I have no idea when Mara will come, but there are a few things that would make it seem like things are progressing some. First of all, I've had a HUGE increase in the number of Braxton Hicks contractions I've been having. They're not painful usually, although sometimes they are bordering on crampy, but they are intense and have even started reaching into the tops of my thighs. Second of all, Mara has dropped significantly. My belly now sits on my legs whenever I sit down or drive.
Food... oh food. My worst nightmare. I am SO HUNGRY!!!! Not all the time, but often. I have some days where I don't have much of an appetite (and I love it) but most days I'm hungry. I've been wanting a lot of peanut butter...................... you all know how I feel about peanut butter! Peanut butter and I have a love/hate relationship. Currently it's erring on the side of love. Not sure what that's about, but I'm not gaining weight at a ridiculously rapid tempo, so I guess I'm okay. Maybe my body is storing up energy for "D-Day", whenever that may come.
Also... the worst part... I've got PUPPP! PUPPP stands for Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, and it's basically hell. It's a rash on the abdomen (and sometimes upper thighs) of pregnant women and it is so incredibly, unbelievably, astoundingly, unbearably itchy. All I want to do is scratch the skin off my belly with fingernails made of sandpaper. I've been to the OB and he prescribed me a topical steroid cream and a prescription-strength antihistamine. Unfortunately, the only thing that will make PUPPP go away is not being pregnant anymore. Fortunately, PUPPP is not harmful to me or to Mara. It's just ridiculously uncomfortable.
It's a histamine thing, so every time I brush against the affected area of skin, histamines release all over my entire body and I itch everywhere. The first time I ran my nails gently down over the rash, I broke out in a sweat and started shaking, the histamine release was so overwhelming. It's like when you have a ton of mosquito bites all over your body, but they don't really itch until you touch ONE and then they all start! It's terrible. Worse than chicken pox.
But I'm so incredibly grateful that PUPPP is the only complication I'm having. Mara's check ups are all great. She kicks all day long. My blood pressure has been fine (no more frighteningly low numbers) and my weight gain is also fine. Next Monday (October 27th) I have my 36 week appointment and get tested for Strep B and probably a cervical check (sorry gross.) I'm sure that appointment will go fine too.
We're having a rainstorm today. It's absolutely pouring!!! Not really a problem except that my wimpy dog Jax refuses to potty in the rain. So he's currently sleeping under the blanket at my feet and I can hear his little tummy gurgling because he REALLY has to go potty but he hates to get his feet wet. LOL! Silly Frenchie. I love him so much.
You're in the homestretch dear! How exciting! I'm lucky I have never experienced PUPP. I have heard that it sucks. But like you said, you're lucky that's the only complication you're really experiencing. BH contractions are still pretty painful, but as long as they aren't changing your cervix, then that's good. I'm totally jealous of your rainstorm. We've had no moisture here and it's driving me crazy. Instead, we are having abnormally hot weather for the end of Oct. Keep on keepin on sweetie. You're doing awesome.
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