Happy Tuesday! It’s another warm one here in Brooklyn with temperatures forecasted to reach the high 90’s. The extreme heat means that I’m staying inside as much as possible and very thankful that my desk is right in front of our window air conditioner unit. I’m taking the advice of my friends, family and doctor this week and doing my best to stay busy in order to keep from counting down the minutes until Baby Girl Diamond decides to grace us with her presence. I know that the average first child comes at 41 weeks and 1 day which means that at 39 weeks and 2 days, I could very well be pregnant for another two weeks.  Today I’m staying busy by finishing a few more work projects, blogging, cleaning, reading, pampering myself with a pedicure and enjoying an evening swim date at the YMCA with Bo.

Let’s dive into the latest and greatest details of this pregnancy, focused on how I felt last week, June 4th through June 10th during Week 38 of pregnancy.

Baby Size: As of Week 38 Baby Girl has plumped up and is around 7 pounds and over 19 1/2 inches long. Her organs have matured and she is ready for life outside the womb. She is extremely active, still moving frequently and loves kicking me on the right side.

Weight Gained: As of last week’s 38 week doctor appointment, I have gained 32 pounds, some of which could be water weight due to the extreme Summer heat.

Symptoms:  Last week I continued to grow and truly had to waddle anywhere I went, unable to avoid turning my legs out due to the growing, dropping baby. I started to have some minor back pain behind my right ribs but luckily Epsom Salt baths and showers helped relieve some of the pain. In addition, to continuing the symptoms from previous weeks, my blood pressure had significantly increased when I was at my 38 week appointment last Tuesday. This led to an unexpected NYU test run as my doctor wanted to rule out any issues such as pre-eclampsia and sent me to the hospital to be observed for four hours.

Workouts: My doctor continues to reinforce the benefits of staying active, as long as the activities are workouts that I’ve done throughout pregnancy and are indoors with sufficient air conditioner and fans. Based on this, last week I did one prenatal yoga class, one prenatal pilates class at Aline Pilates and four Orangetheory workouts. Based on how I was feeling, I opted to bike instead of incline walk during three of the Orangetheory workouts. In addition to workouts, I’ve started doing a few different prenatal stretching workouts that are supposed to help reduce swelling and provide comfort before bed time.

• Prenatal Bedtime Yoga – Sleep Better (My favorite)
• Five Pregnancy Stretches to Relieve Tension
• 9 Stretches to Relieve Pregnancy Aches and Pains

Cravings: I craved meat, smoothies, ice cream or sorbet and cold, fresh fruit last way in a major way. In fact, when I went to Whole Foods on Friday my cart was filled with so many cherries, pineapples, strawberries and mangos that the staff never thought we’d eat it all before it went bad. Little did they know that within five days it was all devoured! I really wish I liked watermelon as the fresh watermelon I bought for Bo actually looked quite delicious but after one bite I was quickly reminded just how much I despise that popular, hydrating fruit. The most random craving was an urgent need for angel food cake and berries on Friday night. Luckily, the Whole Foods angel food cake delivered on my dreams especially when topped with a single scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and berries.

Food Aversions: As I stare at my morning cup of coffee which remains half full, this seems to be my only aversion. The only way I can finish my coffee is if I have iced coffee.

Sleep: Last week was tough as I started waking up at least four times during the night to use the bathroom. One night it took me more than an hour to go back to sleep which was beyond frustrating. I also find that each night a different pillow configuration provides comfort than the night before. Some nighs I only use the Snoogle while others I find comfort surrounded by five or six different pillows. I am large enough at this point that I HAVE to have support under my stomach when lying on my side or I feel a painful pull.

Wearing: Last week I think I wore and washed my black dress four days. Otherwise, I rotated through the same clothes and shoes as last week.

Other Random Thoughts: While the first 37 weeks of pregnancy FLEW by I felt like time came to a halt last week. There were a few days where I caught myself wondering if she’d ever arrive but after some frustration and realization that it could be WEEKS not DAYS until she arrives I changed my thinking and realize that the most important thing is that she and I are both happy and healthy. If she wants more time to incubate, then I am happy to meet her when she is ready. So while I’m avoiding subways and staying in the neighborhood, I’m filling my days with things that bring me joy such as reading, time with friends, cooking, working out and relaxing when I’m not working. This change in perspective has helped so much, especially as I start to received daily emails and texts from friends, family and readers asking whether Baby Girl Diamond has arrived.

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