Ok, so I know I'm supposed to be limiting my physical activities these days because of all these Braxton Hicks contractions. And I am. Pretty much.
But truth be told*, I've been sneaking to the pool each day to swim. Just a little. Okay, 2000 meters. But that's less than the 3500 meters I was doing before. And I'm doing it all even slower than before.
Here's how I see it. The contractions are coming regardless of what I do. I get them while I'm on the couch. I get them while I'm sleeping (I wake up with a rock hard belly and and urgent need to pee every 2 hours or so). I get them if I stand up and walk. I get them if I don't drink enough water. I get them if I drink a lot of water. Nothing seems to matter in this process because my uterus is just doing what it wants to do. And apparently it is overly obsessive like me and wants to practice contracting**.
Trying to get my uterus not to contract at this point is like trying to tell an athlete training for the Ironman in Kona right now to just stop riding your bike for the next two weeks. Not gonna happen. So I figure I might as well allow myself to be mentally sane, and a trip to the pool each day helps to accomplish that. And honestly, I got a bigger contraction carrying 2 bags of groceries up the stairs this afternoon than I did while I was mindlessly lapping up and down the pool.
I'm going to see my doctor again tomorrow. She'll check to see if any changes are taking place in my cervix. I would bet money that nothing has changed. Anyone wanna bet? :)
*I really felt like I had to come clean because I keep running into people I know at the pool and they're like, "Are you supposed to be here?" Luckily I have good enabler friends and I've heard each of them say "I won't tell anybody..."
**Baby really needs to do it's little flip thing soon so my uterus gets to use all this fitness its gaining when the big D-Day comes. What a shame it would be to throw away all that strength by cutting a hole through the uterine wall.
4 comments:
Your secret is safe with me. My midwife told me that I should stop running because of the contractions last week, but I get the regardless of whether I run or not and my cervix hasn't changed, so I don't see any reason to stop! I think as long as the cervix hasn't changed, then keep up the activity! I guess I am an enabler, too....
That's great that you are having so many Braxton Hicks contractions. Sounds like your uterus is certainly ready. I swam and biked the day I went in to be induced. If nothing else it helps release nervous energy.
Turn baby turn!
THat is GREAT you are swimming. And 2200 yards is fantastic! Does it feel normal to swim? Do you do flipturns or is that out of the question? I love flipturns!
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