Baby #4: 28 Weeks

 

Here we are at the third trimester, 28 weeks!  I can't believe we are already here. I'm still feeling pretty good so far.  I do have to really watch what I do throughout the day because my back will feel all the aches if I've done too much by dinner time.  Also the hemorrhoid's reared their big ugly head this week.  Lots of rest, cream and stool softener every day. My nose is going a little crazy and I can smell nasty things from rooms away.  My breasts are still pretty sore from day to day.  My nasal congestion finally cleared up!  I've gained about 20lbs so far and feeling strong still so far.  i'm hoping to not gain over 35lbs, so hopefully I can average 1 pound a week from here on out.  I'm still working out 3-4 times a week with cardio and weights.  

This week I did take my GDM (gestational diabetes) test!  I lucked out and got the fruit punch flavor and stayed in the office to wait for my hour blood draw.  I was sure going into it I'd fail and have to take the 3 hour test.  I did with both Scarlett and Hazel.  BUT I passed!!!!! WHEW!  I'm still definitely going to watch my sugar/carb intake but it makes me feel better that my pancreas is holding strong through this last pregnancy.  In the pregnant world, I'm of geriatric age at 34.  The risks increase the older you get for GDM, hypertension, etc so I felt very relieved to pass this test.  This was the last 4 week appointment with the doctor.  Now it's every two weeks!

As far as baby goes, everything is still going great!  Heart rate is strong and the kicks are stronger!  This pregnancy for the first time I have a posterior placenta which allows me to feel SO many more movements and kicks!  I love it SO much and have never felt this much movement from a baby before.  It being my last pregnancy, it's the best gift haha.  The older kids are obsessed with feeling baby move and it's just so special.  

Last weekend we had a babymoon!  We snuck away to Broken Bow in a very nice couples cabin.  We ate great food, hiked 5.5 miles, relaxed in the quiet, soaked in the hot tub, read books at night and had awesome conversations.  We needed this so bad and I'm so thankful we could do it!

This week our Nestig crib came in and we got it all put together!  I love it so much!  The big sisters love to put their baby dolls in it and pretend.  It's so sweet.

Keep growing baby!

Baby #4: 26 Weeks

 

We are onto the last two weeks of my second trimester!  

No big changes this week.  My back pain is starting to increase pretty drastically.  I have to make myself sit down and take breaks a lot more than I'm used to.  I can't just clean the house for hours straight anymore!  The bending over and picking up toys has already been pretty taxing as well.  I'm still having occasional BH contractions but nothing out of hand.  As far as supplements goes, I'm taking collagen powder daily to keep away the round ligament pain, a stool softener so that I don't get constipation or worse hemorrhoid's, a prenatal vitamin, a pre/probiotic for digestive benefits and vitamin D because night shift sucks.  I'm not sleeping very well lately.  I have been waking up every time I have to roll over which is about every 2 hours. Yuck. Last week I did get in 4 workouts in one week!  I'm proud that I have remained pretty active so far despite the kids, working nights and my belly getting so big so fast. 

Baby is about the size of a VHS tape and weighing about 2 pounds.  The baby is so active, but especially at night.  When I'm working nights I can feel baby move and kick every hour almost.  Next OB appointment next week and I think I start going every 2 weeks after this one.

Norah's closet construction is all finished and we are looking at ordering bunk beds next!  I really want to shift everyone's rooms soon before I get more uncomfortable and larger.  The new crib has shipped finally but probably won't be here for another month.  We put together an Amazon registry, but I don't think we're having any baby showers this go around, except for my work one.  We'll see!

I'm really trying to soak it all in, take all the bump pictures and pictures of the kids excitement.  It's going way to fast.

Baby #4: 24 Weeks

 

24 Weeks!  This is always a big milestone because baby can live outside of the womb now!  Definitely don't want to meet them quite yet, but crazy to think about.  Baby is the size of a cantaloupe and weighs just over a pound now.  I can press on feet and limbs now through my belly and it feels so amazing.  The kicks and moves are just the best.

These last few weeks have been more of the same.  I have gained about 15lbs so far, so on track!  I have been supplementing with collagen daily so the round ligament pain thankfully hasn't been an issue, so happy about that!!  I have been constantly congested, which is an unfortunate side effect of pregnancy and a new symptom for me.  My breasts gave been super sore and tender, yuck.  Hemorrhoid's came back with a vengeance no...matter....what....i.....do. Ugh, another yuck. But really, no complaints from me.  I'm really enjoying this adventure so far!  I'm still trying to move my body at least 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.  My workouts are already pretty modified.  No more long distance running and modifying my weight lifting, but still feeling really good.  I know the huge benefits to working out and having an active pregnancy, so I'm really trying to keep it up.  Even if it's just a 2 mile walk that day, it's moving my body and getting that heart rate up!

I had another OB appointment at 23 weeks, pretty boring except my fundal height is measuring about a month ahead.  I just had a pretty lengthy ultrasound done two weeks ago, so I don't think baby is huge.  I'm a little worried it could be access fluid (polyhydramnios).  Time will tell.  It would make sense because I feel like my belly has shot out the last few weeks and I'm already looking almost full term from the outside.  I'm already getting the "You're about to pop!" comments out and about.

These last few weeks were busy!  We squeezed in one last family vacation as a family of 5 with a road trip down to Gulf Shores AL!  We split the driving into two days each way, which made it pretty long but tolerable for the kids and myself.  The beach was wonderful.  The family time was fantastic.  The trip was a huge memory maker for sure.  It definitely dawned on me while I was there that this is the last time I'll be pregnant at the beach.  I took all the pictures, probably too many, but I know I won't regret any of it. 

Norah and Scarlett constantly ask to feel the baby, kiss the baby and if the baby is moving.  I love it.  They are SO excited!  Hazel is still pretty oblivious haha.

Last week we got the construction finished on Norah's closet, so the next step is setting up bunk beds in Norah's room!  The new crib also shipped today, so once that arrives things will definitely start feeling more real.

We are getting more excited to meet this last baby by the week!!

Always craving mexican food