This is a post for all of you who who claim that I don't post enough about my pregnancy. I was trying to spare you the nit-picky details and not complain, but here you go.
As of today, I am 31 weeks pregnant, and have gained about 23 pounds (which puts me right on track for 30, which is normal and healthy). I don't look huge, but my belly sticks straight out, and I haven't gained much weight elsewhere, other than a little extra padding on my hips. I'm told this is because I'm carrying a boy; girls sit differently inside. Strangers have started asking me when I'm due, so I'm very obviously pregnant (to everyone but the nurse practitioner at my primary care physician's office, who tried to prescribe drugs that weren't safe for baby because she never bothered to look at me and notice that I'm pregnant).
I've had a remarkably easy pregnancy by most people's standards, but pregnancy is, in all reality, not much fun, uncomfortable, and annoying. The best thing I can say about it is that I didn't have a single day of morning sickness, and nine months without a period is a nice perk. However, I have uncomfortable heartburn every day that started in the first trimester and really can't get by without taking a Pepcid AC pill every morning, plus tums when the pill just isn't quite enough (at least the chewables actually kind of taste good and not like chalk!). My back hurts after half an hour of sitting in my chair at work if I don't get up often enough (which, when there isn't much to do, isn't very often). My feet have started swelling, and I'm down to one pair of shoes that I can wear to work, because a) they're the only ones that fit, and b) bending over to put on socks for any other shoes is a challenge (I haven't worn socks/sneakers in weeks). I spend most evenings on the couch with my feet up in the recliner (after I'm done making dinner and whatever else around the house that needs to be done, that is) so the swelling isn't so bad. I can barely make it through the night without having to pee (but this is normal for preggos), and then it takes me a while to go back to sleep. And lately it's been so hot here, which makes being pregnant and wearing maternity clothes that much more uncomfortable. My skin has been breaking out horribly since getting off birth control, but for the moment it's cleared up since I took the antibiotic for my wheezing/coughing.
The doctor finally figured out that my wheezing/coughing was a mild case of asthma (that wasn't helped by the standard albuterol inhaler that works for most asthmatics). It's possibly gestational asthma (which is not at all common, but not unheard of by the pulmonologist), so we're just keeping an eye on it for now, but the prednisone seemed to clear it up, and there's a prednisone inhaler I can use if it flares up again. My allergies have improved, after we stopped opening the windows in the house to cool it off (and hence had to go through a hassle to find an A/C unit that would fit in the kitchen window so the kitchen/living room wouldn't have to be 85 degrees all the time), and by keeping Pata out of the bedroom at night (most of the time... sometimes she weasels her way in, and we don't have the heart to kick her out).
I have a very active baby, and have been entertained by his movements. I can track his body parts (not sure if it's his head or his hiney) as they slide from one side of my belly to the other. Kevin is a little weirded out by watching my belly bounce, but the goofy grin he gets says he's really excited about having a kid, and that makes me love him even more. He's been a huge help since I've been pregnant, helping out around the house, telling me I'm beautiful even when I feel like a beach ball (he still comments on my bigness but notes that it's all belly), and making sure our family is taken care of.
We've done very little thus far to prepare for baby, other than the family baby shower my parents had for us two weeks ago. Right now the baby's room is still the guest room until after the next shower so people have a place to sleep when they stay with us, and then we can get rid of the guest bed . All the baby stuff is in boxes and bins in the closet for the time being. My two big to-do items are sign up for a lamaze class, and sign up for a breastfeeding class.
I am excited (and rather nervous) about getting to meet baby. It still doesn't seem real that there's a tiny human inside me, but it probably won't feel real until I'm holding him for the first time (and realize I can't give him back, haha). I know raising a child is a challenge, but it will be good, and I know God will be taking care of all of us.
So now you know what's been going on with my pregnancy. I generally don't like posting details for the whole world to know, but I'm happy to share with you if you're genuinely interested in how I'm doing, and would love for you to ask.
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