It’s really hard to believe I’m six months pregnant! Yesterday was the 25 week mark, so I thought it was time for a little bumpdate! First, I’m starting to really look pregnant. This is where it gets interesting, so I’m thinking I may share monthly bumpdates from here on out. Hopefully we still have 3-4 months to go!
Physical Symptoms
Low Back Pain: This is the primary symptom right now. Sometimes there’s a sharp, shooting pain on the right side, and sometimes it’s just a dull overall pain. It’s usually most annoying on days where I am really active and up and moving a lot throughout the day. On those days, I’m usually ambling around like a gorilla by late afternoon. 🙂
Sleep: So far, so good! I have resisted buying the Snoogle, mostly because it’s expensive and takes up a lot of space. I’m a good sleeper in general and have been just fine with a Comfilife knee pillow so far. I usually still sleep through the whole night.
Energy: I am feeling generally like my old self again! I have good energy throughout the day unless I’ve been up and moving all day. Then I’m still pretty wiped out and need to lay down at night, but it’s nothing like the first trimester.
The Bump: I really feel like Baby Girl went through a growth spurt over this past weekend! I went from having a bump that seemed to go up and down depending on what I was wearing and how much water I was drinking last week to a pretty consistent and legitimate prego belly this week. I’m happy that this reminds me Baby Girl is growing right on schedule!
Other Symptoms: I have the occasional evening heartburn, but it’s nothing that Tums can’t handle (and the berry ones are actually delicious!). I haven’t noticed any stretch marks yet, and I think I’m gaining weight on schedule! I haven’t been weighing myself, so I should probably ask the doctor at my next appointment.
Diet and Exercise
Diet: I still haven’t had any crazy cravings, and I’m trying not to use pregnancy as an excuse to eat all the sweets and pizza that everybody craves anyway. I do have a healthy appetite now, though! I’m thankful to be past the aversions. I am trying to eat healthy small meals throughout the day. For breakfast I usually have OJ and scrambled eggs with veggies, black beans, salsa, avocado and corn tortillas or a Greek yogurt parfait with blueberries, honey, and granola. My favorite snacks are hummus & carrots or apples & almond butter, just like before pregnancy. Overall, we’re trying to keep Baby Girl supplied with calcium, protein, and Vitamin D.
Exercise: Will and I have been loving riding our bikes on the many great bike trails around Arlington! Otherwise, I have been walking Pippa a lot more now that the weather is nice, and I try to squeeze in a Tracy Anderson prenatal DVD workout and/or prenatal yoga a couple times a week.
Updates on Preparation for Baby
Nesting: I started the nesting process by getting a storage unit and cleaning everything we don’t use on a regular basis out of the apartment. The focus is on the guest room, but in the process, I would really like to just clean out everything we own! This has been exhausting but rewarding, and we have a huge box of stuff for Goodwill and a storage unit that is filling up! We’ve ordered the dresser and picked a crib, but we need to move the guest bed and Will’s desk out of the guest room at the end of this month before we can get those delivered.
Registries: This is getting serious now! We registered at Buy Buy Baby and Target, and I really need to finish these this week. My mom and I stopped by Buy Buy Baby and got the stroller while she was here, so that’s a huge step!
Preparing for Labor: I decided against a doula for now, unless something changes. I’m going to read this book about labor and delivery, and Will is going to read this one. We’re also going to take two classes at the hospital about labor. I feel good about that! I talked to my OB about whether I need a “birth plan” and decided that my plan is going to be to have a healthy baby and trust the doctors. The only thing I care about really is skin to skin time after delivery, which our hospital does routinely anyway.
Wardrobe Update
I switched to all maternity pants around week 22 or 23, and I love them! I don’t know why we’re all not wearing maternity jeans all the time, y’all. They’re awesome. The weird thing is that last week I was still able to zip most of my skirts! This week, no way. Mom and I got a ton of great, comfy, super cheap summer maternity clothes at Old Navy this past weekend, so I’m set for the rest of pregnancy! I can still wear a lot of my dresses comfortably, but I prefer maternity clothes at this point. I am excited to live in my Old Navy stuff all summer.
Highlights of the Past Month
Baby Kicks! This is the best development since the gender reveal! I can feel her moving pretty clearly when I sit or lay down at night. Lately, though, she’ll be kicking and then Will will put his hand on my stomach to feel her, and she stops! I don’t know if this is sweet because she is calmed by Will’s hand or if she’s playing a joke on him. Either way, feeling her move around is a wonderful reminder that there’s a healthy little person living in there!
Other Thoughts: I love having a bigger bump and looking pregnant! I am trying to stay active and healthy, but I’m perfectly ok with being big. That just means Baby Girl is growing like she’s supposed to! I have a little anxiety about getting the nursery done and having all the gear, but making progress on the clean-out project and buying the stroller helped. We can’t get the dresser and crib in until we get the guest bed and desk out, so I just need to be patient. “Moving day” is April 30th, and we’re thankful for friends who have volunteered to help!
What We’re Excited For
I’m actually really excited for our classes at the hospital! We’ve signed up for a labor and delivery class, an advanced relaxation class, a breastfeeding class, and an infant care class over the next couple of months. I’m also super excited for baby showers, getting the guest room cleared out, and actually setting up the nursery! We’re getting more and more excited to actually have a baby join the family by the day, but I have to admit that I’m not quite ready yet!
Maybe I’ll have less to say at 28 weeks, but I sure hope we have more progress made!
See all my pregnancy posts here.
