Third Trimester, already?!

I've been in my third trimester for a couple of weeks now. Crazy, eh?! Where did the time go?
This is what my baby looks like right now at 29 weeks...


How my baby's growing:
My baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, I need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, I need to find a good source of it (not cow's milk!) such as goat's or sheep's milk dairy products, green leafy veg (spinach, parsley, broccoli), garbanzo beans, brown rice, and some nuts and seeds (like sesame seeds)... to name a few. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in my baby's hardening skeleton each day. In regards to nutrition, with the extra time on my hands at the moment, I've been focusing more on eating well. I made a chart of all the vitamins and minerals I should be getting every week, and the foods that I can get those nutrients from. I am then planning weekly meals around them to ensure I get everything I need!

How my life's changing:
My baby's very active now. Mark is often able to feel him kicking... even if we're hugging!

An old friend — fatigue - has returned. I don't like taking naps because I always feel there's more to do (although I do like the actual laying down in bed/napping/sleeping part), but lately I've been giving in. As much as I don't feel like sleeping is useful, I need more of it, and thankfully I am able to get it.

My growing uterus has also contributed to a haemorrhoid! I wasn't sure what it was at first, and in case you're not quite sure haemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in your rectal area. They are common during pregnancy and usually clear up in the weeks after giving birth. Mine thankfully hasn't been itchy or painful, just sort of there. I'm supposed to avoid sitting or standing for long stretches (difficult!).

Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy, where laying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. I think it's because the weight of the uterus is bearing down on a major artery. I actually don't get this too bad, but in general I've been a lot more uncomfortable when I'm trying to sleep. I'm using two pillows for my body, in varying positions, to accommodate my restless nights. I'm also working on moving slowly as I go from lying down to sitting and then standing.

I've been regularly working out at least 3 times a week, which has been great. I've also checked out some helpful book from the library, "Pregnancy Yoga," "Pregnancy Pilates," and "Aqua Yoga for Pregnancy." (Are my commas and period in the right place there?) The stretching has been really good.

It's fun actually looking pregnant, and having people take notice. Now I'm wondering how much bigger I'll get. Sometimes I feel huge, at other times I still feel quite small. I'm enjoying the challenge of getting dressed everyday. I can fit into most of my clothes still, it's a matter of finding something that looks cute on my growing bump!

I think I've been sitting too long now, so I'll let you go. Thanks for reading!

Not my baby!

Below I'm holding Piper Lee Loftis, who was then 9 days old! I think she's winking at the camera.

My belly at 28 weeks.

Mark was sneaking in some model shots =)

Week 28

Week 28! Can you believe it?! My friend Erika said that I'm finally looking my gestation. Photos of me to come soon, but first... my baby =)




By this week, my baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can open and close his eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing.

Now, I received an a letter this week, with an interesting comment. They referred to someone having Braxton Hicks contractions as though that indicated an onset of labour. NOT TRUE. To dispell this myth, if you were under that impression...

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

"Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic uterine contractions that start about 6 weeks into your pregnancy, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after mid-pregnancy, if you notice them at all. (Some women don't.) They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872.

As your pregnancy progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to come somewhat more often, but until you get to your last few weeks, they'll probably remain infrequent, irregular, and essentially painless. Sometimes, though, Braxton Hicks contractions are hard to distinguish from early signs of preterm labor.

By the time you're within a couple of weeks of your due date, your contractions may get more intense and more frequent, and they may cause some discomfort. Unlike the earlier painless and sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions, which caused no obvious cervical changes, these contractions may help your cervix "ripen" — gradually soften and thin out (efface) and maybe even dilate a bit. This period is sometimes referred to as pre-labor."

I say this because I too have had numerous BH contractions (confirmed to me by a doctor), and when I told someone completely of a non-medical profession... they didn't believe me. But, there you have it. BH contractions can start at 6 weeks! Mine have been uncomfortable, but not really painful. It feels like my stomach is tightening, like a massive charlie horse coming on, but not to that painful extent. It makes my stomach rock hard... pretty weird.

I need to get ready for church, but photos of me to come soon!