Breadcrumb Week 33

How far along: 33 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 19 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight as of 6/23 

Symptoms:

• food aversions, specifically protein - I can eat beef and chicken if Keegan throws it on the BBQ
• tiredness exhaustion 
• loss of sex drive
• constipation
• getting winded easier
• super vibrant dreams  
• heartburn / acid reflux  
• round ligament pains
• fast heart rate
• Swelling - I have my good and bad days with this
• Braxton Hicks
• I've officially had to go up a size in underwear. 
• Gravity is my enemy - getting up from sitting to standing is painful and trying to roll over / get out of bed is an Olympic event.
• I'm starting to realize what my limits are. I can run one or two errands, but I tire out pretty fast. 
• Gestational Diabetes 
• General aches and pains. Hello third trimester! 
• Increased discharge
• Charlie Horse cramps

Maternity clothes: All day, every day. 

Stretch marks: Yep, I've got 'em. 

Sleep: I seem to get my best sleep between the hours of 5 and 8 am. For some reason, I can go that entire three hour stretch without having to pee or reposition myself. The rest of the night, I'm up every hour. 

Best moment last week: We got to tour the labor and delivery floor! The floor is smaller than I expected, there's only 10 rooms, but the rooms are larger than I imagined. The rooms are also freezing and they only give you a sheet and light blanket to sleep with, so I know to bring my own blanket. It was really nice to see where we'll be spending up to three days, so I know what to pack and plan for. 

Movement: Movement is starting to slow down. Lots of rolls and hiccups. He's head down, so I feel his hiccups on my pubic bone or one of my hip bones which is somewhat uncomfortable. 

Food cravings: Water. I can't get enough! 

Gender: Our little man!

Labor signs: I've been feeling a lot of pressure "down low" as well as a general soreness in the belly region. I get one or two contractions a night. 

Belly button? The top half of my belly button is totally flat, but the bottom half still has a bit to go before it's an outie.    

What I miss: A nice cold Coke sounds so good in this heat!   

What I am looking forward to: We have a baby shower thrown by some of Keegan's co-workers this weekend as well as a baby shower thrown by my co-workers on 7/12 which I'm really excited about. My family is also visiting for the 4th of July weekend and I'm so excited to see them again! 

Baby Buys: We went to SAMS and purchased household things and dry food items that we'll need for the months after baby gets here (toilet paper, bulk pasta, cat litter, etc.) Not necessarily "baby buys," but more buys for when baby gets here. 

Milestones: Visiting the labor and delivery floor at our hospital and doing (at home) maternity pictures. 

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We had our 33 week OB appointment today (6/23). Overall, things are going well. He's still head down and my OB said the reason I'm feeling so much pressure down low and I'm getting contractions in the afternoons/evenings is because throughout the day, the weight of the baby is pressing more and more on my cervix which then gets relieved whenever I lay down to sleep. 

She thought that overall my blood sugar levels look good. I was hoping she'd say I could stop testing, but she wants me to continue (probably because gestational diabetes can get worse as pregnancy progresses.) 

At our last childbirth class, another couple who's with Dr. L told us that she's going out of town the end of July / early August, so I asked her what would happen if I went into labor while she's gone. She said that unless I had a specific doctor who I'd like to take over, I would deliver with whatever doctor is on call, which I'm fine with. I've used one of the other doctors in the practice while we were TTCing, and I'v heard great things about all of the others, so I feel safe in any of their hands. I'll also have one, possibly two, appointments while she's gone, so those will be with whoever is covering for her. 

Gestational Diabetes Update

Since it's been almost a month since I got the call that I have gestational diabetes, I figured now is as good as any to update on how things have been going.

At my 31 week OB appointment, I got the low down on what that would mean for the rest of my pregnancy.

I was prescribed a monitor (it's purple!) and was told to test four times a day: as soon as I get up, and 2 hours after each meal.

The day I started testing, I'll admit, I was nervous. I knew, logically, that the needle I was using was tiny, but come on, who wants to stick themselves moments after waking up? The build up of nerves was a lot worse than the actual act and it really doesn't hurt all that much. I will say, however, for any of you ladies that used injectables or did IVF, I have even more respect for you. I don't know how you do those PIO shots.

Figuring our which finger would be the most cooperative was a bit of trial and error. For most of my readings the first weekend, I had to poke myself three times because I wasn't getting enough blood. It really only takes a drop, but I would poke myself and nothing (seriously, nothing) would come out. I thought I was doing something incorrect, so I had Keegan poke me once, and he couldn't get anything out either. My fingers were pretty bruised for a while because the blood pooled under the skin when it wouldn't come out. I was hoping to be able to rotate through all of my fingers so that I wouldn't be poking the same one over and over again, but it looks like my left hand pinky finger is the best at giving up the goods. I try to move the poke around the pad of my finger, but it's looking a little worse for wear.

I was told to try and keep my levels under 100 for the fasting reading and in the 120s for the reading after each meal. I was also told that my OB would rather the reading be slightly high (into the 130s,) after each meal than low, and if I got a really out of whack reading, to write down what I ate and try not to eat that food again.The fasting reading hasn't been a problem, it's been anywhere from 75 to 99; the after meals readings however, have been somewhat confusing.

I had no idea how my body was reacting to foods, so I decided to take the first week of readings to see how my body reacts to the foods I would normally eat and then decide what I needed to cut out / eat less of.

One Saturday afternoon, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. I got a wrap and fries and when I tested two hours later, my reading was 156. Good to know, won't eat that again.

Monday morning, ate Special K cereal and milk for breakfast. Reading came out in the 150s. Monday afternoon, ate cereal and watermelon for lunch (quick, desperate lunch because I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet,) reading came out at 119. I've eaten cereal since then and haven't had a high reading, so I'm not sure why I got a high reading the first time.

I've eaten other things like pasta and ice cream that I thought for sure would give me a high reading, but so far, so good. I have had one soda (a Sprite,) and that didn't go over so well, so I'm off soda for the rest of the pregnancy.

In all honesty, I haven't really had to change my diet much. I'm still able to eat fruit, pasta, ice cream, pizza, home made muffins and more. All things that I figured would send my blood sugar sky high have been fine. Keegan thinks that my body can process the natural sugars in fruit and in homemade foods well, but not in highly processed foods like soda.

At my next appointment on Monday, I'm going to bring in my testing numbers for the last two and a half weeks and see what my OB says. I wish I had started testing before I started taking Metformin again because I would have liked to compare the numbers. In a perfect world, my OB would say that it looks like my levels are under control and I don't need to test anymore, but I doubt that'll happen. In the grand scheme of things, testing isn't that big of an inconvenience, but no one likes to intentionally cause themselves pain, and while the testing supplies are partially covered by my insurance, they still cost money.

Overall, things have gone a lot better than I was expecting. I was fully expecting to have to put myself on a no carb, no sugar diet again with how high my numbers came back from my three hour test. Thankfully my body seems to be able to process most sugars, just not highly processed ones, so I haven't had to cut many things out. The only annoyance is having to live my life in two hour time spans (the time after eating when I have to take my reading,) but I guess that'll be how things are when I have a newborn who wants to eat every two hours!

Thank you to everyone who has been my cheerleader throughout this time. I was really beating myself up when I got the diagnosis, thinking it was somehow my fault. Many of you reminded me that this is something my body would have done no matter what and that women of all shapes, sizes, and health levels get GD.

Breadcrumb Week 32

How far along: 32 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 17 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight as of 6/6 

Symptoms:

• food aversions, specifically protein - I can eat beef and chicken if Keegan throws it on the BBQ
• tiredness exhaustion 
• loss of sex drive
• constipation
• getting winded easier
• super vibrant dreams  
• heartburn / acid reflux  
• round ligament pains
• fast heart rate
• Swelling - I have my good and bad days with this
• Braxton Hicks
• I've officially had to go up a size in underwear. 
• Gravity is my enemy - getting up from sitting to standing is painful and trying to roll over / get out of bed is an Olympic event.
• I'm starting to realize what my limits are. I can run one or two errands, but I tire out pretty fast. 
• Gestational Diabetes 
• General aches and pains. Hello third trimester! 
• Increased discharge
• Charlie Horse cramps

Maternity clothes: All day, every day. Hoping to find at least another shirt this weekend so I'll have 3 shirts that still fit. 

Stretch marks: Ya, I've got 'em. I don't know how many, and I don't care to know. Thankfully they're all down low so if I ever decide to wear a bikini (ya right!) they should be covered. 

Sleep: Sleep has been rough. I've been getting really bad leg cramps nightly that wake me up and keep me awake for a while until they subside. They also keep bothering me throughout the next day and make it hard to walk. I'm also just generally uncomfortable so finding a good sleeping position has been rough. 

Best moment last week: We've been going to a childbirth/brestfeeding class on Tuesdays for the last two weeks. The first class went over what happens during the different stages of labor and this week's class went over the different interventions that can happen at the hospital. It's been super informative and I look forward to going to class all week!

Movement: Movement is starting to slow down. I still feel him daily, but it's less kicks and punches and more elbows/knees rolling across my entire belly. I'm feeling very stretched out, so his movements have made my whole belly feel like one big bruise!  

Food cravings: Water. I am constantly thirsty! Also, watermelon, but I think that's just another way for me to quench my thirst. 

Gender: Our little man!

Labor signs: I've been feeling a lot of pressure "down low" as well as a general soreness in the belly region. I get one or two contractions a night, usually during the last couple of hours of work or when I get home. 

Belly button? The top half of my belly button is totally flat, but the bottom half still has a bit to go before it's an outie.    

What I miss: A nice cold Coke sounds so good in this heat!   

What I am looking forward to: Continuing our childbirth classes and our appointment on 6/23. We also have a baby shower thrown by some of Keegan's co-workers the last weekend of June which I'm really excited about. 

Baby Buys: Holding off on buying anything (except for household items to get ready for the weeks after baby comes,) until after our last baby shower at the end of June. My parents and sister are coming down for the 4th of July weekend, so I'll take my mom and sister shopping for any last minute baby items we need. 

Milestones: Hitting 32 weeks. I don't know why, but it 32 seems so far along! 

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I think I've hit the third trimester "blahs." Being this pregnant in the Mississippi summer is really taking its toll on me. I'm tired and hot and achy and waddling like a penguin. I'm not used to feeling so worn out after doing a load of laundry or cleaning up the kitchen. My house is a mess, I want to pack our hospital bags and the nursery is not done. I want to finish it all NOW, but my body won't let me get a lot done at one time. I'm not used to having my body be the limiting factor when I want to accomplish something, so I've had to work through some emotions about not being able to do as much as I used to. I'm also a planner and not knowing when Breadcrumb will make his appearance is stressing me out. 

I know this sounds like complaining, and I suppose it technically is, but just know that no matter what I say, I am beyond thankful to be here. 

Breadcrumb Week 31

How far along: 31 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 17 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight as of 6/6 

Symptoms:

• food aversions, specifically protein - I can eat beef and chicken if Keegan throws it on the BBQ
• tiredness exhaustion 
• loss of sex drive
• constipation
• getting winded easier
• super vibrant dreams  
• heartburn / acid reflux - an every day occurrence. 
• round ligament pains
• fast heart rate
• Swelling - hasn't been too bad recently. The temperatures are getting hotter and hotter by the day, however, so I'm interested to see if this changes. 
• Braxton Hicks
• I've officially had to go up a size in underwear. 
• Gravity is my enemy - getting up from sitting to standing is painful and trying to roll over / get out of bed is an Olympic event.
• I'm starting to realize what my limits are. I can run one or two errands, but I tire out pretty fast. 
• Gestational Diabetes 
• Nausea - not sure if this is a third trimester symptom or one due to the Metformin
• General aches and pains. Hello third trimester! 

Maternity clothes: All day, every day. Only have two shirts that don't show the stretchy part of my maternity pants. I can't seem to find shirts that are long enough! 

Stretch marks: Keegan says I have a few more. I'll have to take his word since I can't see the underside of my belly. 

Sleep: Another week of good and bad nights. 

Best moment last week: We got a surprise 3D/4D ultrasound at our OB appointment! Seeing Breadcrumb's little button nose made me cry during the entire ultrasound. 

Movement: I've been feeling less jabs from kicks and punches and more rolls across my belly. Whenever he's moving, it shakes my entire belly and I've also started feeling hiccups! He's head down, so I feel them right along my pubic bone which is....interesting to say the least. I can also feel hard areas of my belly when he's curled up on one side or the other which I'm thinking is a bum. 

Food cravings: Water. I can't seem to get enough! I've also really been enjoying fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes and watermelon. 

Gender: Our little man!

Labor signs: I've been feeling a lot of pressure "down low" lately which was confirmed when my OB said that he's for sure head down. 

Belly button? Still shallow. Hasn't changed much recently.   

What I miss: A nice cold Coke sounds so good in this heat!   

What I am looking forward to: Continuing our childbirth classes and our appointment on 6/23. We also have a baby shower thrown by some of Keegan's co-workers the last weekend of June. 

Baby Buys: Found two pairs of pants in the WalMart clearance section for $1 each, and started buying supplies for our hospital bag. 

Milestones: Just counting down the weeks! 6 weeks until full term, 9 until our due date!

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Our appointment on 6/6 was pretty good. Like I stated above, we got a surprise 3D/4D ultrasound which was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. We also got a CD of the entire ultrasound and close to 10 pictures. 

We also spoke in length about my gestational diabetes which I'll do a more in depth post about soon. I am officially considered high risk, but the big thing that I took away from our conversation is that at the current time, induction is not on the table. Dr. L said it could be if we wanted to, but we'd rather let Breadcrumb choose when he wants to come as long as both he and I continue to look healthy. 

As of right now, I will continue having appointments every two weeks like any patient in their third trimester, but I'll have ultrasounds at almost every appointment to track his size. Dr. L said that if we get to 36/37/38 weeks and we realize he's a 10 pound baby, then we'll talk about induction and potentially a c-section. The rest of the pregnancy will really be a wait and see game and however Breadcrumb comes into this world will depend on his size. We do know that ultrasound measurements are not perfectly accurate, so if induction / c-section is brought up, Keegan and I will have a lengthy discussion and decide what's best for us and our son. 

Breadcrumb Week 30

How far along: 30 weeks!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up 15 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight as of 5/23 

Symptoms:

• food aversions, specifically protein; chicken is getting easier to eat and I'll eat beef if Keegan grills it.
• tiredness exhaustion 
• loss of sex drive
• constipation
• getting winded easier
• super vibrant dreams  
• heartburn / acid reflux - an every day occurrence. 
• round ligament pains
• fast heart rate
• Swelling - mostly in my hands, sometimes in my feet
• Braxton Hicks
• I've officially had to go up a size in underwear. 
• Gravity is my enemy - getting up from sitting to standing is painful and trying to roll over / get out of bed is an Olympic event.
• I'm starting to realize what my limits are. I can run one or two errands, but I tire out pretty fast. 
• I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes :-(

Maternity clothes: All day, every day. Will probably end up in maxi dresses by the end because my shirts are getting too short! 

Stretch marks: As far as I can tell, just two

Sleep: Another week of good and bad nights. 

Best moment last week: Seeing our families for the weekend and coming back home. We miss our families so much and we love visiting, but there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed. 

Movement: Yep! His movements are strong enough that it moves and shakes my belly. I've caught a few movements on my phone, but it seems like every time I try, he stops!

Food cravings: Water. I can't seem to get enough! I've also really been enjoying fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes and watermelon. 

Gender: Our little man!

Labor signs: I get really bad lower back pain and an increase in Braxton Hicks / contractions if I do to much (run to many errands, clean the house too much, etc.) 

Belly button? Still shallow. Hasn't changed much recently.   

What I miss: A nice cold Coke sounds so good in this heat!   

What I am looking forward to: We start our childbirth classes on June 3 and have a OB checkup with ultrasound on June 6. Can't wait to see how chunky he's gotten! 

Baby Buys: None. Finally got through all of the stuff from our shower and put it away. 

Milestones: We reached week 30! Even though we want him to cook a few weeks longer, he could come at any point. 7 weeks until full term, 10 weeks until the due date!