PREGGO UPDATE: WEEK 16- WEEK 21

Hey hey hey… Cate here! I’ve finally taken a moment to sit down and review the last 5 weeks of pregnancy! Life has been busy with work and family and running a household. I can’t believe how fast time is going by! Last Wednesday marked 20 weeks in my pregnancy. I’m half way there! As you can see, I've been having fun with different outfits and the things I pair them with. I always want to be comfy and this Mommylicous Maternity Fringe Gal Maternity T-shirt is seriously one of the softest and cutest items in my closet! It's long enough to prance around the house in as a dress or wear shorts with. In this ensemble, I decided to bring out my inner bohemian and hippy style. This Fringe Gal Tee (click to view) is super versatile and loose fitting so it grows with your belly. I added a belt here just to give the outfit an extra flair (literally)! In my book, a definite MUST for pregnancy and non! I will be wearing this even more as it warms up, even as a bathing suit cover up - yes! Be sure to checkout Mommylicious Maternity to see their full collection of dresses, tops, bottoms, sleepwear, nursing, and more! (view more images below)
 
Now for the "Bump Update"-
​The below is a little overview of the last couple weeks of pregnancy broken down into different categories:
 
SUPPLEMENTS: I’m still taking all the same supplements which consists of the following:
-Omega- 3
-Multi Vitamin w/ Iron
-5-MTHFR (my B vitamin/folate- instead of folic acid, since I have the MTHFR gene mutation means my body produces 30 to 70% less methyl-folate than someone without the mutation does)
-Vitamin D
-Vitamin C
-Probiotic (VSL#3, which has a whopping 117.3 BILLION bacteria)
-Iron Bisglycinate (because at about 12 weeks I had slight anemia)
-Osteomatrix (calcium/magnesium)
 
Woo! Ok, so most of you are thinking I’m nuts! But I’ve taken a lot of supplements off and on for years and both my naturopath and nutritionist recommend the above for me for all my prenatals to have a healthy, strong, and well developed babe! Of course it’s my choice, and I always prefer taking as much as I can knowing it’s good for me. If you aren’t one to take on this many supplements, just be sure your prenatal vitamin is NOT commercialized and is in fact a legit brand and made very well. There are a lot of really poor prenatal vitamins and other supplements out there, so BE CAREFUL AND DO YOUR RESEARCH! I suggest adding a fish oil and a probiotic, as well as a vitamin d on top of your prenatal vitamin if you can’t do the crazy amount I take. HOWEVER, please consult your doctor/nutritionist before doing so. Again, your blood work will tell them what YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS ARE. : )
 
PHYSICAL:
 
*16 WEEKS:
At my 16 week appointment, I weighed in at 129 (from 124 at 8 weeks pregnant). I must admit, I thought about what I was going to wear that wouldn’t weigh so much. : ) I even took off my boots. You know, that could have added and extra pound! Haha. But truly, there is no need to be looking at the scale.
 
*17 WEEKS:
I first felt Baby B move at 17 weeks! With Kai it was so different! I think I was about 23 weeks before I felt a little flutter! 17 weeks also marked when my belly really popped and I was almost out of the awkward face of pregnancy. Although, laying down was much more noticeable than when I was standing.
 
*18 WEEKS:
Duke felt Baby B move at 18 weeks, which was so awesome, and Saturday March 4 was the first time I saw my tummy move (I even got it on video)! ALSO, my boobs finally were not so tender at about this time or around 17 weeks. I can actually hug my husband without readjusting my girls now. Haha!
 
*19 WEEKS:
My skin started to clear up, besides my neck, at about 19 weeks. I’m pretty prone to breakouts, but when I was pregnant with Kai my skin was super clear!
 
*20 WEEKS:
At my 20 week ultrasound the nurse said I was measuring 6 days ahead (again, I don’t pay much attention to that). Also, the cyst on my right ovary is getting smaller, and the baby apparently “has long legs.” Haha! I weighed 136.4 (from 129 at 16 weeks) with the baby measuring 14 ounces. I don’t pay too much attention to the scale and never have. I don’t even own one. I’ve definitely gained more muscle in the last couple weeks, so I’m happy about that! One thing they did see on the ultrasound, after the technician spent about 20 minutes or so measuring all Baby B’s body parts and such, was slighty inflamed kidneys. The nurse wants me to see another doctor with a more advanced ultrasound machine to see if they can more clearly see if the baby’s kidneys are in fact inflamed. If that is the case, she wants me to get that same ultrasound once a month. If they don’t see anything abnormal, then I will resume my normal schedule of ultrasounds for the remainder of my pregnancy. I’m really not concerned at all. Ilas was told a very similar thing about her baby. If anything, hearing that makes me more accountable to eating clean and giving my baby all the necessary nutrients. Also, I don’t tend to worry and over think certain things like this. You could say it’s not my personality but I must say, God plays a HUGE part in this. I simply trust Him.
 
Aside from that, I had heartburn (AKA acid reflux) a couple of times. TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING, watch your intake of mint, chocolate, carbonated beverages, and acid foods. Mamas, if you’re drinking soda on a regular basis, you may want to think about what’s actually in soda. Yikes! Not good for you and NOT good for your baby. Also, give yourself a couple hours after you’ve eaten before laying down. This will help your body not experience that yucky heart burn feeling!
 
21 WEEKS: I’m feeling strong, healthy, and energetic! Besides feeling the baby move all the time, having a tummy, and having pregnancy brain (yes, it’s real), I don’t really “feel” pregnant! Baby feels really low sometimes, which I was told is normal because after each pregnancy your uterus is slightly stretched out than the prior pregnancy. Makes sense right!

EMOTIONAL: I’m in a great place mentally! My hormones don’t feel out of whack like they did a bit the first trimester. All is well and the excitement is stirring about having another little boy! It’s a blessing to see Duke feel the baby move and get excited.
 
SPIRITUAL: I feel so grateful to the Lord for my journey. Plain and simple. Our prayers continue for Baby B, and we encourage Kai to lay hands on my tummy and pray for his “little brother.” It’s honestly one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen!
 
FOOD: FUELING MY BODY.
I’ve been working on cutting out sugar because for a while there I was craving chocolate and sweets. I wasn’t going overboard but I do want to keep the sugar to a minimum. To do so, I am focusing on getting enough protein (at least 70-80 grams per day). Sometimes it is difficult to do so, but I’m mindful of it. I am adding raw hemp seeds and chia seeds to my salads, smoothies, oatmeal, and such. Also, I love nut butters but only eat organic (especially peanuts)! I took a break from eating sourdough bread and bread in general for a while but just bought some yesterday and absolutely LOVE my avocado toast with Himalayan sea salt, pepper, organic garlic powder, and lemon juice. I accompany this with eggs and do my best to get 1-3 eggs per day. I am getting in the habit of keeping hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick little snack (of course with some sea salt). Sea salt, which contains, iodine is an essential hormone balancing nutrient. So don’t stray away from salt as it is good for fetal development! I’m also eating handfuls of blueberries on the daily for some antioxidants! I also choose pears, apples, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as papayas if they are organic which is sometimes rare.

Because of my anemia, I'm supposed to be eating beef or chicken liver once a week. Oh my gosh... I tried it a couple weeks ago and almost threw up, and I don't have a weak stomach! I'm going to give it a whirl again, and this time I will be making a pate. I buy only grass fed organic liver from Whole Foods and only need about a silver dollar size amount per week. Liver has up to 10mg per of iron per serving, so this is why both my naturopath Dr. Koren Barrett and nutritionist Cheri Swanson request I eat it so my anemia doesn't worsen throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. All I have to say is, it's ALL FOR THE BABY! Eek! : )
 
FITNESS: After returning from Nashville and being sick with a cough at 18 weeks, I finally started a fairly consistent workout regimen with cardio boxing/kickboxing- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes I make the Saturday morning HIT class. Because I am now feeling great, I make it to the gym and have noticed my thighs and booty are firmer, plus my arms are getting more cut- thank you boxing! I can still do guy pushups (woo hoo!), burpees, kettle bell swings, plank variations, tons of squats and lunges, and high intensity interval training that really gets my heart rate going and makes me feel so good! The only thing I avoid in class is any ab exercise like crunches, leg lifts, Russian twits, etc.
 
That’s all for now!
 
Please comment below if you’d like to hear more about what to eat during pregnancy, fitness dos and don’s, or anything you would like to hear more about from Ila and me.
 
Blessings,
 
Cate