This week marked 28 weeks or the beginning of 3rd trimester! I honestly cannot believe we have made it to this point. The pregnancy still feels so surreal to me. Even as my belly continues to grow and as I feel those precious little movements inside, I still wonder, "When am I going to wake up from this dream?" I don't think I've fully wrapped my mind around the fact that we will (God willing) be bringing a baby home to our formerly IF house before too long. I'm not sure if that's because the concept is too foreign to me or if I don't want to let me heart get too excited for fear of that not happening. (I think it's the later and my heart is still scared and scarred somewhat.)
Up until this week, I've felt pretty good (physically) regarding the pregnancy. (Emotionally, on the other hand, has been another story.) I've tried to maintain an exercise routine and eat healthy, but I am starting to feel the aches and pains of pregnancy this week (I think my age probably doesn't help either). My back is bothering me more if I stand too much during the day and I have short, but intense pains in various places on my belly. My legs also grow quite restless in the evening when I lay down to try and sleep. Each pain reminds me of the gift this is and how each day we get closer to meeting our little guy/girl. You will not hear me complaining about pregnancy to others around me. I've heard far too many pregnant women complain during my IF days, and I remember thinking how I would give anything to be in their shoes. Well, now I am, and I vowed I would never complain through a pregnancy.
I've also noticed my fatigue is back this week. I don't know if I'm more tired because my progesterone is up, my body is working so hard, I need more protein, or this is just what it'll be like for the remaining weeks, but I've been reminded that I need to slow down even more than I have been. My body is working hard to make and sustain this baby and I need to listen to it when it's tired in the afternoon. I don't know how pregnant moms keep working full-time. I know I sure couldn't do it.
Discharge: the surprise of pregnancy. I thought things would dry up because of all the progesterone production, but boy, have I been wrong. My chart is still full of yellow stamps and it seems that I now frequently have 6CY or 6PC observations (no infection as of last culture, so perhaps this is just the norm for me and pregnancy or maybe others experience it as well??) I'm still charting this "cycle" by the way. I kept charting through the 1st trimester as I did with the other pregnancies because I wasn't sure if this one would last, and then once I was past that point, I just kept charting because it's easy to keep track of when I do shots, when I check progesterone, etc. I don't know if many people chart through pregnancy, but my Napro Dr. (who is a researcher) is excited to have that information from me after the pregnancy is over.
My 10 minute OB appointments leave much to be desired. I miss the days of 45 minute appointments with my Napro Dr. Things just aren't the same outside the Napro world. She checks Baby's heartbeat, feels my uterus, measures fundal height, and then would send me on my way if I didn't come armed with questions. I always have questions written down that I bring to doctor's appointments. It doesn't matter which doctor it is, I want to be prepared. I start going to see the OB every 2 weeks now! That is crazy to think about.
My progesterone was 81 this week...81! That's Zone 2! I couldn't believe it. Protocol says I should go down to 100mg twice a week for the shots, and the rule follower in me would usually do that, but every time I have followed the progesterone protocol, my number has plummeted. (Last check was 36, mid Zone 1.) In fact, my numbers zig-zag up and down depending on the shot dosage- progesterone level up, decrease shots, progesterone level down, increase shots, progesterone level up...seriously....that has been the case every 2 weeks. So I think I'm going to break the rules and just keep on the 200mg or only decrease to 150mg twice a week and then recheck and see where the number is at. I hardly believe that 28 weeks in, my body has finally figured out how to produce enough progesterone on it's own. Plus, you can't overdose on progesterone during pregnancy, can you??
Now that I seem to be mostly over the 3-week cold, I'm full on nesting. There are so many things I want to do around the house (all the projects we never did while I was IF) before Baby comes- finish a basement room to have as our main guestroom, paint the nursery and other upstairs room, finish the laundry room, etc. We have a few deadlines that are helping to keep me motivated, but I'm really not sure if we can finish all that I would like to. That will be a post all to itself, I think.
Awesome! Glad to hear things are going well!
ReplyDeleteOh, the charting, the never ending charting. I cannot wait for the day that I have a pregnancy that "sticks" and I won't chart a single thing for 9 months. Oh, the bliss!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at FCP training, Dr. Hilgers said his biggest regret over the years is not having pregnant women chart throughout pregnancy. He was convinced there were clues to be found (in the chart) that could indicate risk of preterm labor. Infection was one of his concerns.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your progesterone is better! I'd probably break the rules too about the shots if I were in your shoes. :)
You're a week away from beating my time record for my pregnancy. (I had to have an emergency c-section at 29.5 weeks when I went severely pre-eclamptic.) Do all the nesting and prep stuff NOW because I've been told that your energy drops in the days before you deliver. We had two months of our son in the NICU and we ended up putting stuff together the night before we went to the hospital for the weekend to "room in" with him.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great update. So glad your energy is there to do all the projects you wanted to accomplish. I hope by baby doesn't mind a pink bumper in his bassinett! Ha! Good thing, though, his sister's theme was a neutral, green, Peter Rabbit...so this is okay.
ReplyDeleteI can't get around to painting...all I want to do is feel the baby move all day. And, being gestational diabetes...is like another full time job...so, I have accepted I will me mostly waiting and not much producing!
Just.so.happy.for.you.
Interesting about the idea of having women chart during pregnancy. WOW.
I'm THRILLED you are in the Third Trimester!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see all your projects around the house (hopefully you'll take pics and share)!
I had no clue about charting through a pregnancy. Neat!