Cankles and Weight Gain

This week we had our 38 week appointment.  Not much has changed.  I'm still 1 cm dilated, but now I am 80% effaced.  I was also informed that I do not have Group B Strep.  I was so happy that the doctor didn't mention induction!  I've been trying to walk a lot so that Karis will move down and come all by herself before the due date.  If we go passed the due date, I'm sure her doctor will want to induce (and I will have to put up a fight).
After the appointment, the nurse gave me a copy of my records to take with me to the hospital (in case I go into labor before the next appointment).  When I got to the car, I immediately pulled out the record and scanned the "weight" column.  When I realized that I've gained 40 pounds since our first appointment tears streamed down my face.  This is not what I expected.  How did that happen?  How hard will it be to return to my "pre-baby" weight?  So discouraging. :(
I've also been really down about my "cankles."  This is a term from the TV show "Friends" defined as: The point at which one is so obese that there is no thinning of the leg between the calf and the ankle, which creates a sense of fusion between the two. Consequently "Cankle" comes from the fusion of CAlf and aNKLE. Fortunately, my feet, ankles and calves only started swelling about 2 weeks ago. I've been successful at getting them to shrink by elevating them and applying ice.  However, this last week has been hopeless.  No matter what I do, I still have putty legs (when I press on my leg, it makes a dent like silly putty).  With the weight gain and cankles I feel like I have lost control of my body.  It will be nice to have control over my body again after delivery.

Pictured: My bump at 38 weeks.  Not Pictured: Cankles

At the Doc... Again

At our appointment Tuesday, Doc said she wanted to do an ultrasound.  I questioned the reasoning.  Everything was good right?  No reason for concern?  She agreed, but still wanted to do an ultrasound, because she does one on all of her patients at this point in their pregnancies.  Ok...
I still feel guilty about the ultrasound I requested at 18 weeks to find out the gender.  It wasn't medically necessary, and I should have just waited.  I just want to keep Karis as safe as possible, not exposing her to anything harmful.  I wanted to keep the peace with our doctor, so we agreed to schedule an ultrasound.
This afternoon, Michael arrived just as the nurse, Peaches called me into her room.  I was so glad Karis's daddy could make it!  It was hard to see very much on the monitor during the ultrasound.  Karis is so squished inside my belly!  Peaches informed us that Karis is about 7.5 pounds, give or take half a pound.  I was shocked!  I didn't think she'd be that big already, but Peaches said that's about 50th percentile for this stage in my pregnancy.  So, Karis is normal.  I just hope she doesn't weigh much more for the delivery (I shouldn't keep my hopes up though).  As expected, all other measurements were perfect.  We'll meet her soon... any day.

Here is Karis's 37 week ultrasound picture.  It was hard for the nurse to capture much in one picture, since our daughter is short on space.  If you can make out the image, here is Karis's perfect little head.

37 Week Checkup and Fears

We had our 37 week appointment yesterday.  This was the first time Doc checked my cervix.  The report: 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced.  I wasn't expecting to hear that I started dilating, but I wasn't very alarmed by this either.  I've heard that a woman can be at 1 or 2 cm for a week or two.  The shock came when I asked, "When do you think I might deliver." The doctor confidently said, "I'm thinking maybe next week."  My jaw dropped.  That would be 2 weeks early!  I still have to keep in mind that everyone's different, and Karis could come in one week or four weeks.  Who knows?  However, this was my to-do list.
The exam itself caused a lot of very uncomfortable pressure.  I don't look forward to doing this every week.  (I'm sure the discomfort of the exam is nothing compared to labor and delivery.)  I continued to feel a little pressure for about 24 hours.  The doctor did not warn me that I'd experience this, so I'm guessing it's an IC related thing.  Plus, the baby's head has moved down a little, causing additional pressure.
The thought that I could go into labor next week really freaks me out.  We have been well trained and educated on the whole process, but... still freaked out.  My thoughts change from, "I need more time, maybe I'll feel ready in a month." to "I just want it to be over with." to "I don't want to deliver!  Can't the doctor just put me to sleep, and when I wake up Karis will be there?"