Bump Shot: Week 38

And another week has passed us by.  They sure do go by fast.  I am still a bit in shock that I'm 38 weeks pregnant, and actually almost 39 (since the Bump Shots always get posted a bit late).  It seems like yesterday I was just 8 weeks pregnant feeling like I had so long to go.  I know, I know, I could still have over three weeks to go.  But still - it's coming up fast.

I feel like I should be a pregnancy pro these days (I mean, I have 38 weeks of experience!), but things just keep changing every week.  I was reading Baby Kerf and she was talking about new pregnancy symptoms that were cropping up and I could relate almost to the T.

** I am experience some serious hot flashes.  It is the weirdest thing because I am NEVER hot.  I am always the cold one.  I always cover up at night, I can wear pants when it's 100* outside, I am freezing in my office when everyone else is complaining of the heat.  I now know what they are going through.  I also know what menopausal women are going through too!  I'll be sitting at my desk and all of a sudden I'll feel my body temperature slowly rising.  And rising.  And rising.  Until I'm really hot and a little sweaty.  I don't actually have sweat running down my face, but I probably have a few beads sitting on my forehead.  It lasts for a while and then goes away.  STRANGE!

Ok, I thought I had some more new pregnancy symptoms but I can't think of anything else.  I am still sleeping GREAT (except when hubs wakes up and wants to have long conversations at 3am or Dolce the Dog has nightmares and starts barking/howling/crying in the middle of the night and I have to go over and wake him up).

** My biggest fear these days is that my water will break without me knowing it and hubs and I will have sex and infect the baby (sorry about the sex mention - probably TMI but how do you think I got pregnant...).  It's probably a crazy fear, but something I think about.  But so many people tell me that your sex drive disappears after you give birth and you don't want to think about sex for weeks and weeks - so I feel like if I'm up for it now, we should keep on doing it.   Ok - enough sex talk!

**  I'm also a tad bit nervous that I was really stressed and anxious this entire pregnancy and I've somehow damaged Maple Baby emotionally.  I read somewhere that women who are pregnant in war zones have a higher tendency to give birth to children that later develop schizophrenia.  And schizophrenia is more common in boys to begin with...  Ok, so I don't live in a war zone but I've been stressed for a lot of the pregnancy.  And not just superficial stress - I've had numerous occassions where I'm so anxious and stressed that I get that pit in my stomach and my heart races.  That can't be too good for the baby.  I really hope that when I wasn't stressed I was super happy and that those emotions transferred stronger than my stress hormones.  I hate to think I already screwed up his little life....

** I only have one more work day left at the office.  I can't believe I'm going to be gone for an entire month.  There are so many transitions happening at work that I'm a bit nervous about what will be going on when I get back.  I still have a week of working from home, but it will be so weird not being at the office every day.  And not commuting.  I'm excited to get some time off and to be able to be home with the baby, but I think I will miss work and my project.  So many exciting things are going on and I had to pass them on to other people.  However, I'm sure I'll cry the day I have to bring Maple Baby to daycare and return to work!

** By far the hardest thing this pregnancy has been drinking enough water.  Isn't that crazy!  I thought the hardest thing might be back pain or sleeping or heartburn or any other symptom.  But no, I didn't have any of those symptoms.  The most difficult thing for me has been trying to get enough liquid in my body.  Yesterday I had a cup of coffee in the morning (decaf) and then it was 3:30pm and I realized I hadn't had a single other thing to drink.  All day.  Whoops.  So I guzzled 16oz of water before going home and then brought a bottle of coconut water to Chemistry.  However, the midwives told me I needed to drink 2L of water a day and I am completely falling short.  I hope I don't give birth to a camel...

**  And lastly, as stated above, I had coffee yesterday!  My love of coffee is returning!!  Woo hoo!!!  I loved coffee with a passion.  Last year while I was training for the marathon I switched to decaf because I thought it would help reduce inflammation in my legs, but I still drank it every morning.  Then I went to Guatemala in January and suffered some serious morning sickness and my love of coffee went down the drain.  I didn't want a single cup.  Ever.  I think during this entire pregnancy I had coffee a total of five times.  I just didn't have any desire for it.  If I needed a small pick-me-up I drank a cup of green tea.  However, this past week I made some coffee and realized I now love it again.  Yum, yum.  Ahh, the simple pleasures.