36th week blues?

[Anonymous]

I'm in my 36th week and starting to get really tired and irritable. I still have a lot to do in terms of prep at home, but I don't feel like doing a thing. Poor DH is doing more than his fair share. The irritability is causing a dull headache, too. The awful thing is, I know the irritability is hormonal and that I can't control it. The feeling of not being able to control it makes me more irritated! Plus, when I try to sleep at night, my legs feel really restless. I ordinarily don't suffer from restless legs. Am I losing it??????

[Anonymous]

Are 37th week blues close enough? I can't speak to the restless leg symptoms but I do feel out of sorts emotionally which I attribute to hormones, but also to feeling anxious and preoccupied about the way my life is about to change. Although I have had many friends recently give birth to their first, and I feel prepared at home, I know there is so much I just can't plan for...it is out of my control, and if you're like me (and others, I'm sure) not having control is difficult.

Example: I was just laying with my dog and started crying because of how terrible I feel that he will now have to share our attention (we dote on him waaay too much).

I am probably over-reacting because of hormones but there is truth to the idea that life as I know it is about to end. And not knowing exactly when the baby will come is very difficult.

Glad your DH is being helpful...not sure you asked for advice, so I won't give any, but know that you're not alone.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks. I'll take any advice and I know exactly how you feel. The business of not knowing when the baby is going to pop is the most anxiety provoking. Perhaps packing the hospital bag will help...I think I might just do that tonight. BTW, we took a prenatal class a few weeks ago and something the instructor said really stuck with me: She said, of course your life will change, but it doesn't change entirely. Just the concept of what is normal changes. For instance, if normal now is to sleep until 7:30, get up get dressed and go to work---the new normal might be to get up at 6:30, eat cereal and watch the Wiggles with your kid before you get dressed and go to work. That sat pretty well with me. However the homestretch is a difficult one, I am told. A ton of my friends have given birth to their first children in the past year, and they seem to have all gone through all of this; but the oxytocin released at the time of birth lulls them into a state of euphoria and they forget!!!! I am looking forward to that moment.

[Anonymous]

How about 22 week blues?!!!

[Anonymous]

They come and go in phases. Hang in there everyone!

[Anonymous]

I am 36 weeks as well but with #3. Don't worry about the lack of motivation. With my first I thought I had to have EVERYTHING done before the baby was born. Such as all the baby's clothes purchsed, washed and put away for his entire first year of life! With #3 we are literally just buying a pack of newborn diapers and we are good to go. You will actually still have plenty of time to do whatever you need after the baby comes. They are very portable when they are newborns and they do sleep a lot.

Restless legs - I get them too, usually the entire 3rd trimester. Unfortunately, I have not found anything that really gets rid of it. Try Tylenol PM if it gets bad. Also, making your bedroom cooler helps. I promise it goes away the moment you give birth so hang in there.

Irritability - totally normal as well. Give yourself permission to feel whatever you feel. I remember the first week after I had #1 I felt like crying for no reason. Then I thought, what the heck, why don't I just cry?? I spent about 15 minutes bawling my eyes out and then felt much better.

Try to enjoy this time of anticipation regarding the actually delivery. I am having a scheduled c-section with this one and I am really missing the excitment of the "unknown". Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Hmm around 36 weeks, I decided I was finished being pregnant. I would go to the mall everday--perhaps you saw the huge preggo woman walking around two springs ago--I would walk and walk hoping to go into labor. Alas baby arrived at 38 weeks and then funny thing happened--I started to miss being pregnant about a week after delivery!!! So my advice to you esp. if you are home already is to walk during the day, it gets your mind off things and sort of calms you--mall is a great place because when you are tired you can stop at the book store and get something to drink and read some great trashy mags!! My best advice is just to let go of control and you will find you are so much calmer.