Still Here.

This is my TMI post. For other pregnant women who are curious about their symptoms, please read on. For people who really don't care about the intimate details of my bowels and such, you can skip this entry in its entirety.

Our baby has not arrived yet. I'm kind of OK with this. Every time another day passes, I think, "11/11/11!" I'm semi-kidding.

That's not to say that there haven't been any changes. There have! For the past 24 hours, I've been losing my mucus plug. Some women go into labor when that happens. For other women, it can still mean labor is a couple weeks away. So, really, I don't know more than I did Wednesday. It's exciting to have something happen, though. Really, it feels good to know my body is getting ready. I didn't get to go through any of this stuff with my first pregnancy.

A couple of weeks ago, I started to have loose stools. You see, when you're pregnant, your digestive system tends to slow down a lot to make sure your body can extract all the nutrients it can. Many women end up constipated when pregnant. Things loosened up for me these last few weeks. When it first happened, I thought, "Maybe this is a sign!"

Well, today, I've had a little diarrhea. Nothing too major, but enough to get me thinking (once again), "Maybe it's time!" Many women experience diarrhea within hours or days of starting labor. Some doctors think it's the body's way of clearing out the bowels to make room for a baby passing. Anyway, I suppose it could just be a coincidence, but with the dilation and loss of mucus plug, I can't help but think labor is going to start very, very soon.

Finally, my pains changed today. I still get the occasional stabbing sensation and pressure, but I've been getting pains in my side throughout the day. You know when you run too fast too quickly? You get those side pains that make you stop in your tracks, and it hurts to continue moving forward. You're basically forced to stop and walk really, really slowly. Well, that's exactly the pain I've had today (although, I can guarantee you that it's not from running!). There have been a few occasions today where it's hurt too much to even stand, and I'm forced to sit back down. It got so extreme that Andrew actually had to leave work to help me out at home.

Poor Oliver. It breaks my heart how much he's been neglected all week. I'm in so much pain in my back and pelvis (and now my side) that I just can't do anything. He's been forced to play a lot on his own, and we've snuggled and watched way too many music videos. I don't know what else to do. I keep trying to remind myself that I'm doing the best I can and that this is all temporary, but, to be honest, I wish I was able to be more involved these days. In case you'd wondered, that's the reason the 100 Ways to Entertain a Toddler posts have all but ceased.

Anyway. Labor is coming soon. I know it. Part of me wants to hold out until Friday, 11/11/11, but another part of me (the part that hurts and the part that feels so badly for my son) is ready for labor any time now. I'll keep my blog updated as much as I can!

Ollie and the Yucky Diaper, Part II

After almost two weeks with no troubles, Oliver had a mucousy diaper today. It's so scary finding all these terrible things in his poopy. I think this explains his mood last night, too. Normally, he sleeps so well, only waking up once in the night to eat. Last night, however, he was up every hour, crying. I could tell he was in pain, and he was gassy. Poor baby.

It's true I've been eating a lot of dairy products again. Since he hadn't been having issues for so long, I assumed his problem was a fissure and not dairy. So, I've been eating pizza, grilled cheeses, lots of yogurt, and cheese & crackers for snacks.

I called Colleen, Andrew's mom, who is a gastroenterologist PA. She also said the mucous is a sign of an intolerance to cow products. She's going to talk to one of the doctors she works with to see if he concurs.

Meanwhile, I'm also waiting to hear from Ollie's family doctor to discuss my diet. Dairy is one of my main sources of protein, so I'm concerned. I'm also worried for Oliver because, according to the ER doc at Children's, it can take up to two weeks for the bovine proteins to leave my system. I don't want him to be in any more pain and distress. I absolutely don't want to stop nursing, though, unless I have to.

Oh, what to do. Poor Ollie.