does working really hard induce labor?

 

On Monday I wore this* and that day I had a construction jobsite meeting... you know the type where you hurdle concrete blocks and 2x4s, climb on dangerous stairs, and rub elbows with some of the work force's finest.  A worker saw me and said, "Oh my gosh!  You look like you are about to explode!  Is it twins!?" 

To which I replied, "No, actually its quadruplets, don't I look great!?"

Grrrrr... don't mess with the pregnant woman. 

Speaking of which.

For the past few months I have set the thermostat to 76 degrees before bed.  This is nice and comfortable to me.  Chance thought the power bill was too high last month so unbeknownst to me when he comes to bed (later than me) he has been tapping it up to 77 degrees.  He thought I wouldn't notice.  At 3:00 this morning we had a very serious conversation about him not touching the thermostat anymore... or else.  I had been suspecting foul play for the last few nights and finally solved the mystery early this morning.

My creativity is being sucked up by the design work I'm working fervently to wrap up in the next week or so, and as a result the blog might take a hit, I apologize in advance, please bear with me.  I'm hoping that working my booty off equates to going into labor naturally (and sooner, rather than later).

Peace.

*- the shirt is Gap maternity, the skirt is Old Navy

Comments

[Bryn]

If we don't hear from you, I wish you a happy and healthy labor! I'm going to miss your posts!

[Kelly]

pineapple, nipple stimulation, sex, walking, etc. google it?

Best of luck, I can't wait to hear all about it.

[Christy]

I was just thinking how teeny-tiny you look! All baby! I was probably twice as big, & yes, only one baby. :)

I don't think I had ever been hotter than when I was pregnant (& I mean temp wise, certainly not looks). I was always the one turning the thermo up & trying to save $$, but when I was pregnant, in Phoebix in July it didn't matter any more.

Best wishes to you, she will be here soon.

[Chance]

Honey, I am leaving work right now. I will stop by Publix and pick up a pineapple. If you can take a walk around the block before I get there that would be great! See you in a few. Thanks Kelly.

[Allyson]

I know you don't feel it, but you are still SO SMALL!! That picture really highlights how you still have a tiny hiney :)!! Chance's post above cracks me up!

[Darby]

Did you swallow a watermelon? You are so hot.. literally & figuratively!

[Mrs. Blandings]

Look how little your hips still are! It's all baby in there. btw - Mr. B got in my car one time when I was pregnant and said, "You have your thermostat set to 65!" And I said, "I know. It won't go any lower." Geez Chance, it's Florida for pete's sake.

[Jaime Scott]

That is sooo funny! I have had very similar conversations with my hubby. I can tell if the thermostat is changed by just 1 degree and I don't take kindly to it! haha!!

[alison g. (brazil)]

Oh dear...Baby still seems waaay up there. Walk, walk, and a teaspoon of castor oil. Let the old wives' remedies begin! ;)

Take Care!!

[Jill]

I remember coming home from the hospital after having my second (in the hottest July EVER!) and finding the AC set to 71. I couldn't believe who would have set it so low! My mom had been there watching my son and said she had been wearing socks and sweaters in the middle of July! She didn't want to touch the thermostat! It was me who had turned it so low before I left! Best of luck with the delivery! Best wishes...

[Lee-Anne]

Erika - you are PRECIOUS!!!!!! Love that cute belly...you are teeny tiny girl!! Much love from KY :)

[Laura Casey Interiors]

E- good luck getting it all wrapped up and take all the time you need. Your readers will be here whenever you have time to give up some updates and share your talents. Put a heating pad under Chance when he is asleep if he tries it again! XO

[amber]

OH honey, I'm not even pregnant, and I would be SMOTHERING at 76 degrees. We keep ours at 73 constantly! I figure if I'm going to pay for air, it is going to be COOL air!

You look AMAZING! Pregnancy sure looks good on you. Best of luck!

[Rachel]

Chance's post here is hilarious. I am dying!

I was hotter than heck while i was pregnant -- I couldn't have it cold enough. Poor husband nearly froze to death -- I told him once that I couldn't take off my belly so why couldn't he just deal and go put on a sweater(!).

As for daft statements from (almost always) men on pregnancy, you'll laugh about it in a few months. But it would just chap my hide when people would say stuff to me. No tact!

[Beth]

Ha! For my first pregnancy, I would sleep with the windows open, in March, in New England! My husband would sleep with flannel pj's and a down comforter, and I'd sleep in a t-shirt and be hot.

[Sam]

You look cute. People told me that while I was pregnant and I blew it off, then I would look at my pregnancy pictures afterwords and realize that I really did:-)No apologies or guilt for not posting... you're about to take care of some serious (awesome) business!

[Rachel]

I love your blog! I hope everything goes well for you and your baby girl!

[lynett]

Screw that guy! You're all baby and you look wonderful :)

[nest egg]

Props to you for working hard and being that pregnant!! I don't know how you do it- I'm not pregnant and feel creatively, emotionally and physically drained after a day's work. (Why does interior design have to be like this?) Seriously you should give yourself a big pat on the back- and a giant bowl of icecream.

[Jenny]

I promise this works- teaspoon castor oil, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and a can of root beer. When my mom was pregnant with my brother ten years ago, a friend told her if she ate that she would go into labor within 13 hours- my brother was born 12 hours and 55 min later! Good luck!

[Liz]

I have to laugh, in a commiserating sort of way...as mom to a 6 week old, I'm very familiar with all your going through right now (my son was almost 2 weeks late)! If I had a dollar for every time that someone asked if I was having twins...and every time my hubby turned the AC up on me. What a sweetie Chance is to buy you pineapple, though. Papaya and eggplant supposedly work to induce labor too! Take heart, you look great and you'll be holding your sweet baby girl in your arms before you know it!

[Jessica]

I'm jealous. I'm 35 weeks and while my baby bump isn't that big yet (but I carry mine low), I feel like half of my weight is in my butt and thighs... not fair! I wish I looked that cute pregnant :) Seriously can't wait to see some pictures of this little girl!

[Jesse Peak]

Don't you just love comments like that. I was actually pregnant with twins with at lest 2 or 3 months left and had some one say "oh due any day now huh... Congrats" GGRRR is right.

[Ivy Smith]

I feel ya on the jobsite visits. I work for my Dad's welding company and frequent many a jobsites. I usually just get stared at like im some sort of alien. Oh well. You do whatcha gotta do:) You look adorable!

[Becky]

um, you gotta get that chancy pants off of the thermostat. has d told you about the couple of weeks post partum where you are sweating to death during the night getting rid of all that post baby fluid? yeah. and you'd both freeze here. we keep it on 73.

[Andrea]

You look adorable and not big at all! You are all belly!!

Bounce on a birthing ball, that got my baby to drop and I delivered him into the world 12 hours later.

Hoping you have a quick and easy labor.

[puck]

I am a mother of 4 little boys... I never had any luck with any of the usual stuff, including cohosh. Only tried and true method I had work is stripping the membranes. It was uncomfortable for the doc to do, bu I went into labor within 24 hours. :)

[my favorite and my best]

first of all -that shirt is awesome. and second- your belly is huge YOU are not. at my last visit to the dr. before giving birth i weighed 200 lbs. and i normally am right around 130. i am 5'8 if that gives you any idea of what i was dealing with. my daughter was 8 lbs 15 oz.
third- the AC was always on 72 when i was pregnant so don't feel TOO bad.
and erika...LISTEN VERY CLOSELY HERE...
after your precious one is born...NEVER EVER EVER take off your bra!! you will thank me a few years down the road. so will chance.
best wishes on a safe and wonderful delivery.

[Elizabeth]

you are all baby....little hips and little booty!

walking is supposed to help.

[Annmarie]

I can't stand it I can't stand it I can't stand it!!! I think she is coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chris Wiggins]

Erika, this picture makes me giggle. You are so darn cute.

[mamacita]

You are so funny -- you look like a little girl with a balloon under her shirt ;-)

Chance, my friend, you won't have to worry about the electric bill when you're sleeping outside. When Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

[Carol]

Mexican food! That's all I'm gonna say!

[Wendy Roberts]

you look wonderful Erika! Good luck!

[Stephanie Powell rushing]

That must be a Powell "tight with money" deal, re. the thermostat!!! I'm laughing out loug (LOl) right now, because my husband Cory is always burning up and I won't allow him to turn it down past 76, and then at night I sneak in there and cut it up to 77 or 78!!! True Powell!!! And Chance's pineapple post is hilarious!!! You look great Erica!!! Good luck!

[Melise]

Similar converstaions have been had at the Harris household and I wasn't even pregnant! haha You win by default.

[Marianne Strong]

I had to laugh when I read this since my Husband and I have had some serious talks to about the thermostat, we don't see eye to eye and I too suspected foul play.

Best of luck over the next coming weeks, I will praying for you!

[Mag]

Ok, important questions here. Where is the bum to balance out the belly? Why have you not tipped over? You are so lucky you wont have to work that off post partum. I am still workin on it 4 yrs later. You look great and that Chance is a very sneaky guy.
Best wishes to both of you in the coming weeks. Dont worry about the blog, we'll all still be here when you get back!

[karen@strictlysimplestyle]

You are about the cutest pregnant woman ever! It looks like when they try to make an actress look pregnant on television.

Best of luck. Hope the delivery is painless!

[Chelsea @ TheVintageChair]

you make me giggle. Funny how one silly little degree can make such a difference! Don't run yourself ragged trying to be super-woman and saving the design world. I bet you're looking forward to some time to relax and be a mommy!

[Devon]

Have a wonderful time! I know it sounds crazy, but labor was one of the best moments I've ever had with my husband. We couldn't stop grinning at each other (I, clearly, had drugs). Rest easy the next couple of days and enjoy the ride. I'm really, really e-happy for you Erika!

[Haydee]

WOW! you are adorable. You look like your going to tip over. Good luck--for most healthy normal pregnancies Labor is not as scary as everyone says.

[stephanie]

good luck!!

[alston]

you look awesome! if it makes you feel any better, yesterday at the grocery, the check out lady said "wow. you look like you're about to pop!" and i just stared at her because i didn't know what else to say..."thanks?" "really?" there should be a list passed out to everyone of what NOT to say to an obviously pregnant woman!

we'll be sending labor thoughts your way:)

[megan]

The echo the comments, you do look awesome. I look like that after I eat a big meal. At least you haev the reward of that sweet little girl coming soon. We can't wait to meet her!

[Sidney]

You look great Erika!! I hope you win the thermastat war!

[Caroline]

I can't believe you can even breathe at 76 degrees! I kept ours at 71 during the day and 68 or 69 at night to sleep. I would still wake up sweating. You're almost there and you look fabulous as always. Hang on... now that our's is here I am even more exhausted. Try to stay positive those last few weeks!

[Whitney]

I have that same shirt, although I do not think mine would button on the bottom at this point. My little guy has dropped so low! So ready to lose this basketball (it honest to god looks like I have a basketball in my shirt). Will be thinking of you guys- when is your big day again? I am being induced Tuesday if I do not go sooner!!!

[Natalie]

I won't tell you on here (probably too graphic for most readers), but at my very last doctor's appt before the baby came, my obgyn did something totally natural and sure enough he was born like 72 hours later. Pretty cool. But, good luck!!!

[Taylor]

this has NOTHING to do with this post but I looked at your watch, down at mine, back at yours- anyway, is it a Tag?