Pregnancy Update: Second Trimester Recap
Okay I'm almost 30 weeks now, so definitely in the third trimester (just over 2 months left, hooray!).
The Challenges:
I won't say that this pregnancy has flown by or that it is a breeze. Honestly, it has been pretty challenging. When I was just 9 or 10 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma in my placenta, which is basically this floating blood clot that can grow or shrink based on how active you are. If it grows it can burst your placenta and cause a miscarriage (worst case scenario). It can also shrink and dissolve! You're supposed to be on "modified bedrest" which means no exercise, no lifting of my kids, and once my doctor even suggested that I don't cook, ha!
This is not ideal for my life because I have two needy kids (one weighing 30 pounds, and my special needs 5 year old weighs 40 pounds!). We also live on a second floor walk-up apartment and so much of my life is walking and pushing a really heavy stroller. Thankfully God has given me peace about the hematoma and what all I can do to "modify" my life - I trust that he placed me here in Brooklyn, with this set of life circumstances, with this particular pregnancy, for a purpose. And it is so sanctifying and hard but I trust Him in the outcome.
Throughout this pregnancy I've seen several specialists and had a lot of ultrasounds, showing me abnormal placenta, a medical marvel of a uterus (one doctor showed my ultrasound to another doctor in the office and they expressed interest at looking at my placenta when it was all said and done!). It has been really confusing and the last ultrasound I had (around 23 weeks?) it was still there but the tech didn't think I needed to come back again to that specialist office since the baby was growing on target. As of this moment today, I have no idea if the hematoma is still there. I do know that this little baby is moving and kicking me and seems to be growing based on how she can be kicking me in multiple places at one time.
Other challenges of this trimester have included back pain (see note above about 30 and 40 pound children that I'm not supposed to be picking up... but this is impossible). Also I've just really struggled with self-image and my weight/ body. At 20 weeks I had a stranger comment that I better stay close to the hospital, because I could have the baby any day now! It seems like all throughout this pregnancy people just keep saying stuff to me about my weight, or how big I am. It's so annoying. I know I should just not care but HORMONES and the fact that I'm not allowed to work out at the gym (although I did go once and just sit on the chair bicycles along with the old ladies of the gym). I have had a lot of insecurity about my appearance and I'm just ready to not feel like a big whale!
MOVING ON.
Gender Reveal.
The night before the gender ultrasound I could barely sleep. I was so excited and just ready to think more specifically about this baby. We only had a boy name picked out, nothing for a girl (opposite of when we were pregnant with Edith!) so I was convinced it was a boy. Our appointment was at 18 weeks and we were going to leave the next week to take a trip to Alabama where we were going to get our baby clothes out of storage- so it was necessary to find out the gender.
Well, the Wednesday morning of the ultrasound the baby was NOT cooperative. Kept crossing its legs and the tech said "It's 70% chance it's a boy!" and later "I'm 85% sure it's a girl!" which didn't leave us very confident. So we left, dejected, and scheduled an appointment for Friday night at one of those gender ultrasound places. It was wayyy cheaper to pay for the "fun ultrasound" than to get another appointment at my ultrasound place (our deductible is pretty awful). Within a few minutes we saw that it was indeed a little lady!
We were excited (I think Will was way more thrilled about it being a girl, but I had convinced myself it was a boy). I was also a little nervous because our three year old daughter is in full DIVA mode often these days and it is overwhelming to think about that much drama in one household... two little girls!!!!
After pulling out Edith's little girl outfits and buying a few wintery newborn things, I'm so happy to be team pink again!
Growing Bump.
Ok I'm going to just guess at when these pictures happened because I'm struggling to remember!
15 weeks:
No idea when this was:
20 weeks:
25 weeks:
28 weeks?
Ultrasound:
Lessons in the Second Trimester.
1. Sickness isn't over in the first trimester. I threw up in my hand at 18 weeks. I started swelling in my feet and fingers around 25 weeks. General back pain has been pretty constant. There wasn't a second trimester magic period this time where you just have this energy and glow.
2. Asking for help is hard but necessary. Especially given my medical restrictions, I have needed a lot of help. I have limitations that affect my mobility with my kids (taking them to the park by myself just isn't going to happen right now). But these limitations have budded new friendships, have brought me to Jesus, made me rest in my weaknesses and thank God for His grace for each season and day.
3. Pregnancy is such a miracle. I AM GROWING A HUMAN!!!! Seeing the baby's ultrasounds develop has been so fascinating. Feeling her kick and respond in my tummy has been magical. There's a little baby IN MY BODY. So crazy, so wonderful! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do this again. Children are a blessing!
So, while I'm not sad to see the second trimester go... I'm ready to keep tracking through this thing and feeling closer and closer to the prize come early January. I haven't really nested too much yet because we don't really have the capacity to have all the baby stuff "out" until we need it to be. I have been purchasing some second-hand baby gear and just have a few major purchases left to make (car seat, etc). My goal is to have things in place come December so that if labor happens early then I am ready and not scrambling during the holidays.
Ready to meet this baby girl! Even though it has been a challenging pregnancy, I have to say that I am thankful for the support from my husband, who has been so selfless and serving during this crazy chaotic season. He has stepped up and helped with the kids without complaint. I'm also thankful for a community of friends that has encouraged me and helped me when I've needed it! God is faithful always, and in this harder season, my needs have been met and I am in constant awe of the ways I am cared for.
The Challenges:
I won't say that this pregnancy has flown by or that it is a breeze. Honestly, it has been pretty challenging. When I was just 9 or 10 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma in my placenta, which is basically this floating blood clot that can grow or shrink based on how active you are. If it grows it can burst your placenta and cause a miscarriage (worst case scenario). It can also shrink and dissolve! You're supposed to be on "modified bedrest" which means no exercise, no lifting of my kids, and once my doctor even suggested that I don't cook, ha!
This is not ideal for my life because I have two needy kids (one weighing 30 pounds, and my special needs 5 year old weighs 40 pounds!). We also live on a second floor walk-up apartment and so much of my life is walking and pushing a really heavy stroller. Thankfully God has given me peace about the hematoma and what all I can do to "modify" my life - I trust that he placed me here in Brooklyn, with this set of life circumstances, with this particular pregnancy, for a purpose. And it is so sanctifying and hard but I trust Him in the outcome.
Throughout this pregnancy I've seen several specialists and had a lot of ultrasounds, showing me abnormal placenta, a medical marvel of a uterus (one doctor showed my ultrasound to another doctor in the office and they expressed interest at looking at my placenta when it was all said and done!). It has been really confusing and the last ultrasound I had (around 23 weeks?) it was still there but the tech didn't think I needed to come back again to that specialist office since the baby was growing on target. As of this moment today, I have no idea if the hematoma is still there. I do know that this little baby is moving and kicking me and seems to be growing based on how she can be kicking me in multiple places at one time.
Other challenges of this trimester have included back pain (see note above about 30 and 40 pound children that I'm not supposed to be picking up... but this is impossible). Also I've just really struggled with self-image and my weight/ body. At 20 weeks I had a stranger comment that I better stay close to the hospital, because I could have the baby any day now! It seems like all throughout this pregnancy people just keep saying stuff to me about my weight, or how big I am. It's so annoying. I know I should just not care but HORMONES and the fact that I'm not allowed to work out at the gym (although I did go once and just sit on the chair bicycles along with the old ladies of the gym). I have had a lot of insecurity about my appearance and I'm just ready to not feel like a big whale!
MOVING ON.
Gender Reveal.
The night before the gender ultrasound I could barely sleep. I was so excited and just ready to think more specifically about this baby. We only had a boy name picked out, nothing for a girl (opposite of when we were pregnant with Edith!) so I was convinced it was a boy. Our appointment was at 18 weeks and we were going to leave the next week to take a trip to Alabama where we were going to get our baby clothes out of storage- so it was necessary to find out the gender.
Well, the Wednesday morning of the ultrasound the baby was NOT cooperative. Kept crossing its legs and the tech said "It's 70% chance it's a boy!" and later "I'm 85% sure it's a girl!" which didn't leave us very confident. So we left, dejected, and scheduled an appointment for Friday night at one of those gender ultrasound places. It was wayyy cheaper to pay for the "fun ultrasound" than to get another appointment at my ultrasound place (our deductible is pretty awful). Within a few minutes we saw that it was indeed a little lady!
We were excited (I think Will was way more thrilled about it being a girl, but I had convinced myself it was a boy). I was also a little nervous because our three year old daughter is in full DIVA mode often these days and it is overwhelming to think about that much drama in one household... two little girls!!!!
After pulling out Edith's little girl outfits and buying a few wintery newborn things, I'm so happy to be team pink again!
Growing Bump.
Ok I'm going to just guess at when these pictures happened because I'm struggling to remember!
15 weeks:
No idea when this was:
19 Weeks:
20 weeks:
24 weeks:
25 weeks:
28 weeks?
Ultrasound:
Lessons in the Second Trimester.
1. Sickness isn't over in the first trimester. I threw up in my hand at 18 weeks. I started swelling in my feet and fingers around 25 weeks. General back pain has been pretty constant. There wasn't a second trimester magic period this time where you just have this energy and glow.
2. Asking for help is hard but necessary. Especially given my medical restrictions, I have needed a lot of help. I have limitations that affect my mobility with my kids (taking them to the park by myself just isn't going to happen right now). But these limitations have budded new friendships, have brought me to Jesus, made me rest in my weaknesses and thank God for His grace for each season and day.
3. Pregnancy is such a miracle. I AM GROWING A HUMAN!!!! Seeing the baby's ultrasounds develop has been so fascinating. Feeling her kick and respond in my tummy has been magical. There's a little baby IN MY BODY. So crazy, so wonderful! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do this again. Children are a blessing!
So, while I'm not sad to see the second trimester go... I'm ready to keep tracking through this thing and feeling closer and closer to the prize come early January. I haven't really nested too much yet because we don't really have the capacity to have all the baby stuff "out" until we need it to be. I have been purchasing some second-hand baby gear and just have a few major purchases left to make (car seat, etc). My goal is to have things in place come December so that if labor happens early then I am ready and not scrambling during the holidays.
Ready to meet this baby girl! Even though it has been a challenging pregnancy, I have to say that I am thankful for the support from my husband, who has been so selfless and serving during this crazy chaotic season. He has stepped up and helped with the kids without complaint. I'm also thankful for a community of friends that has encouraged me and helped me when I've needed it! God is faithful always, and in this harder season, my needs have been met and I am in constant awe of the ways I am cared for.
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