Jogger Round Up

I've reached the point in this pregnancy where I just want to be as comfortable as possible. And luckily my job allows for that. If I'm not in actual pajamas I'm in clothes that are basically pajamas acceptable for wearing in public. The whole loungewear/athleisure trend is really freaking awesome. Stylish + comfy pjs for the win! When I get dressed I alternate between leggings or joggers. And I forsee this pattern continuing for the next several months. I love that they can be paired with anything from sweatshirts to long sleeved tees with vests/cardis to t-shirts and henleys or nursing tanks postpartum. So I thought I'd link up all my current favorite joggers and few things I love to wear with them. 

You Asked, I Answered: Labor & Delivery

Okay y'all I'm going waaayyy out of comfort zone on this one so I hope you appreciate it! I've gotten so many questions regarding my labor and delivery after sharing Fallon's birth story. I was a little surprised at first with how personal some of them were but then again, I know first hand that there are a lot of things about the experience that not many people talk about. While I did have some friends tell me a thing or 2 about what really goes down when you're giving birth, it of course was not the same story for everyone. So, I'm just going to break through the wall and lay it all out there. I compiled the questions most asked and decided to go ahead and give the real, honest answers in all their nitty gritty glory. This one isn't for the faint of heart but I'm doing this because I love you and love that you're still following along.

How did you know you were in labor?

- This is a big one for first time mamas and it can be totally different for everyone. If you read my final pregnancy post or Fallon's birth story you know I was sent home from the hospital twice in the week and a half before I actually gave birth. Prolonged prodromal labor is pretty rare so I'll skip right to that fateful night that shit got real. Really real. I was having the same type of contractions I had been having every day since they started and felt different than Braxton Hicks. But looking back now, things started happening that could have tipped me off that day was going to be the day I just didn't realize it at the time. The nicest way I can put this is that my body cleaned itself out pretty well that day. Then there were the menstrual like cramps that started mid afternoon. I disregarded both as just 3rd trimester pregnancy symptoms. And finally early evening I was walking around and felt like I peed a little. Hey, it happens when a giant baby head is pressing on your bladder. It happened a few more times but I didn't for a second think it was my water breaking. The 2 things I knew to look for were either an obvious big gush of water like in the movies or feeing like I peed but enough that it soaked through my pants instead of a puddle at my feet. Neither of those things happened. I actually didn't even find out that was my water and not pee until AFTER I delivered. So probably an hour after I thought I was peeing my pants I was watching TV and the contractions started to hurt a lot more all of a sudden. I was having pain in my lower back but also in my entire pelvic region. I tried to go to bed but that lasted all of about 20 minutes before I was quickly in agonizing pain and feeling like I could not get any relief, even between the contractions. I was having trouble walking normally and could still hold a conversation but not with my eyes open (closing my eyes helped me deal with the pain). I called my doctor and she told me to go to the hospital and I told Chris it was time. It was terrible to sit down and I felt like someone was twisting a knife deep into my lower back at the same time as something very strong was squeezing my body from my lower belly to my thighs with an iron grip. When I was checked at the hospital I felt a pop and thought that was my water breaking. It was, but the nurse had been confused saying it felt like it had maybe already broken. I found out later I had a very slow leak aka the tiny amounts of "pee" from earlier. When it was really showtime, I knew 100%.

Did you tear?

- Ugh, this one makes me cringe. Of course this happens all the time. You're trying to push a bowling ball through a pin hole and sometimes it just won't quite fit. Something's gotta give. I had a first degree tear, the most common, so it was minimal. This is pretty surprising considering my girl came out shoulders front to back instead of side to side. I had a few stitches but honestly recovery hasn't been bad. I'm a pretty fast healer and have a fairly high pain tolerance so take this with a grain of salt. 

Did it hurt to push without the epidural?

- This one made me a chuckle a bit. I'm sure you're hoping the answer is no, it just stung a little. In short, hell yes it hurt. But my situation made things a little different. I was not expecting to have to deliver sans epidural, it just ended up happening that way so that was an unwelcome surprise and I wasn't prepared. Fallon was sideways and the vacuum was used so that kind of upped the ante in the pain department. I mean to put it bluntly, it felt like my body pelvis was ripping apart. But then you have the fact that at the point I had to push au natural we knew something was wrong with baby and I was terrified and just determined to get her out as fast as my body would let me. I'm sure my adrenaline levels were through the roof. I will tell you that there was no screaming or husband slapping or cussing at the nurses or crying. I just closed my eyes and used everything I had to push. 

Did you have to deliver the placenta?

- I actually did not even know about this until recently. Seriously, I had no idea that when you have a baby, that baby is not all that has to come out. I've heard some women have to push again to get it out, others it just comes out with the baby and some are like me. I was barely paying attention after delivering Fallon because a team of people was working on her across the room and I was just holding my breath and waiting to hear her cry or at least that she was okay. But I was slightly aware that my doctor just sort of tugged on the cord and pulled it out. I don't recommend looking, unless you find that kind of thing cool or fascinating. 

Did you poop?

- This is my favorite one. Yup, I'm going there. So apparently this does happen to the overwhelming majority of women during childbirth. You push with all the muscles down there and well, everything just all comes out whether you want it to or not. The nurses and the doctors don't care, they literally see that shit all the time and it's a totally normal part of the job. It's cleared away maybe even before you ever know it happened. But lots of women are terrified about it happening anyway. And after saying all that, nope I did not. And I am not just saying that because I'm embarrassed and fibbing. Guys, this post is so left field for me it would be pointless to be untruthful. I'm positive it didn't happen because nothing was taken out from  under me and thrown away while I was pushing. The nurses only ever touched my legs to help me push. Oh and my husband confirmed that i did not and he's honest to a fault. I just got lucky. Go ahead and hate me, I think I deserved to be spared this one considering everything else that happened before and after. Remember how I said my body cleaned itself out? I guess there was nothing left. There, now you know. 

Hopefully putting myself out there like this has been helpful and informative to some of you. And for those of you just curious, there you have it. Anyone who was appalled, offended or disgusted after reading this post, I'm sorry but most of the people had spoken and they wanted to know the dirty details. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to stick my kid on the boob. Might as well tell it like it is now, right?

It's a GIRL: Fallon's Birth Story

Hello friends, it's been awhile! I'm so sorry it has taken me this long to post again but life has just been crazier than I imagined the past few weeks. When I last posted I was 38 weeks pregnant and experiencing prolonged prodromal labor. Today I have a beautiful baby

girl who is already over a week old. This post is as real and raw as they come and I decided to share the pictures that help tell the story. They were taken with iPhone cameras in the moment with no concern for the perfect shot. Most of them are completely unedited with no makeup and bad lighting. But they capture the joy, the heartbreak and the overwhelming love we felt that day. I'm warning you now, this kid had quite a dramatic entrance into the world so you're in for a long post.

Let's take it back to June 25th, the day I was matron of honor in Kristina's wedding. I started having contractions that felt different than Braxton Hicks about halfway into the day. We started timing them but they stopped once I sat down inside and cooled off. And then they came back with the start of the wedding and hung around through the reception. I was determined to give my speech and see the first dance before leaving, thinking we would be going to the hospital to have a baby. We went home and timed my contractions and called my doctor when we were sure they were 5 minutes apart, lasting for at least 1 minute for over 1 hour. But at the hospital I was told I was still just 2 centimeters dilated and to come back when the contractions were closer together. Sunday night we headed back to the hospital with contractions consistently 2-3 minutes apart. Yet again, I was told I was only 2 centimeters dilated and could not be admitted. The nurse said she thought I had some scar tissue, a minor complication that would prolong the first part of labor as it would take a lot more contractions to break it down before I could progress to active labor. I was given Ambien to help me sleep and give my body a break but the contractions just returned the following day. This continued to happen every single day. My contractions would start over again and progress to less than 5 minutes apart, hold steady for several hours and then taper off only to start over again the next day. 

The morning of 39 weeks I called my doctor because I was scheduled for a prenatal appointment that afternoon and still not in active labor. She advised I could be induced or come in for my visit and see if she could manually break up the scar tissue. Part of me wanted to go for the induction and finally get to meet my baby. But the other part of me wanted to avoid induction and hope I could still go into active labor on my own. So I went in for my appointment only to find out I did not have scar tissue and there didn't seem to be an obvious reason why I hadn't progressed to 3 centimeters. It was starting to look like just one of those things that sometimes happen and nobody knows why. We scheduled induction for the following Wednesday, July 6th but my doctor went ahead and stripped my membranes in hopes of helping things along.

Fast forward to Tuesday, July 5th. It started out just like every day since June 25th. I was having contractions throughout the day and by early evening they had progressed right to the point that they had been. But then as the night went on things started to feel different. I ignored it at first, thinking maybe it was all in my head and I was just nervous about my induction the following morning. Chris and I watched TV, I folded laundry and double checked the hospital bags. Then I tried to go to sleep but the contractions all of sudden seemed to be coming back to back and were getting very painful. I called my doctor and we headed back to the hospital. The pain in my lower back was becoming excruciating with each contraction and the drive seemed to take forever. We finally arrived a little after midnight and I was officially admitted and given my epidural shortly after 1AM. I told the anestesiologist that he was superman coming to save the day. And he totally was because I then slept on and off, only feeling the pressure of each contraction until my doctor arrived around 7:30 AM. She declared me "complete" but I didn't start pushing until about 9AM.

The delivery nurses were awesome and coached me on how to push, chatting with me between each contraction and helping to keep a positive vibe. Chris stood right by my side the whole time because neither of us wanted him to catch the action at the other end of the bed! As a first time mom it wasn't surprising that my pushing time was creeping over the hour mark, but after switching positions and ensuring me I was pushing correctly, we all started to wonder why baby wasn't moving much further down. When my doctor came there was still no indication anything was amiss as far as the monitors were showing. But when I finally started to make some actual progress I also started to feel my epidural wearing off. Anesthesia was called to come give me a small dose to finish pushing but before anyone came the shit hit the fan. 

Everything happened so quickly, it was a bit of a blur, but I remember most of what went down. All of a sudden baby's heart rate took a dive. My doctor had the nurses help me flip onto my back from my side and asked me if I thought I could push without a contraction. I saw the look on her face and even though I could feel EVERYTHING at that point, it didn't matter. I started pushing and I could feel the baby coming. When your doctor looks at you and says, "Mom, we gotta get the baby out now," you just give it all you have and worry about the pain later. The vacuum was used to speed things up and I could hear the nurses making calls for people to come to our room. I had no idea what was going on and when I saw my baby for the first time, I knew something was very wrong. Instead of being elated when my doctor held her up and said It's a GIRL, I was terrified. She was ghostly pale and when she was momentarily plopped onto my chest she wasn't crying. Before I could even ask why, there was a parade of people in our room and she was whisked away from me. Chris and I were frozen in fear, waiting to hear our baby girl make any kind of noise. The team was yelling out to us her weight and height and saying her heartbeat was fine but they were helping her breath. They had Chris take pictures of her, which I was too afraid to look at until today. As I lay there, helpless and doing my best not to break down in tears, my little girl was put into my arms for a quick picture and then taken away to the NICU with Chris in tow. 

The next hour and a half I don't even know what went through my mind. I was stuck in the delivery room to be stitched and cleaned up then monitored for hemorrhage. Thank God for cell phones because Chris was updating me from the NICU about the tests they were running. They were asking what her name was since we had no had time to give her one. I told Chris to pick between the 2 girl names we had decided on and Fallon Lynn it was. When I finally was able to go see my baby I was in a state of shock. Her face was covered with the breathing mask and she had tubes and wires everywhere. My heart was breaking in my chest. I was trying to understand what the pediatrician was saying but not much of it made sense. My little girl had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, came out sideways (shoulder up) AND swallowed meconium when she made her grand entrance. All this added up to an extremely difficult start to life and my baby was fighting to breath on her own. We were then hit with the news that she needed to be transported to the NICU at Children's Hospital as she would possibly need a treatment that our birth hospital was not equipped for. 

Our family members were able to come see Fallon and I was able to hold her until the transport team arrived. But here's when things start to turn around. The 3 person team was awesome and explained everything they were doing and why they were doing it. Her pre-transport exam showed that she already no longer needed any help breathing and her levels for other concerns were miraculously in normal range. Chris and my sister left to be at the hospital when she arrived and I was taken to a postpartum room for monitoring. My sister called me shortly after they got to the hospital to share the good news that Fallon's arrival exam was great, she would not need the treatment previously discussed and she was just going to be admitted as a precaution. Even though that allowed me a sign of relief, I couldn't stand not being with my baby. Typically I would have been kept for at least 12 hours post delivery at the birth hospital to make sure I was recovering well. But my amazing doctor made an exception and formally discharged me just 6 hours after Fallon was born. I had no complications from the birth and she understood I needed to be with my baby. I was running on adrenaline and barely feeling any pain so I got up and got dressed and got the hell out of there. We ended up staying in the NICU for 2 days but that experience is a separate post for another day.

 Wednesday, July 6th 2016 I was scheduled for induction at 39 weeks of pregnancy, 1 day before my due date, at 11AM. Instead, I ended up given birth to my beautiful baby girl Fallon Lynn at 10:50AM. She weighed 7 lbs 7 oz, was 21 inches long and laying on her left side. (This is very uncommon and was the culprit for my prolonged prodromal labor, My body spent a week and a half trying to flip her but she was out of room and stuck). It was one of the happiest and hardest days of my life. I don't want to remember the horror I felt on my baby's first day of life but one day I will be glad I wrote it down to share with her. I don't know why this happened or how my tiny little girl managed to bounce back so quickly. What I do know is that Chris and I are so thrilled to be her parents and are eternally grateful that today she is a perfectly healthy, normal baby. And if her birth story is any indication of her future, we are going to have a drama queen on our hands. 

37 Weeks: Full Term!



Gingham Shirt / Leggings / White Tank

 

37 weeks, full term baby! As of my last doctor's appointment I was 90% effaced, 2cm dilated and baby was in a 0 position aka engaged. All of that could add up to nothing really if it stalls out or it could mean baby P is going to arrive any day. My doctor and I discussed induction if I make it to 39 weeks, which would be next Thursday. Why? Well, I think it might be a good thing to share with you. Genetics gave me my dad's athletic body type and while I'm grateful for that, it means my hips aren't exactly ideal for birth. My baby has measured right on track this whole pregnancy, save for those long, long legs, but we have to keep logistics in mind. Baby P is already a healthy birth weight with great lungs and at this point just gaining weight aka fatting up. I am all for going the natural route, if it's the safest, but in my case that probably just won't be the best option by 40 weeks or more. I do absolutely realize the amazing things the female body is capable of all on its own and there are millions of stories of how small women delivered large babies naturally and without complication. I'm just not willing to take the risk of my baby getting stuck and ending up with an emergency C-section if there is a healthy way to try to prevent it. Right or wrong in the eyes of the world, it's what my doctor, my husband and I feel the most comfortable with. So, if munchkin does not make his or her arrival by next week, we will go ahead and give the kid a little push.

Symptoms: Dilation/effacement continue to progress. I've been crampy with lower back pain and feeling tons of pressure in my pelvis as the baby has dropped. Contractions have come and gone but with no consistent pattern yet. My hands and feet swell everyday, just some days more than others. It is a combination of the heat and the fact that I sit at a desk all day. I get up and walk around as much as possible but it's not always enough. My eating habits are a bit odd now. I feel like my appetite is waning though once I start eating I end up getting down much more than I thought I would. I don't mean overeating, my portions are the same, I just eat more than I think I will. I got a huge burst of energy Sunday morning and went walking, worked out and cleaned for hours. I'm anxious and excited and just praying for a safe delivery while we wait.

What's in My Hospital Bag

As a first timer on the birthing scene I found myself reading many posts with similar titles to this one as my pregnancy progressed. I mean what the heck are you supposed to bring to have a baby besides your pregnant self? Apparently the list is extremely varied depending on who you ask. I officially have less than 3 weeks to go but since any time could be show time now, my bags are packed and ready. I debated doing this post because, well, do any of you really care what I'm bringing to the hospital to have my baby? But I know reading posts from other moms was incredibly helpful to me, especially now that my brain has become mostly scrambled eggs. 

I'm that person who always over packs, for EVERYTHING. And somehow I still always manage to forget something. What gives? I'm also a big fan of having my own stuff, basically bringing all the comforts of home with me if I can. So I packed probably way too much shit into a big canvas bag like this for myself and my brand new diaper bag for the babe. I would like to point out that my bag passed airport security as a carry on last year so it's not really THAT big. But I digress. Yes, I know that the hospital provides mostly everything both of us will need, but like I said, it's just my way to bring lots of my own crap. So, here's the list.

FOR MAMA

Robe - I bought this one because I didn't want to risk ruining one I already have. I'm pretty modest and you will not find me up and walking around with my booty hanging out the back of a gown. I like this one because it's light weight and soft, the perfect length and if I never wear it again, it wasn't expensive.

Slippers - Summertime in KY means you will most likely find me barefoot if I'm home. In a hospital, not so much. These are cute enough, easy to slip on, washable, and have grips on the bottom, very important if you don't want to bust your ass on those slick hospital floors.

Flip Flops - You could just bring these and skip the slippers but my plan is to wear these babies in the shower. Yes, hospitals have to be clean but I don't plan to have my feet on any part of those floors because I KNOW what has probably happened on them. Mine are old so if I feel the need to toss (or burn) them later it's no big deal.

Nursing Tanks - On several recommendations, I bought 2 of these and I have to admit, I've already been wearing them. They are so comfortable and seem awesome for a first timer like me.

Nursing Bras - I bought these to sleep in and these for during the day. Since they take up so little space in the bag I packed them all but if I'm able to get dressed at home before going to the hospital I plan to just go ahead and wear one in.

Underwear - Okay we all know how babies are supposed to come out and usually do, or the alternative that requires surgery. In either case I expect some very comfy yet probably disposable panties are going to be necessary. I bought a few different types after hearing about what is offered at the hospital because I'm just guessing I'll be glad that I did.

Clothes - I realize after giving birth you don't magically shrink back down to your pre-pregnancy size/shape.Wouldn't that be nice? I packed a pair of my favorite maternity leggings, a lose fitting t-shirt like this  and this and a zip up hoodie that is probably way too fancy for the hospital but I don't care.

 Nursing Supplies - Some ladies have their milk come in before they leave the hospital and others don't, so I threw some of these and these in just in case as well as a little jar of this. I know that the hospital provides a pump but since this is all new territory for me, I'm brining my own so they can show me how to use it!

Toiletries - I packed travel sized versions of my toothpaste, face wash, moisturizers, shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, deodorant and lip balm in one of these wet bags. I will also throw in my make-up bag if I can because I know I'll at least want some bronzer and mascara when the visitors arrive.

Postpartum Care - Since this is my first rodeo, I had to defer to seasoned moms on what I would need in this department. Hospitals provide a lot of products but like I said, I like to have my own stuff. Based on the suggestions of others, I'm bringing a few of my own pads, a box of Tuck's, a few of these ice packs, a bottle of this spray with the BLUE LID, NOT THE RED and some Colace.

This & That - I am told the hospital towels are scratchy and barley big enough to dry your hands let alone your whole body and the pillows are flat as pancakes. I'm bringing my own of each as well as my nursing pillow because I'd like help learning how to properly use it if necessary. We don't have a camera, just our iPhones so I'm bringing a charger because Lord knows we can't live without those suckers.

FOR BABY

 Hats - Okay I have to admit I am kind of obsessed with baby hats. They are so tiny and cute I can't even handle it. I'm packing 3 because I can and because one is gender neutral and one of the other 2 will make it clear that baby Pfeff is a girl or a boy.

Mittens - I've been around enough newborns to know that they come out with talons. Word on the street is that these mittens stay on the best and keep them from scratching up their cute little faces. I packed both pairs that I had ordered.

Swaddle Blankets - I'm in love with the fun patterns and baby burritos. Of course they aren't necessary. Of course I'm bringing 3.

Sleeper/Socks - I'm too excited to wait for baby to wear his/her own clothes until we get home. I packed newborn and 0-3 months since we don't know how big/long this munchkin will be.

Let's be honest, I only packed a separate bag for the babe because I wanted to use my new diaper bag. If the first thought of the hospital staff when I waddle in with my luggage is rookie mom then so be it. I've been thought of as worse I'm sure. I think most spouses/partners have a bag as well or double up with mama but in our case this won't be necessary. No, my hubby won't be leaving us high and dry but he will be going back and forth to care for our zoo at home. So he can change/take a shower quickly before coming back if necessary. I also purposely left out snacks. All I will be permitted during labor is ice chips. Chris is welcome to chow down on whatever he pleases OUTSIDE of my hospital room. And after I give birth I seriously doubt anyone will turn me down on fetching whatever my little heart desires. I'm just guessing that won't be sliced almonds or a granola bar I have stashed in my bag.

Third Trimester Favorites

As my third trimester could come to an end really any day now I thought I should probably get this post up. Although Baby P has grown so much in the last couple months and my body has gone through a bajillion changes, I feel like this is the trimester I've needed the least pregnancy paraphernalia. I've mostly continued to use what I gathered from the first and second trimesters with just a few new additions.

I've tried several different types of lotions, oils and balms on my ever growing belly over the course of my pregnancy. I've yet to see a stretch mark but I am pretty sure luck and genetics have more to do with it than anything I've been putting on my stomach. That still hasn't stopped me from religiously applying this lotion every morning and night. It's so hydrating, absorbs quickly and does not smell heinous, or really at all.

I had read about this pregnancy support tank and looked it up to see what all the hoopla was about. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull when I saw how much it cost. I mean, it's a tank top for God's sake, why would I spend that kind of money? So I immediately left the site and didn't even consider buying one. A few weeks later I received an e-mail with a 20% off coupon. I'm a sucker for a deal so I ended up ordering one in black. And now I know why pregnant women across Instagram rave about them and why the little piece of fabric comes with a mighty price tag. This tank top is the shit. It's stretchy and gives ample support without constricting. The neckline is appropriate and keeps all the extra assets you're rocking up top in place. It's long enough to wear with leggings, breathable to work out in, sleep in or on warm days, thin enough to layer and basically the most comfortable thing ever when you're smuggling a basketball.

Maternity clothes are pretty stylish and bump flattering these days and I've embraced them, for the most part. But sometimes I just want to wear regular friggin clothes. Early in my third trimester I bought some of these super soft non-maternity tees in a few colors 2 sizes up from what I would normally wear. They still fit comfortably and appropriately over my belly and it just makes me feel more like myself on those days when I need to. And on the practical side of things, they aren't hugely oversized so I will be able to wear them post pregnancy as boyfriend tees with jeans or shorts or with leggings.

As the weather has warmed up and pool days, bonfires and grill outs have begun, my pregnant self has started to feel very left out of the alcohol game. I find myself practically drooling when I walk by the beer aisle at the grocery store and getting pretty pissy over commercials featuring summertime cocktails that I can't have. My saving grace has been La Croix sparkling water. I loved it and drank it before I was pregnant but now it's become my substitute for partaking in adult beverage drinking. Pouring myself a glass of fizzy flavored water isn't quite the same as the real deal, but it's holding me over for now. My favorites are Peach Pear and Grapefruit.

I'm lucky and thankful that my belly hasn't gotten so big that I can't bend over to put on my shoes. But it definitely has become quite the annoying chore. Even if I sit down and do it, then there's the whole getting back up part, and that's not so easy anymore either. Flip flops are the best because I can just slip them on with minimal effort and be on my way. Havaianas certainly aren't the cheapest way to go but they are high quality and come in tons of fun colors and patterns. I've had the same 2 pairs for several years and they barely show any wear.

Happy Hump Day!

35 Weeks

Maternity Tee / Shorts

 

Waaayyy back in the first trimester, at least it seems like that was so long ago, I had a memorable pregnancy mood swing or 2. I thought a few totally melodramatic moments over Christmas decorations and missing socks was ridiculous then but now they seem pretty PG in comparison. Well, at least to the insanity that has been 35 weeks. In my pre-pregnancy life I was fairly easy going, in control of my emotions and almost always a think before I speak type of person. That version of myself has now gone completely out the window more than a few times this past week and let me tell you, it's not my favorite.

 

A little anxiety here and there is normal. Life can be stressful no matter who you are. But overwhelming, all consuming, coming at you like a freight train anxiety is not something I was familiar with. Until now. I touched on this yesterday but after reading some of  your e-mails I've decided to share a little bit more about my experience. Monthly hormonal changes can get the best of us all but I found myself in completely unfamiliar territory when I was first hit with a giant wave of anxiety last week. Needless to say, I did not handle it well. I think the most frustrating thing for me was not being able to stop it. When you're someone who can usually play it cool on the outside even when there's a raging hurricane of emotion on the inside, it's a total game changer. I almost felt like I was watching the panic overtake someone else's body and not my own.

 

These late pregnancy hormones are probably to blame BUT really there's no way to know if I'd feel this way even if pregnancy didn't come with raging hormones. So it wouldn't be fair to invalidate those feelings, especially in the moment, by downplaying them and simply labeling pregnancy hormones alone as the cause. The most helpful thing for me has been simply letting it out. It's beyond my control and that by itself makes me feel crazy so fighting it is just worse. I am so lucky that when these episodes crop up, I have all kinds of people in my corner who aren't afraid to be there while I ride it out. Oh, and I mentioned I make lists. I do this anyway but making lists upon lists upon lists helps to quell the anxiety and bring it down to a manageable level. Find what works for you and do it. Don't worry if it makes you seem even crazier because honey, I hate to break it to you, but you're already there. Own it.

 

Symptoms: Major anxiety and it sucks balls. Sorry. Punches to the bladder and kicks to the ribs. I both hate (for obvious reasons), and love it at the same time. Wanting to eat everything but only having room for small portions. That's probably a good thing when there's a bag of donuts within reach. And really starting to feel like I'm toting a beach ball around everywhere. Sometimes you just gotta have a sense of humor about it all.

 

P.S. Anxiety in pregnancy is usually normal but definitely mention it to your doctor. Had to say it.

34 Weeks

Dress

 

Now that I've had both baby showers I'm tackling the list of things we still need for Baby P. The nursery is being filled and organized and pretty soon the only thing missing will be a baby. Tomorrow is my 35 week appt. and we start checking for dilation. Holy crap. There are so many emotions I don't even know where to begin. Of course I'm ecstatic that we've reached this point and are mere weeks away from meeting our baby. But at the same time I'm anxious and nervous as a first time mom having never been down this road before. It's getting hot, my belly is starting to get in the way and I'm getting frustrated so much more easily these days. Then again I already know I'm going to miss feeling Baby P's kicks and rolls and even those dang little feet in my ribs.

 

Most days I'm so tried on my way home from work I can't even fathom the idea of working out when I get there. But somehow once I'm greeted by my little family as I walk in the door I get the little boost of energy I need to power through. Probably my days of HIIT are limited as my belly grows and baby drops and strength training right along with it. But until we reach the point of scaling back to nightly walks through the neighborhood I'm continuing with my regular exercise videos.

 

I've been wearing a ton of dresses with maternity jeans and a pair of jeans shorts that magically still button (they are 1 size up from my normal) mixed in. Can I just say how awesome it is that flowy dresses are both stylish + 3rd trimester friendly?! The dress I wore to my baby shower over the weekend is not maternity and even my regular size. I also just received a tank swing dress I ordered on mega sale that is so soft and stretchy and somehow flattering pregnant or not. #winning

 

Symptoms: Swelling. Apparently I can wear wedges and be on my feet all day and not a swollen piggy in sight. But if I sit for too long it's game over. Trust me, I drink tons of water and have been conscious to stay away from anything with a lot of sodium. It's just that I'm forced to be in the car for sometimes more than an hour at a time and that is what does me in. I can be on my feet for the rest of the night but the swelling doesn't go down until the next morning. Wah, wah, such is 3rd trimester life.

33 Weeks

 

I just ate a cup of soft serve vanilla ice cream with sprinkles and baby P is having a party in there. This kiddo is moving all the time it seems but this is the wildest I think it's ever felt. I guess he/she has mama's sweet tooth already. I try to keep eating mostly food with health benefits but it's just been a week for indulging. Saturday was Kristina's bridal shower and Sunday was my first baby shower followed by our first wedding anniversary on Monday. You're supposed to eat from the top layer of your wedding cake that's been frozen for a year so who am I to buck the tradition? That was going to be it until this holiday weekend.....buuuuttt when work has the ice cream truck hanging out in the front parking lot with free soft serve, things change.

Maxi Dress c/o PinkBlush Maternity
 

I am still sticking with my 5 day a week workouts, although they are noticeably more difficult at this point. I'm going to say I'm 25+ lbs up since my next weigh in is 6/2 and I'll have gained a little more by then. It's definitely feeling like I'm carrying around the extra weight but not to the point that I'm super uncomfortable all the time or anything extreme. I'm still mixing maternity and regular clothes and the warm weather makes it pretty easy to throw on a dress. The long holiday weekend coming up is really making me miss being able to enjoy some adult beverages. I saw a recipe for blueberry pineapple margaritas and had one of those it's so not fair moments. Soon enough.

Maxi Dress
 

Symptoms: I walked around my baby shower in wedge heels for several hours in the heat without so much as a swollen baby toe. But since Monday night I've had a bit of swelling in all the little piggies + my ankles. They aren't cankles and honestly not very noticeable but I can feel it. I'm doing all the things you're supposed to do to prevent it and all the remedies to relieve it but doc says sometimes that fluid is stubborn. As long as it doesn't get worse and stay worse, no worries. No heartburn this week!!! Lower back pain, rib pain and shortness of breath come and go but nothing new or really even worth mentioning there. I'm looking forward to cheesecake at my next baby shower this weekend. I'll give you one guess on the flavor.

32 Weeks

Chambray shirt / Leggings / Bag

 

When people ask me how I'm feeling, my response is usually "pretty good". And it's true. So far I haven't really felt the third trimester slowdown I keep reading and hearing about. I've pretty much been doing the same things I always do with a few added symptoms thrown in that remind me I'm carrying a baby.

 

This past weekend I hosted a bachelorette party for my BFF, who is also pregnant and due about 3.5 months after me. Yea, it's super fun to be pregnant at the same time as your best friend. She and her fiancé found out the sex of the baby (it's a BOY!) the morning of the party and she told me immediately so I could get together a mini reveal to surprise the girls that night. I had so much fun planning the party the past several weeks, making lists, creating the food menu and décor and then seeing it all come together. But it all finally caught up with me.

 

Friday afternoon we had a repeat ultrasound and got to see our little munchkin. We were there to check on my fibroid as well as the echogenic bowel that had been seen on baby P at the anatomy scan. The fibroid hadn't grown at all and isn't hindering the baby in any way. Brain, heart and lungs were all perfection and working away. Head and belly were measuring right on schedule. And legs for DAAAYYYYS. I was 32 weeks, 1 day at the appointment and the legs measured 33 weeks, 3 days! Baby P is head down and running out of room so those legs are bent and he/she is pushing those cute little feet right up into my ribs. The echogenic bowel was still present, but less so than at 20 weeks and no one seems very concerned so we aren't either. It was so fun seeing that little face all smushed up against me even though we kept it old school and stuck with 2D.

 

After the ultrasound we went to check out some gliders for the nursery. It was important for me to do a sit test on several different styles because hello, that's the purpose of it and I wanted to make sure it's comfy. I then braved the huge grocery store I typically avoid with my shopping list for the party and managed to get almost everything I needed. It was a nice evening so Chris and I sat outside for a bit and then I did some food prep and called it a night. Saturday was go, go, go from waking up to crashing into bed. My parents were at the house while my dad finished a project upstairs so my mom helped me out with getting the rest of the food ready and arranging things. Thanks mom! My husband is also awesome and did most of the cleaning while I ran out for a few extra things. The party turned out great and we all had so much fun celebrating our bride and her baby boy on the way. But, after some clean up and getting ready for bed, I finally felt very much 8 months pregnant.

 

Symptoms: The rib pain is kind of terrible but now that I've seen it's those tiny feet pushing up from inside, it makes me smile anyway. They say heartburn means your kid will be born with hair. The latest ultrasound confirmed that baby P indeed already has more hair than either Chris or I were born with so I guess that one might be true. I've definitely noticed my workouts getting harder and make sure I take extra breaks and drink plenty of fluids. And I absolutely stop doing anything that doesn't feel right. Now is not the time to push myself, it's about staying healthy for baby and me. Oh and my belly button....it's still out on top, in on bottom. I'm wondering if it's just going to stay like this or if the whole ting will actually pop.

30 Weeks

Tank

 

Well I've started to feel pretty darn pregnant now that we've reached 30 weeks. My belly is getting in the way, my kid is crowding my lungs and I'm forgetting things like I never have before. I called Chris yesterday and while it was ringing I forgot why I called. Finally I remembered about 8 hours later while I was folding laundry. Pregnancy Brain is totally real. But, because I personally know women who waited and waited and waited or are still waiting to feel like this, I want to say that I 100% appreciate my body and my baby, even when I'm complaining. Sometimes the kicks hurt, sometimes I feel breathless sitting down and sometimes I want to actually tear my ribcage right out of my body to stop the pain as it presses into my ever expanding uterus. But I am certain that none of this will matter in less than 10 weeks. I am so, so excited thinking about holding this baby in my arms and getting to know him or her on the outside. Pregnancy can be awesome or awful or both at the same time but there isn't a moment that I take it for granted.

 

Symptoms: Heartburn isn't constant but when it comes, it comes full force. I still haven't tried the baking soda in water remedy because it keeps happening when I'm not at home! My belly button is still pokey at the top and in but looking flatter at the bottom. Cute, I know. Rib pain has been pretty bad and I've found myself doing a lot of fidgeting and squirming around trying to alleviate it when I'm sitting down. I've been given some recommendations so I'll be including what works in an upcoming post. I had double blueberry pancakes at IHOP on Saturday. What does that tell you? Really I could eat fruit in general all day long. It pretty much all sounds good all the time. And peanut butter. PB and I go way back but recently I find myself with spoon in jar a lot more often. Hey, at least it's not ice cream.

29 Weeks

 

Turning 29 and being 29 weeks pregnant was one of those neat little things I'll always remember and never be able to say again. I had another doctor's appointment but I was the last patient of the day and the scale needed to be recalibrated so I won't know how much more weight I've put on until next week. Not that I love watching the numbers go up on the scale, but I do like to know where I stand. We have a cheap scale at home we used to weigh the dogs as puppies but since I was told there would probably be a difference between the numbers it would show and the scale at the doctor's office I didn't even bother. I have been trying to eat smaller meals more frequently or lighter options like salads so I don't get too full and bring on the dreaded heartburn. Here's the funny thing. It was back with a vengeance when I got a tip from a kind older man at Target to try dissolving a teaspoon of baking soda into an 8oz glass of water and chugging it down. It just so happened that was the say of my last doctor's appointment so I asked her about it. She said she hadn't had any patients mention it, but it was perfectly safe to try and to let her know if it worked. If you follow me on Snapchat @rufflifeky you know I asked if anyone has ever tried this as a heartburn cure. Several people had, with good results, so I was all set to try it, but I've only had a few bouts of low grade heartburn barely worth mentioning. I'm sure that now I've said this it will be back to visit and then I'll let you all know if the baking soda trick works.

 

I'm still mixing regular clothes with maternity, but I am fortunate that the office I work in has a very casual dress code and is even still pretty lax on it. The warmer weather has been great for maxi dresses and skirts with my maternity tanks and a denim vest or jacket over top. I can also still wear some of my short dresses as is or with leggings underneath to turn them into tunics. I rock leggings with tees or tanks and open shirts or jackets too. I have these in both colors and just ordered a second pair of these because I also sleep and workout in them. I'm not thrilled to be super pregnant when it starts to get really hot, but at the same time it seems to be much easier to dress for the third trimester in the Spring/Summer than Winter.

 

Symptoms: This kid moves all the time but right before I go to bed is by far the height of activity. Sometimes it looks like little P is just going to bust right out of my belly and break free. It looks SO WEIRD to see my body contort with the rolls, elbow jabs and punches. Rib pain and back pain, same old, same old. Still feeling good enough to keep up with 5 day a week regular workouts. I have been asked about the modifications I've been doing so I'll have to do a separate post on that. No sign of that dark line on my belly or stretch marks...yet. Sleep is fine, just waking up to pee once a night. I had a slice of homemade blueberry pie for my birthday and it was heaven. Yup, the blueberry cravings are still hanging around.