25 weeks sounds like a nice round number, but in reality it's like super duper lame in pregnancy terms. Congrats, you're almost to the third trimester, almost have a viable, ALMOST ready to have another ultrasound, blah blah blah. Nothing. That's been kind of the name of the game from weeks 21-now, and I don't expect a ton to change for a few more weeks. 30 weeks sounds really exciting, riiight?
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Of course, when I hit 37 or so and am massive I'll be all WHERE DID THE TIME GO I HAVE NOTHING DONE, but so be it. Never satisfied and all that jazz.
Physically, I feel ok except for some tiredness in the afternoons, usually on days where I wake up at 5 and do too much early in the day. I'm still teaching yoga 5-7 times per week and am all kinds of hopeful that the yoga will help keep my weight gain in check and ward off any gestational diabetes inklings my body is having. Can't have that. I have the first glucose screening next Tuesday and am hopeful that it isn't positive, because then you have to do the 3 hour more miserable one that makes everyone throw up. Diabetes or not, I'd love to avoid THAT. I'm also generally annoyed at the whole gestational diabetes thing in general because there is precious little you can do to avoid it besides exercise and try to not gain too much weight. Other than that, it's simply how much your body likes or doesn't like the placenta, and I had zero say in that.
Weight-wise, our scale needs a new battery so I haven't weighed myself in 3 weeks or so since we went to the midwives last. At that point I'd gained right under 10lbs, so I'm thinking maybe 13-15 gained by now? I'll keep you posted. My legs still feel the same size, but I'm starting to feel like my hips are spreading and my chins are multiplying. So, there's that. My belly is totes getting bigger, but I don't think I have any new stretch marks or anything like that yet. I still wear some of my regular pants, just under my belly, but most of my shirts are maternity because except for a few really large tent-like items regular shirts end up too short once they contend with the bump. The Destination Maternity clearance section is my favorite place on earth these days. If they'd move the store out of the actual mall I'd be in heaven. Malls are awful, RIGHT?
For our Overshare Moment of this post, I'd like you to Google Vulvar Varicosity. Just do it, you'll be thrilled. Basically blood vessels can pool just like they do on legs in the crotch region and form things that look like dark veins or moles or any kind of other irregularity. It's from the extra blood flow and pressure on the area from the baby + placenta + uterus, and it's completely normal and not gross at all UNTIL IT LOOKS LIKE CINDY CRAWFORD HAPPENED TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL VAGINA. And let's just leave it at that. I do think, after considering the matter, that the term should be added to sex-ed classes. "No, abstinence isn't the only way to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and lots of people have safe, consensual sex before marriage at varying ages. However, you should be aware that you could get varicose veins on your snatch or things that looks like tics but are really moles. Here are some condoms!"
It might work.
Let's move on. To acne, since we're talking about teenagers. Mine has gotten progressively worse over the past month or so, and I'm sure like everything else it's worse in my mind, but ugh. Really? It's really concentrated around my jaw line on both sides, and seems to come in batches, like HERE ARE 5 NEW BRIGHT RED ZITS FOR YOUR RIGHT CHEEK, M'AM. And then after a few days I'll have a day of rest and another batch will pop up. Cool, body. Real cool.
I'm managed to keep any violent mood swings in check, but I do have moments of just really disliking people around me. At work I'm lucky to have an office with a door that is always locked (psych hospital, you know), so I can just go there and do 80% of my work alone and not talk to anyone all day. I haven't screamed at Jay that being with him is a huge mistake or anything yet (15 more weeks to try, I'll keep you posted), so maybe I'll manage to not go completely beserk for a little while longer. The emotional stuff we're both dealing with is the worry about the cysts on the baby's brain and what ELSE could still be lurking in there. I'm still SO glad that we didn't do any genetic testing, because knowing "there might be something wrong but also the test is usually wrong" isn't helpful to us at all, but it does leave a big void like...she comes out and we're all "DOES SHE LOOK LIKE SHE HAS DOWN'S OR ANY OTHER KIND OF DISORDER THAT WILL SEVERELY DISRUPT HER ABILITY TO HAVE A FUNCTIONAL EXISTENCE?" which kind of takes away from the joy of birthing something. I really hope prenatal testing gets better for coming generations, but for our money (figure of speech, we obviously didn't care about the actual money when it comes to this) it just didn't make sense to go through that and still have no real answers. I keep the anxiety in check with heroin, which I read was better for a fetus than alcohol.
Just kidding.
Even though things are lagging right now, we're starting to realize that we're squarely in the calm-before-the-storm portion of pregnancy in terms of what needs to be done. In September we "only" have 3 doctor-related things happening so far (we might add another one depending on how the next few weeks go), but in October we already have SIX birthing classes/appointments and a baby shower, and that includes no midwife appointments that will be added later. That might be my cue to taper off my yoga schedule just to make time for all the dang appointments!
We've been slowly working on the nursery, mainly cleaning it OUT of all our junk (we got furniture out awhile ago and are still contending with piles of crap that we kind of need but have no storage for) and painting. We painted in Sherwin Williams' Requisite Gray this weekend and LOVE the color, and have an off-white dresser that we're using for a changing table. Now the conversation is around crib color: we have the option for a free cherry crib from a friend that is super expensive and in great condition, but of course the first thought is to get an off-white crib to match the changing table. Anyone have any designer-types in your life that can help me with? I know people mix woods all the time and it's fine, I'm just having a hard time envisioning it because I'm no decorator. I know it doesn't really matter, but I'd like the room to be pretty and feel moderately put together. The two big things we're still hunting for are the crib and a chair, which is looking like it'll be our biggest purchase because we want a glider that reclines AND an ottoman. Of course. Chair thoughts?
And now we are at the time where you tell me how to be pregnant better. Go! And, also, thank you for listening to me ramble. The end.
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