Is It Labor or Just an Upset Stomach? A 39-Week Pregnant Diary (D-3)

🍼 Parenting Journal | Diary

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[11/19 (Wed) Due Date D-3]

It was the first morning after finishing the move and all the unpacking. Maybe my body finally realized it was allowed to rest, because I felt so much heavier today. My original plan was simple: now that the big stuff was out of the way, I wanted to get back to writing blog posts and start ordering baby essentials. But after a quick morning trip to the bank and having lunch with a visiting friend, my whole body felt like it weighed a ton.

I lay on the couch watching YouTube in a daze, drifting in and out of short naps. My belly felt heavier than ever, and my walking pace slowed dramatically. When my husband got home and we went out for groceries and a short walk, I felt like I was walking as slowly as a turtle and waddling like a penguin, too. I was also feeling what I've heard are Braxton Hicks contractions. I had heard they start around 20 weeks into pregnancy, but I only began noticing them a few days ago.

After coming back home, I lay on the couch again and started browsing for blinds for the veranda. That’s when the stomach pain started. Maybe it was because the weather had suddenly turned cold and I was wearing thin pajamas… or maybe it was an early labor pain. I couldn’t tell. People say pre-labor contractions feel like period cramps multiplied several times, but I’ve actually never had period cramps in my life, so I didn't really have a frame of reference for comparison.

Again today, I wasn’t sure whether it was labor or just an upset stomach, so I started checking the time. The pain started around 10 p.m. It didn’t come and go like waves — it stayed, lightly hurting, then hurting a bit more, then easing slightly, repeating in no clear pattern. I told my husband that my stomach had started hurting and then crawled under the blankets.

After about an hour of pain, I eventually fell asleep. It feels like labor is really getting close, now.

🍼 Parenting Journal | Diary

This post is part of the ‘Parenting Journal’ series.
It captures the final days of pregnancy, the small but meaningful moments of preparing for birth,
and the emotions of waiting for our baby to arrive.
These entries will eventually continue into newborn and infant care, becoming a cherished memory album.

👉 View other parenting entries: See All Parenting Journals