Pregnancy Update #5: 29-32 Weeks

29-32 Week Update

29 1/2 weeks

My funny shadow at 30 1/2 weeks :)

30 1/2 weeks

How far along: 32 weeks!

Total weight gain: 22 lbs.

Notes from Dr. Appointment(s): 

• I went to the doctor at 30 weeks, and now I start going every 2 weeks! Yay! This is starting to feel real. :) The appointment was pretty quick, and everything looked good. My blood pressure was 120/78 (which was good, but it's always way higher at the doctor's office than when I check it at the grocery store--I guess I get nervous!), and the baby's heart-rate was around 150. My fundal height measured at 30 centimeters, which is right on for my due-date.
• I also had an unexpected visit to Labor & Delivery and then to my doctor's office this week...Long story short: I have been having some mild contractions, but as of right now they aren't dilating my cervix (thank goodness!). Not fun or comfortable, but as long as we can keep baby girl in there for at least five more weeks, I will take it! (More details for my memory: When I went in to Labor & Delivery, they hooked me up and monitored me, and it looked like I was having a few mild contractions, so they checked my cervix and did a fetal fibronectin test. The test was just a quick swab of my cervix and is supposed to be very accurate in determining if a woman is going to go into labor in the next two weeks by looking for a chemical that is released at that time. Thankfully this test came back negative.)
• Update: I went in again today for my 32 week appointment. Everything looked good! My contractions/cramping have slowed down a lot and just seem like normal braxton hicks now. My blood pressure was 122/77, and the baby's heart-rate was good--I forgot to ask what the number was. My fundal height measured at 32 centimeters, still right on track for August 29th. I also got my Tdap vaccine at this appointment (for whooping cough). So grateful everything is looking good! 

Maternity clothes: Yep. My wardrobe is getting pretty lame, and I'm sure that it's only going to decrease over the upcoming weeks. It's funny, I have noticed this week that I will put something on that I wore just the week before, and suddenly it's super tight around my belly. Baby is growing big!

Stretch marks: Not yet!

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well most nights. (Although with this new crampiness/contractions issue, I haven't been sleeping as well.) I definitely don't feel as rested as I normally do (not pregnant) in the morning, and sometimes it's super hard to pull myself out of bed and get to work. However, I've heard of a lot of people who can't sleep at all during the end of pregnancy, so I'm grateful for the sleep I'm getting!

Aches/Pains: Feeling a little more queasy the past few weeks--not nearly as bad as the first four months or so, just kind of yucky. I've also started feeling more achy, especially all around my stomach and lower back. Also, as mentioned, I've been having some sometimes painful contractions and just feeling generally pretty crampy. Just taking it easy and trying my best to keep this baby cooking a little longer!

Best moment this month: As always, just feeling the baby move--feeling her get stronger and bigger.

Miss anything: Not being stressed about pregnancy related things/nervous every time I have a new symptom that's out of the norm. It will be so nice to have her here (once she's big enough!) and actually be able to see her and how she's doing instead of constantly worrying/trying to make sure everything's OK.

Movement: Baby's movements have gotten a lot stronger, and there is more of a pattern to her movement. I usually don't feel a whole lot until the afternoon/evening, and then she's pretty busy. She's getting so strong that some movements actually hurt a little, but I love it! It is always great to feel her moving around in there. I've also been noticing hiccups a lot more this month--mostly in the evening and sometimes 3-4 times a day!

Cravings/Aversions: I can pretty much always go for fresh fruit, cereal, and toast. Lately chicken in the crock-pot with BBQ sauce has been my go-to dinner. I've noticed that if I eat stuff with a ton of fat (for example, Swig sugar cookie :)) I get a pretty bad pain in my right side. Thanks to my I-got-an-A-in-anatomy husband, I learned that this may be because your gallbladder doesn't function as well during pregnancy. So, I try to stay away from high fat stuff, and my stomach feels a lot better.

Looking forward to: August :) But in the meantime, I'm also looking forward to my birthday and baby showers this month!