Saturday, June 15, 2013

Thirty One


I realized just now that I totally forgot to post a 30 week update (we're just going to say that Babymoon posts 1 and 2 are my 30 week update).

I wrote this pregnancy update just before I received the sad news of my cousin's loss of pregnancy. Before I go onward with my own pregnancy update, I want to express my sorrow for her loss, and for anyone who's ever lost a baby or struggled with fertility issues. I want to share my own joy, but I also want to remain sensitive to other people's more difficult experiences. Women struggling with loss are always in my prayers and heart. 

Can I just take a second to thank you for your advice on my 29 week update? I asked several of the questions that had been looming over me, and you guys were so generous with your answers! It's actually way more comfortable for me to ask my readers a question than it is for me to ask my doctor. Too much pressure to hurry up and finish so she can go see other patients.

I'm finding a couple new stretch marks on my love handles. Still nothing on the front part of my belly - hopefully it stays that way.

There is really no way to describe what it feels like to have a nearly-full-sized baby moving around inside you. Before I was pregnant, I watched Baby Mama, and Amy Poehler's character described pregnancy in the perfect, nonsensical way: "It's like if you ate a meatball sub, and then the meatball sub started kicking you." In other words, there's no way to imagine it until it's happening to you.

There's also no way to describe how heavy your body starts to feel. Let's try to figure out where 20 pounds have gone. I'm carrying around a 3 pound baby, a 2-3 pound uterus, around 4 pounds of fluid and placenta, and 40% extra blood in my body (which is probably close to 8 pounds or something). Tell me you wouldn't get tired hauling that around.

Food. Food is so good. I plan my days around what/where I want to eat. I fell asleep one night this week thinking about all the ways I could use kale (PS, leave your kale recipes in the comments. I'm not kidding). My brain is centered around three things: food, sleep, and nudging my baby around my belly.

Speaking of, I'm loving that he's bigger now. There's some serious interaction happening that I love. His movements and shifts are really noticeable, and I'll push around (gently, of course) to find his little back or butt, which inevitably wakes him up. Then he'll roll over or kick me back, and we'll start the game over again.


I have some more questions for you this week, and I'd love to hear your opinions!

My skin has been surprisingly clear throughout the pregnancy. Will I break out really bad after I give birth?
I know they recommend 6 weeks of rest and recovery before you resume exercise and other stuff, but how long really did it take before you felt up to working out?
Should I buy a nursing bra before I know how big I'll get? Or should I wait until closer to delivery? And what kind would you recommend?
Will my limbs inevitably swell? Swollen feet and hands just seem so uncomfortable.
Kale recipes! Leave 'em here.

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4 comments:

  1. 1)Some people break out really bad during pregnancy. I'm like you and have very clear skin. I don't break out after I have the baby, I just kind of go back to normal, which is a couple of pimples a month.

    2) With my first I didn't feel up to working out until 2 1/2 months maybe? Maybe just 8 weeks. I started out with long fast paced walks with my stroller. And once my endurance is built back up (8 weeks of not moving much is really hard to come off of!) I started running again. With my second I felt ready to go at three weeks, but by 6 weeks I was really starting to feel the sleep deprivation so I really started working out on the regular when he was four months.

    3) For the first month or two I only wore these sleep nursing bras from Target. (cannot find them on the website! But they were like a sports bra kinda) I could never find a nursing bra that I liked so I just wear a regular (with no underwire!) bra and pull it down. Some people swear by nursing tanks as well, and I might go that route next time.

    4) With my first my feet started swelling at 37 weeks, but with my second they didn't swell until AFTER he was born and it only lasted a week maybe. All the IV fluid they give you in the hospital can make you swell. it's not too bad.

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  2. I actually had amazing skin during my pregnancy and never broke out. I was also on BC for a long time to manage some mild acne so I think that's why my skin agreed with pregnancy. I've noticed my skin is more prone to breakouts now since having Libby. Hormones are weird.

    I'll admit that I haven't really worked out since having Libby - ha! But I didn't really work out before I got pregnant either. I was pretty much back in action by 6 weeks and felt able to go for walks with the stroller and such. Take as long as you need to feel 100% to exercise - your body is recovering from a major event and needs time to heal properly. If you take 6 weeks it's not the end of the world :)


    I bought some before I delivered and they fit terrible. I didn't like the sizing system that Motherhood Maternity used so I never liked the fit of mine. I went back to wearing regular underwire ones that I just pulled down when I needed too.

    I swelled up pretty good during the last month of my pregnancy - like serious cankles! It also didnt help that i was very pregnant towards the end of summer. And my feet felt like I had a packet of jello on top of them haha. But it all went away within 48 hours after I delivered. You pee & sweat a ton of the excess fluid out after you deliver. When my legs & ankles were swollen I tried to elevate them as much as I could - usually by laying on the couch with my head on the seat and my feet on a pile of pillows on the arm rest.

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  3. I have had two kids and haven't broken out with either one of them. I think it might just be genetics and/or hormones. Maybe you should ask some of the women in your family who have given birth. If they were fine you'll probably be fine too.

    With #1 it was about 6 weeks of recovery for me. With baby #2 it was more like 8 or 9, but we also were forced to move cross country and had to pack, unpack, run 1000 errands, ect., so it's entirely possible I did waaay too much when I shouldn't have and it made me have a longer recovery. Take it easy!

    Swelling limbs just depends on you. With baby #1 I swelled a lot, but I also had gestational diabetes. With baby #2 I didn't have GD again and I didn't swell hardly at all. Seriously. I have 3 wedding rings (an engagement ring and 2 bands) and I was wearing all three of them when I delivered. I could slip them on and off with no trouble at all. I had people tell me all the time that I never "showed" in my face or butt. If you eat well it will decrease your chances of swelling :)

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  4. You look so adorable! Congrats on being pregnant! I have two boys (3yrs. and 1yr) and loved being pregnant, although I did feel like a giant moose by the very end. lol. Happy to have found your blog!

    -Ashley
    http://pencilleddaydream.com

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