The beginning of the third trimester has been the best part of my pregnancy so far. This month has had ups and downs as every month has, but I am getting more and more excited to meet this baby. I struggled being pregnant at the beginning and although I have acid reflux like you can’t believe, I am loving pregnancy now.

Week 28

What a heavy week emotionally in this country. Despite crying every single day this week, I have finally started to love my pregnancy. I am so grateful to be in my third trimester. I was holding off buying clothes because I have been waiting for thrift stores to reopen. I decided to go ahead and ordered some secondhand clothes in the meantime. I ordered some cute maternity dresses on Poshmark. For the first time in months I put on something other than workout clothes. I finally feel like a cute pregnant woman.

I have felt so good this past week. I finally cut back on sugar and have been consistently walking 2-3 miles a day, stretching, and doing random workouts. I also started reading my Bible again every morning. I feel really good and am grateful for the changes my body is making. And the more I am loving my body, the more I feel bonded to the baby.

I don’t have many pregnancy symptoms these days, but I did get one big one: leg cramps. My legs have cramped every night this week and it is painful! A couple have sent me rolling out of bed and yelling in pain. I already take magnesium every night and have been drinking a lot of water. I have read blogs and tried everything I can think of to help. I hope this doesn’t last all pregnancy. Since the cramps have been waking me up at night, I have had to take a couple of naps this week. I am usually not a good napper. However, this week, I could barely keep my eyes open around 2pm and gave in to a nap. Most days I make myself keep going but if I feel especially exhausted, I will rest.

Vito and I started a birthing course this week that I am so excited about. I have taken a couple before for my doula training, but I have never taken one from this point of view. I truly believe that Vito will be an excellent birthing partner. He is very compassionate, empathetic and nurturing. We have stayed very open throughout the pregnancy and have discussed our fears, doubts and needs. I truly believe birthing courses bond couples and help bring them together before the big day.

Week 29

I went into week 29 excited that the baby will be here in less than three months. It feels far away yet the last six months have gone by so fast. I started kick counting this week. When I first feel the baby move, I count ten kicks (or punches) to make sure baby is active. I still worry about the baby. Is it getting the proper nutrition? Am I drinking enough water? I have a hard time eating in the morning which throws the whole day off. I eat breakfast around 10, a snack at noon and then it’s dinner time. I worry that I am not eating enough but I’ve gained 25lbs so clearly I am. My belly grows so much throughout the day. When I wake up, I feel so tiny. By the end of the day, I feel huge. It’s crazy how the size and shape of my belly change throughout the day.

I have been getting great rest this week since my leg cramps have lightened. I started rubbing arnica gel on my legs every night and it seems to be helping. A good night’s rest makes such a difference in my mood and productivity levels! Although I haven’t quite gotten the nesting urge, I feel like getting things done. I read not everyone goes through the nesting phase but I sure hope I do!

I have been working on my birth plan and getting super excited to give birth. There are many wishes on my plan that are standard practice where I am delivering, so it is nice to know they will be honored. Practices such as delayed cord clamping, the golden hour, and delayed bath are all standard with the midwife group. I will share my birth plan with you when it is ready!

Vito and I also started a childbirth education course together. If I could recommend one thing for every pregnant mama to do, it would be to take a birthing class. Whether it is hypnobirthing, the Bradley Method, EBBased birth, or spinning babies, you will gain so many tools and resources for the big day! We are actually taking two birthing courses because I am a crazy person. I love to learn and to be fully equipped for birth. We spend months planning for our wedding day. We research the perfect venue, find the right atmosphere and spend tons on the perfect dress. When it comes to giving birth, very few people research their hospital or provider, find out their options, and aren’t willing to invest in a birthing course or doula. Pretty crazy to me!

Week 30

As much as I enjoyed sleeping during my 29th week of pregnancy, my body had different plans for this week. The baby likes to put his/her feet up under my ribs making it almost impossible to get comfortable. Anytime I lay down or even lean forward a bit, I throw up in my mouth. I am trying to stay hydrated but my acid reflux is on a whole new level. It is a million degrees outside making going for walks a little harder…. BUT I am still enjoying pregnancy.

With the rising temperatures, I have found that I need to go for a little walk earlier in the day and another one later in the evening after dinner. Changing my routine a bit has actually been nice. It’s nice to get outside earlier in the day and work on some training with Hutch. We decided to invest in a training program for him to make it easier when the baby comes. Hutch is a really good boy, but if I am pushing a stroller, I can’t have him pulling on the leash. We have already seen improvements with the training program and I am excited for him to meet the baby.

Vito and I have been trying to narrow down baby names. We have our girl’s name picked out, but boy names have been a struggle. I thought we had finally agreed on one and Vito changed his mind. Then we agreed on another one, and I changed my mind. I saw that it was in the top fifty most popular boy names for this year, and it threw me off! We have read every list and gone through every boy name website, nothing. Hopefully over the next couple of months, it will come to us. Although the baby doesn’t have a name yet, we love reading the growth updates. Our baby can smile! How crazy is that? I can’t wait to see that little smile in a couple of months. I need to meet this baby that is giving me crazy acid reflux. I throw up in my mouth multiple times a day. Sexy, I know. Some heartburn is coming as well. I can feel all of my organs pushed up making room for the baby.

We got to celebrate Vito’s birthday and Father’s Day this weekend. I got him a few small gifts and we enjoyed a BBQ with family. It is fun to celebrate this year, but it will be even more exciting next year! Vito is going to be such a great father and I am so excited to see what this next year brings us.

Our house renovations are all coming together. The house is starting to look complete on the outside, but I have so much work to do on the inside (hence why I want that nesting urge to kick in). My two sisters-in-law gave us tons of stuff for our baby. We are so grateful that they saved so much for us! The one question we have is, where do we put it? How does a baby have so many things? I still have essentials on my registry as well! Some serious cleaning and organizing are in order. These two things are not my strengths but it has to get done! Vito and I also need to get rid of a few things. We have tons of space in our house and it’s full. We are not hoarders by any means, but we have too much “stuff.” I need to seriously block out some time to just do it!

Week 31

If you listen to either of my podcasts, The Long Haul or Miraculous Mamas, you know that I overshare when it comes to my bowel movements. I keep reading about how my digestion may slow down and hemorrhoids are a common possibility. Thankfully neither of those things have happened. I think I actually poop more while pregnant! Here a few things I do to make sure my digestion is moving properly:

Eat my Greens:

Every morning I have either sauteed kale or a glass of green juice. Greens are packed with fiber and other nutrients that keep your digestive system working seamlessly and give vital nutrients to your baby!

Magnesium:

I take Magnesium Calm every night before bed to help my body relax and sleep. About 75% of Americans are not getting the recommended dose of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency in pregnancy can cause a lot of complications, including preterm labor. Magnesium citrate powder has been proven to aid digestion and rid constipation. Here is an interesting article on the other added benefits of magnesium!

Probiotics:

Tons of research shows that probiotics help create a healthy gut. Something that is really interesting is that your baby’s gut bacteria starts to form in your womb, so even more reason to take probiotics. Probiotics help balance the bacteria in your gut and can regulate digestion. Here is an article that talks about the benefits! I take this probiotic and right now have a 15% discount with code MAMAS. I love this company and their dedication to quality ingredients!

These are my top three things to help aid digestion! I would love to hear what works for you!

This week, I was finally able to order my baby shower invitations. Illinois is one of the slower states to open back up and venues are not sure of bookings right now. We found a golf course with a pretty room and decided to reserve it for the shower even though we don’t know how many people will be allowed to come. It makes it tricky to send out invites when the number of guests is limited. I am sure everything will work out! It always does.

I have felt really tired this last week. By the end of the day, I am done. Somehow I am making it through without napping. I think I just have too much on my mind and so much to get done that I wouldn’t be able to nap if I tried. I am learning how moms do it. You have no energy but get done what you have to get done anyways. It is a miracle. I do think the tiredness is coming out in irritability though. I can feel myself being a little more snippy lately. Vito is a patient guy and never says anything when I am short with him. He knows that he can’t understand what it feels like to be pregnant. He did get to feel the baby having hiccups this week which was fun! It is such a bizarre feeling.

Before getting pregnant, I didn’t have a huge sweet tooth. Now, I actively seek out dessert. I am trying to find a balance between not going overboard but letting myself indulge a bit. I feel ok about it except when people make comments about my size. My neighbor asked me the other day if I had “one or two babies in there.” Every time someone asks me when I am due, I feel like they are judging my belly size. I get strange looks when I reply, “in a couple of months.” I am learning that people really don’t know how to act around pregnant women.

I am looking forward to the next month of pregnancy because I will be almost full term! My next month is packed with work, a road trip and a wedding! Time is really going to fly! If you want to catch up on my last blog, you can here.

First Month of my Third Trimester (Weeks 28-31)

Connect with us