9 Months Pregnant

How Far Along: 36 Weeks!

Symptoms:  carpal tunnel (waking up to a clenched fist every morning), miserable heartburn, severe difficulty breathing, swelling of hands and feet, painful swelling in lower stomach, stretch marks, extreme pressure in my pelvis (especially getting in and out of bed)

Please note how far down my belly button is.  I have always carried high.
All three babies have their heads in my ribs, making it so hard to breathe!

Energy: I still drive, shop, vacuum, mop, cook, and go out.  It's exhausting, though.  Just taking a shower and shaving my legs requires me to rest afterwards.  In the last week my walking has been severely limited as there is just so much pressure in my pelvis when I walk.

Mood: I stopped taking my Zoloft after a year because the family physician wouldn't refill my prescription without an appointment.  I called at the beginning of the month to schedule an appointment but she was on vacation for two weeks.  The next available appointment wasn't until late July!  Quitting Zoloft has greatly increased my irritability and anxiety.  After over two weeks without it, I expressed my concern with my OB and she wrote me a year-long prescription.  I suspect I will have a panic attack on the operating room table.

Cravings: crushed ice, everything causes heartburn

Movement:  The babies aren't as active each hour, but they definitely have certain times of the day where they are busy, busy!  Jesse can still watch my stomach roll and I can feel even stronger movements because of their tight living quarters.  I can't feel James as much because he is sandwiched in between the girls, but the ultrasound revealed he was just as busy as his sisters. 

 

Sleep: insomnia.  I'm fighting to keep the acid in my throat down.  Switching sides causes extreme physical pain.  It's as if my pelvis is literally going to shatter.  I have to get up every 1-2 hours because I have to pee and my hips hurt.  I'm wide awake at 4. 

Maternity Clothes:  I'm down to two pairs of pants that kind of fit and four shirts (aka dresses).

 

What I miss:  Sex...it's been SO long, and it's going to be another two months at least.  I miss the physical intimacy with Jesse the most.  I miss feeling sexy and being able to move my body without huffing and puffing in pain.

 

Concerns: I am terrified of a C-section and the babies being in the NICU.  There's so much out of my control.  What if I have a bad reaction to the anesthesia?  What if the babies can't breathe on their own?  Will I be able to nurse?  How badly does recovery from a C-section hurt?

OB notes:  I have a C-section scheduled for Monday, July 15 at 1:30.  I am extremely nervous about having to fast from 10 pm the night before until the surgery. 

 

At 35 weeks, my fundal height was a whopping 58 cm and my cervix was still closed.  My blood pressure was slightly elevated (128/72) but I didn't have any protein in my urine and I still have significantly less swelling than I did with Jackson.  At 34 weeks, the babies were weighing just over 5 pounds each.

 

Best Moment this Month:  Reaching the 36 week mark.  This is such a huge milestone in the triplet world, so I'm pretty darn proud of my growing babies!