33 week pregnancy update
It seems like I was just sitting down to write about the struggles of the first trimester, and now I'm 6 weeks away from meeting our little guy! This pregnancy hasn't always been easy, but with two other kids, a part time teaching job, and running my home based business, it truly has been a whirlwind.
size of the baby: baby is the size of a pineapple, or a head of celery, and is probably just over 4 pounds. No wonder I'm struggling to carry this belly around!
gender: baby boy!
maternity clothes: basically wearing the same 2-3 dresses every day. I find them to be a lot more comfortable than any sort of waistband. Plus a lot of my maternity shirts don't even cover the bump anymore!
movement: some crazy gymnastics are happening in there, and it is a sight to behold. My belly is taking on strange shapes, and it's been a fun game to guess which body part is poking out. I've been showing Pippa how the baby loves to move about 45 minutes after dinner when I lay down, and she's been loving "playing" with the baby.
sleep: I've actually been sleeping very well, just waking up a few times a night to go to the bathroom. I've also stocked the bed with tons of extra pillows, which has been helping with the hip pain I tend to feel when I lay down. I sometimes wake up with sharp round ligament pain, but am usually able to fall right back asleep.
prenatal fitness: It's been a weird week for my health. I got the stomach flu twice in the past week, so my normal daily walk didn't happen quite as often. In addition, my family visited last week, and Justin's family is in town this week, so naturally there has been some going out to eat and extra treats involved. Basically I've vacillated between not keeping anything down and indulging in foods I don't normally eat.
Having said that, the past week not included, I'm very much a creature of habit when it comes to eating. I've been diligent about having 1 or 2 superfood shakes each day to up my protein intake and get extra nutritious calories. I've packed lots of fruits and vegetables for lunches, and consumed lots of water. I also make sure to walk 2 miles each day with the double stroller and the dog. My weight gain has been almost pound for pound the same as my other pregnancies, even though walking has been my only workout this time. Crazy how our bodies know exactly what to do!
Finally, I'm starting to think about postpartum health. Forefront on my mind is the diastasis recti that never quite healed from my second pregnancy, as I didn't realize until too late that I had it. I plan to ask my doctor for a good physical therapist recommendation, and to utilize a belly band after giving birth (like I talked about in this post). I also love that I have a nutrition plan in place for losing the baby weight safely and consistently, even when nursing!
missing: wearing cute clothes. Not waddling. Not grunting every time I stand up.
craving: not many cravings at this point besides cold water and sometimes fruit. Mostly I'm just trying to find the balance between extreme hunger and painfully full. There is no in between.
symptoms: where oh where to begin?
First of all, I have been nesting with a vengeance. I don't really remember feeling the urge to clean, purge, and organize with my other two pregnancies, but to give you an idea of where I'm at, I texted Justin last week making a sweeping declaration about throwing out everything in our house. His concern was palpable. Then this past weekend we got rid of about 10 bags of junk and clutter in one afternoon, which left me feeling nauseous and exhausted, but extremely satisfied.
Another symptom I've been experiencing is intense Braxton Hicks contractions. Basically anytime I'm standing or walking for more than a few minutes my stomach gets rock solid and starts cramping. Usually some water and changing positions helps, so I haven't been too concerned about it. I did have a little scare this past weekend, though, when I got hit with my second round of the stomach bug that's been going around. No matter what I did, the Braxton Hicks wouldn't stop, probably due to dehydration. I was very close to calling the hospital, but the contractions started to subside later that afternoon when I was able to nap and keep some fluids down. Stay in there for a few more weeks, baby!
Finally, crazy heartburn, aching joints, and the occasional swollen feet have been my normal the past few weeks. Third trimester, I will not miss you when you are done. Not even a little bit.
looking forward to: a relaxing week and weekend! We're on spring break right now with family visiting, so it's been nice to have the extra help with Pippa and Teddy. I'm hoping to get ahead on school and blog work in the next few days!
best moments: getting to spend time with family!
That wraps it up! Only six more weeks until our scheduled C-Section (which hasn't actually been scheduled yet, but I have an idea of the time frame. So weird to be able to pick out your child's birthday!) Now excuse me while I go Google "how to handle the transition from 2 to 3 children."