Week 35 & 36

Date: 9/6/15

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep: Sleep has been a little on and off this week.  I get to sleep just fine, but sometimes I wake up after having to get up to pee and can't get back to sleep easily.  Last night I was having contractions for a little while and was seriously concerned that I was going into labor so I was up for about an hour.  Luckily, they went away and I eventually got to sleep again.   

 

Best moment of the week:  I had a shower with some of my friends last weekend and, as always, it's fun to celebrate Baby Schout and to get cute baby things.  I've been so blessed by the generosity of my friends and family.  I also had a good doctor's appointment last week.  Blood pressure and weight gain were still good and the nurse practitioner I saw didn't have any concerns. 

 

Movement:  It often looks like I have a little alien in my stomach.  Whenever he's moving, it's fairly obvious from the outside.  

Cravings:  Nothing new or different

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Not right now

What I miss:  I miss not having back/groin/pelvic pain.:(  I have such a hard time getting anything done around the house because of the pain. Some days are better than others, but I'm never quite sure when the pain will strike.

 What I’m looking forward to:  I'm really looking forward to Baby's arrival and getting the nursery done.

Symptoms: I feel like symptoms just keep increasing.  I've been having a lot of contractions, my back/pelvis/groin area are sore a lot, and I get lightheaded if I don't drink or eat often enough.  I've also developed a new symptom this week in which I get lightheaded after a meal.  Dr. Google says it's because my cardiovascular system is working overtime to help me digest my food and it causes my blood pressure to drop.  

Emotions:  I wish the nursery was ready so I could feel more ready for Baby's arrival.  Although I'm guessing I still have a few weeks before he arrives, I don't want to be unprepared in case he does arrive early.  I'm hoping to have the nursery ready by the end of next week and then I think I'll feel ready for him.  The only reason it's not ready now is because we're getting the carpet cleaned on Tuesday and can't put anything in there until that's done.

Week 34

Date: 8/21/15

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep: Sleep has been a little on and off this week.  I get to sleep just fine, but sometimes I wake up after having to get up to pee and can't get back to sleep easily.  A couple nights ago I got up to pee, was having Braxton Hicks contractions, and then baby started hiccuping.  Needless to say, I didn't get back to sleep very easily. 

 

Best moment of the week:  The nursery is all cleared out!  Yes, there's still a lot to do in there, but at least Nate's stuff is gone.  We're planning on getting the carpet professionally cleaned and then we can start putting everything in there.  

 

Movement:  It often looks like I have a little alien in my stomach.  Whenever he's moving, it's fairly obvious from the outside.  

Cravings:  Nothing new or different

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Not this week

What I miss:  I miss not having back/groin/pelvic pain.:(  I have such a hard time getting anything done around the house because of the pain.  My friend, Sandra, did lend me a maternity support belt so I'm trying that out today.  So far I think it's helping quite a bit, but we'll see how I'm doing by the end of the day. 

 What I’m looking forward to:  I'm really looking forward to Baby's arrival and getting the nursery done.

Symptoms: Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms. One symptom I haven't had lately is heartburn.  I'm not sure why, but I'm thrilled. 

Emotions:  I alternate a lot between wanting the baby to just be here already and then the next moment I want to enjoy the remainder of my pregnancy and being able to do things without a baby.  It's really hard not knowing when he'll arrive. 

Week 33

Date: 8/16/15

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep:Sleep is still decent.  I wake up a couple times a night to pee, but I don't have much trouble getting back to sleep. 

 

Best moment of the week:  I don't know if it was the best moment of the week, but I went to my childbirth class and it was nice to get a hospital tour and to find out more information about labor.  I feel a little more prepared for it now.  I also had a another good doctor's appointment.  Everything is still going well and the doctor doesn't have any concerns.  

 

Movement:  I think baby boy is losing a little room.:)  His butt or some other body part is jammed up in my ribs most of the time, but yet I'm still having some pelvic pain so he is using up most of the space available to him.  I continue to feel lots of movement and hiccups and I enjoy feeling him move around.

Cravings:  Nothing new or different

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: I've noticed this week that I'm more high-maintenance about food and water. If I do anything active and I haven't had enough to eat or drink, I don't feel well.  I'm trying to eat more frequent, light meals these days. 

What I miss:  I miss not having back pain.:(  This week there has been an increase in low back and pelvic pain.  According to Dr. Google, it looks like I might be having symptoms of posterior pelvic pain, which is very common in pregnant women.  By the end of the day, I'm usually limping around and don't have much energy.  I'm still going to the chiropractor, but I'm also thinking about getting a maternity support belt to wear when I'm active. 

 What I’m looking forward to:  I'm starting to really look forward to baby's arrival.  Now that all of my vacations are done, I'm starting to feel ready for him to get here.  I can't wait to see what he looks like and what his temperament is like.  I'm also looking forward to getting the nursery done. We made a lot of progress on the nursery this week so I'm thinking in the next couple weeks we can get it decorated and stocked.  It will feel so good to get that done!

Symptoms: Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms. 

Emotions:  I alternate a lot between wanting the baby to just be here already and then the next moment I want to enjoy the remainder of my pregnancy and being able to do things without a baby.   I'm also feeling grateful that I've made it this far with no complications.  I read a lot of blogs of women who have been through IVF and this past week one of them lost her baby at 27 weeks and another one of them went through a 4th failed cycle.  I can't imagine dealing with either of those situations and it makes me appreciate this healthy pregnancy that much more. 

Week 32

Date: 8/8/15

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep:Sleep has been surprisingly good this week.  I was camping all week and I expected to have some difficulty sleeping, but I slept quite well.  I usually woke up with a slight backache, but it didn't affect my sleeping.  

 

Best moment of the week:  I can't really pick a best moment, as camping this past week was a lot of fun in general.  I did really enjoy swimming this week though.  The campground has a pool and I was able to go swimming nearly every day I was there.   I felt so weightless in the water.  I also enjoyed time around the campfire with my family.  I didn't go home all week and I didn't have to cook at all this week, due to an arrangement we had with my cousin, so I had minimal responsibility.:)

 

Movement:  I think baby boy is losing a little room.:)  His butt or some other body part is jammed up in my ribs most of the time, but yet I'm still having some pelvic pain so he is using up most of the space available to him.  I continue to feel lots of movement and hiccups and I enjoy feeling him move around.

Cravings:  Nothing new or different

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Nope

What I miss:  I'm starting to miss being limber.  It's becoming increasingly difficult to bend over and turn over in bed and many other things.  I'm still enjoying being pregnant, but I will be ready for him to come in two months.  

 What I’m looking forward to:  I'm starting to really look forward to baby's arrival.  Now that all of my vacations are done, I'm starting to feel ready for him to get here.  I can't wait to see what he looks like and what his temperament is like.  I'm also looking forward to getting the nursery done.  Nate still has a lot of junk to clear out of the room and I can't wait to get it all cleared out and make it look like a baby's room. 

Symptoms: Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms.  I had another moment this week when I didn't have much water to drink after I woke up in the morning and I got lightheaded.  I laid down and felt fine within an hour, but it was a good reminder to stay hydrated. 

Emotions:  I'm  feeling really good at the moment. I had a great week camping, but it also felt good to come home.  I'm ready to do some nesting.:)

Week 31

Date: 8/2/15

How far along: 31 weeks

Fruit-size comparison:  Pineapple

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep: My sleep has been on and off lately.  Some nights I sleep really well and other nights I wake up after my second time going to the bathroom and can't get back to sleep.  This  week I'll be camping so we'll see how that goes.  I'm not looking forward to having to get up during the night to use the bathhouse.  

Best moment of the week:  I'm not sure if this is the best moment, but I had a good doctor's appointment.  My weight gain is on track, my blood pressure looks great, baby boy is head down, and I have minimal swelling.  It was good to hear that everything is good right before I go on a camping for the week.  I also had two baby showers in the last week and had so much fun and got so much nice stuff for baby boy.  It's definitely making his pending arrival feel more real.  

 

Movement:  I think baby boy is losing a little room.:)  His butt or some other body part is jammed up in my ribs most of the time, but yet I'm still having some pelvic pain so he is using up most of the space available to him.  I continue to feel lots of movement and hiccups and I enjoy feeling him move around.

Cravings: I haven't had too many cravings this pregnancy, but yesterday I was out with my mom when she picked up a dozen bagels and I just felt like I had to have one with cream cheese right then.  I had eaten breakfast about two hours before that, but all the sudden I was starving.  Maybe now that I'm in the third trimester I'll have more of those cravings?

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Nope

What I miss:  I'm starting to miss being limber.  It's becoming increasingly difficult to bend over and turn over in bed and many other things.  I'm still enjoying being pregnant, but I will be ready for him to come in two months.  

 What I’m looking forward to:  I'll be camping all week this week and I love camping.  I'm excited to spend a lot of time at the beach and pool because it feels so good on my pregnant body.  And I just love being outside all the time.  

Symptoms: Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms.  

Emotions:  I'm  feeling really good at the moment.  I'm excited about camping this week and, for the most part, I'm enjoying this pregnancy.  

Week 29

Date: 7/18/15

How far along: 29 weeks

Fruit-size comparison: Acorn squash

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that  fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep: I've been sleeping really well again.  I'm quite thankful for that.  

Best moment of the week:  Finding out that I passed my glucose test and I don't have gestational diabetes!  Although I will say, that the test itself was quite a miserable experience.  I went to the lab on Monday and I had to drink the disgusting glucose drink right away.  I had been fasting for 12 hours prior to the test so as soon as I drank the drink, I started feeling like I was going to pass out.  Since I was just sitting in a tiny waiting room, there was no way for me to get comfortable.  I tried to put my head between my knees, but I can't really do that with this big belly.:) I ended up hanging out in the bathroom for awhile and eventually I just couldn't take it anymore and ended up throwing up.:(  Because I threw up, it invalidated the test.  So I had to go back again on Tuesday.  I was pretty irritated with the lab because I'm almost certain I would have been able to to avoid throwing up if they had offered me somewhere to lie down. And I know it's fairly common to be sick during that test because the lab tech had said to me, "if you vomit, you'll have to reschedule the test." It seems like a better way to handle it would have been to say, "If you start to feel sick, please let someone know." When I went back on Tuesday, I took an anti-nausea pill that my doctor had prescribed and I insisted that I had to lie down.  It wasn't a pleasant experience, but I was able to get through it.  

 

Movement:  This baby moves a lot!  I feel like I'm constantly putting my hands on my belly to see what he's up to.  He's also been getting hiccups fairly frequently and it makes me laugh every time he has them.

Cravings: Anything sugary.  Since my gestational diabetes scare, I've been trying to eat very healthy.  It turns out that I just barely passed the 3 hour test.  Although my doctor didn't seem concerned, I figure that my body isn't processing sugar very well, so I'm trying not to eat anything very sugary.  I will still allow myself the occasional treat, but I think I'll at least give up pops and juices for the remainder of the pregnancy.  I haven't been drinking much of those anyway so it shouldn't be too difficult for me. 

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Not since that horrible glucose test.

What I miss:  I miss my pre-pregnancy body's ability to process sugar. 

 What I’m looking forward to: Nate and I are going to take a small babymoon next weekend.  We've been really indecisive about what we're doing, but I think we've finally decided that we're going to spend some time in the U.P., Traverse City, and Mackinac Island.  I also have my first shower next Sunday. 

Symptoms:  Nothing really new or different. Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms.  

Emotions:  I'm doing a lot better than I was earlier in the week.  I really don't like having to worry about what I eat, but at least I'm not diabetic and I don't have to check my blood sugar level constantly.  I also am feeling happy because I was talking to my neighbor yesterday and it turns out she is pregnant and is 2 months behind me and is also having a boy.  And she also mentioned that the neighbor on the other side of her is expecting a girl about a month after me.  I'm excited for my little guy to have some playmates! 

Week 28

Date: 7/10/15

How far along: 28 weeks

Fruit-size comparison: Eggplant, although I'm sure my baby is bigger than that!

 

Maternity clothes: I'm mostly in maternity clothes, but I'm surprised that I still have a few shirts and yoga pants that still fit me.  

Stretch Marks: Not yet.

Sleep: I've been sleeping really well again.  I'm really thankful for that.  

Best moment of the week:  I got to spend the 4th of July weekend in Lincoln, NE with my family and it was a great weekend.  They take their fireworks pretty seriously in Lincoln so I really enjoyed sitting on my brother's front lawn on the 4th of July, watching the neighborhood fireworks and eating s'mores dip.  Baby seemed to either enjoy the fireworks or be scared of them because he was moving around like crazy!

 

Movement:  This baby moves a lot!  I feel like I'm constantly putting my hands on my belly to see what he's up to.  He's also been getting hiccups fairly frequently and it makes me laugh every time he has them.

Cravings: I haven't been able to indulge them this week so I've been ignoring them.  More on that in a second...

Gender: Boy!  

Anything making you queasy/sick: Nope.

What I miss:  At the moment, I'm missing sweets.  

 What I’m looking forward to: I'm going to Ikea tomorrow to pick up some baby stuff.  We've mostly refrained from buying stuff for the nursery because Nate still has to clean a bunch of junk out of there, but this weekend worked best for an out of town trip so we're just going to do it anyway.  I think we might get a crib, changing table, and a rocker.  I can't wait!

Symptoms:  Nothing really new or different. Baby's constant movement and my growing belly are my most reliable symptoms.  

Emotions:  As I mentioned earlier, I had a great weekend.  Since coming home, I've had a little more of a rough time.  I had my monthly doctor's appointment the day after getting home and it wasn't the greatest appointment.:(  I had to do my glucose screening test and I failed, which means I need to do the three hour glucose tolerance test on Monday.  According to my Internet research, I have about a 15-20% chance of failing the second test and having gestational diabetes.  Baby is also measuring about 2-3 weeks ahead so my doctor said it could mean that I really do have diabetes.  She recommended that I try to avoid excess carbs and sugar this week and see if that makes a difference for my test next week.  Gestational diabetes can usually be controlled by diet so it isn't the end of the world if I do have it, but I'd just rather not have to deal with it.  And I was so used to getting a great report at the doctor that I felt rather discouraged getting all this bad news.  It's made me overanalyze what I'm eating and feel like my body is failing me.  Maybe this seems rather dramatic, but I think I had a sense of pride in the fact that my body was taking good care of my baby and now I'm questioning that.  Nate was born at 9.5 lbs. so maybe our baby is just taking after him and it doesn't mean that I have gestational diabetes.  Hopefully all of this analysis is for nothing and I pass my test on Monday!