34 Weeks: The unexpectedly aching crotch, plus cat perspectives on birthing balls

The belly on a more relaxed day...

Today I am fully 34 weeks along in my bun-baking, and my pubic area hurts.



What I think is going on is that there are stretching ligaments over it,  the ones they talked up in all the pregnancy apps a few months ago when the party line was "round ligament pain."  Those are supposed to be holding the uterus loosely in place over the lower abdomen, and, as the uterus grows, they get tugged and sore.  I don't know if there's some possibility of my pubic bone shifting, but something doesn't feel right. 

I noticed this at work the other day during one of my irritatingly-frequent bathroom breaks.  By the time I was ready for bed last night, the ache had worsened and I was whining to Heather about my irritatingly-frequent bathtub breaks.  Yes, it feels great, but the whole set-up routine is time-consuming.  "Just skip the bath and go to bed, baby," she said.  Okay.  Then, when I woke up this morning, everything hurt. 

Most important of all: how our cats feel about it

As far as me staying home in bed, little Cleo was all for it.  She loves a good snuggle, and she was even happier because there was no danger of her getting displaced by me rolling over.  I was getting text alerts throughout the morning and refused to move my body the foot it would take to reach the phone; rolling over was just not an option.  Reader, I made it four hours without peeing.  That's how much I didn't want to move.

Cleo, suspicious of the birthing ball

My other back-pain strategy of sitting on an exercise ball is more controversial.  Cleo has actively avoided it, shying to the corner of the room.  (Heather found it delightful as a clown-sized basketball.  I'm pretty convinced that her wild dribbling is what scared Cleo.)

Ideally, the exercise ball will be handy not just for comfortable sitting in the next several weeks, but also for healthy birth positions.  Today I found a post on Rookie Moms that suggests using these balls to bounce a fussy baby.  Prenatal, perinatal, and parenting aid, all for $17?  Thanks, Target!

Booper, our other cat, has no objection to the birthing ball. 

My belly is about the same shape as the ball.

I don't know if he actually likes it, or if he's just getting close to it to f*ck with Cleo, who frequently bullies him.  I like to imagine there's an implied "neener neener" to his boldness.  He makes me proud.