• I only have one pair of pants that I can wear out in public and I am SO SICK of wearing them!!! I bought a pair of yoga pants on sale at The Gap but have packed them in my hospital bag in anticipation of wearing them everyday after giving birth.
• My left ankle is really swollen and tight. The right one is nearly as bad. And both of my entire legs feel puffed up, but I think it's just new fat.
• Even sleeping sitting up on the couch is beginning to be uncomfortable. I have to wake up several times each night to readjust because I keep putting pressure on my tailbone.
• I have only one pace: slow. As in turtle speed. Deal with it.

The good news is that the baby has obviously dropped. I'm carrying her lower and she's not in my lungs or ribs very much anymore. Also? I'm not dilated, but last Thursday the doctor said I am 25% effaced. That's progress.

The comments to this entry are closed.

Get the Mother Popper: Podcast -- Free in iTunes!

Recent Posts: