Like two crazy people, my husband and I decided to do our maternity photos on one of the hottest days of the year. It was 116* out, incredibly humid, and ugh – the bugs! Thankfully, our amazing photographer Kenzlee Rogers worked quickly to get all these amazing shots of us in a park near our home. We could not be more pleased with the way the photos turned out.
Check out our favorites.
Week… 38
Baby is the size of… Swiss Chard … cool.
Highlight of the Week… Finally having the nursery done (did you see it?!) and starting maternity leave. We’re so ready for baby to be here and with all the progress my body is making, we’re hoping we don’t have to wait too long. Thankfully, now we can just focus on keeping me as comfortable as possible and waiting.
Frustration of the Week… Baby dropping is great and all, but it has also opened a whole new world of pain. Despite the therapy and chiropractic care, my low back, hips, and pelvis scream in agony with most movements. Thus, the pregnancy waddle has become unavoidable. Overall, I’ve accepted the pain as part of the process but trying to get enough sleep to be functional and pleasant for work was frustrating. With that pressure off, I’m hoping to shift back into a good mental space about the physical discomfort.
Eating a lot of… Still yogurt and ice cream.
Cute Thing Hubby Did This Week… Hubs is becoming quite the masseuse! He’s been massaging my feet for weeks to encourage circulation but over the past week, he’s upped his game to include my low back and hips to relieve pain! I think he’s secretly been doing research.
A Tidbit… I have been loooving all the tips people have for getting the baby out. Everything from bouncing on a medicine ball to eating Mexican food to… well, the activity that got us into this situation to begin with. Hahaha! Here’s a full list of what I’ve been told:
Week… 37
Baby is the size of… a Winter Melon (aka a wax gourd… which I still don’t know what that is)
Highlight of the Week… We had our first weekly check-in with my doctor to see if there’s any progress. Good news all around! Baby is in birthing position and officially dropped into my pelvis. I am dilating and my body is showing all the right signs preparing for birth.
The best moment was knowing that baby had dropped. I woke up one morning and was suddenly able to climb the stairs in our house without getting winded. I realized something was different on the way to work when I was able to belt out a song in the car without having to cut notes short. Being able to actually push down on the top of my belly and visually see how much baby had shifted downward was crazy! You can see it really clearly in the picture at the end of this post.Read More »
Week… 36
Baby is the size of… a large Cantaloupe
Highlight of the Week… The physical relief from my pain management schedule. Don’t misunderstand – the pain is still there. BUT my chiropractor and my physical therapist have both been able to give me relief to make the pain more manageable. As a result, I’m sleeping better and able to power through my half days at work.
Frustration of the Week… Not knowing if I’m having Braxton Hicks contractions or just in pain. Haha! This was actually pretty funny. I had a bout of false labor, and it took a few contractions to realize that it wasn’t my standard discomfort and was actually the fake-real deal. Once I figured it out, honestly, I thought the contractions were pretty cool. Like the rest of pregnancy, it’s crazy how your body just does what it wants and needs to. However, I’m now in a perpetual state of “Is that just my pain? Or is this a contraction?” Hahaha!
Eating a lot of… Ice cream. The weather has been off the charts here so I’ve been indulging in delicious cold treats.
Cute Thing Hubby Did This Week… Hubs has been an enthusiastic helper at home when it comes to my pain and discomfort. After seeing his frustration come out last week, I asked the chiropractor and physical therapist to give me exercises and stretches at home that my hubs can help with. Both gave me a really good list and it’s actually been a fun bonding experience for us to work together at home.
A Tidbit… Having a pain management plan has been a game changer for my mental situation. I’m also getting much better honoring my physical limitations, which I’m pretty proud of given how stubborn I am.
Week… 35
Baby is the size of… a Canary Melon
Highlight of the Week… I was able to work from home this week, which was amazing for managing my pain (see more on that below). Working from home enabled me to slow down and give my body much-needed attention. While the process is frustrating, I’m incredibly grateful to be in an employment situation where I’m given the flexibility to take care of myself.
Frustration of the Week… I’m about to get real and I have to preface this with: I’m not looking for sympathy or pity. I just feel like women gloss over this part of pregnancy or it’s dismissed as “well, that’s pregnancy.” So, I’m sharing. Don’t worry – it’s not gross.Read More »
