Pregnancy: Month 8

Feeling very pregnant. Apparently I look very pregnant.

Among the many people at my work having babies this calendar year, there was a guy's wife due one week before me, and a coworker due the day after me - they both had their babies a week and a half ago (the weekend I turned 36 weeks)! So 3 weeks and 4 weeks early, respectively. So that got me worried for a while that I'd go early too (and motivated me to finally finish packing the hospital bag), but then I realized that means somebody has to pull the average back to where it normally is, so I'll probably go 2 weeks over.

Weeks 12, 24, 36

Month 1. Month 2. Month 3. Month 4. Month 5. Month 6. Month 7.

Official weeks: 33 - 36

Milestones: 

• Got everything squared away to donate the cord blood.
• Finished putting the nursery together. (Which, really, is silly because the baby's not even going to sleep there for a while.)
• Installed the car seat.
• Got my work to buy me a balance ball chair, which is supposed to be good to keep/get baby into the best position for labor, and also makes my back feel a lot better while sitting for hours.
• Attended baby classes - infant CPR, breastfeeding, and basic baby care. 

Symptoms: 

• Heartburn
• Carpal tunnel, this time mostly in my right hand (in the second tri I had it some in my left hand, but that went away after a few weeks). 
• Waking up during the night to pee. 

Mental health: 

I feel bit more iffy and wanting to cry on occasion, but not tons. After feeling almost more stable than usual for most of the pregnancy, I'm starting to feel like hormones actually are out of whack and making me slightly extra emotional.

Food:

I have to be cautious to eat smaller meals/snacks - eating too much makes me feel sick, but so does going to often without eating. It's a fine balance, not quite as fine as avoiding morning sickness in the first tri, but kind of along the same lines.

Purchases & gifts: 

• Bottles - we bought just a couple of a couple different kinds, so we can try them out and see if the baby has any preferences before stocking up. 
• A friend gave me some maternity work clothes, which was perfect as I was starting to reach capacity on some stuff. And, also a nice light jacket - I haven't truly needed it yet (though it is getting chilly in the mornings), but I very well still might in the next 2 to 4 weeks as we move into fall, and I was really not wanting to spend the money on a maternity jacket for such a small potential window of needing it.
• She also gave us some small size gDiapers - ones that are basically like the one-size pocket diapers we're planning to use long-term, but sized for 8 to 12 pounds. Not a full stash to use full time, but enough to be able to ease into cloth versus disposable before the baby's ready for the regular cloth diapers. 

Weight gained: +38 pounds

Clothes: 

Very grateful for the stuff my friend gave me to have some additional options, especially for work. Many non-knit shirts no longer fit.

Currently reading: 

I kind of just stopped reading baby stuff, at least in books (still doing some various research and reading online, though). I should probably try to do some more of that sometime soon...

Most surprised by: 

Somehow I was thinking in the back of my mind that the mobility/back ache/etc. associated with pregnancy had at least as much to do with the overall weight gain than the bump itself, and well, I've been that heavy before, it didn't slow me down then, surely it won't be so bad? No, gaining 40 pounds in bump (ok, maybe more like 30 in bump and 10 extra elsewhere) constricts getting out of bed in a way that having 40 extra pounds spread out over my body does not even being to resemble. I guess it was wishful thinking, in a way, but it really is very different.

Week of September 5 - 11

Workouts: 

Monday: Prenatal yoga video (20 min)

Wednesday: Daily Burn - Move Latin dance (20 min)

Average daily steps: 7,854

Week of August 29 - September 4

Workouts: 

Wednesday: 30 Day Shred level 1 (20 min)

Friday: 3 Day Rotation dance (20 min)

Sunday: Daily Burn - Move African dance (30 min)

I enjoyed doing a dance video with the 3 Day Rotation workout (a video/DVD I've used since high school, and found on YouTube recently), so thought I'd look for more of that genre to keep myself motivated. Daily Burn is what I've heard of for a good library of workouts, so I signed up for a free trial. I'm unsure how to feel about the "Move" dance workout series, though - they seem to be themed akin to how So You Think You Can Dance dances are, which makes me feel like there's some cultural appropriation going on (e.g., in the African workout, there was some educational type talk about the moves, but also some that seemed to be more making fun of it, and the backup dancers all had face painting that seemed odd.) 

Average daily steps: 8,469

I'm getting more consistent with my daily walks, and fitting in at least a few real workouts with videos on top of that! 

Week of August 22 - 28

Workouts: 

Saturday: Prenatal yoga class (90 min) + elliptical 2.0 miles (24 min)

Average daily steps: 7,109

Well, this can partly be blamed on a week full of evening activities (CPR class, breastfeeding class, Toastmasters officer training). But I did got out for a walk on all but one evening regardless! I keep thinking, ugh, I guess it's time to admit I'm to the point where walking is my "legit" workout. But, is it really? In yoga class (finally got back to it!) the teacher brought up the concept that just because something (e.g., achy back, lessened mobility) is common, doesn't necessarily mean it's normal. I also know from previously building up exercise habits that movement begets movement. The more you skip working out, the harder it is to get back to it. A 15 - 20+ minute walk each day is certainly a good minimum, but that doesn't mean I have to be content with just that, it's not unreasonable that I'll feel better for more of the remaining weeks of pregnancy if I try to do more.

Week of August 15 - 21

Workouts: 

Monday: 3 Day Rotation kickboxing (20 min)

Wednesday: 3 Day Rotation weightlifting (15 min)

Thursday: Swim 750 yards

Total swimming: 750 yards
Average daily steps: 7,754

I keep getting to the end of the week and realizing how little formal exercise I've done. Without running and an easy just-step-out-the-door option, it takes both more planning and more motivation to get something in. I am doing better about some walking, though, and hitting my minimum of 7,000 steps (almost) every day. My weekends have either been crazy busy or horribly lazy. Between sleeping in and napping, I don't even want to say how many hours I was actually awake on Saturday. 

Pregnancy: Month 7

Feeling pretty much the same, just getting bigger. Some aches and pains, especially after sitting pretty much all day at work, but really any symptoms are still fairly mild. But seriously, getting huge. 

Weeks 7, 16, 24, 32

Month 1. Month 2. Month 3. Month 4. Month 5. Month 6.

Official weeks: 29 - 32

Milestones: 

• Took and passed the glucose test. Therefore continuing to eat plenty of ice cream. 
• Picked out and met with a pediatrician. I was slightly concerned about the fact that we're going to raise our kid vegetarian (until they're old enough to comprehend the gist of the issue and decide for themselves) - but, of course, it's Portland. She said this was far from unusual, and she's in fact semi-vegetarian herself. So we'll have plenty of support with that! 
• Stopped running - the Oregon Trail Game 5k, being a race and at what I'm calling 7 months (exactly 2 months before my due date), seemed like a nice place to stop. If I hadn't been registered for that, I probably would have given it up a week or two sooner. 
• Asking for more help with tasks that involve leaning or bending over, such as having Abe tie my shoes (fortunately I don't wear shoes that need tied very often!). 
• My belly button is basically fully popped - it still has an inside, but the edges of it are popped up.

Symptoms: 

• Motion sickness - never in my life have I had motion sickness, but experienced it earlier in the pregnancy while flying, and more recently on trips that involved driving on some curvy back roads. It's really not fun. 
• Uncomfortable to lean/bend over.
• More frequent heartburn.

Mental health: 

Every once in a while it crosses my mind that - oh shit, I have to go through labor and deliver this baby. And then we have to raise it. What did we do? Did I really intentionally get myself into this?! 

But most of the time I'm good. I actually mentioned to Abe that it seemed like I was actually almost more emotionally stable over the pregnancy than I usually am. He agreed, but that seems like the answer you'd give a pregnant woman if it were true, but especially if it wasn't true...

Food: 

I haven't done any calorie counting or anything to make sure I'm adding extra, especially in the later months, figuring that as my activity is going down, if I continue to eat about the same but burning less through exercise it'll wash out to what I need anyway. I'm definitely having to eat smaller amounts more often - occasionally I'll get super hungry and eat a big meal, and very much regret it.

My current obsession is cereal. 

Purchases & gifts: 

• Pack'n'Play - for best versatility, we bought one with a bassinet attachment to use for the early weeks for sleep, then we'll have the pack'n'play itself for naps, play, traveling, whatever, later on. 
• Baby book
• Ergo carrier
• Crib and dresser
• Sheets, diaper pads, etc. 
• Replacements parts for breastpump
• Car seat 

Weight gained: +34 pounds

Clothes: 

Some early maternity items that aren't knit are now too small. (Which makes sense, as I bought them early on because they weren't super voluminous in covering a smaller bump.) I feel like that's a sign of being really pregnant once you start outgrowing maternity clothes.

Currently reading: 

Continuing to work on What to Expect the First Year and The New First Three Years of Life. I just haven't been prioritizing much reading lately, which I need to fix! Not that much time left to be prepared. 

Most surprised by: 

Changes week by week and day to day. For example, once I started feeling kicks, I figured that's what I'd feel for the rest of pregnancy - but the type of movement has actually changed. Now it's not really kicks out, but parts sort of dragging across the side or pushing outward. And some days my back hurts, some days it's fine, even when I've had similar activity, or heartburn acting up some times but not always even with eating similar foods. 

Week of August 8 - 14

Workouts: 

Tuesday: Swim 1,000 yards

Friday: Swim 1,000 yards + 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min)

Total swimming: 2,000 yards
Average daily steps: 7,549

Oh, wow, that wasn't a whole lot happening this week. My parents were visiting this weekend, which made it harder to fit in any actual workouts (though did a semi decent amount of walking). It's a little harder to think what I want/should be doing now that running isn't a default any more. 

Week of August 1 - 7: The Last Run

Workouts: 

Monday: Run/walk 1.6 miles (15:50 pace)

Tuesday: Rest day

Wednesday: 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min)

Thursday: Rest day

Friday: 3 Day Rotation kickboxing (20 min)

Saturday: Unplanned rest day - unless assembling Ikea furniture counts? The baby's room is starting to resemble a nursery!

Sunday: Oregon Trail Game 5k - 41:49 (13:29 pace), but I died of starvation. 

Total running: 4.7 miles
Average daily steps: 8,304

Running has gradually been getting more uncomfortable and less enjoyable, but I was registered for a 5k this week and knew I needed to do a little to maintain and be ready for that (and still somewhat enjoyable, some days more so than others). I'm extremely glad I did this race, but I'm pretty sure it was my last run until after the baby arrives. 

This means a 3 month break (2 months, give or take, until baby, and then another 4 - 6 weeks postpartum), which is by far the longest break since I started running consistently in the summer of 2010*. I really am sad to give it up, even temporarily, and it's kind of hard to swallow this as one of my current limitations, but it's necessary, and I know I'll be back at it before I know it. 

*I have spreadsheets tracking my mileage beginning in fall of 2012. I have to go back to February 2013 to even find a calendar week without at least one run, and that 8-day stretch appears to be the longest without. Prior to that, going a week without a run is more plausible, but I doubt it was ever more than two weeks.

Week of July 25 - 31

Workouts: 

Monday: Run 2.1 miles (14:23 pace)

Tuesday: Swim 1,000 yards 

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: 3 Day Rotation weights (20 min)

Friday: Played half a round of disc golf

Saturday: Rest day

Sunday: Bike trainer 3.85 miles (11.5 mph, 52 rpm)

Total swimming: 1,000 yards
Total biking: 3.85 miles
Total running: 2.1 miles
Average daily steps: 8,389

We were in Astoria Thursday through Sunday morning, so there was also quite a bit walking, in town and nearby state parks. 

Week of July 18 - 24

Workouts: 

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: Run 2.2 miles (14:09 pace)

Wednesday: Rest day - massage

Thursday: Run 2.0 miles (14:15 pace)

Friday: Unplanned rest day - oops!

Saturday: 3 Day Rotation - weights and kickboxing (20 min each)

I've had a hard time convincing myself to do the NROLFW weights, in particular because I feel like I have to do 2 each week (not that I actually do, even once a week would be better than nothing), so if I don't do the first one early enough in the week, I just end up skipping it altogether. But I realized that this workout video I used to do (I've used it off and on since high school) sounded appealing, and I could fit it in at least once a week. I got all psyched up to do it, then remembered I'd lent the DVD to my mom... fortunately, everything's on YouTube now!

Sunday: Elliptical 20 min + stairclimber 5 min

Running is really becoming less and less appealing. My massage therapist pointed out at my appointment this week that the elliptical would probably be a good low-impact alternative, so I gave it a try. I've never routinely used one (been lucky to not have any running injuries keeping me out long enough to need to explore alternatives like this before), but it was ok. My monthly pass to the parks and rec district pools also gives me access to the rec centers with cardio rooms, so I might as well take advantage of it, and do this at least once or twice a week.

Total running: 4.2 miles
Average daily steps: 8,291

Week of July 11 - 17

Workouts: 

Monday: Tennis (40 min)

Tuesday: Swim 1,100 yards

Wednesday: Run 2.0 miles (14:16 pace)

Thursday: Run 2.0 miles (13:46 pace)

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: Prenatal yoga class (90 min)

Sunday: Rest day

Total swimming: 1,100 yards
Total running: 4.0 miles
Average daily steps: 8,942