The time is absolutely flying by. I truly can’t believe that in less than 3 weeks I will be heading into my third trimester of pregnancy! Our baby is due August 31st and that day will be here before we know it. I want the time to hurry up so she can be here and we can meet her, but I also don’t want to wish summer away nor this time being pregnant! I truly feel lucky to be pregnant in the first place. I try to remind myself of that each day and take in each moment as it passes because it may never happen again.

She also officially “popped” this week…I honestly felt like I woke up and she was making her appearance. For the longest time I was in the awkward phase of maybe she is pregnant, maybe she put on a little weight, or just a little bloated. It definitely feels good to have more of a pronounced belly even though it is something that I am getting used to (more below.) Still, I do wake up some days where she feels “bigger” and I think (completely making an assumption) that it depends on where she is sitting in my body, her position, and how much she is kicking….as well as how much I have eaten that day or the day before ;)

However, technically your belly doesn’t really “pop” overnight even though it may seem/feel that way - but it’s more your body going through a few changes. As your uterus expands with your growing baby, it rises above your pubic symphysis, meaning it is no longer hiding behind the bony pelvis. All women show at different times and it is important to remember that. Some women show within the first 3 months and others may show at 7 months! It can be hard to not compare yourself to others but for your own mental sake it isn’t worth it, your body is designed differently than everyone else. 

As I mentioned before in my previous post, the first trimester was challenging for me. You can read about that here. Once I made it through the first 14-16 weeks, I did start to feel like my normal self again, just pregnant! So, there is definitely a light the end of the tunnel if you are currently feeling hopeless in your first trimester! I think my favorite weeks were between 18 up until now - I say this because I obviously have no idea what to expect in the weeks to come. By the way, I  shared a week 19 baby update that you can read there! 

Week 20 to the start of week 24 felt like a breeze! Of course I had symptoms and days that were harder than others, which I will get to, but I felt really good! I think that a lot of that was due to the fact that we spent almost 2 of those weeks in Palm Springs and in LA. We hiked a few times, walked over 10k steps a day, (any movement feels good and is necessary for me), the weather was warm and sunny each day which elevated my mood, the food was amazing/fresh and we were relaxing a great deal. The trip was pretty stress free. I was distracted by a new environment, my family, our wedding (!!!), and that mental state made it very easy on my ever changing body. Of course, those factors would make anyone feel their best and I was grateful to have experienced that right in the middle of this pregnancy. During this time, I wasn’t bloated, my energy levels were higher (or back to normal), I felt great during my workouts, my appetite hadn’t increased but I was craving healthier foods, I felt calm, and my sleep was great! I felt more confident in my body. The only majors were my digestion was a bit slow, but it is always affected by traveling (meaning I felt constipated more days than not), I experienced back pain daily, and flying was a bit of a challenge because I simply wasn’t comfortable. I have noticed that when I sit for longer periods at a time, my back pain increases, I feel sluggish, and a bit moody. I am learning that I need to keep moving, exercise often, and get as comfortable as I can. It is easy to go through days, pregnant or not, when you are feeling good and harder if you just feel off. 

It seemed that once I hit 24/25 weeks many of my first trimester symptoms were making their debut again. Before I dive in, I had a check up with the doctor the week I returned from California and everything was great! I did not have an ultrasound, but we were able to listen to the heartbeat. Her heart was beating so fast! The doctor also measured my belly and took my weight- everything was right on target. Having a positive doctor’s appointment is always reassuring and gives me a piece of mind. It reassures me that I am doing everything I can to create a safe, healthy, and happy home for her. At the end of the day that is the only thing that matters. I worry less when I have days where all I can do is sleep, or others where I can’t stop eating. It is nothing to feel guilty about, these types of days come and go. It is all normal. 

As I mentioned before, I will now see the doctor every 4 weeks. For my next appointment I will have to take the gestational diabetes test, to see if I have diabetes, which can often develop when you are pregnant. I will keep you all posted! I know that I have talked about it many times in my stories as I will not be drinking the glucose drink that is provided but rather finding a healthier alternative. I will share updates soon. 

OK, so what has been up the last few weeks:

At 25 weeks she is the size of a cabbage, weighs almost 2 pounds, and is about 14 inches tall! She is growing at a faster rate and I can definitely feel her kicking so much more, especially when I am trying to sleep at night! I love it though. Even though we can’t obviously see it, the color of her hair has developed, her lungs are continuing to develop, and she is practicing her breathing. 

My energy has been dipping: I knew that during the third trimester you may start to feel tired again, but I wasn’t aware that it would happen this fast for me! By 4 PM I am exhausted once again. I don’t feel as guilty about it as I did during my first trimester because I know the importance of rest for my body. I try my hardest to complete my work in the morning and early afternoon as well as getting out for a workout class. I have noticed that taking a break in the afternoon for a walk outside does help! I will say that I have been sleeping great the last few weeks, better than usual. I find myself falling asleep on the couch around 8-9 PM and waking up around 6-7 AM- unless I have to get up earlier. The major thing that helps me is being consistent with my magnesium vitamins, it helps me sleep tremendously as well as helps prevent constipation. You can read about my prenatal care routine here!

Backaches/body aches: Woof, this one is tough for me. My entire body especially my back feels constantly achy and in pain. I can only last so long in a chair while working before I have to take it to the couch for more support. As my body continues to grow and expand I know this will be an underlying issue. I am curious to see if having prenatal massages would help relieve the pain, but I haven’t tried it out yet. I personally do not find myself more flexible than usual, as I know many pregnant women can experience this, I actually think I am the opposite! My joints feel tighter, as well as my hips. Just about everything! I also find myself experiencing abdominal cramps more often and can feel my body expanding. This is nothing I need to worry about as I have mentioned this to my doctor - I am all clear! This usually happens a few times a week and almost feels similar to contractions or period cramps. Things that I try to stay on top of to relieve the pain are: salt baths (4x a week), walking (even if it is just 30 minutes or less), not sitting for prolonged periods, and staying consistent with my workouts (4x a week).

Food aversions/cravings: My fruit obsession continues; pineapples, papaya, bananas, apples, blackberries, just about anything and everything! I am happily OK with this as I HATED fruit before becoming pregnant! I try to aim for a 2-3 servings a day, knowing that the variety is helping my little one! There are some days where I eat more than usual and others it seems that my appetite is the exact same before becoming pregnant. I try not to stress about that aspect knowing that I am feeding the baby as well, she needs it! For the most part I try to eat as healthy as I can (healthy to my definition). Meaning, I know what foods will make me feel my best and then I don’t worry how much of it I am eating. I of course have days where all I eat is bread and a great deal of sugar and the next day I feel terrible: bloated, moody, irritable, very full, tired etc. Those days are going to happen and you just have to move on from it! For the last few weeks I haven’t had any intense cravings or aversions, but more having trouble figuring out what I want to eat. Which I think is worse and more annoying! I will stand in the kitchen almost to the point of tears trying to figure it out- haha! I am crazy. Nothing sounds appealing to me so I find myself reaching for simple foods. Meat aversions come and go as well as fish again. I am loving eggs, every vegetable in sight, sourdough breads, and dark chocolate! When I feel stuck as to what to eat I often make smoothies and pack them with fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. It is an easy way for me to get in enough nutrients. Eating smaller meals throughout the day works better for my body. I feel less bloated and sluggish. If I eat too much in one sitting I feel super uncomfortable and almost feel sick to my stomach. I also try and drink as much water as can in between meals! It is so important for the development of the anatomic fluid and you! I usually have hot water with lemon in the morning and make it a goal to drink between each meal, except after dinner. That only keeps me up at night!

Workouts: This one has been an interesting one for me the last few weeks. While we were in CA, we hiked and walked A LOT. I felt great, but definitely more winded than usual. I moved slower. Ironically I have been going to Barry’s almost 2-3x a week. Lifting VERY light weights or doing mostly body weight and either walking at 4.0 or a very light jog at 5.0. I feel great after these workouts and I am happy that I can continue with it. Yoga, on the other hand is a different story. I haven’t been able to go as much as I would like, which is frustrating me but it’s mainly due to my own schedule not matching with the studios. Yoga helps me mentally a great deal and without I feel off. I am still not practicing hot yoga nor attending prenatal classes. I think a few of my main issues with not feeling the best with yoga is my body is tight, more achy, and I am getting used to a growing belly making it harder to do any type of folding or other certain poses. I never feel any sharp pain in yoga it is more just uncomfortable and I feel “heavy.” My goal is to try and make a class 2x a week and do light stretching at home. Another goal of mine is to try and walk 10k steps 4x a week. This may seem easy to you but I have a harder time getting out and taking breaks from work. As the weather starts to get a bit warmer, I know that this will be the best exercise I can get both mentally and physically! I also need to be better about waking up and completing my workouts first thing in the morning. My energy is the best, my stomach doesn’t feel as full, and I am more motivated to go!

Baby brain: I do not wish for this one!! I taught my yoga class the other day and I had the hardest time trying to explain different poses and would completely space out on the names! I laughed it off with the students, but it does make it more difficult and I feel guilty about it. I also am a bit forgetful and have a hard time remembering the names for the silliest things or objects. It doesn’t happen everyday, but it is a real thing!

Bleeding gums: This is one that I have been dealing with my entire pregnancy. It is awful. I found myself the other weekend in so much pain (teeth, jaw, bleeding) that I was in tears. It was hard to eat! I of course brush 2x a day as well as floss, but it is becoming painful. Usually my gums will bleed when I brush my teeth / floss, but often times they will bleed on their own. TMI, but it is a challenge of pregnancy. The important thing that I need to do is see my dentist to make sure there is nothing serious going on!

Intense & more frequent kicks! She is MOVING in there. I feel the kicks the most when I am trying to sleep at night, very early in the morning, or when any music is playing. It is one of the coolest and strangest feelings. They do not hurt but feel like little air bubbles popping in my belly. I love being able to feel her kick, it is the best part- I think. She isn’t active during my workouts, only when I am at complete rest. go figure!

Itchy skin: I experienced this A LOT in the first trimester and now it is starting to pick back up again. I can’t tell if it is actually from being pregnant or the fact that I was away in CA for two weeks and my skin became a little drier in the sun. Either way, my belly, boobs, legs - everything itches like crazy! Salt baths help as well as always putting on lotion post bath/shower! I was never good about this before pregnancy and it does make my skin so soft, less itchy, and glows! The products that I love are from Cocokind (in particular the calming powder) and Zoe Organics (their belly oil!). They also make baby products, which I will use!

Mood: My mood changes daily and my emotions tend to be all over the place. Obviously this has to do with being pregnant and my hormones but I do experience highs and lows often. I experienced this during my first trimester as well. It really depends on the day or how the day before went. I do not experience anxiety attacks anymore as I have in the past (before baby) but more of an overwhelming feeling and often insecure about the changes I am going through. Our bodies are going through so much, creating a human. It can be easy to pick yourself apart during this time, especially with how you look. I never want to sound like I am complaining because I do know how lucky I am, so I do tend to keep things to myself or try and do things that will boost my mood- which is important to take some time to yourself so you can be mentally healthy. I really have been focusing on myself a lot more and making sure I am taking care of me! I find that my time is precious now and before I know it all of it will be devoted to taking care of her. I want to make sure I am mentally ready and feeling good so I can be my best self with her.

So far those are the major things that I am experiencing. I am still in shock that I have 15 weeks left. We haven’t begun setting up the baby room but we are making space for her! As you all know, we just moved into our new apartment about a month ago! The other day I finally started the baby registry! At first I found it completely overwhelming and I had (still don’t) know idea what I needed. What is safe, studying all the ingredients in products, what is worth it, can I handle this, how much stuff does a baby need, will it all fit, the cost: all these things and more were popping in and out of my mind. I will say that once I started going on the registry it was fun!! I will share some of my favorite things once I have it completed. I am of course a total newbie when it comes to what I will need for the baby, so I will probably start asking for advice from friends and doing my own research this week! For the start of June it is a goal of mine to start setting up the room and figuring out what we will need. I know that part will be fun! I will share :)

I am happy that the weather will start to get a bit warmer. To be honest, I feel pretty lucky that I will be pregnant during the summer months and that the baby will be here towards the end! It will make it “easier” to get fresh air for both me and the baby! Plus, I am a summer girl at heart!

We may have decided on a name, but of course I won’t be sharing until she is born! We haven’t even told our parents or any friends. I prefer to keep it a secret until then. Picking a name has been so hard for us!!

I am happy to share all these updates with you and feel grateful that you are all so interested! My next update will most likely be in a few weeks, once I hit the third trimester!

Thank YOU for reading.