37 Weeks Pregnant

Shirt (maternity) | Sweater | Jeans

So we are officially in the home stretch – 37 weeks pregnant! I can’t believe my due date is just three weeks away. We are so beyond excited to meet our little girl, to hold her and see what she looks like. I anticipate that these last weeks are going to feel slow, so I’m going to try and just relax and prep for her arrival. These are our last few weeks as a family of three, so Pete, Woody and I are spending a lot of quality time together.

I’ll tell you, a lot has changed since my 30 week update. My belly is much bigger and baby girl is growing so fast. At this point it’s hard to move around and do just normal things like tie my sneakers. Even getting up out of a chair has proven difficult! But from what I hear from family and friends, all these symptoms are normal for this stage. I’m also mostly sticking to comfy sweats and leggings since everything else is either difficult to put on or just uncomfortable.

A few new symptoms that have popped up, too: trouble sleeping, backaches, hip aches (mostly from having to sleep on my side every night), swollen feet and ankles, and the need to pee constantly. Again, all normal symptoms for this stage but still can be uncomfortable. My trouble sleeping mostly stems from random bouts of anxiety that creep up at 3am and keep my mind going. I have noticed that my skin and hair look the best they ever have so that’s definitely a perk. It’s probably from the prenatal vitamins and hormones, so no complaints here!

All my thoughts at this point are about the labor and her safe arrival. I’ve chatted with a lot of friends and family, and have toured the hospital so I feel comfortable with it all. However, there is fear of the unknown being our first child. I don’t really have a birth plan necessarily and am planning on going into the experience with no expectations and only one goal: to get her out as safely and quickly as possible (for both her and I). I think that’s practical, right?

Despite the 3am wakeups, sausage feet and anxious anticipation of labor, I am so beyond excited to finally meet our girl. Every day I am thinking and envisioning what our new life will be like and it makes me smile. I can’t wait to see her and explore who she is. I’ve been washing all her clothes and nursery linens and I’ve honestly never loved doing laundry this much. So far, we know from the ultrasound technician she has a lot of hair (from me) and long legs (from Pete). So funny! We’re now just walking up each day hoping it’s the one she arrives. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for something in my entire life and I am 100% ready to become a mom.

I also just want to thank my amazing husband for being patient and encouraging especially in these last months as doing the normal has gotten difficult. He has so much going on with work and his college sports website, so I appreciate him picking up my slack around the apartment or just coming to sit with me in bed earlier at night.

Any final pieces of advice or insight before our little one makes her arrival? Let me know in the comments so other pregnant readers can hear them as well!