Week 37 - Hanging In There

at my last check up (week 35) my gynae has basically said we can choose a date, and chose a date she did - 15 october. that was yesterday. i couldn't bring myself to say ok, even though i would love to! akmal's concert is top of my priority at the moment. above my tiredness, above my pain, above the heaviness. i would endure a few more days, just to be able to see my baby perform with his 6 year old classmates and especially to see him giving the opening speech.

he was chosen to do this by his class teacher way back in may, he has been practicing ever since, and no way i would miss this special moment. because of that, i chose a day after akmal's concert - 20 october. unfortunately, it would coincide with amir, asyraf & ariff's year-end examination.

i have been having lower body pains for a couple of months. not being able to sleep, not due to contractions but more of difficulty in getting a good position for a good night's sleep. getting cramps while asleep is also a major pain. i can't carry a lot of things, can't bend down and can't climb up my car. driving is a bit of a problem, particularly because my stomach gets in the way. and the contractions and cramps too.

i had another check up today. i couldn't drive this time so i had to follow hubby's office time. akmal missed school to accompany me. we arrived very early. nothing was opened - not the clinic, not the coffee shop - but at least i didn't have to drive. we waited outside the clinic for about 20 minutes before the clinic assistant opened the door. wow…can't remember the last time i was first in line at any of the clinics in dsh. waking up early does have its benefit.

akmal and i went for a leisurely breakfast before making our way back to the clinic. about an hour at the coffee shop and slightly less at the clinic, the doctor called us in. she's early too, yeay. the first thing she asked when i came in was - you're refusing ctg when you're having contractions? i asked her back - am i having contractions? she said she can tell by the way i breathe and the way my stomach tightens, so yeah, i was having them.

i told her i'm in denial, i can't miss akmal's concert. she gave me a look and a long sigh. ok, let's compromise, she said. if you are 3cm dilated, you just video message the concert and be admitted today. if you are not, you can attend the concert but come in first thing monday morning. alhamdulillah, it was the latter. contraction is sporadic, there's no bleeding, there's no pain but i was to stay off my feet (u-huh…rightttttt) and i was to be ready in case anything out of the norm happens between today and monday. so a little breather for now but nothing's set in stone just yet.

for now, i just entered by 37th week (i saw the 2 GAs on the doctor's monitor - one was 37 weeks and a couple of days, the other was 36 weeks and 5 days). the baby weighs 2.6kg on screen. the doctor said she can feel some parts of the baby just under my stomach, other parts are already set for delivery. i had constipation 2 weeks ago but no longer now, confirms my guess that the baby have moved. my feet are also swollen, another confirmation of delivery date nearing.

ok, so i can't have my 20 october as i wanted and hubby gets to share his birthday with someone - one less birthday for him to remember. he also gets to join a football game next week and in return, he will take a 1-month break from footie. ok lah…wins all around.

so a (somewhat) restful weekend for me…other than uniform ironing, hubby's birthday dinner, akmal's concert, packing hospital bags and school bags. come monday, come a new week, we'll be a family of 7, insyaAllah.