How far along?
31 weeks today! 7/14/15
How big is baby?
About the size of a pineapple. Or about the size of a loaf of sliced bread.
Two weeks ago, baby was weighing approximately 3lbs 10oz (according to the growth check scan)
How am I feeling?
body-wise: xtra-large (baby bump measured at a whopping 37 weeks, at today's midwife appt.) I knew I was 'larger than average', but didn't think I was THAT much larger. ha! BUT I'm loving my belly right now! and aches and pains are actually less right now; Praise God!!
(spd is at a minimal, if I'm careful. back aches are also at a minimum, just off and on, depending on what I've done in the day. Swelling is at a minimum as well. I've only had funky swollen legs about three times.
health-wise: I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes two weeks ago. It has not been easy. I just want to be able to eat what I want, when I want... but I can't. I have to test my glucose 4 times a day. And last week, they started me on Glyburide, because my fasting numbers weren't what they wanted to see. It's so bitter-sweet. On the down-side, pregnancy cravings are NO JOKE, and I can't always satisfy a craving . . . okay, more like I can NOT satisfy any cravings right now. I have to modify my craving into something I can eat. So, it's not the same. But on the up-side, it has really helped me to control my weight gain even more. I feel soooo much better. I'm not so blugh and sluggish. Also, it seriously keeps me motivated to walk a lot more frequently now. So, as you can see, it's added a lot of healthy changes in my days. :) --but it's so depressing, upsetting, frustrating, disappointing, and annoying!!! ha!
An itchy belly kicked in about four days ago, I really thought that I was going to avoid it all together, this pregnancy. It normally pops up a lot earlier in pregnancy for me. BUT it just waited to join in on the very *fun* week that I've had this week (with emotions and my crazy glucose readings).
mood-wise: All. Over. The. Place. --really.
recently, I've had a few days where I just feel like crying with everything . . . all day long. My temper is SO s short these days. I'm not used to it. and I'm sure kids and hubby aren't either. :( I def don't feel like myself in that area. Just about everything irritates and bothers me. No one can seem to do anything right around here (according to mommy). :( I've labeled these crazy moods as "Monster Mommy"... how sad; I know. But I'm sure it's just all the raging hormones. God-willing it will pass VERY soon. And hopefully it's not really *as bad* as I personally feel it is...?
everything else: I'm super excited that we are getting closer and closer to our goals!!
For a while now, I've been saying that 37 weeks, "full term", was our big goal. Obviously, it still is, but, my first "little" personal goal has been 34 weeks. I want to make it past 33 weeks without any signs of preterm labor. Thanks when I spontaneously went into labor with Liam and Elly. 33 weeks and 4 days. And then, after that one, I will be so thrilled to get past 35 weeks without any signs of preterm. That's when I had KJ. So, today my midwife said 36 would be just fine to have baby. But I'd still love to make it to, at the very least, 37 weeks. :) ...only God knows how this journey will go. I'm so very excited!!
Weight?
+18 lbs, according to my midwife's numbers.
But +20 lbs, according to the scale at the gym (the one I was using to track my weight-loss before pregnancy).
Either way, I am happy with those numbers. With the twins, I was up 32 lbs at 33 weeks. So, so far, so good, right? I know I'm not done gaining yet, but at least this new diet has really helped me control it.
What do I miss?
Sleep.
I just can't seem to sleep well these days. I'm constantly tossing and turning. I have two options: left-side or right-side. Neither keep me comfy for a long enough time to actually feel rested. My hips get a radiating burning pain after a while of laying on one side. So, I turn over, and then the same pain creeps up on that side too. So, I turn again... all night long.
Fulfilling my cravings.
Eh. I whine and pout about it, to no end. But most times, it's just how I chose to help me deal with having to tell myself "No!", when I want, what I now call "no-no foods" or "naughty food". haha
Cravings?
My favorite foods have been: watermelon. fajita tacos with pico de gallo and sliced avodado.
But now with the new GD diet, I can't just eat them as I please. I have to time and measure it out if I want to enjoy a bit.
Oh, and the weirdest food thing, this pregnancy, has been my desire for strawberries. I do NOT like them. I've never "liked" strawberries. I used to 'tolerate' them, as needed. But, seriously, if I wanted to enjoy some strawberry shortcake, I'd leave out the strawberries! haha! I just liked the strawberry sauce. I never ever cared for strawberry jelly. anything strawberry was an automatic 'no thank you'. And before the GD diet, which now limits what and how much fruit I can eat, and during what time of the day, I would actually find myself going to the fridge just to pluck a strawberry out to eat it! It's just soooo strange to me! Nothing like this has ever happened, in any of my pregnancies. (It's just so very strange! I have gone many years of passing up even a bite of a strawberry. I have always bought them for my family. Washed them. Cut them nicely. And served them up with breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner . . . and NEVER cared to pop one in my mouth. So, so, so, so very strange! Right?!)
Highlights of the week?
Our goal of making it to 37 weeks has now been changed to "if you can make it to 36 weeks, all should be good to go, if labor wants to get started.". What?? Knocked one week off, just like that. Now, I'm not saying I want to have my baby at 36 weeks. All it really means to us, and why it excites me sooo much, is that there is one week less to "worry" about the possibility of having a third preterm labor. After 36 weeks, we can just relax and whatever happens happen! (No more pelvic rest, which we started on our own at around 27 weeks or so. No more stressing about contractions starting a pattern. No more wondering if I'll "make it"...) Sounds super awesome to me! :)
Come on 36 weeks... let the countdown begin!
Come on 36 weeks... let the countdown begin!
