Exciting Weekend

The camping trip this weekend was great. We enjoyed the cool weather, played croquet on the beach, and ate s'mores by the campfire. The sunset Friday night was pretty spectacular and did I mention the cool weather? I was so happy to escape the 90º+ temperatures that plagued Portland and came home to a much more pleasant July. Sunny and 70º is much more my speed, especially since I am now carrying around a 5.25 pound baby who really has no consideration whatsoever for my personal space.

We had some very disappointing BBQ on Saturday afternoon while the rest of the group went hiking, but really, that was my only complaint.  I have to say, sleeping on the ground wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although being in my own bed again on Sunday night was nice. However, being in my comfortable bed Sunday night convinced that I was going into labor was not all that great. And yes, I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with our camping trip. 

I called the midwife this morning with my symptoms -- lots of pressure and pain with "practice" contractions about 10 minutes apart -- and she scheduled me for a visit about an hour later. Her diagnosis over the phone was that I probably had a bladder infection, but wanted me to come in to rule out other things like the dreaded pre-term labor. I shuffled to my appointment, had the appropriate tests and an exam. She determined that there's absolutely nothing wrong with me except that I have a very active baby. My determination? John Braxton Hicks is an ass, because his "practice" contractions do in fact hurt. I think when the midwife saw the look on my face that read "you've got to be shitting me" she explained further. 

Apparently, Baby G is now settling in a little lower in my pelvis and since he's still pretty wiggly he's putting a lot of strain on the ligaments and joints and organs down there. In fact, I had a contraction on the exam table and she noted how he actively fought against it with his knee or elbow. In other words, my baby is all "Oh I'll see your Braxton Hicks and raise you two elbows right in your damn round ligament." I am effectively experiencing a fetal smackdown that will not relent until this child is out in the world. But he better not get around to that for at least another two weeks!

In an attempt to alleviate my disappointment (that there's no real fixable reason for my pain) and my aching belly, the midwife suggested that I get a maternity support belt that will help distribute some of the weight. I drove immediately to Babies 'R Us and tried on the most hideous contraption right in the middle of the aisle because there are no dressing rooms (as if pregnancy couldn't get anymore awkward or genuinely unattractive). It was like a Christmas in July miracle. I seriously thought about wearing it around the store over my clothes until I was done shopping. While it hasn't eliminated my pain completely (and the baby truly hates it), I can once again walk upright without taking pauses to catch my breath and renew my will to live. I am also relieved that there isn't really anything wrong with me and that I will be able to survive the next 5-ish weeks without having to spend most of it laid out on our couch.