Pregnancy Update: 31 weeks {Second Trimester Recap}

Wow, I can’t believe I am over due for my second trimester report! Not wanting to turn this into a pregnancy blog, I haven’t posted a whole lot about the pregnancy, HERE you can find my last update that recapped my first trimester.

Somehow I am already a few weeks into my third trimester which started at 28 weeks so it’s time to recap the 2nd trimester- time truly moves at high-speed when you have other kids to attend to. I remember with my first pregnancy I would read every night about what was going on with my body and although savoring the experience thought it went by so slowly. I couldn’t wait to experience birth for the first time. Now, there is hardly time to think about it, but it’s still magical as always.

To make it even more fun, I am watching “Call the Midwife” on Netflix so I catch a couple shows a week. I’ll be all caught up soon but it’s been fun watching all these babies being born. It’s a great show!

Ok so on to the update, not particularly exciting but I’ve got to document it somewhere!

Baby size:

~15 1.2 inches long, weighing ~3 lbs and about the size of a small cabbage. The baby’s eyesight continues to develop and he/she is starting to plump out and accumulate fat under it’s skin. Baby is moving a lot at this stage.

Weight Gain:

I have gained 24 pounds total which is more than I’d like at this point but here is the interesting thing: I have recorded my weight gain for all four pregnancies week by week and I’ve gained the EXACT SAME amount (give or take 1 pound) for each pregnancy per week, with my total weight gain for the previous three being between 32 and 35 pounds (the upper end of the suggested weight gain). I have come to the conclusion that my body is consistent and it wants to gain that much weight because it doesn’t matter if I eat as healthy as possible or pig out on what ever I want (trust me, I’ve done both) it all results in the exact same weight gain. Interesting huh? I suppose it’s just the way my body likes to grow babies! The crazy thing is per my last appointment at 28 weeks my Doctor said I was measuring small. She wasn’t concerned but I was pretty shocked. My baby bump looks pretty big to me (make sure to scroll down all the way to the last picture to see where I am now. I dare you to disagree!).

Sleep:

I was able to get off the Unisom after the first trimester. Sleep is pretty good these days, problem is actually shutting things down and getting to bed. The past few months I have been going to bed at 11:30ish, which is much later than my typical. I just can’t finish up chores (cleaning up after dinner, making lunches, blogging, showering) until that time. Good thing is I am actually sleeping well once I get in bed and get up twice to pee. I know you were curious.

Fitness:

Well from my last update up until about 26 weeks I was doing great- still jogging (max 3 miles), doing weights. At about 27 weeks my pelvic joints started to become so sore that at times I could hardly walk. It seemed to get even worse after a jog/walk on the treadmill or when it’s colder outside. I spoke with my Doctor who informed me of what I had thought all along, the hormones relaxin cause your joints to spread in preparation for delivery and that since this is my fourth pregnancy, my body might be releasing more of the hormone. She offered to refer me to a physical therapist but I feel like with the minimal time remaining I am not sure fitting in physical therapy appointments would benefit me (or that I could even find the time to fit for the appointments!). Some days I am ok, others I can’t walk. I still go to the gym a couple times a week but usually I just stretch, sit on the bike or elliptical and take it slow. I am so looking forward for this pain to go away, probably not until after I deliver and getting back to running! More on the hormone relaxin under symptoms.

Cravings:

I am really not craving anything in particular these days. I mean I am obsessed with squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes but I think it’s just that time of the year. One Sunday after church I HAD to have donuts so I took the kids to the store where we picked up some fresh ones, but that was months ago and since then haven’t had any strong desires….well except sushi of course.  I am basically eating the same way I used to with the exception of my sweet-binge I told you about here.

Symptoms:

The rhinitis has gotten better over the past 2 months so I’d say my only symptom is my darn achy pelvic joints due to the hormone relaxin (it basically feels like a pulled muscle). It relaxes smooth muscle, joints and ligaments, and promotes dilation of blood vessels in organs and tissues including the uterus, mammary glands and heart. It also softens and lengthens the cervix. During pregnancy relaxin is found in 10 times the normal concentration. The actual term is pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (abbreviated PGP) which causes pain, instability and limitation of mobility and functioning in any of the three pelvic joints. It’s shocking how much it hurts at times. I think I could use some crutches.

Gender:

Same as last update, we don’t find out until the baby pops out! The kids are certain it’s a girl, I’ve always thought girl too for some odd reason but only time will tell. Since my youngest is a boy, another little boy would be wonderful too.

Names:

We have been TERRIBLE. We don’t even have time to talk about it. I have limited time to chat with my hubby and there are always others things that come up first. We do have a girls name picked out that we are pretty certain we’ll use, no middle name yet and NO boys names. I am such a procrastinator, plus I am super picky about names. So so hard.

Annoyances:

Gosh, nothing in particular. Just when I don’t get enough sleep I am super grumpy. Watch out kids!

 

Starting the third trimester….full update when it’s almost over!

I laugh that I am wearing workout clothes in 80% of these photos. For some reason I always thought of my weekly bump picture when I was at the gym or getting home. I do occasionally put on real clothes but I am all about comfort these days.

 

That’s it guys. Hope I didn’t bore you to pieces! 

 

Questions: For those of you that have been pregnant, what were your worst pregnancy symptoms?