They say you get your energy back in the second trimester. Was that true for you?
Yes! I felt totally back to my normal energy levels right around 12 weeks. I’m at exactly 28 weeks now, and I still feel like my energy level is high. It has been hard not being able to exercise.
What was the best part of the second trimester?
For sure feeling the baby kick! I’ll never get sick of it. Sometimes I’ll miss the feeling and tap my belly just to get the baby to give me a little kick. I love having my family feel the kicks, too. It’s so fun to watch their faces light up with each kick. Most nights before bed, Zak puts his hand on my belly and just talks to the baby. It’s the sweetest thing.
Also, seeing Baby K’s face! I mean can you even handle that little nose?!
What’s been the biggest challenge of your pregnancy so far?
Not letting the worry of things going wrong overwhelm me. It feels like nearly every time I’ve gone to the doctor, there has been a new potential issue. I’m going to share with you all of the medical issues that came up for me during the second tri, but I don’t want you to think that I’m complaining about all of this happening. It was certainly really hard and really scary at times, but I am certain that all of these things have prepared me to be a better mother and have made me a stronger person.
What have the medical challenges been?
Contractions. You can read more about my extensive journey with preterm contractions here. I would get so nervous every time I contracted that I was going to start going into labor. Fortunately, the contractions have not created any change in my cervix and baby is staying put. I don’t get the same panic everytime I get a contraction anymore because I have enough evidence built up telling me it’s okay.
Partial Placenta Previa. They found this at my 19 week anatomy scan. This means the placenta is partially cover the cervix. If that didn’t move, the doctor said I would have to have a c-section. No option of a vaginal birth. But luckily, I found out around 26 weeks that it had moved. So happy!
Modified Bed Rest (to help slow the frequency of contractions). This has challenged me mentally and physically. My body hurts from not being able to move around. I get what I call “couch back” from laying on the couch for too long. It’s mentally challenging because I’m so used to being active and on my feet all day. Especially now that school is back in session, it’s hard not to be in my classroom with my students.
Concern About Small Head Circumference. This appeared on the ultrasound done at 26 weeks. Baby’s head was measuring under 5%. My doctor said that her worry about this was very low because the baby was in the head-down position, and it could just be that the bones were overlapping causing a inaccurate read. She wanted me to get an ultrasound with the maternal fetal medicine doctor to check just to be safe. Naturally, I was panicked that something was very wrong. I had to wait 6 days before the maternal fetal medicine office could get me in for the ultrasound. Thankfully, once again, everything’s totally fine and the baby’s head is growing normally!
For the icing on the cake (sugar reference intended), I failed my one-hour glucose test at my 27 week appointment. It’s supposed to be under 135, but mine was 151. That put me squarely in the grey area of the test, so that meant I had to go in for a three-hour glucose test to determine whether I had gestational diabetes or not. That required me to do a three-day high carb diet, which wasn’t the worst thing in the world. This diet literally required me to eat at least one dessert every day, plus a whole bunch of other carby foods at each meal. Then, the night before the test I had to fast starting at 10 pm and couldn’t eat (or drink) until the test was over. The test started with me getting a blood draw and then downing the sugary glucose drink. Then, it was three hours, three more blood draws (one blood draw every hour). I anxiously awaiting the results of that test. And…I passed!
Not a short list, I know, but everything is okay! I keep reminding myself to count my blessings because, so far, all of the worrisome things that have happened have turned out fine, thank goodness! Biggest mission is to keep calm, keep my feet up, and keep Baby K inside.
Body changes?
Really just the bump! I feel like I popped right around 22 weeks.
My boobs hurt soooo badly during the first trimester, but that went away when the second trimester started.
No stretch marks (yet). I put bio oil on every day, but honestly I know this doesn’t do anything aside from keeping my skin moisturized. Everything I’ve read says that stretch marks are genetic. You either get them or you don’t. I have a ton of old stretch marks from adolescence and from the freshman 30 I packed on my first year of college, so I’m hoping my body has some give because of those, but who knows! I’ll either get them or I won’t. If I do, they’ll just be proof of my body doing this amazing thing.
I’ve developed a little bit of a waddle when I walk. Super sexy, I know. I get a little lower back pressure and sciatica pain when I walk, which I believe are the waddle culprits. It’s cute.
How’s the nursery coming along?
If looking at Pinterest every day counts as progress, then I am really far along. Otherwise, not a whole lot has been done yet. We ordered the crib and dresser–my parents’ first gift to Baby K. Those two items should be in before September ends. My sisters got us the glider and ottoman, which just came this past week. The only other item we have so far is the rug.
I definitely am feeling the urge to nest, but I also recognize that the baby is not going to be sleeping in its nursery for a little while, so we have time to get things ready. It’s totally a biological thing, though. All I want to do is hunker down and get everything ready! I’ll start to post nursery updates once the big furniture gets delivered!
How are you preparing for birth?
We just took a birth class the other day through the hospital where I will be delivering. It was taught by a Labor and Delivery Nurse who has 40 years of experience. She gave us some breathing techniques to help distract from the pain and gave a lot of good info about different things to expect, one of the most important being to not expect things to go to plan.
I’m planning on getting an epidural, but I still want tools in my toolbox to know how to manage labor in any scenario. I’ve heard stories from a lot of women who have had all different sorts of problems, from the epidural not working to needing an emergency c-section and so much in between. I’m going to continue learning about techniques to help me handle labor and ways to create a positive, relaxing environment in the delivery room. I’ll have a list of a few things I’d like to have happen on a birth plan type of document, but I’m not going nuts with a birth plan because I know the longer the birth plan, the more likely things will go wrong. It’s the whole idea of “we make plans and God laughs.” Everyone says they just want a healthy baby, but it’s so true.
Also, Zak was the MVP of the class. He volunteered to help demonstrate labor. And it was amazing. I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard.
What cravings have you been having?
I honestly didn’t really have any. I want all the fruit. Watermelon has been my jam all summer long. I can eat a container of blueberries easily in one sitting. There are worse things, right? Now that we are entering cider mill season, donuts are sounding pretty good lol!
When will you start packing a bag for the hospital?
The teacher of the birth class suggested packing a bag 4-6 weeks before your due date. I’ll probably pack it closer to 6 weeks before because of all the contractions I’ve been having. I’d rather just get it done early and be on the safe side. A good tip someone gave me is to put some sticky notes on your hospital bag to remind you to take the stuff you can’t pack because you use every day, like face wash, hairbrush, etc…
What are you most excited about going into the third trimester?
I’m excited to have this baby continue to grow. I’m sure I’m going to get more uncomfortable, everyone says that’s what happens. But as hard as some of the challenges of pregnancy have been, I never forget how much I prayed to be pregnant. Every night I prayed for the ability to carry a healthy baby, and my prayers have been answered. I’ll only be pregnant for a limited amount of time in my life, so I’m going to soak up the kicks and punches as best I can. Even with everything that’s happened, I love being pregnant.