40 Weeks and Counting

Someone asked me this week if I enjoyed being pregnant, and I honestly had to respond no. The miracle of life is certainly amazing, and it is crazy to think how something the size of a poppy seed has grown into something the size of a watermelon all inside of me. But I would not count the past nine months as something easy to get through.

The belly at 40 weeks makes one feel like a beached whale.

It takes a lot of work to grow a tiny human, and there are so many things that the body tolerates in order to do this. While I anticipated the morning sickness (a.k.a. all day nausea that never goes away), I did not anticipate nine months of insomnia, water having a metallic taste, and bleeding gums nearly every time I brushed my teeth. As the weeks wore on, I anticipated my uterus stretching to make room for the growing baby, but I did not anticipate sciatic nerve pain, sore hips, shortness of breath, restless legs, and sharp pains in my abdomen any time I sneezed for months on end. My usually strong immune system became suppressed, which led to nasal congestion every single day, trying to keep a fever at bay while fighting off the stomach flu for nearly five days, and coming down with pink eye of all things.

As a very petite individual, with a starting weight of 112 pounds, my frame seems to have adapted reasonably well to the 44 pounds gained in about nine months, but the final weeks have been the most miserable as my legs started to swell from water retention. Who knew ankles could swell so much, and who knew plantar fasciitis was something that could developed on top of swollen feet?

Those baby kicks that started as something exciting and adorable have certainly gotten stronger and more painful as the baby has run out of room. It hurts when the baby kicks your ribs! While my doctor has reassured me that Baby will not be reenacting the movie Alien any time soon, I still have my doubts after viewing the misshapen curve of my belly on numerous occasions. The skin of my abdomen is stretched to the max and itches all the time, and the area around my belly button is still quite numb for the most part.

After having not felt well for nine months, I am ready to give this kiddo the eviction notice. The thought of giving birth is both exciting and terrifying, but the enthusiasm my husband has displayed as it all becomes more of a reality for him this week is encouraging to say the least. He and I have been on an emotional roller-coaster of feelings throughout the whole pregnancy, going from excitement to worry and fear to now restless anticipation, and it will be interesting to see what life brings postpartum.

For certain, I am thankful to my aunt for giving me a prayer card to St. Gerard (patron saint of mothers) which has helped keep me grounded all this time. The prayer for a mother with child has been a good mantra:

Almighty and everlasting God, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, you prepared the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mary to be a worthy dwelling place of your divine Son. You sanctified St. John the Baptist, while still in his mother's womb; listen to my prayer. Through the intercession of St. Gerard, watch over my child and me and protect us at the time of delivery. May my child receive the saving graces of Baptism, lead a Christian life and, together with all the members of our family, attain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.