31 Weeks

I am now 31 weeks pregnant. Only a month and a half until this baby is full-term. Time is flying!
Baby has had the hiccups a lot lately. It's such an odd feeling. I hate having the hiccups, so I always feel bad for her, especially when they go on for a LONG time! I love feeling all of her movements. I feel like we are bonding as she kicks my hand when I rest it on my belly. I love to feel all of her movements and follow them with my hands. It's a little connection that she and I share between just the two of us. Right now she is somewhere around 17" long and close to 4 pounds. This girl is growing fast! Her immune system is getting her prepared for life outside the womb. Breastfeeding will help her immune system along even more once she's born. These next few weeks are crucial for her lung development.

The Braxton-Hicks contractions have been increasing this past week. I was getting them about 2-3 times a week, but now they are coming more like 2-3 times a day. They haven't been painful at all, but they are definitely uncomfortable and a little shocking sometimes! I'm starting to feel like I've been pregnant for a LONG time now, and I am getting very anxious to meet this little one! I'm still enjoying it, but I can see now why women start getting impatient in the last month or two. I want her to keep cooking in there for at least another 6 weeks or so, but I am definitely looking forward to being done with this part!

31 Weeks

Apparently leakage is something that is supposed to be starting up soon. So far that still seems surreal to me - I can't believe that I'm actually going to be making milk! I still have this feeling that I will be the one woman that doesn't produce for some reason. I suppose that considering all the other changes the milk factories have gone through, there is good reason to believe that they will kick into gear soon. It's going to be weird, for sure! Thankfully my friends have supplied me with nursing pads, so I should be covered if the leakage starts early. :) Back pain is also coming more frequently now, as well as the pain in my ribs as they expand. I'm noticing that I'm a little shorter of breath, but it's not too bad just yet. The hardest thing for me seems to be grocery shopping. I'm not sure what it is, but something about being on my feet for a couple of hours combined with lifting things into my cart really does a number on me. I get cramped and achy and tired, and I have to squat down on the floor now and then and lean on the cart for support. I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to do full grocery trips by the time I'm in my last month of pregnancy!

Even though the complaints are increasing now, I am still thoroughly enjoying this pregnancy and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Next week the girls and I are going to the spa for a relaxing day off. I can hardly wait - Mama needs a day of R&R! :) My next doctor visit is on Tuesday - I will update then!