Week 33

The last couple of weeks I have been having horrible pain in my hips and lower back.  One day I was laying down and tried lifting my right leg, it was so painful it brought tears to my eyes.  Not a good sign.  I have had problems with my neck and lower back for almost eight years now.  I do not remember what brought it on, but I started seeing a chiropractor in 2008.  I stopped going after a while because it was getting expensive and I was feeling better.  After I had Owen I started having problems with my hips.  I have read that seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy is beneficial and can actually help with labor and delivery, not to mention ease back pain in the last few weeks.  I asked around a bit and found a chiropractor.  Best part is, they accept my insurance and what I have to pay out of pocket is super cheap!   My first appointment the doctor noticed swelling in my lower back.  My range of motion in my legs were not as much as they should be, my legs were not straight.  I also had almost no reaction from my Achilles tendon when he checked my reflexes.  Things were worse than I thought.  But I have been going for two weeks now and already feel so much better.  In addition, my frank breech baby is now head down!  She also is not hanging out under my ribs.  After the second appointment at the chiropractor I felt a difference in her movements.  I knew she had flipped.  I am wondering if the misalignment of my spine and hips were what caused her to be up so high and head up.  No medical evidence to support this, but hey it is possible.  I am so glad to not be in so much pain and hope going to the chiropractor really will help with labor and delivery.

I had another check-up with the midwife today.  Baby Girl's heartbeat is at 140 and my fundal height is measuring 33 weeks (although I really do not think the measurements are an accurate way to determine growth).   I am still under my pre-pregnancy weight, only gaining two pounds since my last check up.  I have another check up at 36 weeks, at which point I will have my group B strep test done.  After that I will be going weekly.  Some days I am amazed how fast this pregnancy is going, and then others I feel like this pregnancy will never be over.   I am pretty sure my "morning" sickness is back, as the last four days I have been sick.

I am slowly getting Charlotte's room ready for her.  Last week I organized all of her clothes, filled the dresser, and straightened up her closet.  Yesterday I bought bins for her changing table and got all of the cloth diapers and accessories organized.  I still want to paint her room and I need to pull out the car seat, swing, and the pack and play.  In under nine weeks I will have a baby girl!!!   It is so close.