3rd Trimester: 27 to 32 Weeks, Including My Baby Shower

"Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch."

(E.B. White, Charlotte's Web)

I've said this before, but it's astounding how quickly this pregnancy has moved along. I'm at almost 33 weeks now, so there are only 4 more weeks until I'm considered full-term!

I'm barely at the stage where I've been thinking about actual labor and childbirth and bringing home baby, so I need to get up to speed, but I don't want to fill my head with too many perspectives or negative experiences. Oftentimes, our minds get in the way of our bodies, but we have to remember that our bodies are designed for this. My prenatal yoga instructor is a doula and childbirth educator, and she said that some of the "easiest" or least complicated birth stories involve either very young moms who haven't really done much research, or moms with mental challenges who can't or don't overthink the process. I want to be well-informed, but not overly so, so that I can have my own unique experience. I'll have a basic birth plan, but will ultimately go with the flow and do what is best for my baby and myself, not being too adamant about sticking to any pre-set ideas.

Aside from backaches and major issues sleeping -- which I'll chalk up to God getting me used to sleepless nights -- this pregnancy has been quite uneventful in a good way. Still, I have fears and anxieties that haven't gone away, and probably won't until at least after I give birth. I sometimes worry about her movements stopping and her heart ceasing to beat. I'm nervous to get the room we're going to use for her ready, and to unpack all of the lovely and generous gifts we've received and items we've purchased because I'm afraid something bad will happen and we'll have to return them. Overall, however, I'm happy and excited and I think I just need to de-clutter and organize and that might give me a little peace. Over the next few weeks, you'll find me nesting and preparing to welcome our baby girl. I've been working on some baby crafts, which I plan to post about soon.

Below are some details and photos from the beginning of my 3rd trimester until now.

27 Weeks, Start of 3rd Trimester

• Baby is the size of a rutabaga.
• Her lungs are going through major developments, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means she's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling.
• I started drinking organic pregnancy tea -- containing red raspberry leaf, strawberry leaf, stinging nettle leaf, and a blend of spearmint leaf, bitter fennel fruit, rose hip, alfalfa leaf, and lemon verbena leaf -- which is suppose to help to support pregnancy and prepare the womb for childbirth; and reading my one book on pregnancy, labor, and childbirth that I've had for a while now, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy.
• 27w4d: Heart rate of approximately 147 bpm. I also noticed movement on the outside of my belly today, which felt like little people doing the wave, or hot tub jets, and turned me into a real shape-shifter.
• Symptoms: Acid reflux with mild, brief nausea when getting up from lying down position; series of memorable dreams.
• Cravings: Grilled or fried cheese (sandwiches, mozzarella sticks); candy (gummy/sour gummy candies are my favorite); chocolate (I'm pretty much always in the mood for cookies 'n cream ice cream or cookie dough flavors).

27w1d during our mini babymoon to Mackinac Island

Pregnancy tea and book

28 Weeks

• Baby is the size of an eggplant.
• She is breathing and showing brain activity, lungs are maturing, and skin is still pretty wrinkly (from living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.
• Gestational diabetes screen at 28w2d: Drank fruit punch-flavored glucola beverage at home and then went into the office; weight, urine screen, blood pressure taken, and 2 tubes of blood drawn. OB answered some questions about the flu shot, Tdap vaccine, and pediatricians, and then measured my fundal height and checked baby's heart rate, which was 156 bpm (a little higher than usual because of the glucose drink), and told me to return in 2 weeks. After the appointment, Sam and I got our flu shots at CVS.
• This was the first week I had strangers ask about and congratulate me on my pregnancy, and store employees ask if I needed help taking groceries to the car. 
• Symptoms: Round ligament pain, insomnia, heartburn/acid reflux at night.

Glucose drink for screening at 28w2d

Post-bagel outing in downtown Detroit at 28w5d

29 Weeks

• Baby is the size of an acorn squash.
• Her energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath the skin, and she's growing fast (weight will triple before birth).
• 3D ultrasound at 29w0d: Note that dark areas in the photos below are shadows from fluid, or areas where she was pressed up against the placenta or my hip bone, which she was snuggling and wouldn't budge from! I used to think 3D ultrasounds were a little creepy because the babies often looked alien-like, but I'm so glad we got an early look at our baby.
• 29w6d: Heart rate of approximately 143 bpm.
• Cravings: Animal crackers, chocolate Teddy Grahams.

I already think she's the cutest!

Outside of a Toledo, OH mall at 29w2d

30 Weeks, 75% There!

• Baby is the size of a cucumber.
• She is moving a lot and plumping up; skin is smoothing out; increased surface area of grooves and indentations in her brain making more room for essential brain tissue; and her grip is strong enough to grasp a finger.
• Appointment at 30w1d: Weight, urine screen, and blood pressure taken; Tdap vaccine received. Nurse practitioner checked baby's heart rate, which was approximately 138-140 bpm, and measured my fundal height. She said that the main concern in pregnancy at this point is preterm labor: If my belly gets tight and hard and cramping occurs, increase water intake, get off feet, lie down on left side, check for movement; and if tightening/cramping occurs 5-6 times or more in an hour, call the office or go to the hospital.
• 30w2d: Prenatal massage.
• Symptoms: Tightening pain, most likely Braxton Hicks contractions.
• We went to NY at the end of this week for our friends' wedding as well as my baby shower, which my sister and sister-in-law hosted at Francois Payard's FP Patisserie on Manhattan's Upper East Side. I also got to meet my friend Angela's brand new baby girl, and have dinner with my family before I returned to Michigan.

Sunglasses to protect eyes from the glare of my pasty legs at 30w2d

30w5d, dressed up for the wedding and looking huge!

My Baby Shower

I need to figure out how to use my camera settings for better photos, but please see below for several shots from my baby shower at Francois Payard Patisserie 2 weeks ago. The "Ready to Pop" theme was carried out in the invitations, the prizes (mini Pommery Pink Pop Rosé Champagne and Essie Poppy Art Pink nail polish), and the popcorn favors.

Ready to Pop invite from Le Partie Sugar

Me with the hostesses, Grace and Maureen

Table setting with wish cards and menus

A handful of the handwritten wish cards

Unsure of our answers during one of the games

Baby headband-making station

So many flowers, embellishments, and colors

Some of the ladies' adorable creations

Speaking of adorable, how cute is this?

Menu

Beautiful flowers, tea, and mini pastries

More food, including scones, tea sandwiches, and macaron ice cream sandwiches!

3 delicious favor flavors from Popcorn Palace

Parting gifts from FP Patisserie: a box of macarons and orange peel breakfast brioche

31 Weeks

• Baby is the size of a pineapple.
• She is going through major brain and nerve development; eye development, as irises now react to light; and all 5 senses are in working order.
• Consultation appointment with prospective pediatric specialists at 31w2d: Spoke with a couple of medical staff members and saw the office and patient areas.
• 31w4d: Heart rate of approximately 149 bpm.
• Symptoms: Backaches; Braxton Hicks contractions; some discomfort from lots of movement that felt different (starting the evening of 31w1d) -- the best way I can describe the feeling is that it is like when you try to twist an inflated balloon, but you meet resistance and aren't sure it will twist successfully -- since baby is running out of space and trying to get comfy herself.
• Cravings: With the drop in temperatures, apple cider donuts and hot chocolate, as well as grilled cheese and brownies.

31w5d at Trader Joe's... Yikes, baby is the size of a pineapple?

32 Weeks

• Baby is the size of a squash.
• She is getting ready to emerge, and has even less space as she tries to fit in my increasingly cramped womb and prepare for her eventual descent.
• Appointment at 32w0d: Urine screen, weight, and blood pressure taken. OB measured my fundal height, and checked baby's heart rate, which was 150 bpm, and told me that this is usually the time when things get more uncomfortable.
• 32w0d: I took a short video clip of her movement (which I'll try to post here when I get the chance).
• 32w2d: We had professional maternity photos taken this week by Lisa of Turtle Street Photography. I'm always uncomfortable in front of a camera, but I hope we managed to get some nice photos to remember this special time.
• Symptoms: Back aches, Braxton Hicks contractions, series of memorable dreams.

32w4d and enjoying the beautiful transitional weather

I look back on previous pregnancy posts, when I couldn't imagine how I could possibly get larger, but the expansion keeps happening... It's like Manifest Destiny within my body.

Coming up, we'll be taking a tour of the obstetrical unit, since I've never been to the hospital where I'm going to deliver, and a day-long childbirth class with an experienced L&D nurse, and I want to schedule an infant and child CPR class as well. And I need to pack our hospital bags: one for me (L&D/recovery), one for Sam (personal items/tech bag), and one for Ava (baby bag).

Thanks for reading if you made it this far with me!