Family: Weeks 31-33
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Big things poppin’
(33 Weeks)
Random thoughts/things that I noticed:
-The #1 most notable thing about this week was our fetal echocardiogram. I’m still over the moon with the good news, and while I’m still praying that everything will go as smoothly as possible and she’ll be healthy, this was something that has certainly been on our minds. It was a sigh of relief, and removed some of the sadness/worry that I’ve experienced over the past few weeks. We have one more ultrasound just to make sure everything is bueno, and then she’ll be HERE shortly thereafter. I’m definitely starting to get excited for her arrival, but I want her to be fully-cooked before she makes her debut.
-Our ultrasound tech estimated that she’s measuring 35 1/2 weeks; two and a half weeks ahead! She said she’s already 5 lb 6 oz, but to be honest, I take these measurements with a grain of salt. I have friends who were told they were going to have GIANT babies, and were even induced to prevent it, and ended up with perfectly normal-sized babies and/or a cascade of interventions from the induction. I feel like nature knows what it’s doing, and the chance that it will produce a baby so huge that it’s impossible to deliver is unlikely, unless the mother has Gestational Diabetes or another health concern. At the same time, if little miss is 10-lbs at birth, I have a bit of fear haha.
-Since we got good results from the echo, I was transferred back to the birth center for delivery. I would have been totally happy anywhere with our awesome medical team, but it’s nice to know that I’m no longer considered “at risk” or need to be consistently monitored during labor.
-I finally went to Pea in the Pod and got some maternity stuff… at 33 weeks pregnant. I know. Things that don’t make sense. I have dresses and maxi skirts that I’ve been wearing, but it’s been way too hot to wear my maternity jeans. For shorts, I’d just been wearing my normal Joe’s with the belly band. The past couple of weeks, they’ve started to seriously cut into my skin, so I bought a couple of cute pairs on sale at Pea in the Pod with three neutral tops. It’s my end of pregnancy capsule wardrobe haha since I’ll be mix-and-matching between the 5 pieces from now on.
(Basic tee and red shorts)
The waistband on the shorts was like a hug from an angel.
-I’ve been really focusing on enjoying as much quality time as I can with Liv before her sister arrives. Liv knows how special she is to us, but I’ve heard that the transition from one to two can be challenging, because you feel badly for not being able to give the first child as much attention, and it’s a transition for everyone. Everything balances out eventually, but for now, I’m enjoying spending some extra time with just the two of us.
-Decoration is still underway, but I wanted to show you guys this adorable mermaid print that arrived from Etsy:
And a comment last week pointed out that I haven’t given any hints about her name! Here are two letters that are in her name: L and E 🙂 Feel free to leave any guesses in the comments section!
-Sleep is finally starting to get rocky. Liv comes into our bed each night, and I’ll usually wake up for a second before crashing back out. Lately, I’ve tossed and turned quite a bit trying to get comfortable to fall back asleep. It’s all in preparation for those middle-of-the-night feeding parties.
Weight gain: 31 lbs! 6 lbs more than I was around this time last time. #piedontlie
Cravings:
-PIE. Writing this, I just thought that maybe Costco has pumpkin pies already?!? Looks like we’ll be headed there tomorrow.
-Eggplant parm. I need to make this again, stat.
-Soft pretzels. This is definitely the top preg craving. The salt and carb combo is everything I’ve been wanting.
-EGGS, but this is normal life craving. The day hasn’t really started until I’ve had two eggs.
-Sparkling water.
-Giant salads
-Fresh fruit bowls and goat’s Greek yogurt
Aversions:
-Super spicy food. I usually enjoy food that burns my face off, so this is a weird one. I’ll put a little sriracha on my eggs, but other than that, spicy Mexican and Indian food doesn’t sound as great as usual
-Cooking. I think it’s just because it’s so hot/humid right now and being in a sweltering kitchen sounds terrible. One night while I made dinner a couple of weeks ago, I had a wet dish towel around my neck and another one around my head.
Workouts:
Belly button status: Poking out, and you can kind of see it through my shirt.
Books:
Finished Ina May’s Natural Guide to Childbirth. I think this is the third time I’ve read it? I was starting to feel anxious about the birth, and this book put my anxiety at ease. I feel like there can be so much fear surrounding the birth experience and the unknown, and this book makes birth feel like an intuitive, natural experience. It’s very informative and reassuring at the same time.
Some of my favorite takeaways from this one, which I’ll keep with me on Labor Day:
-“Birth with your monkey.” This means to not be afraid to go primal, and seriously, unleash your inner monkey while you are giving birth. During birth, monkeys don’t care about what sounds they make, what body functions occur, or what others think about them. It’s up to you to throw self-consciousness and caution to the wild, and act like a primate. I moo’ed like a cow during Liv’s birth, so this one isn’t too far off for me. 😉
-“Think about all of the women giving birth at the same time as you are, all over the world.” I thought of this last time, and even though I obviously had no idea who these women are (EXCEPT BEYONCE HAD HER BABY THE SAME DAY. I knew Queen Bey was in my shoes haha), it was comforting to know that I had an invisible tribe around me, experiencing something similar.
-“Remember that the contractions are working FOR you, and they are not hurting you.” I really fought the contractions last time, and they overtook my entire body. It felt like an earthquake from the inside out, and I fought and wriggled through the pain. I really like the idea that the contractions are working to help you birth the baby, and they are not intended to cause you harm. I’ll try to remember that this time around.
Re-skimming Your Best Birth. This book is packed with information on possible scenarios and ideas to minimize intervention.
Re-reading Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. We took Bradley Method courses last time, and I’m using this book to refresh my memory. I remember quite a bit of it, but there is SO much that I’ve forgotten. It’s nice to have a bit of a refresher!
Looking forward to:
Her being here with us. It could still be a while away, but I’m starting to get really excited. <3 Oh, and that post-birth glass of red is going to taste realllll nice.
xoxo
Gina
76 Comments
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I am so excited for your family!! You are just the cutest and I can’t wait to see the littlest one (:
Okay, here are my name guesses: Claire, Ellie, Charlotte and Evelyn.
Finley! That’s actually my daughter’s name (but we went crazy and spelled it Fynnlee). My real guess is Charlotte.
Isabelle?
I’m gonna guess…. Adeline!
Unfortunately my son was “too big” to deliver 🙁 His head (which was off the charts!) wouldn’t fit past my pelvis. The nurses tried really hard to maneuver his head but it wasn’t working. I had to have a c-section after an hour of pushing. He was 10 days late… I wonder if he was born closer to his due date I could have had him naturally? I wish I could have!
A friend of mine’s baby’s head actually fused together before she could push him out!! She ended up with an emergency C-section. I had never heard of that before.
Im going to guess Arielle to go with the mermaid print. 🙂
Seriously ….. WHY Did you have to mention pie?! I don’t think I’ve had a single slice this pregnancy, nor have I really had as many cookies as I should! I hopefully only have a week left. I’m exhausted. I’m cranky, and I think it’s time I just curl up on the couch for a week and let my pregnancy cravings fly!
I’m a Michelle and my daughter’s a Lauren…both have an L and an E. But I like the Ariel comment to go with the mermaids print. You are so cute!
Well I would guess my name ( wink, wink) but I’m thinking Charlotte or Adeline or Ellie, like the others guessed.
I delivered in San Diego and was never given measurements! When little guy decided to make his debut he was 9lbs 10 oz!! A complete shock because I gained only 25 lbs and our daughter was 7 lbs and I gained 50 with her. His shoulders got stuck because he was so big and the cord was wrapped around his neck.. But our doctor was soooo great that I had NO idea about any of it til after. You’ll do great whether she’s big or small!
I need to read that book- it sounds great! I’m at 33 weeks with my first and I think it will ease some of my fears and give me some tips going into labor for the first time.
I had a Soft Pretzel craving last week- it was SO GOOD when I finally satisfied it. Yum!
Ugh – all I am thinking of is that post-birth glass of red these days! For the first trimester I had absolutely no interest whatsoever in beer or wine but now at 29 weeks I am really missing it! I think I am mostly just getting tired of water all day, everyday (I don’t drink much else!). Also, love those pointers from Ina May. I bought her book after you recommended it when you were pregnant the first time and it’s been really helpful so far, so thank you!
So exciting! You’re in the home stretch! A glass of red wine will be amazing!!!!!
I just had my second child (a baby girl) in April. My son was 22 months when she was born, so it’s a slightly different situation than yours. The transition from 1 to 2 was rough at first for a few reasons. My son stayed with his grandparents at our home the week my daughter was born and he was pretty much spoiled beyond belief, so bringing him back down to Earth when we got home AND introducing his new sister caused him to throw a lot of tantrums. He normally goes to day care Monday-Friday all day, so taking him out of his routine really through him off. I’m not sure what kind of factor that plays with Liv at her age, but trying to get back into a “normal” routine with him ASAP after my daughter was born was crucial. Like anything, there is just an adjustment period. If it’s anything like our experience, it will be a little rocky and you might hit some bumps, but you’ll get through it! I still think going from 0 to 1 kids was MUCH harder than 1 to 2! Good luck 🙂
I’m guessing Isabella, Emily, or Eleanor
I am going with Ella, Elle, or Gabriella 🙂
The mermaid print is too cute :). My guess is Eliza!
You’re looking great! I love that mermaid print, too. My name guesses are Adeline, Isabella or Amelia. For some reason, my guess up until now had been Sophia – but that’s definitely not it after this clue! 🙂
You look fantastic!! Love the red shorts – I’ve been obsessed with bright colors this summer! And don’t let baby girl’s size worry you – doctors told my friend she was having an 8lb baby, but her son ended up being over 10lbs and she delivered him intervention free! Just trust yourself and know that you can do it! 🙂 Oh, and my guess is Ella!
I love all the names guessed already but my guess is charlotte!
Ha-ha, I liked the “Birth With Your Monkey” part. 😉 You look great by the way! It’s been hot here too so I haven’t wanted to be in the kitchen much either. Mornings are okay and I like scrambling up a couple eggs in the kitchen as well. 🙂
Where do you get your cute workout tanks? I most likely won’t buy anything now at 38 weeks, but I grew out of my very last T-shirt this week and I want to keep up my walks at least! At least I’ll know what to get for next time. 🙂
And yeah, don’t worry about the size. My little lady was over 5 pounds at 33 weeks (80th %!) and now at 38 she is right in the middle at 50%, weighing 7 pounds. I’m glad she slowed her roll a little bit. LOL!
You look beautiful! Seriously, you are such a cute pregnant lady! And now I really want PIE! 😉
You look great! Congrats on almost being done, savor those last few weeks for all that they’re worth. So many possibilities with the name I’m not even going to try 🙂
You look so cute in your new clothes-it probably helps they that are comfy too! My guess is Alice. I think that’s a cute name for a little girl and it’s on my “list” (not pregnant yet haha!) of girl names (so is Charlotte! And Olivia haha!). The mermaid print is adorable!
I am going to guess MOLLIE because thats my name 🙂 or ELYSE because thats my middle name haha. so selfish of me. you look so cute and i love the piece for the nursery
I guess Chloe. Sounds good with Olivia!
Liberty? Charlotte? Elizabeth?
Everly?
I don’t have any baby name guesses but I am really excited to hear it when you announce it! <3
Gabrielle or Gabriella?
Wow it is sooo exciting! Getting so close to the end! I bought maternity clothes at end of both my pregnancies. Sometimes you just need extra comfort those last few weeks! I remember just being super bored with maternity clothes and being sure jealous of all these gorgeous girls in their cute dresses. And my nonpregnant self is always nostalgic and a little jealous of pregnant mummas! Crazy! No clue what the name is but 2 of my daughters have l in their name so great letter 🙂
And I LOVE that mermaid print!
so so true! i feel like nothing is cute anymore haha
Hmm my guesses are Elizabeth, Isabella or Ellie 😀
PIE!!! Our Walmart Supercenter has all the autumn/thanksgiving pies out now. ESP Pumpkin.
They have this cinnamon apple one that is AMAZING
Yes two kids is an adjustment at first but its easy once you get the hang of it. You will always feel like you are not giving one or the other enough love and attention. I feel that way now and I have 3. I try to even it out. I do gym time with my oldest, during the week I am home with my daughter til I work at night, then on the weekend I try to spend ample time with my middle. During the week I only see him for 10 mins after he gets home from school and I go to work. I do mommy kid dates.
Natalie or Gabriella!
natalie was one of my favorites! buuuut the pilot’s high school girlfriend’s name was natalie, so it was vetoed haha
I’m Kelley and my daughter is Adele! Could be either 🙂 and I totally craved soft pretzels too!! Yum! You’re so cute, enjoy the last few weeks!!
Come onnnnnn Helen!
Wonderful news on the echo! Saying prayers for more good news at your next one.
So many fun guesses! I guess Lael or Leila.
I’m guessing Arielle or Ariela
Ella
Evelyn? Elle? Lauren? Claire? Ella! 🙂
Everyone guessed Ella or Elle, which were my first thoughts. But then I kind of had a thought that it might be Ariel, since you’re doing the mermaid theme. You’re not gonna tell us anyway, are you? 😉
not til the end 🙂 i waited last time, too!
Charlotte or Leah
Elle? Elise? Elizabeth? It will be a beautiful name, I’m sure!
Are you worried about Liv coming in to your room each night once baby girl arrives?
i love all of those!
no. i think she’ll quickly learn that our room is no longer peaceful haha
I’m hoping for Claire or Ellie (my two daughters’ names!).
Guessing Ariel as well because of the mermaid print! Maybe you’re trying to throw us off though 😉 Love the nickname Elle.
I first thought Estelle or Estella and Lea.
And after reading the comments, I realized that all my sisters names would qualify, but they are French names : Clotilde, Violaine and Aliénor. 🙂
Arielle or Elena? My babies were 8# 13oz, then 10# 8oz! Both natural. You’ll do great; you are strong and you look amazing. So happy for you and your beautiful, growing family 🙂
My guess is Elise, Amelia, Evelyn, or Eleanor–all names we considered for our little girl who is due November 7. 🙂
I can honestly say the transition from 1 to 2 was way easier than I imagined. It was much harder at first when I was chasing a toddler on the playground while nursing an infant (cover flapping in the wind). My oldest was just about 20 months when our 2nd was born so he still very much needed us for a lot. They’re now 3 years old and almost 17 months old and i think a lot of times it’s easier having two than one. They play witht each other, entertain each other, their bond is insanely strong (they hold hands in the backseat while we drive and constantly give each other unprompted hugs and kisses), etc. Though now that I’m pregnant with #3 I feel like my entire body is constantly being overtaken by tiny humans. And I’m a wee bit terrified of keeping 3 kids alive with only 2 hands 😉
I was thinking Emily but now guessing VIOLET!