How To Freak Mommy Out
This evening Den cuddled up to me in bed, his hand splayed possessively over my belly. “He never kicks me anymore,” he sighed. I patted his hand and told him the baby was probably just sleeping.
That started me thinking. When WAS the last time he was awake and moving? Not this evening. This morning? I was sick this morning. I don’t really remember him being active at all today, really.
And the panic, it mounted.
I got up and got a glass of juice, drank the whole thing, then layed on my left side like they tell you to do. And then I waited. I put my hand on my belly to catch any movement. After about 5 minutes I started poking and pressing my belly, jiggling it a little.
And the panic got worse. Needless to say, I was laying there staring at the clock wondering WTF I should do, if I should be calling the Midwife (obviously if nothing happened shortly I was going to do that!), and having those horrible DBTs (Dead Baby Thoughts). I have been remarkably positive this entire pregnancy. Even on that day they sent me for the ultrasound because I was measuring 4 weeks behind, Den was worried and I remained pretty calm. I didn’t really believe anything could be wrong. But tonight? Tonight for about 15 minutes I was seriously freaking the fuck out.
I realized I was being stupid laying on my side, because I know my baby and he’s always most active when I’m propped up in bed, not laying down. So I grabbed my laptop and propped myself up with pillows, then sat and stared at my belly and continued poking at it.
Finally I got a feeble little kick. Then another. At least I knew he was still there, but it wasn’t all that reassuring. I kept poking him. Eventually my belly bulged out as he moved his legs around… I got some kicks… more bulges and pushes out the sides. At some point I let out a breath and decided he was okay in there.
Here’s my log. I drank the juice at around 9:00, and moved from laying to propped up in bed at around 9:10ish. I think he went back to sleep after 9:45.
9:18 – kick
9:20 – kick
9:25 – belly bulge
9:26 – kick
9:29 – little belly twitch
9:31 – big bulge
9:34 – big bulge
9:36 – little bulge
9:43 – kick
It certainly wasn’t a flurry of activity like I’m used to, although I can’t really expect him to be fully active if I woke him up from a sleep. Friends also pointed out that he’s probably getting a little short on space in there, I’ll be feeling more pushes and less outright kicks.
I also started thinking about the normal pattern. Today wasn’t really a normal day for me. Devin has always been more active when I’m propped up in bed, like I said. But this week that has gotten very uncomfortable to lay like that – I think he’s gotten heavy enough to start pressing on things. So today I spent my waking hours sitting at my desk instead. And what happens when I spend time upright – sitting at a desk or walking around? He tends to swing around to anterior. Yes that’s the position I want him in for labor. But with his limbs facing my spine, I tend to feel a lot less movement when he’s like that. Plus tonight I never did get to crawl in bed and watch TV or play on my laptop like I normally do – Den came to bed first.
So I guess it’s not really so strange that he was quieter than usual today. But holy shit, do not EVER do that to mommy again, kid!
You know, I find it really ODD that the DBTs return NOW, when I haven’t had many during my pregnancy either.
The one thing I can tell you – at least for Squishy, I have days where there are some nudges, but not a lot of KICKING. I think a lot of it has to do with two things: 1) the fact that s/he is all cramped in there and doesn’t have a lot of room to move, and 2) at least for me, I tend to feel more uncomfortable and less movement towards the end of the week. I think that’s when my baby puts on his/her weight. (i.e. growth spurt!)
I’m glad Devin is fine though.
And, you know, I feel a lot of movement when I’m laying on my back too. Never really thought about that before… hrm. :)
I know, I find it weird that I’m getting the DBTs now when I really never had them to start with!
That’s interesting about Squishy being quiet at the end of the week when he has growth spurts! I’ve never noticed any kind of pattern like that with Devin, he’s usually very active every evening. But he’s been sleepy the last few days… maybe you’re right, he is growing!
I agree – he’s probably running out of room. I didn’t even make it past 37 weeks, and I remember there at the end that I wasn’t feeling as much movement anymore. She was posterior with her little butt up at the top of my belly, so I used to give her butt a push every now and then to get her to move around and let me know that everything still was ok in there.
I would have freaked too! I had a similar experience, but I remembered that the bigger you get, the less room there is to move around! So, movement may get a little less. Don’t you just LOVE to see the little bulges. It becomes so much more real towards the end. I could feel his little feet. Loved it!
Evie did that towards the end. No more room to grow! But it is scary – but Devin is fine. Hugs