It's baby time!

August 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Abby is 37 weeks pregnant, dilated to three and a half centimeters, and having contractions that are intense enough to keep her up at night but not real enough to signal labor. "I'm just in a weird limbo," she says. The baby could come now or in three weeks, and she is caught between the discomfort of late pregnancy and the anticipation of a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) that she hopes will feel redemptive after a previous loss with the same doctor. Matt, meanwhile, is trying to keep up—installing the car seat, setting up the bassinet, and learning exactly what not to do when labor finally starts.

The grouchiness of the home stretch

Abby admits she has been "really grouchy" since hitting 37 weeks, and the episode opens with a candid argument about how Matt communicates about the timeline. When he said the baby "could come anywhere from now or in the next three weeks," she heard it as him diminishing how she feels right now. "It's like you still have three weeks," she recalls, and her internal response was "shut the F up." Matt acknowledges his wording could have been better, and they work through the misunderstanding in real time—a pattern that will matter when she is in active labor.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:29) **Full Term & The Grouchies** - Abby is 37 weeks, having contractions, and suddenly feeling irritable.
2 (03:39) **Nesting & Teamwork** - The couple discusses their division of labor as they prepare for the new arrival.
3 (09:15) **Preparations & The Nursery Debate** - The bassinet, baby monitor, and clothes are ready, but they skip a dedicated nursery this time.
4 (12:15) **Prodromal Labor & Insomnia** - Abby explains the frustrating phenomenon of "fake" labor that keeps her awake but doesn't progress.
5 (18:37) **Pumping & Forgetting Newborn Reality** - Abby begins pumping colostrum for the first time and remembers the tiny details of newborn care.
6 (21:20) **The Emotional Crossroads** - Abby gets emotional about the end of their current family unit of four.
7 (23:58) **Screen Time & Historical Parenting** - They discuss the necessity of screen time for getting things done and how parents managed a century ago.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

We’re officially on baby watch. 👶 At 37 weeks pregnant, we’re sharing our final pregnancy update before baby #3 arrives - from fake labor, nesting, and VBAC prep to the emotional reality of saying goodbye to our family of four. We also talk about why Abby feels “trauma bonded” to her OB, the surprising ways pregnancy has changed her, and what we’re most nervous (and excited) about as we prepare to meet our little guy. Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned! #squarepod Cash App: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/kssum24w #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Leesa: Go to https://leesa.com and use promo code UNPLANNED for 25% off select mattresses plus an extra $50 off, exclusive for listeners. Chilipad: Visit https://www.sleep.me/UNPLANNED to get up to $255 off your Chilipad 2.0 with code UNPLANNED, plus free shipping and a 30-day sleep trial. Follow The Unplanned Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast Listen to the pod on Spotify/ Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504 Follow Matt & Abby: Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/ Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/ TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbby Mascara is sold out! Thank you guys so much! Sign up here for updates on restock: https://www.biswell-beauty.com/ Chapters:

00:45 - Baby watch!

08:01 - Nesting

10:01 - Preparing our boys for baby

12:11 - Prodromal labor

16:05 - Pumping

19:31 - entering a new season

23:51 - Final ultrasound

28:5