The Pathological Readers: July 2016

How far along are you?

34 weeks 5 days

How's baby doing?

He's doing great! According to my pregnancy app, he's the size of a pineapple, weighs about 5 pounds, and could be anywhere between 19-22 inches long. We have an ultrasound scheduled in two weeks, so we'll get a more accurate measure on things then, and also get to see which position he's in. I'm so excited to see him again! He gets the hiccups almost every day, and I can feel him move pretty regularly throughout the day. He especially loves to lodge his foot in my right ribs, which makes it hard to breathe. But I honestly love feeling him move!

28 weeks | 29 weeks

How are you feeling?

I've been doing ok. We had a bit of a dramatic visit at my 32 weeks appointment, and my doctor ended up sending me to the hospital because of some blood pressure issues. Thankfully all is well now, but I think my body has had a hard time recovering from the stress of it all. I've been really tired lately and can't get through the day without taking a nap, just like in my first trimester. Other than that, and just feeling large, I don't have much I can complain about!

How's the weight gain?

Speaking of feeling large, I've been pretty steady at 29 pounds for the past two weeks. I never imagined I would gain that much weight with pregnancy, but surprisingly, I'm totally ok with it. My doctors said because of my pre-pregnancy size I could potentially gain up to 40 pounds, so it looks like I'm right on track. ;)

First Baby Shower at 29 Weeks

Any stretch marks?

Nope! I've been using Burt's Bees belly butter and it has worked wonders to keep my belly from itching and stretch marks at bay.

How are you sleeping?

At this point, it's hard to get 100% comfortable at night, but thankfully things have stayed pretty consistent as far as sleep goes. I still have to get up once or twice to use the bathroom, and the only nights I don't feel well-rested are when I have crazy vivid dreams. I'm still struggling with initially falling asleep, so I've been trying to jot things down before bed to keep my mind from racing so much.

30 weeks | 32 weeks

Maternity Clothes?

I pretty much live in the same five dresses these days. My maternity shorts and white jeans occasionally get worn, but honestly the panels make me so hot!

What have y'all been up to?

Kyle and I have taken three classes at the hospital where I'll be delivering - breastfeeding basics, childbirth, and newborn care. We've already met with little man's pediatrician and LOVED her! A couple weeks ago we had maternity pictures done with Linds on Life Photo. We've already gotten our photos back and we loooove them! Can't wait to share more! I've had three baby showers, one with family and friends from college, one with church family, and one at work. So. Much. Fun. We've hired someone to come deep clean the house before my due date, which has helped me cool it on the nesting front. I got my Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine this week, and we've told all our family members to make sure they're up-to-date on theirs as well. We've been busy, busy, busy, but life is good.

Church baby shower at 32 Weeks

Nursery progress?

The nursery is really starting to come together! The crib bedding is washed and set up, artwork is on the walls, and the dresser is all set up as his changing table. We've only got a few things left on the to-do list: install the ceiling fan, buy fabric for the window valence, install and style shelves on the wall over the glider, and organize the dresser drawers. I feel like I'll never be at a point where I feel like it's "finished," but his room is quickly becoming my favorite in the house!

Any signs of labor?

I've had Braxton Hicks contractions here and there, but nothing consistent. It's so weird to be experiencing contractions, but I know it's just my body's way of preparing for the real deal!