Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Getting Close

Over the past few months, Nilda and I have been taking walks to help relieve pregnancy discomfort. Nilda says this is "exercise," because, yes, that's what Nilda considers "exercise."

We just got back from one such walk and it was a terrible idea. We got about three-quarters around the block and then had to stop because Nilda was having a contraction. It took us about 10 minutes to walk the two blocks back to the house. Nilda was in tears just from knowing that this is a fraction of what it's going to feel like. Nilda has called "bullshit" on her pregnant friends for not telling her how uncomfortable they were.

Contractions are a new phenomena for Nilda. Nilda said she started feeling period cramps (gross) that became much tighter all around her belly and lower back. For the noobs, these contractions aren't the real thing yet.

Nilda's discomfort has permeated every aspect of my life. She can't sleep anymore because either the kid keeps kicking her or he's in a position that cuts off blood circulation. And this kid kicks hard! You can now feel whether that pointed bump sticking out of her stomach is an elbow or a butt. It's really freaky.

Nilda now needs the whole bed. I have officially been kicked out. For a while, I was sleeping with my head where my feet used to go with a separate blanket, but that's not good enough anymore. Nilda needs enough space to build her pillow fort to find a good position. Nilda's excited for the baby to come just so she can get some sleep, because that makes sense. And don't get her started with the blankets. She wants them around for the few moments before she heats up like a furnace and needs to twist them into a spiral vortex twisted around on itself.

Nilda also says that she needs the whole bed because she gets concerned that her moving around will disturb me. That means that her courtesy to me has lead to me leaving the bed. That one is more complicated than Palsgraff. But, lucky me, Nilda bought an AeroBed just for me. I get to sleep in it all by myself and I don't have to share it with Andrew. Nilda's the best.

Meanwhile, tomorrow is the 17th (Lilah's birthday!!) and we're one month away from the due date, though I don't think Nilda's going to make it that far. We finally got everything we need for the kid and that's got me freaked out. All we can do now is comfortably relax and wait for the kid to arrive, enjoying as much peaceful relaxation as we can get before he shows up. Right, Nilda?

"No more walking, Brian. No mas."

2 comments:

stretch marks said...

Oh no, Nilda!! I would say "feel better" but I would be lying. All I will pray for you is that you do not additionally get: heartburn, RLS and in the last two weeks the worst sciatica of your life because your son is dropping right on to your sciatic nerve every second of every day which renders you immobile! It is ironic but in some ways, you can sleep again when the newborn comes. Hang in there, mummy!

Unknown said...

If any of us knew how much labor hurt, there is no way we'd willingly get pregnant for the first time. It's going to hurt like hell and there's no way around it. And it's going to hurt more than it does now, so she's got no choice at all but to suck it up. But the pain goes away. I promise. And then she can feel very proud of what she's been through!! And for what it's worth, breastfeeding hurts like a bitch, too, for the first week or two. But push through the boobie pain, and it will be totally worth it!