30 Weeks and the Third Trimester

Stepping over into 30 weeks felt like a huge milestone. The "30s" mean you are really in the home stretch and almost there. 37 weeks is considered full term even if most women deliver after the 40th week. I have also seemed to explode in the last two weeks, my belly swelling even further than I thought it could go. People at work have started commenting that I'm "blooming" (what a kind phrase), and at least I'm not waddling yet. 

I can definitely feel the difference in how I'm able to move now compared to just a few weeks ago. Turning over in bed is quite a struggle that wakes me up as I heave my body over. Getting on tights and trousers is a challenge, as is picking things up from the floor. Wriggles is still quite active but is more likely to be kicking and jabbing multiple parts of my tummy at the same time or flipping around causing a great rolling sensation. I still have to say that large or not I still love how I look. I love feeling little body part protruding out of my tummy knowing that it's my baby I'm growing in there. I'm sure the next ten weeks will surprise me even more as Wriggles is due to put on about 1/2 a pound EVERY WEEK until s/he is born. I'm surprised my appetite hasn't increased any, but I just keep trying to eat healthily and get all the nutrients I need to grow a strong baby.

Each week my husband and I work through our list of baby related things to get done before Wriggles makes his/her arrival. Last weekend we put up the curtains in the nursery and it's really starting to look like somewhere a baby will be. We can't finish the nursery yet, because we are waiting for the John Lewis delivery of all the rest of our baby things - which won't come until the end of May! We still have quite a few house projects to do (more curtains and blinds to mount), as well as smaller but important things, such as updating our wills and preparing freezer meals. 

Yesterday was quite exciting as we had our first NCT class (National Childbirth Trust). Most people say the women you meet in your NCT group will be your friends for life, starting with the birth of your babies. Everyone is due within 8 weeks or so of each other, so we'll all be popping them out in late spring/early summer. All the couples seemed lovely and kind and excited (or nervous!) about having their babies. Many had never even changed a nappy before, and more still had seemed quite uniformed about labour and birth. I wonder if perhaps I am a bit overenthusiastic about learning, as I read my pregnancy app every morning and am also reading two pregnancy books and learning about hynobirthing at the same time. A part of me is actually quite excited about labour and birth, traumatic as I know it can be it. It's going to be the start of when I get to meet my baby, which is so exciting!

I'm also trying to break up my day with more resting, as teaching primary students is not even remotely relaxing. I still have 8 weeks of work left which feels like an eternity. I know at the end it will be quite a struggle to get up and moving so early and keep myself energised all day. For now I'm just thinking it through one week at a time and then at the end, perhaps one day at a time. Pregnancy is a tough job and at this stage, the mom comes first!

Babymoon and the Second Trimester

I feel like I have been neglecting this blog, but with the arrival of our holiday I have been doing a lot more journaling to help me remember. Now I'm back home and ready to reflect as so many things have been happening!

First, my hubby and I went on a lovely, relaxing babymoon to Mallorca, Spain. We did nothing most days besides take a nice walk, drink (non-alcoholic for me of course), play games, snuggle, feel kicks, read, and nap. We spent time together, just the two of us one last time, strengthening our bond for the challenging time to come. It was magical and of course passed far too quickly. I got lots of pictures of our Wriggles, and I can't help but think our little one will be a traveler too. S/he has already been to Switzerland, France, Spain, America and of course Scotland and  England! I think EVERYONE should take a babymoon, even if it's just to the next town over for a long weekend. It's so important to spend time with your partner just focusing on being together and nothing else (not even sight-seeing!). My husband now feels more connected than ever to our little wriggler, and I think it's helped to prepare both of us for our new lives. We now agree that because we can feel actual body parts (like feet and hands) pushing through my tummy, it's like a real person in there, instead of just a large, round belly. 

 

I totally felt like a beached whale, but Wriggles needs sunshine!

While on the babymoon, I moved into my third trimester, which makes the arrival of the baby even more real. When we got home from our trip, we put together the sidealong crib (a Snuzpod), the stroller (AKA a pram here in the UK), and unpacked the carseat, ready to go. I've started decorating the nursery and while it has a lot left to go before it's finished, things are finally coming together. 

At the beginning of our trip (actually on the drive to Glasgow the night before our flight), I began experiencing severe back pain that felt like it was radiating from one point on my upper right back just next to or under my shoulder blade. A few days later I begin feeling a ripping, stinging, burning sensation on my upper right abdomen that got worse with movement. I was on holiday and it seemed that many women have many pains while their abdominal muscles stretch. It wasn't until I got home and we got through the weekend that I decided to call the midwife just to check. She had me go straight into the OB triage at the hospital, just in case. First, they monitored the baby's heartbeat and kicks, then they took blood and urine samples and tested for everything. It all came back clear, but when the doctor came to see me she said she suspected either heartburn or gallstones. Because there is no danger to the baby for either one, she started me on a treatment for heartburn first (much less invasive) and if that doesn't work, I'll go back for a scan of my gallbladder later this week. With my family history of gallstones (everyone in my mother's family has had it!), and the constant, throbbing, burning tearing pain, I would guess it is gallstones over heartburn but I'm taking the medication for it now anyways. It seems I can't really be treated for gallstones until after the birth of the baby, so I'll just have to live with it for now either way.... ouch! At least it's good practice for labor, right? Deep breathing...

I can't believe April is nearly half over already, and all our baby preparation classes start in May. It's going to be an exciting but busy month, and I look forward to every kick and milestone that Wriggles passes!

 

I made my hubby take silhouette pictures of me on the trip - I'm not sure which one I like better!