I have read quite a lot about women having bizarre birth- and baby-related dreams in pregnancy, but aside from one miscarriage dream that I would classify as a nightmare (to me, a dream is only a nightmare if it bothers me to think about it when I wake up or I wake up in a state of agitation and fear, no matter how frightening or bizarre the dream may seem on the surface) and one bizarre baby-related dream, I haven't really had many. Well, make that I hadn't really had many. Usually my dreams involve an awareness that I am pregnant, but they stop there.
Perhaps it was a bit of undigested Pascha meat, but at 24 weeks on the dot (which was the morning after Pascha), I had what counts as my first birth-related dream or series of dreams. I'll spare you most of the details, but it involved, among other things, finding baby dangling out feet-first, at which point I called a nurse over, suggesting that perhaps the baby was ready to be born, albeit the "wrong" end first. I was quite calm about it in the dream, and upon waking the scenario struck me as amusing more than anything. If this is the extent of the anxiety I will express in my dreams, I have it made -- especially considering that my worry during waking hours is decreasing. I do realize, however, that is a rather big if!
Speaking of anxiety, I still worry a little bit about things I eat that I later discover are potentially problematic (like a dish essentially made with raw egg that I was served at a private home this week... this is what comes of not knowing what is in Greek foods and wanting to be a gracious guest) and I have been keeping an eye on my blood pressure, which has crept up a bit higher while managing to stay below my doctors' threshold of worry/treatment so far, but I don't feel the sort of crippling fear I did for the first several weeks of pregnancy. I think it helps a great deal to know that the baby would have a fighting chance at survival even outside of the womb from this point forward. Of course, I'm anxious to meet him, but I hope we don't for a long time yet! It's really nice not to be worried all of the time, and I consider the time I have without that oppressive feeling to be among the better blessings in my life at present.
The baby has become quite an active little guy. I discovered a few days ago that I can see some of his kicks right through my clothing. His favorite thing is still using my bladder as a trampoline, but he occassionally flips over and gives the top of my uterus a good thrashing. As of yesterday, Daddy Daniel has felt one kick, he thinks... but baby has an uncanny way of knowing when Daddy is watching or resting his hand on my belly and he immediately stops his acrobatics when he figures it out. We have discussed the need to establish a code word or something that means "he's kicking, come feel!" utilizing only writing or gestures that baby can't see or hear, because I would swear he knows when I am inviting Daniel over verbally if I didn't know better. I am thankful that his kicks and punches don't keep me awake yet, because, as it is, I have a very bizarre sleep schedule and covet every minute that I am able to rest peacefully, since I know it may be my last opportunity for undisturbed sleep for 20-odd years or more.
I go to the doctor today for my next regular check-up, so we'll see if I have been gaining weight at the proper rate and if the top of my uterus is where they expect it to be. Next Friday I have a follow-up ultrasound to determine the location of my placenta, which we hope will have migrated in one piece up and away from the cervical OS. The following week we have a "fun scan" scheduled, which is baby's first real photo shoot. It is an optional ultrasound (as opposed to the rest of them I have undergone with this pregnancy) with the aim of getting some good 3-D scan photos and even some 3-D video of our little guy before he becomes too squished in there to pose for the probe. Sometime in the next month they will begin to test me for gestational diabetes and other possible complications. I'm hopeful that there won't be any new ones, but I suppose we'll cross those bridges when they begin to loom.
I'll update with doctor's visit information when I have some to share. I'm very grateful for all the prayers and encouragement I receive. In the meantime, I need a nap. We'll see what nonsense my brain gets up to this time!
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Hey Beautiful! I remember people saying that I should sleep now because I wouldn't sleep for years. I think they were crazy! I slept about 3 hours a night when I was pregnant. Between bathroom trips, waking up because I had rolled onto my back and had to get back to my side (a process that can take a bit of time and lots of effort at 8 or 9 months), leg pain, back pain,being sick in the middle of the night, the baby kicking, and acid reflux (that was really bad- no matter what I did or took). Now that Simone is here, and in our bed with us at night, I get around 7 hours, although not in a row. Much better. Plus I have SO much more energy when I'm awake.
-the dreams are crazy though, and they get more crazy/bad.
Hi Ash!
Well, given that I don't work and don't have too many other responsibilities, I do get a lot of sleep, it just comes in shifts. I usually sleep something like 4-5 hours at night and then get in a long nap in the morning or afternoon. It's working for me, except poor Daniel is suffering because I can't fall asleep until 2 am now and I unintentionally keep him awake. I am still getting hip pain, although that is strangely not as bad now as it was a few weeks ago. Of course, I have my constant reflux issues. Those I have pregnant or not for the last decade, so it's nothing new, but the meds I take now don't work as well as my pre-pregnancy meds so I can still be pretty miserable. The reflux thing is one of my bigger worries going forward, because I know it only gets worse! Oh well... perhaps they can put me on something more powerful if it gets bad enough. As far as I am concerned, reflux makes it so I can't sleep and so that I have trouble with other rather important things (including breathing), so it *needs* to be treated... unlike some things that I can ignore or tolerate - like my aches and pains!
I hope you will post some more pictures of Simone soon, Mommy. It's always so nice to hear from you. :)
Bladder as trampoline: all babies do it.
Weird, husband-disturbing sleep: all babies do it to you. If you have a la-z-boy type chair, so you can sleep with head up, feet up, and hips down, try sleeping there. (This does have the unwanted side effect of husband wondering if you still love him :).)
Some of the stuff I have had to do to minimize discomfort from the bum leg remind me of pregnancy without the abdominal effects. Must be from the pregnancy pressing on nerves to the leg, versus the injury and arthritis generated nerve effects I have now.
Prognosis: YOU WILL SURVIVE, beautifully.
Someday all of this will be a distant memory. But you are right about some more sleepless nights and bizarre dreams - at least for the next 35 years. :)
Glad to hear there is a bit less anxiety.
Thanks for the encouragement, Susan. I do plan to survive. :D
So it doesn't end when your kiddos are all grown up, Mom? My, oh, my!
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