Pregnancy Update: 28 Weeks

Hey all! So the last month has been a bit of a whirlwind. We closed on our home in Nashville, packed up all of our belongings of our little Georgetown condo, and officially made the move from DC to Nashville. From packing up boxes to organizing movers to waiting for our belongings and searching for the right furniture to space planning bedrooms - it has been quite a bit over the past few weeks. Nonetheless, my pregnancy journey is going great! Check out my stats below that have transpired over the past month.

​HOW FAR ALONG: 28 weeks. I've finally hit the third and final trimester!!
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TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: I’m currently weighing in around 146 lb. I weighed this at both my 26 and 28 week appointments. I stepped on the scale at the YMCA the other day and weighed 144 lbs. So anywhere around a 14 to 16 pound weight gain is where I stand right now. This is very average for a 25 to 30 lbs weight gain in totality, maybe even on the lighter side. With my first pregnancy, I gained a whopping 20 lbs during the last trimester. Even if I end up gaining that this time around, I'll end up close to a 35 pound weight gain, which I would be more than happy with, compared to my 60 pound weight gain in my first pregnancy.

DIET: My diet has been okay - I've been trying to eat as healthy as I can while on the road and with the moving process. We have been staying in hotels a lot and didn't have our cooking utensils at the new house, so I had to make do with eating out and vying for healthy options. That said, I've been pretty good about watching my diet, although it would be healthier if I were eating more meals at home. I really try to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, and to fill up on the healthy stuff first. I must say it is harder to dictate when you are full while pregnant. For some reason my fullness meter doesn't activate as readily as it does while not pregnant.

WORKOUTS: Working out has been a bit of a challenge with the move, as well, although I have been pretty active packing and moving boxes and getting the new house organized. I also found a newfound love for barre classes which I started in DC after realizing that running and yoga were a bit much at this point in pregnancy. Barre class has been the best pregnancy workout so far, especially as my belly has grown and my body has changed. It provides a bit of cardio without straining my belly, and it's quite easy to make modifications. It also helps me to tone areas that I wouldn't otherwise be focusing on with running. I really love barre and hope to find a great class in Nashville. Speaking of Nashville, Ryan and I recently joined the YMCA- which is AMAZING. The Y offers childcare with our membership, so I drop Lincoln off at the kid's club and get to workout without distraction. This is a game changer and the price is something that a nanny couldn't beat. Lately, I've been partaking in spin classes and also took a step class. My butt gets a little soar from spin class due to the extra weight I'm carrying in my belly, but overall it is a lower impact workout and easy on my pregnant body. Step class is also awesome and allows me to get some good cardio in without straining muscles. I'm so glad I found this outlet and also a place that offers classes; workout classes are my favorite because it forces me to work hard and also to get in at least an hour workout. Currently, we are on holiday vacation at my parents home in Colorado. Today, my mom and I took a class at that member's club they belong to that focused on toning. I'm happy to say that at 7 months pregnant, I am still getting in solid workouts. While it isn't every day, it is something that I'm proud of!

MATERNITY CLOTHES: So my belly has definitely grown - and so have my thighs! I now fit into the maternity clothes I had bought when I was pregnant with Lincoln. They are still a bit baggy, but are doing the trick, and hopefully will for the remainder of my pregnancy. My ski jackets also still fit me, which is coming in handy with the cold weather both in Nashville and in Aspen.

STRETCH MARKS: None yet! I am noticing my veins popping out quite in a bit more - like in my belly, there are tons of veins!! I remember that a breastfeeding consultant I hired with Lincoln told me that veins, especially prominent veins running through your breasts (TMI), are really good because it indicates good milk flow.

SWELLING: Once I hit 7 months, I started getting a little bit of swelling. I noticed that my wedding ring is getting tighter and my feet and hands look a little puffy. At 7 months in my first pregnany is around the time that I removed my wedding ring because it wouldn't fit. I also wasn't able to put my wedding ring back on until about 6 month postpartum - crazy! I hope this time around with my average weight gain that I will be able to wear my ring longer and to put it back on sooner postpartum.

SLEEP: So I'm sleeping really well, but around 27 weeks, I did go through two nights in which I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep. Two nights out of my entire pregnancy so far is pretty good, I have to say. I did read on my "The Bump" app that having trouble sleeping in the third trimester was very common, although after those two random nights, I haven't had much of a problem at all. I do notice that I am slightly less energetic throughout the day, but nothing that is out of the ordinary during this time in pregnancy. I am still able to workout and play with Lincoln during the day, which I feel great about!

BEST MOMENTS RECENTLY:  Seeing the baby at a 28 week ultrasound! I was able to see a very prominent profile picture of him or her. Looking at the little cutie, made me think it might be a girl because he/she looked so pretty. Not sure if this makes sense, but the baby looked very feminine to me. If he/she is a boy, he will be a very pretty boy, which will be the opposite of Lincoln - not because he isn't the cutest little guy I've ever seen, but because he is purely boy and looks purely boy - not much of a pretty boy at all.

MISS ANYTHING: Missing my runs still but also really happy about my big belly! Not sure about everyone else who has been pregnant, but I LOVE having a big ol' pregnancy belly. It makes me feel so girly and all powerful for some reason. You also feel delicate in a way that either your hub or friends/family/strangers should somewhat attend to you haha! I mean, it is common courtesy to be kind to a pregnant lady right? Since we are in Colorado, I am missing our Nashville home which is AMAZING but also love being present here with family. WINE - I am also missing wine. Ry and I went on a date night last night to one of our favorite restaurants, Campo di Fiori, in Aspen. It is so romantic and definitely called for a glass of wine... I miss it dearly, but pregnancy is definitely worth giving up some of the things you love!

MOVEMENT: This baby sure is a mover and a shaker. Lincoln wasn't a huge mover - he would just move at certain times throughout the day. I think this baby moves wayyyyy more consistently throughout the day letting mama know that he/she is there. Haven't felt as many hiccups. Lincoln started hiccupping like crazy at 7 months, which is exactly when I felt his first set.

FOOD CRAVINGS: Not craving a whole lot but I feel like my appetite both increases and decreases at this point. Sometimes I feel like I could keep on eating and eating and eating. Other times, I feel like my belly gets full so quickly and I don't have much of an appetite. Other than craving all of the delicious sweets (like everyone else during the holidays), I feel like my diet and cravings are very normal to what they would be when not pregnant.

ANYTHING MAKING YOU QEASY OR SICK: Nope.

LABOR SIGNS:  Not much. I had Braxton Hicks awhile back and notice cramping when I run or strain my body too much, but other than that I don't feel much of anything. The ultrasound tech also checked me for any preterm dilation and I wasn't dilated at all, which is a good sign at this point.

MOOD: Very positive. I am so happy to have a *home* now and feel so thankful to be at this point in our lives. Wow. The anticipation of a new baby is both exciting and worrisome. I am so excited to fall in love with a baby who has a new personality and so much love to offer the world. Ryan and I fell hard for Lincoln and it seems unfathomable to think that we could do the same for another. This is where the anxiety seems to set in. I love Lincoln so much and have fears that he will have a tough time transitioning with a new little one. I also feel that Ryan and I will need to transition ourselves to having TWO children rather than one. It has been a dream having one baby, and to have two I'm sure will be a dream as well - I just don't know how - ha! I also sometimes take people's comments to heart when they say, "Enjoy having one, two changes the game." --- and stuff like that. I LOVE hearing positive comments which I hear a lot of too - like, "You will find a newfound love for this baby and two will become the new norm." or "Two close together are so much fun because they play together." or "Two is much easier than what people say it is." I love hearing the positives - just dislike hearing the negative ones. Ryan and I definitely the kind of people who make the best out of the situations we are given, so I keep reminding myself of how amazing it will be to have a new little addition to our family.

PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS: I've had a bit of acid reflux once I hit the third trimester. I have TUMS by my side frequently. I haven't been drinking my lemon water because of travel, but hope to get back on this to help reset my system in the morning. I really think warm lemon water in the morning is a game changer, helping reduce acidity throughout the day. I also have noticed more aches and pains - nothing to write home about, but just making it harder to be super mobile and active. For instance, it is a challenge to get up off of the floor if I am down or picking Lincoln up has gotten more challenging. All in all, I feel healthy and thankful for the way my body is responding to this pregnancy.

GLUCOSE CHALLENGE: I took my glucose test and scored an 83!!! What, what. That is really good, I think? Disclaimer - I did have a smoothie in the morning that could have thrown it off lol - don't tell the doctor. I'm pretty sure you are supposed to do the test on an empty stomach. The doctor forgot to tell me and I forgot to remember! That said, I'm not concerned at all that I am a candidate for gestational diabetes, especially with how healthy my weight gain has been. With my second pregnancy I am a low more relaxed. I remind myself that they didn't have tests and ultrasounds in the past like they do nowadays, and to relax about all of these requirements that doctors have. I know that a doctor would think I'm crazy to say that, but I just trust in my body and trust in God and think that my pregnancy is 100% healthy and on track.

DOCTOR'S VISITS: So I had a 26 and 28 week pregnancy checkup. I did this because I needed to have a final appointment at Georgetown University Hospital before I left for Nashville. During this appointment, I got my Tdap shot and did the glucose test. I also transferred over all of my documents to the new doctor in Nashville. I then had a follow up appointment with my new doctor in Nashville. She is AMAZING. I needed a follow up ultrasound because baby's kidneys are slightly dilated and have shown so since my 24 week ultrasound. The doctor isn't at all concerned about this because she says it is so mild, but also wants to keep tabs on it. I will have a follow up ultrasound to check this out at 32 weeks, but need to do an ultrasound at that point anyways. I also got my Rogham shot because I am a negative blood type. This was no big deal! It's crazy to think I'll be delivering at a new hospital and also in Nashville, but I look forward to the process - especially because I'm firm on getting an epidural :)

LOOKING FORWARD TO: Everything!!

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