Third Trimester (Weeks 34-39)

Past updates (in case you missed them):

• Third Trimester (Weeks 28 – 33)
• Rainbow Baby Shower with Friends
• Second Trimester (Weeks 25 – 27)
• Second Trimester (Weeks 21 – 24)
• Half Way There! (Weeks 14 – 20)
• Gender Reveal Party
• First Trimester Recap
• FINALLY.

34 Weeks

Happy Valentine’s Day! Justin spoiled me with a beautiful Kendra Scott necklace, a nursing bra and nursing tank & some of my favorite candies, then topped off the evening with the most incredible seafood alfredo dish for dinner. We were showered with lots of love on Saturday at our Family Baby Shower and celebrated (Uncle) Nick’s birthday on Sunday.

Overall, I’m feeling pretty good, but it’ll be a miracle if I make it through this pregnancy with no broken ribs. Girlfriend likes to jam her feet up as high as they’ll go, making me uncomfortable and sore. I’m feeling lots of pressure in my lower belly and pelvis as well – hopefully all signs that she is moving into position. I love feeling her hiccups, which still occur daily, and all her random wiggles. I’m still free of stretch marks (knock on wood!!!), my belly button is flat but squishy (super weird!), and I’m up a total of about 24 lbs.

I’m still craving sweets more than anything else, mainly lots of fruit and everything chocolate. At my shower, we had homemade chocolate chip cookies (thank you, Gma Gloria!), chocolate covered strawberries & chocolate covered oreos (thank you, Auntie Cole!), AND chocolate covered oreo balls (thank you, Mom!) – all of which I’ve FULLY enjoyed. To be honest, I probably gained a pound or two from these treats alone! 🙂

At 34 Weeks + 6 Days we had another OB appointment, and this time we got to see our favorite, Dr. Lemasters! All is still looking great, and at my next appointment they will begin doing cervical checks and test for Group Beta Strep.

The exhaustion has definitely come back with a vengeance, but I’m trying hard to push through in the evenings and get as much done as I can. We’ve been busy trying to wash everything and get things put away. It’s so crazy to think that our sweet girl could be here in just ONE month!

35 Weeks

Welcome back, pregnancy allergies. I’ve been suffering on and off with the nasty nasal congestion again. My snoring (aka difficulty breathing!) was so bad at night that Justin slept in another bedroom twice this week!

I’m finding it hard to eat a balanced diet this week, for sure. I’m craving sweets more than ever – chocolate cookies, ice cream, chocolate milk, captain crunch cereal, Nutty Buddy bars, applesauce, and fruit. Gimme ALL of it.

36 Weeks

Our sweet miracle girl is due in exactly 4 weeks, which means this is my LAST month of pregnancy, and I have mixed feelings about that. Given all our struggles, this could very well be our last/only full-term pregnancy. I’m trying hard to soak up every moment and take a billion photos, BUUUUTTTT…

I feel as though a switch was flipped this week. Relatively speaking, my pregnancy has been pretty easy on my body, despite the allergies/congestion and the little bout of sciatica I had early on. Month #9, however, is a different story.  Suddenly I feel huge, with immense pelvic and tailbone pressure. This weekend, Justin & I went to the grocery store and I needed a nap afterward. Not only was I absolutely exhausted from that one hour venture,  it felt like I was carrying a bowling ball within my pelvis. OUCH.

The heartburn has begun, and is remaining constant all week. It even wakes me up in the middle of the night–not that it matters, because I’m up every 2 hours when the baby stomps on my (already squished) bladder anyway. My hands and feet are getting more swollen at the end of each day – so much so that I am no longer wearing my wedding rings. I’m terrified that I’ll go into labor and I’ll be too swollen to get them off, so I’ve opted for my rubber ($12!) ring instead.

I went to Carter’s to exchange one thing we got a duplicate of, and walked out $100 poorer.  Damnit, why do they have to make baby girl’s clothes so cute!? We also wanted to pick up a St. Patrick’s Day outfit (okay, two) just in case!!

This week I am still craving chip wheelies from Graeters (finally stopped and grabbed a couple!), the occasional Arby’s roast beef sandwich, and lots of cereal. Justin was hysterically laughing when I came home from the grocery store with these:

At 36+5, we saw Dr. Rinala again today. She reminded me to drink LOTS of water to keep the amniotic fluid levels high, and said that my blood pressure, weight and measurements look great. Baby Morgan’s heartbeat is still the most beautiful sound we’ve ever heard. ❤

Dr. Rinala said we could potentially go into labor any day now, but she checked my cervix and I’m not dilated whatsoever. She thinks baby is head down, but she is still very high so it’s hard to be certain.  We will have an ultrasound next week to confirm.  Based on my & Justin’s birth weights she estimates baby to be about 7 lbs at birth. We’ll see!

37 Weeks

I am getting more and more uncomfortable by the day, as sciatic pain has returned. I got a prenatal massage that didn’t seem to help much, and in fact left me more sore afterwards. The therapist explained that while the hormone relaxin is relaxing my joints, my muscles are tightening to keep me together!

We saw Dr. Clark this week following our ultrasound. Baby Morgan is measuring “a perfect medium size” at approximately 7 lbs. 2 oz., and BREECH.

Dr. Clark presented our options, and we decided to schedule a “version” (aka ECV, External Cephalic Version) where they will give me an epidural and try to flip her for a vaginal birth (50% success rate) but if it doesn’t work then it we’ll go straight into a surgery for a C-section.  She tried to move her some today in the office but wasn’t having much luck. Baby girl is pretty cozy in there!

I’m 1-2 cm dilated (she felt her little squishy booty!) and was contracting some while she was examining, so it’s possible that I can still go into labor before then.  If so, we’ll need to call and emphasize “I’m breech, I’m breech, I’m breech!” so they know to prepare for a C-section when I arrive at the hospital. If I go into labor on my own, it will be too late to attempt to turn the baby.

While I’m terrified, and about 75% certain that we will end up with a C-section, it also feels absolutely surreal to have a delivery date set. As of now, Baby Morgan will be born 3-21-20!

38 Weeks

This week, we found ourselves in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the Coronavirus. Every day, new information is released, but currently they are stating that pregnant women are considered part of the high-risk population. Every American is urged to self-quarantine for the next few weeks in an effort to “flatten the curve”.  Luckily, I began my maternity leave on Friday so I have not had to report to work, and instead have been Netflix binging and resting up for our sweet girl’s arrival.

The only time I left the house this week was for our OB appointment on Tuesday. Justin was not permitted to attend me, and there was a nurse station set up right outside of the office door checking every patient’s temperature before entering. A little eerie, but I’m glad they’re taking precautions for all of us mama’s-to-be!

I met with Dr. Kessler, and after feeling my belly she thought that the baby might have flipped. She wanted to do a quick ultrasound just to be sure, and nope, still breech.  She then went on to say that this scheduled C-section is likely a blessing, because the baby is “a good size” and I might have difficulty delivering her vaginally anyway.  After doing lots of research and taking into account what Dr. Kessler said, Justin and I are deciding against the version (if girlfriend is happiest coming out butt first then that’s fine with us!) and opting for the straight C-section.

Unless any changes arise, Baby Morgan will be joining us March 21st, 2020, at approximately 9:30 AM!

Unfortunately the hospital has put in place a no-visitors policy, (luckily we live in a world with FaceTime!) so our families will not be able to visit, and even Justin has been instructed not to leave the hospital during our stay unless absolutely necessary. We will likely have to have our temperatures taken upon entering the hospital, just as I did at the OB office, and we are unsure how long they will keep us before permitting us to go home.

The quarantine life is rather boring, but we know things are about to get much more hectic as soon as we bring her home. Wish us luck!!

39 Weeks

I can’t believe this is my last bump photo! How did this pregnancy fly by so quickly?! I am so glad that I chose to document each step of this journey (I almost didn’t, for fear of “jinxing” it), just in case this is the only time I will carry a child to term. I want to remember everything, and have plenty of photos to look back on.

I want my daughter to know from day one how much we longed for her, and prayed for her, and the hardships we endured to get to this place. I want her to know how excited we got every time she moved in my belly, even at the end when it was terribly uncomfortable. 😉 She truly is our greatest blessing, and I can say that with confidence even before she has entered into the world.

We can’t wait to meet you in just TWO DAYS, Miss Morgan!

Readers, stay tuned!