I'm an Emotional Wreck!

Hang in there!! I have a 5 month old daughter, and I remember that last trimester of pregnancy all too well! It will get better, I promise. The only advise I can give you is remember that the way you're feeling is only temporary and you will get a beautiful baby out of it in the end! I was not only very emotional during my entire pregnancy and the first few months after giving birth(anxious, irritable, easily upset) but I also developed a hernia and had morning sickness(well, "all day sickness", actually) for the first 17 weeks. So I can relate! I've also found that it is good to stay connected to other women that are in your same situation (which you are obviously doing). It helps you to feel "normal". Lastly, don't feel guilty about how you're feeling. Many women feel the same way you do, and all of your feelings are totally normal and legit. Pregnancy and parenting, while wonderful and amamzing, are not a Johnson's & Johnson's commercial, so don't feel bad that you're not the "glowing pregant woman" 24/7!!! Hope this helps! Good luck with your last trimester and the beginning of parenthood!!

The last trimester SUCKS. I'm pregnant with my fourth (crazy right?) and I totally know what you're going through. All I can tell you is to milk it for all the sympathy you can. There's not a ton you can do to ease the discomfort. I know. Not real helpful, but I thought maybe some sympathy from someone who knows what it's like might help. You can try talking to you doctor about the pain. They might be able to prescribe something. If you're that miserable and can't sleep sometimes they'll take pity on you. It's totally normal to be so emotional. I cry watching the Olympics and don't get me started on anything with a Morgan Freeman voiceover. Hang in there! I'll cross my fingers for you that you go a little early. You know, not too early that the baby is premature, but just early enough so you get relief sooner!
Cindy

My oldest daughter had her foot between my ribs for the last few months of my pregnacny with her. It hurts like HECK!!! All the advice so far has been great! The emotional stuff comes with the territory too! Try watching the funniest video you can find. I love Bill Cosby and a lady named Anita Renfroe (you can find her on-line and watch clips and order the cd's they are hilarious!) Laughing can help you relax and lift your spirit and if you relax maybe baby will too and give your ribs a break!!!

Hi P.,

I also had this problem, it hurt so bad I would start to cry. I also tried different bras. I know it sounds weird but I would change to a different kind a few times a day. Do you have a sports bra? I found that helped something a bit looser around the bra line. Good luck and don't be afraid to try to move your little one with your hand just trying gently pushing his foot away. Sometimes that would help.

Comrad,

The third trimester is a war. Know that it will end. Between the heat, the baby getting bigger and taking up more and more room and all the other "fun" pregnancy issues we get to go through, somehow we do it again and again.

I'm also in my 3rd trimester and will be 35 weeks on Sunday. My little warrior is in a transverse lie so while I don't get the rib kicks, I get the side of the belly kicks and stretches that make my skin feel as if it's going to split and burst open. It really does hurt and the only releif I've found is rubbing it and giving a gentle push back.

As for the emotions - it's all hormones and completely normal. While my emotions are like a rollercoaster most days, I've also gotten to the point of breaking out like I'm 13 again.

Hang in there. Sepnd some time getting ready for the arrival of your little one by working on the nursury - maybe choose a special gift from you to the new baby to make you feel better. And if you need a good cry, have at it, you certainly deserve it - treat yourself to the realy good tissues.

You might also want to find ways to pamper yourself. Get a manicure, pedicure, massage and hair trim, whatever makes you feel good. And also look into distraction techniques. Mine is Sodoku -- I can get lost in those puzzles for hours and forget that I'm pregnant. Funny movies help too.

Pregnancy during the summer is rough -- just plan on running the a/c more often than not and at cooler temps than you normally would. This will result in higher cooling costs, but your comfort is very important. If you get really hot, take cool showers, wear sleeveless, breathable clothing and if outdoors, always have a glass of icewater and stay in the shade.

Good luck and come here often to vent, you really will feel better!

I remember getting the foot in the ribs... hold your arm on that side above you head and try to breath deeply... while leaning over. That used to get my little man out. hell i used to grab my belly and try moving him. I was a mess w/my first prego. I remember crying in my closet w/company over because we ran out of soda. ha ha ha. Just remember to laugh at yourself. I would say "yes. i know i look hysterical. i know it doesn't make sense. i don't care. i'm pregnant. i win". and we'd both laugh. Hang in there. Avoid caffeine and chocolate if you aren't already!

Hi P.,

I feel your pain . When I was pregnant with my twins , my son was way up in my ribs constantly. He had nowhere to go so he pushed on my ribs . I thought they were broken or would be damaged permanantly but they were not :)I would rub them all day. It was the only thing that would help.

If I were you I would try to keep busy now while you can still move and get ready for the baby. The more you move the odds are the baby will sleep and not kick you.

I can't imagine how hot you are since I had my kids in the winter. I never wore a coat even then !You must be melting in this heat. Hang in there . It's all worth it .

Hang in there. I felt your pain. With my second son he positioned himself against my siatic nerve for almost a month. The doctor said there was nothing we could do except hope the baby would move. The pain was HORRIBLE- worse than the actual birth. Once you see your little bundle of joy you will look back and say it was so worth it. Not to mention a story to tell him one day. Hang in there, the eleven weeks will go fast.

First, you are not alone. It sounds like you have a wonderful partner in your husband and that is so important!

Sounds like you have a future soccer player in there. My mom said that I made her black and blue from the inside out kicking her so hard and so much (there were marks) but she did go for number two. Every pregnancy is different. I would ask your doctor about your ribs.

The emotions are VERY normal also. And don't be surprised if they transfer to your hubby. I had irrational ideas/dreams that my hubby was unfaithful. These were so NOT true, but for both pregnancies it happened those crazy emotions.

Try some stuff that baby and you can enjoy and that helps you relax. Water activities (like water exercise...not to intense, don't get your heart rate up too high) but it helps you feel weighless (don't mean to scare you but that is the next step...feeling so heavy all the time as your baby grows.) It helps with the heat factor and keeping you cool and baby tends to really relax when you are in the water because they feel a difference too.

Yoga, it might be that your baby doesn't like the position he/she is in either. Head down is for delivery (and a GREAT sign) but doing the calf/cow yoga move may help you open your hips and maybe let the baby drop down a little farther so the kicking isn't in the same place. Again, can't hurt to try good for you and baby.

Play the baby some music (not this may excite and cause kicking in which case not what you want, but mine fell asleep to music)

The up side to all of it is when your baby comes you will remeber, but forget, all at the same time and your body has a way of making you forget the hard stuff...natures way of keeping us having more. He He

Good luck!

Try a chiropractor, or massage, maybe that will help turn your little kicker! I was the same way the last few weeks of my last pregnacy, I thought I was going to go crazy waiting, and my son was a major acrobat, he flipped and ended up being breech and I had to have a c-section.

So sorry to hear you are having a tough couple months. Do you have a pool that you can go to, that is deep enough that you can just let the water support your body. I spent hours in the pool each week during my pregnancy, of course I was doing all my aerobics in the water at that time. If fact was in the water the day my son was born. Dr. said water walking or aerobics helps both your and the baby. If you just go into the deep water and just let your body hang while holding onto a couple floater's you will amazed how good it makes you feel. Try deep water walking, no stress on leg, back and body is fully supported. You can also just float on your back and massage your belly, maybe baby will move over. You whole body is supported again by the water. Floating you can do in the shallow. You can also just walk around in the shallow about chest deep, supports your belly, your back and that little bundle.
My son loved when I was in the water doing a work out. The movement put him right to sleep.

Hope this helps,
S.