28 Weeks (3rd trimester! Hip-Hip-Hooray!)

12 weeks left.  That's it.  It's starting to fly by.  For the longest time, things seemed to just be...going.  I felt like it would never end.  Then I realized this is the home stretch...the last 3 months...I could have this baby in 9 (NINE!!!) weeks because I'll be full term.  Not that I will...at all...haha.  But it's just weird that it COULD happen if it wanted to.  Ahhh!!!

So today I started my every-other-week appointments.  A month and a half of these and then it's on to every week!  Oh my gosh. 

So in regards to today's appointment, I got some interesting news and advice and what not.  First of all, I've officially gained 2 pounds.  Yep.  2.  Who knew the best diet would be having a baby?!?!  My blood pressure was 110/60.  Baby's heartrate was 156 (still pretty high!). 

Then I found out my results of my glucose screening blood test/iron blood test.  The good news is I passed the glucose screen!  Yay!!!  I was SOOOO nervous about that.  If you fail, you have to go back for a 3-hour tolerance test.  And I did NOT do well with this blood test.  I about blacked out (I started seeing stars and hyperventilating).  They had to try both arms because they weren't getting any blood out of my right arm.  Blech.  It was a terrifying experience.  One that I did NOT want to have to go through again!

The bad news is my iron levels were low, so I'm slightly anemic.  Fortunately, it isn't a big deal because all I have to do is take an iron supplement everyday to get my iron levels back up.  She said this probably has a LOT to do with how overly-tired I've been lately.  Taking the supplements, I should see a big increase in my energy levels.  She did warn me that it will not CURE my sleepiness because I'm a little over 6 months pregnant and I supposed to be tired.  But hopefully it will help me out and not make staying awake for more than 30 minutes a challenge.

I also talked to her about how sad I've been lately.  i cry a lot and feel very upset and helpless and hopeless.  I overanalyze things quickly and get very down.  She said with my history of depression, I need to get back on antidepressants ASAP.  I suffered from depression for a while, but things got better about a year or so ago.  When I got pregnant, it completely went away....and that was while taking no meds!  But when she asked if I ever thought about hurting myself and I answered affirmatively, she went to talk to Dr. Foulk right away to make sure it was safe to take what I have taken in the past.  Fortunately, it's one of the approved meds to take during pregnancy.  So now I have a presription  for that.  With my history, she said my chances of getting postpartum depression are MUCH higher and if we don't try to nip this in the bud now, I will fall into deep PPD, which can lead to postpartum psychosis - something that scares her and is VERY serious.  PPP includes "loss of reality, hallucinations, and/or delusions."  (Thank you "What to Expect...." pg. 461 for informing me what PPP is!)  It talks more about it, and it's very scary.  I'm scared to death and will do anything necessary to avoid that.  She also highly suggested I resume counseling/therapy to take every precaution we can.

SOOOOOO....at least I got some answers and should be feeling better soon. 

Ok, now for how little one is progressing!  :)  My favorite part.  He's in his last week of the "eggplant" stage.  Wait until you see what he is next week!  This week he's about 2.5 pounds (THAT'S where that 2 pound gain came from! :P) and 16 inches long.  He can now blink his eyes!  He's started getting REM sleep time, which is hard to believe with how active this child is.  Good grief.  He kicks HARD sometimes!  Enough to make me jump and be totally interrupted in whatever I'm doing.  His lungs are almost completely mature now, which means he can do a lot of breathing on his own now. 

That's about it for this post!  Sorry it's so long...goodness...

Until next week...

27 Weeks

Ya know what's weird?  At least to me.  I have 13 weeks REMAINING.  Yesterday marked the 3-months-from-my-due-date-day.  Crazy.  It's so weird to think about.  3 months ago it was right before Christmas.  That honestly doesn't seem that long ago! 

He's still roughly the size of an eggplant.  Now when he moves, he moves to get comfortable.  He's not just moving around for the heck of it.  Actually, he's starting to get cramped in his ever-shrinking space.  His lungs are going through some bigtime developments.  Actually, his nostrils have opened up and he's starting to take practice breaths (which he's just breathing in amniotic fluid...but it's a start...even though I don't quite get it, lol...just goes to show you how amazing and intricate God can be!).  He's just a little over 2 pounds at this point. 

Speaking of which, I've finally gained a pound, haha!  I mean, I lost 13 at the beginning and I have now gained 14 back.  So that's like a net of +1.  It's progress, haha!  I know I'll gain at LEAST 5 or 6 more, because that's how much he'll need to weigh 7-8 pounds when he's born.  Plus add in more blood and fluid and all that stuff and it'll be a little higher.  I found out last night that I can't walk as fast on the treadmill anymore.  It was almost embarrassing, because I felt like I should've gone so much faster.  But I'm facing the hard realization that my body simply can't handle things like it used to.  I used to think I'd be superwoman because I'm young, healthy, and generally strong/fit...but yeah...pregnancy doesn't care who you are.  You're going to change.  My hands and feet are also starting to swell something ridiculous.  Especially when I wake up in the mornings.  I can barely bend my fingers, haha!

Ok, I'm also EXHAUSTED.  This last trimester is going to be rough, just because of a lack of energy.  The last 2 weeks or so, I have NO clue how I've been able to stay on my own two feet.  I feel totally loopy and confused.  I feel like a lot of times i have a blank expression on my face and it takes me a while to comprehend what people are saying.  Kinda strange.  Anyways, on THAT note...I'm off to bed!  :P

Until next time...

26 Weeks

Wow.  This is getting crazy.  It's UNBELIEVABLE how much my belly has grown and how much I can feel him moving around in there.  This little guy kicks HARD!  It's so fun to feel something like a foot or hand hit where you touch.  It's not just movement.  You can actually feel something under there.  It's also insane how uncomfortable things are getting.  It really does take a lot of effort to move around.  It truly is like carring around extra weight in front of you.  It's not just part of you...it's something extra stuck on you.  It's weird and I'm not entirely sure how to explain it...  In the mean time, MAYBE you'll get an idea what I mean when you look at these pictures.  I can't believe I actually took pictures of my NAKED belly!  But somehow I find it fascinating what it looks like and how it's shaped.  Please forgive me if it's too much or a little inappropriate. 






  



 



 


Well, there we have it.  My big, fat belly.  Lol.  Anyways, the little guy (who is most likely Hudson or Lincoln at the moment...Rowan isn't going away either...we will see when he's born!) is around 2 pounds now.  Apparently you should start to be able to hear his heartbeat from the outside now if you put your ear up to my belly, but Kyle has yet to experience that.  He keeps trying, but no luck so far.  Obviously I'll never get to try that, lol.  His tiny little capillaries are forming which make him more pink.  He's getting his immune system ready to fight off stuff when he's born.  His eyes are forming (but most babies are born with blue eyes and then they change to their permanent color several months after they're born) and he's practicing blinking!  :P  He's somewhere around the 15 inch range.  Right now he's the size of an eggplant for the next 3 weeks.  I can hardly believe this time next week marks exactly 3 months until we are going to meet him!  Or sooner, or later! 



Yay 3rd trimester!  I'm STILL not up to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I'm only 1-2 lbs. away.  I'm just grateful to go through my first 2 trimesters weighing less!  And the doctor's said everything looks fabulous, so that's why I'm not worried about the whole weight thing.  It will be interesting to see how much I DO end up gaining by time he's born.  A lot can happen between now and then!  But I'm still faithfully going to the Y to walk/run 2 miles a day and lift weights.  I believe it's really helping me stay healthy.  Even though I don't feel it...I mean, some days I feel wonderful, other days are a struggle.  I've started experiencing numbing anywhere and everywhere on my body.  Something is numb at every point.  Usually it's my pinkies, hands, left butt cheek, or right around my lower rib area.  It's weird and annoying.  But I guess I'll take that anyday compared to the back pain and nausea! 

I found out today the teachers are throwing me a shower on Thursday, April 14th.  5 minutes later I find out my cheerleaders and their moms are throwing me a shower Tuesday, April 12th!  Add that to my Marion shower on Saturday, April 2nd, Kyle's family's shower Saturday, April 16th, the Mississippi shower Saturday, April 30th, and the Michigan shower Saturday, May 14th, and that's a total of 6.  Holy cow.  This child has NO idea how blessed he already is!  I have the best friends and family in the world.  It brings me to tears everytime I think about it.  I can't wait to introduce him to all these people that are so eagerly awaiting his arrival.  :) 

Until next time...