The Countdown

Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks!!!! They consider that Full Term.....so I have decided to pull out all the "natural" inducers that I can find out about!! I have been eating pineapple every day, doing squats and lunges each time I visit the restroom (and that's a lot these days), mulching, vacuuming and begging Matt to help me out (if you know what I mean). Soon, it will all start to come together!! I have been having anywhere between 20 - 40 contractions a day (sometimes more). Sometimes they are painful and sometimes they are just an annoyance. I get waves of nausea and flu like symptoms followed by contractions with back pain but the baby is still inside!!
This past week I broke out with a rash on my abdomen - they are pretty sure it is PUPPP...some people call it PUPS. It is not harmful, but the itching is pretty intense and it can spread to other extremities. If it gets bad they normally induce labor. There is no known cause but it is said to be common for women in their first pregnancy and in their third trimester. I have a blood test tomorrow to make sure that it isn't associated with another problem that stems from the liver. I did some research on PUPPP and it sounds exactly like what I have.....AND while reading several different articles this kept popping up: "One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant. " The only other person I know that has had the same rash did end up having a boy!!! Thought that was quite interesting!!

I went to the doctor's yesterday (to have them check my rash)....I am a full 2 cm now!! Woohoo!!! I have my next appointment this coming Tuesday...I am hoping she will say that I am even more dilated - 3 cm is all I ask for!! Maybe my weekend of natural inducers will do the trick :-) That's about all that is new. I still have to pack my bag!!! I don't know why I keep putting it off....maybe if I pack it the baby will come! I am packing tonight!!!!!
Talk to you all soon!!!!!!