I'm still a little confused as to when the 3rd trimester starts (27 or 28 weeks) so I decided to go with 27 weeks because I'm ready for it! Welll, I don't know if "ready" is really the word, because mostly I've been feeling overwhelmed at the idea that I will have a baby in just a few short months...but I definitely have been feeling different physically in the last few days and I'm chalking that up to leaving the easy streets of 2nd trimester and moving into the more challenging/uncomfortable 3rd trimester.
I think the best way I can describe it is that I feel pregnant again. 1st trimester was all about feeling pregnant -- exhausted, bloated, gassy, nauseous. Once I hit the 2nd trimester I felt like myself again: I had energy, I could go to bed past 10pm, I could exercise, I could eat whatever I wanted, the bloating went away (ok, the gas stayed, much to G's dismay)...sure I had random pulling and stretching as the ol' ute made way for my growing baby, but other than that it pretty much didn't feel like I was pregnant.
Now, I feel pregnant.
I'm tired again -- not that bone-tired 1st tri exhaustion, but just slowed down in sort of an old-person way. By the end of the day (i.e. around 7 or 8 pm) all I want to do is lie down and take some of the weight of my belly off. And speaking of my belly, my new pains are at the TOP of my belly, where my uterus is slowly but surely mashing the rest of my organs up towards my ribs. It does know that at some point it just has to go OUT and not UP, right? Because I like my stomach and lungs and ribs and heart very much, and I'd like to keep them in good working order.
My legs hurt, sometimes a whole lot, and especially at night. The pain starts in my hip (mostly my right but sometimes my left too) and travels down my leg to my foot. Sleeping soundly has become a thing of the past, what with the bathroom trips and stiff sore legs, I spend a lot of time waking up and shifting around and stretching my legs in vain attempts to stop the pain. I have found that the only real cure is walking, getting the blood flowing again. So today I have a nice walk scheduled with a friend, and hopefully she won't mind that I also walk at a snail's pace these days.
BUT despite my newly decrepit body, apparently my baby is still happy in there, wiggling and thumping around at intervals throughout the day (and night). I'm so grateful for this, I can't even believe it. Every time I start getting worried that maybe I haven't felt her enough, she gives me a few reassurance kicks, which feel to me like she's saying "don't worry Mom, I'm still ok in here!"
I've spent some time lately trying to visualize how exactly she's positioned in there and my latest theory is that she is head down with her face towards my back but swiveled a bit towards my left side (sort of a 3/4 view if you will), punching towards my nether regions with her hands, with legs folded up lotus style and kicking with her feet towards my side. And then sometimes she swivels around toward the right and kicks towards my right side. I'm going to ask the doc what she thinks re: the baby's position at my next appointment, so we'll see how good I am at deciphering baby positioning.
Oh! I almost forgot -- hiccups! I have felt what must be hiccups twice now, and it's a very odd feeling. Little rhythmic thumps that I feel somewhere between my hoo-ha and my bum, hence my thought that she is now head down. They feel like...hiccups. Like the inside of my body is hiccuping. Very strange.
Baby products, stuff, and paraphernalia:
We went and picked up the crib a few days ago, and G will put it together sometime soon, after we get through this retirement party we're throwing for my mom on Sunday. But it's in the nursery, mattress and all, which feels like a pretty big deal.
And in a very exciting development, a friend of mine with a 1-year old daughter has offered to loan me her mini co-sleeper! So that's one thing we don't have to buy, hooray. Another friend offered to loan me her sling to try out, so I can see if my baby likes it before spending money to get one. She speaks from experience since her son screamed his head off when she tried to put him in it. With all of the stuff I am planning to get (and I keep trying to stay away from buying unnecessary things) I'm pretty happy that I have friends like these!
And another milestone:
I have an appointment set up to interview a pediatrician in late August. The woman I talked to was very nice and explained all of their policies etc...it sounds like a great practice. There are a lot of doctors so we won't just see the one we pick for our main doc, but I'm looking forward to talking with her. Even though I have no idea what you're supposed to ask them, I've never interviewed a doctor in my life. But I certainly feel like a "responsible mommy" by setting up the appointment.
And did you know that babies have their own insurance cards? It's like someone out there actually thinks that my baby will be a real person, and not just some sort of pretend person/figment of my imagination/doll. And G and I will be responsible for this person. Shouldn't someone have checked our credentials before allowing this to happen?
