29 weeks: Butternut Squash

Twenty-nine weeks: 3.14.12







Photo thoughts: I thought I hadn't worn this tank top before, but whoops. I did. At 26 weeks. And man, look at the difference in just the past 3 weeks...



Size of baby: A butternut squash according to BC, or just a squash (for this and the next 3 weeks) according to TB. Happened to have a squash downstairs so I didn't even have to shop especially for the fruit baby this week!

Cravings: Still feeling surprisingly content with food lately. I mean, I love sweets and really don't limit myself at all with food but I'm not as famished as before.

What I love: I want to take a second to reflect on something that I've been thinking a lot about this week. You might remember that the beginning of this pregnancy was a freaking nightmare. I had spotting, then a scary amount of red blood one day that soaked through my pants at work. My ultrasound that day showed a baby with a beautiful little heartbeat, but as my OB said, she was still really worried about this baby. She had never seen a baby make it with such a large subchorionic bleed like mine. A few weeks later, during my weekly follow ups when this baby girl was plugging right away like a champion, I asked my doctor more about my bleed. She showed me her formal report from that scary visit at 6 weeks and in plain old black and white she had written, '....most likely a pending miscarriage.' My baby girl was not supposed to make it. The odds were stacked against her and the future of this pregnancy was really, really bleak. I still remember feeling a sense of hope though, and I have no idea how I was able to hang onto anything positive at that point. But I did. And here we are, in the third trimester, with a baby girl that apparently likes to cause drama. And I could not be happier for this amazing gift. I love being pregnant. And I love that after such a rough start I've had a wonderful pregnancy so far. Not a day goes by that I don't feel thankful and humbled by this entire experience.

What I'm looking forward to the most: meeting our baby girl in 11 weeks-ish. Amazing.

Worries: Didn't make time to worry much this week. I guess as I inch closer to my 34 week mark, when my BP suddenly sky-rocketed last time and all hell broke loose with monitoring me for pre-E, I am a little anxious that it will happen again. But my OB claims there is only a 25% chance of history repeating itself so I'm trying not to think about it too much. I really think now that I'm only working 20 hours per week instead of 40, and I'm not nearly as physical in my job, maybe my body stands a chance to avoid the stress that might have caused pre-E? We shall see.

What is different this time around: Last time at 29 weeks I had my first experience throwing up during pregnancy, I had to stop running three days per week because I realized I was actually having contractions during my runs, I'd gained 25 pounds already, and my belly was looking legit! This time I still haven't actually thrown up, I'm definitely not running, I've gained about 22 pounds, and my belly is still much larger than it was the first time around (but maybe not SUCH a big difference anymore). I remember taking that 29 week belly pic last time down in Missouri---can't believe I'm already this far along right now, since that picture sort of seems like yesterday in a way.

Symptoms: A little bit of acid reflux at times, a sore back if I over do it, and it's definitely a struggle to sit up from laying down. I mean, really---for 29 weeks I have it pretty good right now.

Sleep: Love. Still quite comfortable and may require an occasional nap at times.


Movement: She's still shaking her stuff in there. I notice that she does a lot of really fast/crazy movements, rapid-fire-style, and it sort of makes me wonder what in the heck she is doing. I want to ask my OB at my appointment this week if baby girl is even close to being in head-down position yet. I have a feeling she isn't.

The belly: Getting rounder by the day. My belly button is as out as it's ever been and the skin around it is super itchy. No stretchies just yet....hang on there, skin of mine!

Milestones:  She is 2.5 pounds and 15 inches long and for me, personally, this is a fun day because it was Truman's original due date (Pi day!). Also, we are inching up on my BFP anniversary with baby Wren on 3/24. It's amazing to think it's almost been an entire year since that pregnancy began. Not really looking forward to hitting the other milestones with that loss--like the day after my birthday when we found out baby Wren was gone, or the anniversary of when I started the failure drug cytotec to induce my miscarriage (Mother's Day weekend), or the anniversary of when I started gushing blood and had to go to the ER (June 1), my D&C on 6/13, etc. It's sort of nice to think that at the tail end of those milestones, I should have baby girl in my arms to get me through the pain.

Amusing comments from the general public:  I had one really sweet patient ask me when I'm due (which still catches me off guard at times, like---wow, I guess I'm really pregnant!) and when I told her 'end of May' she was shocked. She said, 'You are so tiny!' I explained that this is my second child and I am showing even more this time, but that my long torso helps tremendously. She followed that up with 'I have a granddaughter who is tall and thin like you and she never shows much with pregnancy either.' And THAT, my dear public commenters, is a nice way to tie up a conversation about a pregnant woman's belly. Very sweet and not rude or demeaning. I'm happy to have a pleasant experience every now and then. :)

Best moment of the week: This whole week has been such a blur since we've been at the new house each night and all weekend long, working our fingers to the bone. But I think overall my highlight would have to have been this amazing weather we are having. It's supposed to get up to 70 sometime this week and our entire family is soaking up this glorious sunshine while it lasts. Can't wait until its officially spring, and I'm really looking forward to having baby girl during a great season of the year, too.