It seems I do baby updates once a trimester the third time around. It started as every week with Tommy, then every few weeks Connor and now once every few months with baby girl.
Now that Tommy’s Bday is in the “past,” I am ready for this baby. How am I feeling? Unprepared.
I’m feeling overwhelmed with information on social media regarding my pelvic floor and pushing. I suddenly forget the sleep, feed, awake cycle I did with Connor that potentially lead him to be such a good baby. I need to finish the nursery! I have a dentist appointment on Friday so she can’t come between now and then. Can you literally hear my brain spinning.
Nick and I never took a babymoon this time around. Yes, this is totally a privilege and even pre-pandemic people were lucky to take one… but when you have young kids, a break and time to just bond with your partner I think is so important. The pandemic has not been kind to relationships. I just feel like a night away just the two of us would have been really nice even if it was across town in a hotel. And now, we’ve run out of time…
The nursery was painted pink yesterday and I’m excited to finish decorating.
Weight Gain
I’ve surpassed my PR weight gain and am coming in around 35 lbs proudly. I gained 30 lbs over 41 weeks with the boys so little lady is already outpacing her brothers. I now weight more than Nick. I am not stressed about this, I simply am just sharing it as fact without any emotion attached. I know I will lose it eventually. It may take a year but I am confident in the tools I have to achieve this when I am motivated to take action.
Sleep + Cravings
Putting these two together because the things I crave directly effect my sleep.
If I eat fatty foods or anything tomato based, sleep is crappy! I can’t get comfortable, I wake up with heart burn, drink water, have a tum, have to pee, repeat… I wake up at least 3x a night. Frustratingly, I know what will disrupt my sleep but sometimes, I just am trying to be “easy” and if someone makes me homemade pizza, I’m not going to say no although this week, I’ve adamantly issued a tomato sauce ban in our household.
I don’t know why but I’ve been staying up late in bed watching TV instead of getting a good night’s sleep. I think this is because once baby is in our room those first few months, we can no longer lie in bed watching tv and I must go to sleep early due to night time feedings. The kids this week realized they needed to stay in their bed’s until 6:30 am and have even waited to wake us up until 6:45/7 so that has been lovely.
But I have not been craving a ton of thing except for creamy coffee, honey bunches of oats (new!) and yogurt. I didn’t have many cravings this pregnancy and that is still true. I continue to love fruit and vegetables but I’m getting increasingly lazy about preparing them. Who knew cutting a mango was so exhausting?!
Exercise
I gave up doing my FASTer Way workouts a week or so ago. I did this because I just needed too many modifications and it just wasn’t fun being sore on top of uncomfortable.
Instead, I started trying out the Expecting and Empowered free strength workouts. I must admit, they felt long – each move is prescribed for 15-24 reps, 3 sets of each move and there were 7+ moves with serious warm ups which took about 10 minutes… soooo it took me 45 minutes to do them when I’m used to 30-35 and done! I didn’t feel sore but I felt good. I felt energized and that’s what I was going for. I’m glad I did them but I am also glad I didn’t do them sooner as I really do love my FWTFL workouts.
I did buy the postpartum E+E guide and I’m excited to follow that program!
I do think I probably should have cut out lunges this pregnancy sooner. I’ve been experiencing SPD pain this pregnancy, something I didn’t acknowledge during my previous two pregnancies. “Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), or pelvic girdle pain (PGP), happens when the ligaments that normally keep your pelvic bone aligned during pregnancy become too relaxed and stretchy soon before birth (as delivery nears, things are supposed to start loosening up).” You can read more about it here. Not everyone has this but it’s common in pregnancy and lead to my tail bone feeling like it was being pulled apart in two different directions!
I have also kept up with Peloton workouts, sticking to 30-20 minute rides as well as bike bootcamp classes. I’ve been having fun, sharing modifications to the moves for the Pelo Preggo audience! I have a highlight reel on my insta for more modifications to popular exercise moves.
I probably workout 5 days a week for like 30 minutes. It helps me just feel better. The last time I didn’t workout for 2 days straight, I woke up literally feeling depressed. I knew the feelings were new and so I have just tried to avoid taking two days off in a row since even if it’s just a 20 minute fun ride.
Trying to Induce Labor/Induction
I have been actively eating my 3-6 dates per day, drinking red raspberry leaf tea, doing my squats like in this YouTube video titled Activating Labor, I even did accupuncture on Monday…
Since I’ve been induced twice now at 41 + 3 and 41 + 1 days pregnant, I have low expectations to go into labor on my own. I do have an induction scheduled though. With Covid and two kids who need a caregiver, it was my choice to make. I’m going to have a membrane sweep on Friday I hope and then we shall wait and see what happens!