Oh Baby, it’s Getting Real!

It has been nearly 6 weeks since my last pregnancy update, so I have a lot of catching up to do! I don’t have any plans for today (Sunday), and I am currently drinking coffee in my recliner with Shep curled up at my feet.

I am 34 weeks and 4 days today putting me real close to the home stretch of my pregnancy. I am a little afraid I will jinx myself, but I’m going to say it anyway: My pregnancy has been AMAZING. Not to say I haven’t had my emotional moments, because I have. But based on the way I have physically felt throughout the past 30 or so weeks, I have been very blessed with an easy pregnancy. Let’s hope labor and delivery follow suit!

I still do my yoga stretches [most] mornings which I believe has helped me avoid major aches and pains, like sciatic nerve pain. I have only had one sciatic pain incident for a few seconds while I was at school and OUCH, I am glad that so far I haven’t had to deal with much more of that! I do deal with leg cramps, mostly in the mornings. But my most annoying symptom has still got to be my restless legs. I do have leg + foot lotion that has a cooling, tingling effect and that seems to give me a little relief. I also received my Bump Box the other day and in it was a cooling mist for achy + swelled legs – my favorite product so far out of all my Bump Box items! I have been using it multiple times a day.

My feet have been hurting a lot lately because I am on them all day while teaching. Epsom salt baths and foot baths have been my friend! My teacher friend treated me to a pedicure the other day after work and it felt AMAZING. I plan on using my prenatal massage Christmas gift soon, as well!

I suppose I do have another annoying symptom during this pregnancy but I don’t really think of it as fully pregnancy-related. I am anemic (low on iron) as it is and during pregnancy it is not uncommon to develop anemia. Since I’ve been dealt a double whammy, my iron count got a little too low for comfort and iron supplements alone were not going to do the trick, my doctor ordered me to get an iron infusion. I was very nervous for this because I knew it was going to be an IV-type situation and I do NOT like needles. I feel faint very easily (and HAVE fainted in the past) and anxiety does NOT help those situations, so I had been worrying myself about the appointment for days. BUT, I was (and still am) very excited to have it done because after dealing with low energy for as many years as I can remember due to anemia, I thought this might make me feel loads better.

Since I was so nervous, I had my mom come with me to my appointment. Even at 26, you need your mom! The experience was not anything like I expected. Upon arrival, we were offered complimentary drinks and snacks. Enough to win anyone over, right? Then we went into our own little room with two recliners and a TV – with Netflix included! The staff was extremely nice and I explained that I wanted the IV to be in a place on my arm where I can’t easily look at it because I knew it would freak me out, so she hooked me all up and then covered my arm up with a blanket. Out of sight, out of mind.

The iron ran into my body for 30 minutes and then they ran another solution into my body for 30 minutes – then I was done! I have my second dose this coming week and I am so glad I won’t have to worry about it this time around because I know what to expect. They told me I would probably feel results within 1-3 weeks and I am so ready to feel them – I am going to need all the energy I can get once Baby H arrives!

The past 3 weekends, we have had friends and family help us celebrate the upcoming arrival of our little man. Between both of my baby showers (blog post about them coming soon) and Brett’s diaper party, we are mostly ready for baby to arrive! I would say I am definitely in the nesting stage now and really have been for the past few weeks. I have actually enjoyed keeping up with housecleaning and of course, decorating the nursery! The nursery is nearly done and I have had so much fun filling the dresser drawers with all the cute baby items. I can’t wait to do a nursery reveal, although I have been posting several pictures of it on my Instagram already.

I spent some of yesterday ordering any items that I didn’t recieve off my registry that I felt we still needed. Those items included a Snuggle Me lounger, portable bouncer, outlet covers, and a wrap-style carrier. I also organized a special place in the pantry for our baby feeding items and I washed all the baby bottles. Yesterday I really took packing my hospital bag seriously, too! I had been putting it off because I am such an over-packer and have been nervous that I would get a little carried away. Luckily I had my sister to keep me thinking straight and she told me the things she needed and didn’t need while she was in the hospital just over a month ago with her own little baby. My bag isn’t totally ready to go yet because I had a couple items to order on Amazon, but once it is complete, I would love to share a post about what I included!

A few weeks ago, Brett and I visited the hospital for a tour of the birthing suites. They are like a hotel room! I will be in the same room throughout my whole hospital stay which I am very excited about. They have a large fold-out couch for Brett to sleep on as well as a recliner. This particular hospital is so peaceful and the staff is extremely kind and helpful. They are even letting my mom in the delivery room with us since Covid seems to be getting better. Everyone that I have talked to that has delivered at this facility has had nothing but great things to say about their experience and it means so much to me because here very soon I am sure I will start to get nervous about delivering. Knowing I am in good hands with the staff and that I can have two of my favorite people there with me through it all brings me a lot of comfort!

I almost forgot to mention our 3D ultrasound experience. Probably because it wasn’t much of an experience at all! Lol Brett and I tried 3 separate times to see our baby’s face but time and time and time again, he didn’t cooperate and we didn’t get to see as much of him as we had hoped. We did get to see just enough of him to notice that it looks like he’s got Brett’s nose! I guess we will have to wait until we meet him in person to really see the rest of what he looks like. The “old-fashioned way.” 😉

So there is my pregnancy update for you all! Hope you enjoyed.

Paige