Third trimester update
Hey, friends! It’s been a busy week around these parts, what with a trip to Asheville, volunteering at our church’s biscuit booth, and visiting with family! Today marks 28 weeks of pregnancy (7 months!), which means I’m officially in the third trimester. I figured it was time for a little big update. In no particular order…
27 weeks! And yay for my fall scarf – I ended up buying it!
Things I have been loving:
— Neighborhood walks. John and I try to go on a brisk walk for at least half an hour every day after work, usually 1.5-2 miles. I think this is one of the main reasons that I have experienced almost no pregnancy-related aches and pains — our walks help keep me loose, and they probably help with sleep, too!
— On that note… sleep! I am still enjoying full nights of sleep sans elaborate pillow constructions or pee breaks, which, as a lover of sleep, I am super grateful for. In addition to exercise, I also credit our mattress — we traded in the bare bones model we bought when we first moved in together for a luxuriously soft one last year, and it. is. the. best.
— Belly bands. Thanks to these handy accessories, I am still wearing my regular jeans and pants. I bought a white one from Target and have a black one on loan from a friend.
— Movement. So much movement! Our girl bops and bounces most of the day. It’s not uncomfortable, just fun.
— Kids consignment sales. I’ve had great luck at local consignment sales and have loved collecting some practical and adorable pieces for next to nothing. I think I’m going to write a whole post about sales like this, because they are amazing!
— Clothing on loan. John’s mom brought down a huge bag of newborn clothing from his two sisters this weekend, and I’m pretty sure we are now set for everything we could ever need in the newborn size. It’s great to have stylish and generous sisters and sisters-in-law :)
Challenges:
— Prenatal vitamins. I have never been good at swallowing pills, and my prenatal vitamins are a beast. But I’ve figured out a system! I cut them into four pieces and swallow them with food, which helps mask the taste. Works like a charm. I did consider gummies, but they seemed a little lighter on the nutrients.
— Drinking water. This has always been a challenge for me, since I almost never FEEL thirsty, but I know it’s even more important for pregnant people, so I’m soldiering on with my mini challenges.
— Meal timing and size. It’s becoming more necessary to eat smaller, more frequent meals (I often split dinner or lunch up into two sessions), as I get full much more easily. I also have been waking up with a growling stomach, making a speedy breakfast important!
Updates:
— My glucose test is this morning! Hoping it’s not as terrible as everyone says it is and that I pass.
— I think we finally figured out a layout for the nursery, but it’s not any of the options I outlined here. Putting one bed on each wall seems to be the best fit.
— Our registry is pretty much complete! Thank you all again for your input. As you can see, our first gift has arrived and has been thoroughly cat tested and approved.
— I made a first draft of my labor and delivery preferences. In addition to our OB, we are seriously considering hiring a doula, which is not something I ever expected to say!
— I have been doing lots of reading and learning. I was planning to write a book review post in the next few weeks, but I think it might make more sense to wait on that until after we’ve had a chance to put some of the advice into action! However, if you’re curious, here is what I’ve read over the last year: All Joy and No Fun, Simplicity Parenting, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, Expecting Better, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, Jo Frost’s Confident Baby Care, On Becoming Babywise, and The Nursing Mother’s Companion. So far, my favorites are Expecting Better, All Joy and No Fun, and Confident Baby Care.
Upcoming:
— Our birth class begins in November! It runs for five weeks and is taught by our hospital. I’m so interested to see what they’re going to present and how it will dovetail with the books I’ve read. We will also be taking a breastfeeding class, which, though I’m looking forward to it, I’m sure will also make me feel super awkward :)
— Most of all, I’m excited about my two baby showers! My sisters and Nancy are throwing one here in NC, and my sisters-in-law are hosting one in Connecticut. Since we live far away from family and lots of friends, it will be so good to celebrate in person before the lady arrives. Very thankful for my generous hostesses!!
I think that’s it for now! I don’t want to inundate y’all with baby posts, but I’m also happy to share things that might be of interest. If there’s something here that sparked a question, feel free to leave it below and I’ll try to answer it in the comments, or perhaps in its own post!
The kitty pic is the cutest!!
I highly recommend finding a breastfeeding support group now and attending even before little girl arrives! Support group has been invaluable for me during the first few weeks home with my now 5 (!!!) week old daughter. No one talks about how difficult breastfeeding can be and it is awesome to a have a group of women going through the same stages as you to talk with.
Wow, lots of exciting things going on!And sounds like you’re on top of things!
I’m wondering if you can take us through your decision-making process around some of the bigger ticket or more important items. How did you narrow down what you wanted and why was that your final choice?
Also, how did you handle the whole prenatal testing/screening process?
And would love to hear about your doula decision-making process as well.
Are you guys taking a babymoon?
The book I’ve found most helpful thus far (although haven’t given birth yet, so we’ll see how advice works) was “The Big Book of Birth” by Erica Lyon. It goes through the stages of Labor from before labor to afterwards and outlines everything in a factual, and *mostly* unbiased way. I found our birthing class followed a similar outline, so reading it before the class actually helped me follow along better, and know what questions to really ask.
Hi Emily! I will likely do a registry post at some point (or maybe several points!) post-baby, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to recommend anything until we’ve had a chance to try it all out! In terms of prenatal screening and testing, we followed my doctor’s recommendations, which included the AFP screening as well as the glucose screening. Doula decision making – this could very well become a post, although I am a bit hesitant to write about labor decisions because they are so personal! I will say the hearty doula endorsement in Expecting Better is swaying me. Finally, we are kind of considering our trip to Greenville our babymoon. We traveled so much this year, including to France, that we didn’t really have the time or money to plan something solely set apart. Thanks, as always, for your encouragement and curiosity! :)
Thank you so much Em! This all makes sense – and I hear you about big trips – sounds like France was a bit of a babymoon anyway! Agree all of this does come down to what works for each person. Anyway, so glad you’re doing well and feeling great!
That cat photo is THE BEST!
Glad to hear that you’ve figured out the prenatal vitamins! It may sound silly, but I am awful at swallowing pills, and that is definitely something I’ve been concerned about when considering possible future pregnancies!
As a new mama, I just have to say that the best breastfeeding advice I received was to not give up until you’d given it at least six weeks. We had a few struggles, but something magical definitely happens around week six postpartum and it becomes so much easier! The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is also a very helpful read. Congratulations to you and your sweet family!!
What a great update! First off, kids consignment sales ROCK! They’re now one of my favorite things to do. On the topic of drinking water, I purchased a big Tervis with a cute lid and some Kate Spade plastic straws and toted it with me everywhere. I still do that to this day and the combination of cute + straw make me drink so much more water :). Lastly, my prenatal yoga teacher was a doula and I am still kicking myself to this day for not hiring her (outside of yoga class), which is something I never thought I would want, until it was too late of course. Enjoy your last trimester!!!
Oh. My Gosh. That picture of Jack. Too good.