*I am writing this post delivery so hence why a lot of it is in past tense.

Ah! the beloved third trimester. I still prefer it to the first trimester but man, it gets REAL when you are achey, tired and can’t get up off the floor in less than three steps without grunting 😉 But in all honesty, this last few months have really been not so bad other than dealing with a global pandemic (hello Corona virus). My doctors appointments were a little different in that I had to go alone and wear a mask. I also had to grieve the loss of not having my family (particularly my mom) be there for the delivery/recovery but I will say, this whole process has really bonded us even more so with our own little family unit of 4, soon to be 5. I’m really proud of my kids and am so grateful for my husband and this unusual and unsettling time has made me realize that even more.

Ok, so lets jump into the usual questions that most people are curious to know.

Any Cravings?

FRUIT. I literally couldn’t get enough fresh fruit and even got creative adding it into my drinks. Strawberry lemonade was my favorite and I also made a lot of smoothies. I went through a pina colada faze as well. I’ve also been baking up a storm being stuck at home so I would be lying if sweets of every kind didn’t make the list.

How Am I Feeling?

I never could have imagined that I would end my pregnancy in the midst of a global pandemic….and considering I was pregnant with Quint during the Zika outbreak…I’d say my boys are quite resilient given the circumstances they entered into the world in. The positive of being quarantined is that it automatically slowed down our life, which was really helpful to me during this point of pregnancy. Of course I had concerns and worries about what this would look like to deliver a baby in the midst of all of this, but my doctor assured me that it wouldn’t feel that different aside from the mask requirements.

I officially started sleeping with my pregnancy pillow and it has been a lifesaver in helping keep me comfortable while sleeping. The one thing I don’t like about it is how hard it is to turn from one side to the other with it but honestly I couldn’t handle the back pain while sleeping on my side without it….so I can tolerate literally getting out of bed and moving it to switch sides!

My energy level seems to vary based upon the day, but I do feel more tired and winded while doing simple household tasks and due to COVID quarantine, I have assumed the role of our housekeeper so vacuuming and cleaning constantly since we don’t leave the house now feels like a work out, hah. I will be so glad when my kids (particularly my 3 year old with poor toilet aim) can use a public restroom!

I get up between 2-4 times a night to go to the bathroom and there have been a handful of nights where the insomnia hit.

And this might be TMI but hey, just being honest about it all…I developed hemorrhoids for the first time in any of my pregnancies/deliveries in my 39th week and holy cow…they are terrible. Between the weight of the baby and just having busy kids to keep up with, I think my body just couldn’t handle it much longer. Since I’m writing this post delivery, I’m happy to report they went away really quickly after I delivered…which is all I wanted to know when they first showed up because I could not imagine living my life with them. So if this is your reality, hang in there, they do go away.

Hows the Weight Gain?

Just as I expected based on my prior pregnancies where I gained 35-40 pounds, I ended my pregnancy with a total weight gain of 38 pounds. I didn’t have much swelling in my hands or feet this go around, but mainly in my calves. My legs felt a little achy from the water retention I was holding onto there but nothing too painful. I feel like you can see that somewhat in the photo above. I believe I was around 30 weeks there.

.

What Have I Enjoyed Wearing?

I rotate between my maternity nightgown, house dress and bathing suit for our afternoon swims. I just choose to wear a two piece (non-maternity) than buy a maternity swim suit so my belly is out in all of its full glory! ha!

Do I plan on being induced?

Yes! I was induced at 40w2d with Sutton and 39w with Quint. My dr has given me the go ahead to be induced at any point after 39 weeks so depending on his work schedule will determine the exact date. My due date is May 15 though I don’t plan on going a full 40 weeks since our kids tend to be pretty big babies.

—

I will work on the birth story next so stay tuned for that in the next week or so. I think it was my favorite birth experience yet so I look forward to sharing that with you!

Blaire

shop the post