We are so officially in the third trimester, I can't quite believe it. Last Tuesday evening, the church council officially approved my maternity leave, and with an overwhelmingly excited, supportive attitude. I feel blessed.
Two days ago, I received my shower invitation in the mail - which made everything feel that much more real! Weird to think that people are now actively browsing and buying off of the registries that I spent so much time putting together, trying to keep myself occupied and sane during the slow second trimester.
Then today was my first every-two-week OB appointment (instead of the previous once-a-month schedule). I always feel pretty happy after appointments, but especially after today's. There was just a lot of good going on.
After last time, when I'd gained a whole bunch of weight out of nowhere, I didn't gain anything measurable in the last two weeks. I think that having an appointment right after the Minnesota State Fair unfairly skewed my weight last time...
My doctor considers my weight "spot-on" at this point, and asked what I was doing to keep it in such good range. Other times, when he's asked, I've said vague things about trying to eat healthy and trying to keep up with some exercise (both true things), but this time, I told him exactly what I'm doing...which is an honest "I have no idea." I'm eating like normal, I go on walks when I feel up to it and when the weather cooperates, but really, I have no idea. My mom was really small when she was pregnant, so maybe it really is just good genes. Anyway, it was nice to feel back on track after that surprise seven pound gain last time.
We debriefed my three-hour glucose results, which was really really helpful and reassuring. Because I've been a little on edge. I know that only one of my numbers was out of range, and that it takes two out of range numbers to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But my three in-range numbers were plenty high, and I wanted to check whether that meant anything. He told me that for other tests, like hemoglobin, you can interpret ranges, but that with the glucose, you really can't. So in-range is in-range, and out-of-range is out-of-range, and that's about all you can count on. So I should be eating healthy and exercising, because it's good for every pregnancy to do so, but I don't need to worry or make major modifications to my diet.
Hedgehog's heartbeat was clear and easy to find, and I still never tire of hearing that sound. It's my favorite. Heartbeat was measured at 156, which my doctor was satisfied with. Not sure what my belly measurement was, but if it were off, he would have said something. Then, like last time, he checked for hedgehog's position, which appears still to be head-down. Yay!
THEN, he asked if I had felt the head at all, and I said that I hadn't. I sometimes try to press on my belly to see if I can feel any particular lumps, but I haven't ever felt anything in particular. So he helped me put my hands way low on my belly, near my pelvis, and pushed my fingers until I could feel this distinct bulge, which was the head. It was a really really wonderful moment - definitely exhilarating!
The only negative thing about this appointment is that I had two vaccines at the end - Tdap and flu. Matt's sick, so he didn't come to my appointment, which meant I did them without my usual hand-holder. They went fine, though my arms are now both increasingly sore as the day goes on. I definitely stopped by Magpie on my way back from the appointment to reward myself with a coconut iced latte. Full sugar. And even caffeinated today (trying to rid myself of a little gray day headache). Hedgehog loved it. Lots of flailing and flipping.
Next appointment is in two weeks. In between now and then, I have my breastfeeding basics class. We keep rolling along - quickly! - toward the end. Amazing.
Two days ago, I received my shower invitation in the mail - which made everything feel that much more real! Weird to think that people are now actively browsing and buying off of the registries that I spent so much time putting together, trying to keep myself occupied and sane during the slow second trimester.
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| Hedgehogs are cute. |
Then today was my first every-two-week OB appointment (instead of the previous once-a-month schedule). I always feel pretty happy after appointments, but especially after today's. There was just a lot of good going on.
After last time, when I'd gained a whole bunch of weight out of nowhere, I didn't gain anything measurable in the last two weeks. I think that having an appointment right after the Minnesota State Fair unfairly skewed my weight last time...
 |
| We made sure to take pickles and ice cream pictures at the fair. In addition to all of the other delicious, fried, sweet, salty, on-a-stick foods that we ate over two days. A crazy amount of delicious food. No wonder my weight gain last time was so huge! |
We debriefed my three-hour glucose results, which was really really helpful and reassuring. Because I've been a little on edge. I know that only one of my numbers was out of range, and that it takes two out of range numbers to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But my three in-range numbers were plenty high, and I wanted to check whether that meant anything. He told me that for other tests, like hemoglobin, you can interpret ranges, but that with the glucose, you really can't. So in-range is in-range, and out-of-range is out-of-range, and that's about all you can count on. So I should be eating healthy and exercising, because it's good for every pregnancy to do so, but I don't need to worry or make major modifications to my diet.
Hedgehog's heartbeat was clear and easy to find, and I still never tire of hearing that sound. It's my favorite. Heartbeat was measured at 156, which my doctor was satisfied with. Not sure what my belly measurement was, but if it were off, he would have said something. Then, like last time, he checked for hedgehog's position, which appears still to be head-down. Yay!
THEN, he asked if I had felt the head at all, and I said that I hadn't. I sometimes try to press on my belly to see if I can feel any particular lumps, but I haven't ever felt anything in particular. So he helped me put my hands way low on my belly, near my pelvis, and pushed my fingers until I could feel this distinct bulge, which was the head. It was a really really wonderful moment - definitely exhilarating!
The only negative thing about this appointment is that I had two vaccines at the end - Tdap and flu. Matt's sick, so he didn't come to my appointment, which meant I did them without my usual hand-holder. They went fine, though my arms are now both increasingly sore as the day goes on. I definitely stopped by Magpie on my way back from the appointment to reward myself with a coconut iced latte. Full sugar. And even caffeinated today (trying to rid myself of a little gray day headache). Hedgehog loved it. Lots of flailing and flipping.
Next appointment is in two weeks. In between now and then, I have my breastfeeding basics class. We keep rolling along - quickly! - toward the end. Amazing.
 |
| 30 weeks 3 days |
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