 | Diary Navigation:
|
May 19, 2003
28 Weeks
This week was a really busy one, perhaps because we had a shortened one what with our little escape vacation. First of all, I am now officially in the Third Trimester of this pregnancy, which, I have to admit, completely astounds me because it seems to have approached with lightening speed. The other thing that is slightly alarming is just that speed… It is also making my thesis deadline approach with the same rapid rate! Eeek! What I have found interesting so far about this pregnancy is that I did not experience this great boom of energy once I moved into the second trimester, when many of the online sites and books suggest that it is the golden period of the pregnancy. I am not entirely sure why this is, perhaps it is because I have felt so amazing throughout the entire pregnancy, right from the very very beginnings. Yes, I have felt tired, exhausted by this little person growing away inside of me, but I have not had this feted energy boost either. I am not sure what this last trimester will bring to me, whether I will be more tired, whether my feet will swell up, whether I will go into a nesting frenzy… Time will tell on this one :-)
One thing I am really looking forward to in this last trimester is how my Little One will grow. I want a big ol’ belly so that I can see that the Little One is growing strong and healthy inside of me. I mean, how beautiful and amazing it is to have such a strong physical manifestation that the baby is strong and healthy! I have felt in the past week or so that I have gotten used to the size of my belly and that I have one at all, so I really can’t wait until it is really big and it takes my whole arm length to give the Little One a hug :-) I am even anxious and curious to see if I get stretch marks, where they are going to be etc, as I feel completely that they too are a physical manifestation of the baby’s health, so how could I ever be upset that I have them when it shows that I am doing everything that I can do to ensure that this baby is growing and strong and healthy? I just know that the trimester will hold as much, if not more wonder and excitement than the previous two did, and I am going to relish every moment of it! :-)
Our last round of Prenatal Classes also started this week, which along with me being in the third trimester, just sort of makes me blink my eyes and go, when did May arrive anyway? It was so far away for so long, and now it is the middle of May! For this first class back, quite a bit of the time was taken up by introductions again, with the instructor using our comments to talk about certain issues, just as she did at the last classes. It was really incredible seeing all the ladies again and seeing how big their bellies had gotten in the break. There were a couple of new couples in the class, as others had transferred to a class that was more in-line with how far along they were in the pregnancies. The second part of the class was dedicated towards breastfeeding information again and we learned that it was the hospital’s policy to have the baby at the breast within an hour of the delivery, barring no difficulties with the mother or the baby. Much of the information was not new to me, and so seemed like a little bit of wasted time, but on the other hand, I was able to talk with the other ladies there and figure out whether I wanted to keep in contact with any of them. This is something that is important to me, as I really don’t have any friends here, let alone women who are mothers of very young children.
I am definitely using this baby as a means to make some friends here, partially because all of the people that I know already are just students, most of them unmarried let alone thinking of having children, so they are in a completely different part of their life. So, I am going to work really really hard at getting out and meeting new mums and trying to establish relationships with as many as I can both for the Little One’s sake and for mine too! I do hope that I will be able to achieve this goal so to speak, I am certainly going to work hard at it! :-)
This week we went out to buy Simon some approach shoes – they are a new style of shoe, part hiking boot, part running shoe. Anyway, we had already hit two other stores when we went to the last one. We picked out six styles of shoes and handed them to the sales guy. Simon had put on the first pair and was walking around when he asked me how far along I was. I said that I was just over six months, to which he replied that I was really big!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? He then said: Wow, you still have three and a half months to go! I was so shocked by this comment that I was literally speechless. I couldn’t think of a thing to say! I mean, first of all, HE’S A MAN, so what right does he have to comment on the state of my belly and whether HE thinks that I am measuring or looking big/small/whatever? Second of all, you just don’t say those things to pregnant women if you are a complete stranger! All I could think was that Simon was only on the first pair of shoes and that I had to hold it together for the remaining five before I hauled up and completely whacked the guy.
The rest of the time he kept hounding me questions on my pregnancy, asking if we knew the sex, to which I replied that they don’t tell you anymore. He then dogged me on that as well, saying that it was best to know, they found out for each of their girls and that I should have pushed the ultrasound technician to tell me. I was seeing red at this point, and it is a testament to my will power that I didn’t completely freak out on him at these incredibly rude questions and opinions that were forced upon me. Simon was working his way through the shoes as fast as he could as I think he realized that something was up with this sales guy, but it wasn’t fast enough for me! The last question he managed to fire off was whether we had settled on names yet, and he said it in such a way that it was as if he completely expected us to share them with him, again A COMPLETE STRANGER. I just said yes, in a sort of curt way, trying to give him the subtle hint that I *really* didn’t want to talk to him about my pregnancy. We finally left the store and I was really wound up, so tense from the experience, which didn’t make Simon feel any better, because his feet were really starting to hurt from trying on so many shoes. I am definitely prepared now for future comments like that; I think that I was primarily just caught off guard because it was my first time to get sort of negative comments. But in the future? Watch out for me! :-)
This weekend felt like the first weekend of summer… sunny, warm, not too windy… Basically, absolutely gorgeous! In fact, it has been so lovely that I feel as if I shouldn’t quite say summer yet in fear that I will jinx our good weather and the spring weather will return for a few more weeks. We have had our heat off since the beginning of May essentially, only turning it on for the main floor on the slightly cooler nights and with this weekend; it feels as if we aren’t going to have to turn it on again until September, maybe October! I really do enjoy all of the seasons, but with this winter, I am really also appreciating the warmth that summer will bring. Everyone keeps saying that I am going to be unbearable in the heat what with the pregnancy, but honestly, I really enjoy being warm. The only part about the heat that I don’t particularly care for is the humidity aspect, but because we are blessed with an almost constant wind here at the house, the days when this was an issue last summer were fairly reasonable compared to the literal hell we lived through in the apartment our first summer here. We also have this gigantically powerful fan that we use to just clear out the air before we go to bed during the hotter nights, so I can always just sit in the glider, windows open with the fan going… I am positive that I will be quite comfortable. Now, if only this weather will stay! :-)
I had another Dr appointment this week, and it went really well. First of all, I didn’t actually see my doctor at the appointment. The clinic was incredibly busy because it was right before a long weekend, so was only saw a R.N., but I didn’t mind this time and besides which, she was really nice. My weight gain has been very slow and steady, I seem to put on about two pounds every two weeks, which is great. My blood pressure was, as usual, quite low. The Little One’s heart rate was at 136, the lowest ever, as this was the first time that it was not active during an appointment, instead taking a nap for today! I am also measuring about a week ahead, so I am 29 Weeks, which just means that this Little One is doing just perfectly inside my belly :-) I am due for my Glucose Test, which is a standard test they do here, the only other standard test besides the first ultrasound at 20 Weeks. While the nurse wanted me to do it that day, we weren’t expecting it and didn’t have the time to sit and wait, so I will come back on Tuesday, as Monday is a holiday here (Yeay, long weekend!) I talked with her about how my pelvis and sciatica were really starting to be a problem for me, and she said she would contact the Prenatal Physio clinic within the hospital and get an appointment for me. I just hope that the appointment is not too far away, I would really like to see if there is anything that can be done by me to help this symptom decrease a bit.
Symptoms: One of the neatest things that has happened this week is that I have started to feel different movements now than previously. Whereas before I could feel the kicks and jabs, now I am getting more complex movements, like body wiggles and kicks in a sequence, and not just once but several times in a row. Really, it is so wonderful to feel these ‘bigger’ movements, it is making me wonder what will be in store for movements. Will I feel the baby flipping around? Will I ever feel hiccups? :-) I haven’t yet felt any… The other thing with these movements is that they are making my belly REALLY move with them. Before there would just be almost light outward movements of my belly, whereas now, again, the sequence and almost violence of the movements make my belly just dance in comparison. I think one of my favourite activities at night is just sitting on the couch, watching my belly move and dance and bounce away with the aerobics that the Little One is performing inside of me. I am so glad that my placenta is posterior, because I know that I am really feeling every movement that I can possibly feel. It also makes me even more aware of the little life that I carry inside of me. Where I have always been really aware that I carry a tiny little person inside, being able to physically witness the movements that the Little One is making has brought this home again to both myself and to Simon. Wow :-)
Another symptom is that my heartburn has returned. I wonder if it isn’t perhaps related to the fact that the Little One is more active now and therefore pushing and moving my stomach and other organs more than ever before, leading to the return of the heartburn… Definitely something to consider I think! :-)
**Talk To Me**
What do you remember about entering your third trimester and how was it different from the previous two?
Were you surprised at how quickly your Prenatal Classes came when for so long it seemed as if they were months away?
I think I’ve asked about this already, but what was your first experience with people commenting on your pregnancy in a rude or inconsiderate way?
When did you realize that you were feeling different movements from the baby than before? Did it change how you thought of the baby inside of you?
Namaste, Laura and the Little One
 |  |
|
want to keep a diary on iParenting?
Authoring a diary on the iParenting network allows you to chronicle your family's story, preserving it for years to come. It's also a great way to get the most out of the iParenting community. Click here to start...
|
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
