Weeks 28 —
I can’t believe the third trimester is here and as I’m writing this, my app says we have 81 days to go until our due date!! With the holidays approaching, I feel like time is going to FLY! That excites and scares me all at once. Week 28 brought my glucose test and another prenatal appt. The glucose test was as unenjoyable as I guessed it would be, but thankfully I passed and had a good appointment with Dr. Garcia. He said everything looked perfect and gave me a break from appts for 4 more weeks. Baby’s heartbeat was 135bpm.
With the beginning of the third trimester, I am starting to feel very tired again during the day. The mornings continue to be rough – as long as I take my zofran, I am not nauseated, but I just generally don’t feel well before lunch time. It’s hard to explain. I am experiencing more and more heartburn/indigestion, no matter what I eat and the peeing in the middle of the night has begun. It takes A LOT to get me out of the bed or wake me up in the middle of the night, so this is a very new thing for me! I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable as my belly grows and have started using the zip off portion of my pregnancy pillow to help support my belly/leg when I sleep on my side at night.
I still don’t really have cravings nor enjoy food that much – but I have been loving white cheddar cheetos, iced coffee from starbucks, and ginger ale on ice! I am still getting by with my one pair of maternity jeans, leggings, and flowy dresses! I have only bought 2-3 maternity specific things, so I’m glad I can hopefully get use out of the things I’ve bought postpartum and beyond. At this point, I’ve gained about 11-12 pounds.
My 28th week also brought my first baby shower! My coworkers surprised me with the most precious luncheon and I blogged about that here. It definitely made things start to feel real!
28 week bump:
29 week bump:
Weeks 30-32:
These weeks were extra exciting because I had two wonderful showers – one with my church family and one with lifelong/college friends and family!!! We also had some family pictures done for Christmas cards.
I had an appointment at 32 weeks where I was measuring right on track and baby’s heart rate was between 140 and 150. I’ve gained about 17 pounds. I am definitely feeling the baby moving a lot which is sweet, but sometimes it’s actually a little uncomfortable and annoying.
The nursery is really coming together now that I am nesting in with our shower gifts and it is all just getting REAL.
I have had some trouble sleeping lately and have had some awful indigestion, especially at night. I think it’s just going to continue to get a bit more uncomfortable as the weeks go on, but I am so thankful all is well and healthy.
My appetite / taste buds are still very different than they were pre-pregnancy and I am anxious to know how long it will take after birth for me to like diet coke again LOL and will be so glad to finally have this awful taste in my mouth GONE. It’s definitely not as bad as it was at the beginning of pregnancy, but it’s still there.
Weeks 33-35:
At my 34 week appointment, I had gained about 20 pounds total and was measuring right at 34cm for 34 weeks! Baby’s heart beat was 138 bpm. I am still really uncomfortable at night with heartburn and not getting much sleep and then feel pretty fatigued and nauseous in the morning until after lunch. I am wearing mostly very stretchy pants or Luke’s tshirt and boxers around the house and to go out, I have one pair of maternity leggings and one pair of maternity jeans that I really love. Thankful loose sweatshirts are in this season as well 🙂 I am sleeping with the full pregnancy pillow now and it literally takes up half the bed, but it’s been a game changer.
Unfortunately, exercise has not happened a lot during this pregnancy. When I get a burst of energy after lunch or in the evening and start cleaning or nesting, I feel like I get a good many steps in and I take an occasional walk, but honestly I have just felt so unlike myself the entire pregnancy. I know once the baby is here, I will change in so many ways, but I just really hope I get my energy, appetite, and brain back!
35 week bump!
Corona cases have spiked once again, so there is a bit of worry that comes along with that and just the uncertainty of delivering a baby during this time. I am so thankful we can bring our worries to the Lord and that he offers us His peace. It has been a weird Christmas season with no parties on the calendar and a lot more evenings spent at home, but there are blessings to be found, especially in wearing comfy pajamas and snuggling with Luke and Willow in front of the Christmas tree or fire!
Overall, We are getting excited and nervous!! Cait and Drew’s sweet baby Wyatt was born on November 28, which is making everything feel very real! Some of my mom’s work group also gifted us our car seat, which was the last big thing we needed to feel ready for the baby! We are so so thankful for the generosity and love of our friends and family during this time. I do not know how we would have made it through the past 8 months without them!
My 36 week appt was on Dec 16. Baby’s heart rate was 146bpm. Luke was able to come with me to this appointment, which was wonderful, especially since it was a loaded appointment with finger prick, cervical exam, urine sample, and group b strep test. Baby is head down, hallelujah! I am slightly effaced but not dilated. Dr. Barkley guessed the baby is probably around 6lbs 2-3oz at this point and I am measuring 35cm at 36 weeks. Luke and I started packing our hospital bags over the weekend!
Week 36 also held a sweet day out with my mama – we got lunch at the Pump House, pedicures at GLOW and then each got a massage. She has been such a gift to me throughout this pregnancy – always intentional and thoughtful with how to make me feel better or somewhat “normal” in what has been a really hard year. I have loved all of her gifts on the 11th of each month. This month it was some diapers, a Starbucks giftcard and “You are Special” by Max Lucado, one of my absolute FAVORITE children’s books.
36 week bump @ Clemson:
38 week bump:
I didn’t have a 37 week appt, since it fell during the week of Christmas. But, at my 38 week appointment, Dr. Barkley checked me and I hadn’t dilated at all. Baby’s heart rate was 137 bpm. I definitely felt crampy and nauseous all day on Christmas, so I started to wonder if something was happening! Happy to report baby is still cozy and will most likely stay put all the way through until due date and we are praying for a January 11th baby! In the past 2 weeks, I’ve been in major NEST mode. I still feel sick most of the day, but night time is where I feel okay and get some energy so I’ve had several nights where I am up at 2am organizing, taking down Christmas, etc…ha! The car seat is installed, the hospital bags are mostly packed, and the list of “to-dos” is dwindling. I’m trying to tie things up at work and get a little anxious that our baby will be here in 11-18 days, ahh! I have been enjoying some leftover Christmas sweets, but still praying my appetite and love for diet coke comes back quickly after birth as well as a QUICK GOODBYE to heartburn and nausea.
40 weeks 2 day bump
At my 39 week appointment, I decided not to be checked as I was feeling nauseous and wanted to be in and out as soon as possible. My blood pressure and baby’s heart rate were great. At my 40 week appointment (January 11 – due date), Dr. Barkley checked me and I was 1cm dilated and 75% effaced. He also stripped my membranes, which unfortunately didn’t start labor within 48 hours, like it does with some. Baby’s heart rate was 141bpm. The night before my 40 week appointment, I could tell the baby had dropped in the middle of the night, as I started being able to breathe easier. I still have heartburn, but it’s not quite as bad. I was scheduled for a Sunday, January 17 induction if baby doesn’t come before then on their own. We are trying our best to be patient. I have been on a walk with Caitlyn and Wyatt, have been bouncing on my yoga ball, etc. I’ve been resting as much as I can and Willow pretty much never leaves my side. She loves all the cuddles. I continue to nest and try to keep things tidy. I’ve taken several baths to try and ease my back pain / pressure on my bum. I have felt some mild contractions, but nothing notable or consistent. Ultimately, we are so ready to meet our baby and start this new journey as a family of four (including Willow).
