This week I said good-bye to my 20’s and hello to the 30’s. No, not my age, that happened a few years ago. My pregnancy weeks!
I’m 30 weeks along, which means there’s only 10 weeks until my due date. For those of you who are obsessive about getting your shopping done early, that means there are essentially only 10 weeks left until Christmas. You better get moving!
Doctor Visit
This week I had another monthly doctor visit. I go to an OBGYN who is part of a group of six doctors, any of who could deliver Baby Bean depending on who is on-call when I go into labor. I only started going to this practice with this pregnancy, so I don’t know all the doctors yet.
I saw a new doctor this week and it was the quickest appointment so far. If you read part 1 of Meghan’s birth story, you know that the doctor I had with Meghan would spend 20 minutes talking to me each appointment. He asked questions, explained everything thoroughly, and took his time with me. This experience has been extremely different.
The doctor, who I was meeting for the first time, was in the room for no more than 90 seconds. I’m not kidding. She came in, asked how I was feeling, measured my stomach, listened to the baby’s heart, asked if I had questions, and left. It was unreal.
I’m glad there was nothing more to discuss because that means there are no problems and things are going well. I understand that she had other patients to see. I didn’t have any questions. I still couldn’t help but feel a little let down at the hurriedness of the visit.
To those of you who have had babies, have your experiences been similar?
Here’s what I did learn at this visit:
Blood Pressure: 120/68
Weight Gained: 6 pounds this month, for a total of 20 pounds
Baby’s Heart Rate: 141
Glucose Test Results: Normal
How I’m Feeling
Other than bigger and bigger, I’m feeling really well. My stomach is no joke! At times I can’t believe that I still have 10 weeks of growing to do because it feels like it’s going to pop. Besides feeling big, I feel pretty normal. I’m grateful that my second and so far third trimester have been easy and hope it continues!
If you ask Tim how I’m feeling, he’d probably mention the word “emotional”, so I should include that, too. The emotional floodgates are still open for business and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Whew–it’s exhausting. For me and Tim, I’m sure.
What’s Going on with my Body
I continue to have some minimal swelling in my hands and feet, but nothing terrible yet. I’m still able to wear my wedding ring, even though I have to take it off at night (because that’s when the swelling is the worst) and it’s getting more difficult to slide off and on. One of these days I’ll probably have to keep it off.
My stomach developed “linea nigra”, or a “dark line” from just under my belly button to my pubic bone. See it up there in the front facing picture? This happened with Meghan, so I expected it this time around, too. It’s caused by–what else? Pregnancy hormones.
Exercise
I haven’t mentioned exercise in a while because nothing much has changed. I aim to get some sort of exercise in 4 times per week. This is an average–on a good week I might get 5 days in and on a bad week I might only get 2 days in. I try for 4, and most weeks I’ve hit that goal.
The last few weeks my main form of exercise has been walking and light weight lifting. I haven’t been doing my pregnancy DVD much because the weather’s been so gorgeous and I want to take advantage of it as long as I can! I have a loop that I walk that takes me between 30-45 minutes. Usually after my walk I’ll do some weight lifting or strength training moves.
One day while I was walking, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, it started to rain. Soon, it was pouring. I started to run because I wanted to make it home quickly, and guess what! It felt GREAT! I only ran about 5 minutes, but I was amazed at how good I felt. I haven’t tried busting into a run again, but it made me look forward to running after the baby is born and I recover.
I mentioned a while back that I’d like to try some prenatal yoga. I looked into a few studios and found that the price was too high for something I wasn’t sure if I’d like. I have a love/hate relationship with yoga when I’m not pregnant, and am afraid I’ll find it even more uncomfortable than usual with this big belly messing with my balance.
I will leave you with this picture that shows how much I’ve grown in the last 6 weeks, just in case you hadn’t noticed.
Thank you to everyone who emailed me questions or left them in last week’s comment section. I didn’t get to answer every question in this post as I didn’t want to overload it, but will definitely do so next week. I will most likely do a separate post devoted to my birth plan.
I know this is an old post for you, but I’m currently in my 30 weeks with my first and it’s always fun to read about other women’s experiences. I have to say I agree with your doctor comment. My husband and I have been pretty underwhelmed by the lack of enthusiasm we’ve seen from nearly every medical person we’ve encountered so far in my pregnancy. It’s our first baby, so we hoped for some more excitement from those helping us out medically, but I guess after doing it for so many years, the excitement goes away. 🙁 I have to say exercise for me in the last few weeks has gotten more challenging as I’ve been feeling the same fatigue I felt in my first trimester. I’m trying to get a good 30-40 minute walk in daily along with some prenatal videos 3 days a week. It’s a challenge, but I know it will help me recover! Thanks for sharing!
You look great!!! AT 30 weeks I was so big that it looked my butt was pregnant too!!! LOL
Aww I love all the info girly! <3 It makes me feel like i'm prepared for my own someday =) you look gorgeous as always! <3 and congrats again and again on your healthy happy pregnancy and your little one that is on the way! love you so so much! <3 xoxo
Hi Maryea! I’ve been reading your blog for sometime now. Our first borns are the same age (give or take a week) so I enjoy getting lots of food ideas from you.
I found with my second pregnancy that the appointments were super short too. Blood pressure check, quick feel and heart beat check then I was out of there. I assumed it was because second time around I didnt really have any questions and I knew what was going on!
Hi Natalie! I’m guessing that’s it–not much to talk about when I already have done this once. 🙂
Thank you for writing about your pregnancy week by week. It’s great to read how you are feeling and what you are going through because I am exactly 3 weeks behind you! This way I have an idea as to how i’ll be feeling too. This will be my second pregnancy as well but I must say it feels completely different and new! (in a much better way!) You look great by the way!
Also, I thought it was great when you posted what you ate for the day with all the food info. Very helpful and motivating!
Maybe I will do another post about what I eat in a day–it looks different now than it did then. I think I’m eating less calories now, but I’m not sure. It’d be fun to find out!
wow!! so much changes in 6 weeks!
It’s amazing, isn’t it?!
You and your belly look great :)! I can’t believe the time passed so fast. It seems like yesterday you just announced your pregnancy… Thank you for mentioning the exercise. My husband and I are trying to have another baby, so I am very interested in keeping active and healthy. Exciting times!
Good luck in trying to conceive! For a long time I felt like the time was going by so slow, but now it seems like it is flying by! It makes me a little nervous. 😉
you look just great!!
With all my meds- my emotional flood gates have been trying to get the best of me….. When some of my test results came back the doctor said “Wow, I’m surprised you’re not crying this exact second! You’ve got a lot going on in there!” ….Bummer about your dr. visit not being much of a visit at all, like you said though, at least that means that all is going well. Still a bummer though, you want to feel comfortable. ……Your little bean just keeps growing! 10 more weeks!!! Oh GOODNESS!
Lookin hot mama! Keep it up! The countdown is on.
Oh my gosh my DR was in and out as well. I had a group of six, and of coarse didn’t meet them all and wouldn’t you know one I hadn’t met was on call and delivered my little guy. Your Dr isn’t Dr Reddy is it?? You look great and I’m enjoying reading about your journey. 🙂
Nope, not Dr. Reddy. I am hoping that the one guy I’ve seen every time (except this last time) will be the one on call! I’m sure it will be fine if it’s not, but I’d feel so much better if it was.
I can’t believe that you are at 30 weeks already!!! So exciting!! You look amazing, all belly, which is a GREAT thing 🙂 Anytime you are ALL belly, it means that once baby is popped out, the ALL part pretty much disappears and you’re back to normal 🙂
I happened to have loved prenatal yoga, but I realize it isn’t for everybody. No think a lot depends on your instructor. Keep in mind that many modifications are made, and props used, to accommodate the growing belly. Most classes will offer a fee or discounted first class as a trial if you want to give it a shot.
Jen
I’ll have to look for a trial class–that’s a good idea. I just looked at some prices and couldn’t imagine paying it before knowing if I’d actually like it.
I had very quick appointments too… unless I had questions. But I was always very happy at the end of the pregnancy that the appointments were quick. I wanted LESS doctor intervention so short appointments meant that all was going well and they weren’t going to try to do crazy things like a vaginal exam or stripping membranes or anything else that could make the appointment longer. I also had a birth plan so by 30 weeks, I was just focused on the birth plan. By that time I just wanted to make sure that my doctor was going to read my plan and follow it. Also, during delivery I spent a majority of time with the delivery nurse, our doula, and my husband. They called the doctor at the end to deliver the baby – I thought that was great because LESS doctor intervention is better unless there is some kind of emergency. If you want to see a copy of our birth plan, email me and I can send it to you – made it using tips from our Bradley Method Class after reading a lot of sample birth plans. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are almost there!!!!
I just emailed you. 🙂
My goodness, so close! The baby’s growing so fast!! Dang, almost doubled in the past 6 weeks. It’ll be healthy, that’s for sure. 🙂