34 Weeks (AKA 3 weeks to full term)

At 34 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a butternut squash. Baby should weigh in at about 4.7 pounds and measures about 17.7 inches, although based on our last ultrasound I think this baby is a bit bigger than that, at least in weight.

How far along? 34 weeks

Weight gain/loss: 33 lbs :-/

Sleep? This is getting worse due to back pain issues.

Best moment this week?We had a great Father's Day on Sunday at the pool and going out to dinner with my dad. It was also the last day my back felt okay, so it was definitely the highlight of my week.

Movement:I think he had the hiccups the other morning.

Food cravings:Eh. I'm not that hungry lately. Maybe fruit and ginger beer.

What I miss? Walking without pain. Starting Sunday night my back went from normal to very painful quite suddenly. After dragging myself to work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I decided to stay home yesterday and today to see if it helped. It has a bit but I think this pain is here for the rest of the pregnancy. Doctor Google is telling me this is "posterior pelvic pain", which is essentially caused by the hormone relaxin letting my ligaments stretch out too much and thus my pelvic bones are moving farther apart and providing less stabilization and support for all of the extra weight I'm carrying in my stomach, which then makes my muscles work over time, none of which feels great. Apparently this gets worse with each pregnancy (i.e., starts sooner) so I am thinking #3 is our last baby because this is pretty miserable and I can't imagine if it had started any sooner.

What I am looking forward to? Being about to do things for myself. I like to do things. Sitting still is not fun for me. There is also something to be cleaned, put away or worked on in our house and it bothers me immensely to sit around and see everything I could be getting done and being able to do very little about it.

Milestones: Each week is now a huge milestone for me. I cannot wait for this pregnancy to be over. At the same time, it is extremely important to stay pregnant for at least 3 more weeks, but preferably 4-5 for the health of the baby. So the count is on but I still have to try to be patient.

What I'm nervous about:Keeping myself from going crazy with my limited mobility. Some people might relish an excuse to lounge around but it is the very definition of torture for me to be forced to stay home all day.

In other news: On Monday, I think partially due to my back pain, I started having a lot of BH contractions. So my OB sent me to Hoag L&D where I hung out for about 4.5 hours being monitored, getting IV fluids and getting a dose of Procardia. So, pretty much the same drill as my previous pregnancies. It was not the most fun evening but I am glad I went in to make sure everything was okay. But this triggered me starting on procardia regularly and may force doctor-ordered modified bed rest soon (she hasn't gone there yet). Apparently the whole giving birth thing works for me but the late pregnancy stages are really just not for me.