Say hello to my little friend - Braxton Hicks

Today is the first day I have started to feel Braxton Hicks contractions and they are somewhat painful & scary all at once. If I move myself in another position they seem to go away or if I am sitting and get up to start walking that works too.

From Baby Center:

How can I tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and true labor contractions?

In the days or weeks before labor, Braxton Hicks contractions may intermittently become rhythmic, relatively close together, and even painful, possibly fooling you into thinking you're in labor. But unlike true labor, during this so-called false labor the contractions don't grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together. Try drinking a couple of glasses of water, since these contractions can sometimes be brought on by dehydration. If you're past 37 weeks, there's no need to call your doctor or midwife just for contractions until they last about 60 seconds each and are five minutes apart — unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise.


So that is the deal...I could have these contractions for a long time very sporadically or things could come together quickly. All I know is that they freaked me out enough to "officially" pack my hospital bag this evening!

36 week appointment

Today I had a doctor's visit and everything is going well. My blood pressure was 119/59 (very normal for me) and I gained 2 pounds. The baby gains a 1/2 pound per week at this stage of the pregnancy so that amount of weight gain was par for the course it seems. Also, the baby's heartbeat was strong & my belly measured exactly what it should have. I tested negative for the strep test they gave me last week so that is good news as well. If I had tested positive that wouldn't be terrible either, they just give you an antibiotic so that you don't pass it along to the baby during delivery.

Some things I have been feeling lately:

1. My right side of my rib cage is ON FIRE!!! I either have a bruised rib or the baby's lodged his foot under it and has not come loose for over a week. Sometimes the pain is so-so & other times my rib is actually hot to the touch it seems. I feel better standing, or even exercising than sitting at work, the dinner table or driving. I am finding myself leaning back allot more to ease the discomfort.
2. The baby moves even more than before. I think he is becoming very impatient with his space he has in my belly or maybe he is even annoyed his foot is lodged under my rib? LOL....
3. I am starting to feel "ready" similar to the feeling I had a few weeks before I ran the Hartford Marathon. Basically, my head is there already. I wish I could say the same for Adam but I think he is JUST starting to realize how quickly a month is and this baby is coming very soon!

Other than that we have been taking stock of what we have for the baby and getting things we still need. Our trip to Babies R Us last night got allot accomplished and we need to gather some more things this week and then we should be all set.

I am packing my hospital bag this week as well, every time I see the doctors they ask if I have had any contractions which I have not experienced at all. But it made me think about getting that hospital bag packed very soon, I just never know when Baby Elias is going to make his arrival!