Third Trimester Recap

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I can’t believe it is here, but here is my Third Trimester Recap, which means baby is either here, or very close to being here! I’m 29 weeks as I’m starting this, so it’s definitely starting to feel very real now that our due date is quickly approaching.

I’ve realized that I’m partly writing these recaps for selfish reasons because I think it’ll be fun to go back and read about the whole experience one day (when I actually somewhat miss being pregnant and watching my belly grow & feeling kicks, etc.). However, I’ve heard from many of you that you like reading them and hearing more about what to expect if you’re earlier in your pregnancy, so I’m glad it’s helpful!

In case you missed them and want to go back:

• First Trimester Recap linked here
• Second Trimester Recap linked here
• Pregnancy Announcement Post linked here
• Baby Boy Nursery Decor linked here
• Baby Registry Must-Haves
• My Favorite Things During Pregnancy

Other helpful links:

• Supplements I’m taking during this pregnancy, including my prenatal vitamins, click here.
• Variety of baby / nursery items, head to my shop page or LIKEtoKNOW.it profile.
• All of the items we have registered for on Amazon, visit my “baby items” list here.
• Maternity clothes and things I have purchased during my pregnancy (leggings, joggers, bras and more), head to my “pregnancy” list.

28 weeks: 10/25-10/31

how i’m feeling

Overall, feeling very good! Can’t believe I’m in the third trimester — time is FLYING!

body changes/symptoms

No major changes here. Feeling about the same in most places, lol.

I was feeling a little nervous for a few days because I felt like I wasn’t feeling as many kicks or they just felt different. Then one of my apps notified me that this may happen around this time because baby is getting bigger and has less room in there, so the kick frequency should stay about the same, but they may feel less strong than before. Good to know!

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

I have been consistent with my diet, and continue to walk on days that it’s nice, but also including some strength training exercises by following Expecting & Empowered workouts (code: wellnessforthewin) OR workouts on my MYX Fitness bike! #affiliate for both

baby or nursery prep

We are doing a 5-week childbirth class through AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, and this week we had our second class where we got to enjoy watching videos of unmedicated births. Not going to lie – it was a little rough to see, lol. However, overall, these classes have been SUPER helpful so far.

I’ve really enjoyed and appreciated learning more about the stages of labor, contractions, what to expect during labor, etc., and Ethan feels the same way. They are also providing lots of tips on how he can best support me leading up to and during that process!

doctor’s appointments

The 28 week OB appointment was a doozy. I had to do my glucose/gestational diabetes test. The drink was honestly not THAT bad, in my opinion. I had orange, which I’ve heard is more tolerable than other flavors, but still, it was not as bad as most people make it seem. The blood draw was way worse, haha.

I also had to get my Tdap shot at this appointment, as well as a Rhogam shot, which they put in your butt/hip that hurts like HELL. Only people with certain blood types have to get this (if you’re negative for the Rh factor), and you’ll know if you need it. NOTE: if you are one of the lucky ones that has to get these too, I’ve been told that if you need another dose in the hospital after you deliver (depending on baby’s blood type) that you can get it through your IV rather than getting another shot, which is much more pleasant.

Baby’s growth is on track and HR was 140-145 bpm, which has been pretty consistent the past few appts!

29 weeks: 11/1-11/7

how i’m feeling

THE MOOD SWINGS ARE BACK. Lol. Definitely feeling emotional again. As we get closer to the end, it’s hard not to feel stressed, anxious, nervous, excited — literally ALL of the things. I cried several times this week.

I also am wanting everything to be done and ready all of a sudden, and it’s not. So that’s stressing me out, too- haha.

body changes/symptoms

The baby’s movement at this point feels a little… different? Several women around the same stage as me said they felt the exact same when I shared this on IG stories. I was feeling extremely anxious about whether he has been moving enough or not. Earlier in pregnancy, I didn’t worry about it too much, but now that I’m at this point where baby “should” be moving “x” amount, and it’s hard not to stress.

I’m not doing kick counts because I think that would make me even more anxious, but just trying to be more aware of when he is moving during the day. I think he is moving plenty — it’s just so easy to drive yourself crazy over it sometimes.

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

No changes here.

baby or nursery prep

We were told the recliner was coming in this week, BUT THEN IT DIDN’T. Woof. Fingers crossed for next week!

We also had another childbirth class this week at AdventHealth. Super helpful and we are still really liking these!

doctor’s appointments

None this week!

30 weeks: 11/8-11/14

how i’m feeling

HUNGRY! I feel like my appetite has definitely increased this week! I’m having to eat more frequently to stay satisfied.

Also, still very emotional and having mood swings. Woof. Lots of anxiety about baby being okay, and COVID, and all kinds of things. It has been a bit of a rough week.

body changes/symptoms

No major changes here.

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

Even though I’m feeling hungrier than before, I’m still eating about the same as far as the foods I’m including! Overall still trying to eat healthy, balanced meals and prepare food at home the majority of the time, and I think that has helped me feel pretty good throughout this pregnancy!

baby or nursery prep

THE RECLINER FINALLY ARRIVED! Hallelujah. We love it and it looks great!

I have a family shower the day I turn 31 weeks, so whatever we don’t get at that, we will go ahead and order along with our stroller and car seat using our registry completion discounts!

All of this linked in my nursery post.

doctor’s appointments

My 30 week OB appointment was very quick and uneventful, which is okay! Just did a urine sample, took my blood pressure, weight, measured my growth, listened to baby’s heart beat. All was good! His HR was 130-140 bpm which my OB says is pretty normal in third trimester.

I also got a solo tour of the AdventHealth Birth Center this week so I could answer some of y’alls Q&A on it and I have a blog post on that here! Ethan and I will do another tour together during our maternity navigator visit in a few weeks. It definitely made me excited to deliver there!

31 weeks: 11/15-11/21

how i’m feeling / body changes, etc.

I didn’t really jot any notes of how I felt during this week, so I’m assuming no news is good news. ; ) Probably nothing significantly different, although it was a somewhat eventful week otherwise! See below.

baby or nursery prep

I had a small baby shower with my family this week, so it was nice to get most of our registry items knocked out here to feel more prepared!

I did part 2/2 of a virtual breastfeeding class through my employer this week and it was super helpful! The more education you can get in advance for breastfeeding, the better!! In case you missed it, I did an IGTV with a lactation consultant from AdventHealth KC answering tons of FAQs about breastfeeding and it was so helpful! Check it out on my page if you are interested. : )

We also finished our 5-week childbirth class through AdventHealth KC this week! Overall the course was SO helpful and we felt way more prepared after it. I highly recommend if you are local! We had to do our last class virtually due to COVID getting worse in the area unfortunately, but the previous classes were in-person. This is of course subject to change based on how COVID changes in the coming months.

Check out my full post on the AdventHealth KC Birth Center here, which includes info on classes.

Ethan and I did a maternity shoot with @brittynelizabeth.studios this week and they turned out SO amazing!!! She is the best and we absolutely love these and will cherish them forever. Around this time is a great time to capture the belly for photos! It’s big enough to look cute in pics, but before you feel uncomfortably large and start waddling, LOL.

Ethan’s friends also threw him a diaper shower, so we are set for a longgggg time with diapers! Highly recommend starting this trend for all the guys in your friend group. All of Ethan’s friends have done this for each other and it’s a great excuse for them to get together, and a pretty inexpensive gift for people to give that can make SUCH a huge difference for the parents! It is so appreciated!

doctor’s appointments

No appointments this week.

32 Weeks: 11/22-28

how i’m feeling / updates this week:

This was Thanksgiving week, so I was a little stressed about what that would look like, but it ended up being great. We usually have 3 family Thanksgiving celebrations, but due to COVID and wanting to be extra cautious, we only went to one gathering, which was smaller than usual, wore masks, spread out from family members we don’t see on a regular basis, etc. And I still got to enjoy lots of delicious Thanksgiving food! A pregnant girl’s dream. ; )

body changes/symptoms

I finally started to like my pregnancy pillow during this week! Only took 32 weeks! Linked in this post.

I think it was during this week that I was feeling pretty anxious about movement, and whether or not he was moving “enough”, etc. I have learned that he isn’t very consistent and he is more active some days than others. It is easy to drive yourself crazy worrying about it sometimes, but this has gotten better after this week.

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

My amazing friend Amanda @nomastayinkc did a live yoga class on IG the morning of Thanksgiving, so I did that, which was a fun change! I definitely had to modify certain things, but either way it was fun to move my body in a different way.

Otherwise, I think I mostly walked during this week, and no changes diet-wise besides enjoying Thanksgiving food & leftovers. : )

baby or nursery prep

Around this time we got Rhett’s name sign for the nursery!!! Made by @laurenheimstudio who is local to KC and does amazing work! Highly recommend checking her out. More info in this blog post.

doctor’s appointments

None this week! My appointments were a little off so I was going on odd weeks.

I continue to see Dr. Jess at @journeychirokc once a week!

33 Weeks: 11/29-12/5

how i’m feeling

Meh, see below. : )

body changes/symptoms

I made note that my headaches kinda returned during this week… FUN stuff! Also, Ethan started complaining that I have been snoring at night. Pregnancy congestion is real! We did start sleeping with Rhett’s humidifier in our room and I think that helped slightly, but oops, sorry Ethan.

Still sleeping decent with the pregnancy pillow!

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

Nothing significant here.

baby or nursery prep

We got bookshelves for the nursery! More details in this post.

doctor’s appointments

I did have an appointment this week. Everything was pretty normal and measuring on track. My blood pressure was a little bit high (130 on top), which is unusual for me, so that made me a little nervous, but they weren’t too concerned. Thankfully it was normal at my next one!

34 weeks: 12/6-12/12

how i’m feeling

Starting to feel a little uncomfortable at this point…. I wondered when this time would come. ; )

body changes/symptoms

I had some stomach aches during this week, more congestion, and struggled with some low back pain and round ligament pain. My chiro recommended massaging my round ligaments in a warm shower when they are looser, and also sitting on my stability ball rather than my desk chair while I worked was helpful at times, too.

I also had really bad acne during this week, but that comes and goes for me. I know the hormones are likely a big contributing factor right now!

Still sleeping decent with the pregnancy pillow, besides getting up every hour to pee! Definitely feeling more thirsty, too, including in the middle of the night during my frequent potty breaks. Vicious cycle… lol.

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

Mostly still trying to walk as much as I can! The weather was nice this week so I took advantage of it!

baby or nursery prep

Not much here — basically all I’m asking for for Christmas at this point is remaining baby stuff!!! 🙂 I did order a few cute items for Rhett like wooden monthly milestone things and a cute name sign for when he is born. : )

Wooden Milestone Props linked here

Newborn name sign linked here

doctor’s appointments

I did not have any OB appointments this week, but I did go to the dermatologist. I noticed a mole on my head that seemed new or different so I wanted to go get it checked out. My dermatologist didn’t think it looked concerning, but decided to remove it and biopsy it in case. It came back benign, thankfully, but I just want to encourage everyone to get skin checks done every year, even during pregnancy!

Pregnancy can cause some weird things to happen to your body, including skin changes, so it never hurts to get peace of mind and have things looked at if you have any doubts. Skin checks are so important, especially if you have a family history of skin cancer or have ever used a tanning bed!

35 weeks: 12/13-12/19

how i’m feeling

Getting more uncomfortable by the day if we’re being honest… the one month countdown is on!! (My initial due date was 1/17/21 but based on my last ultrasound they keep saying 1/16/21, so we are going with that I suppose!)

As we get closer and closer, I’m realizing how much I truly do want the experience of labor and a vaginal delivery, so that has been on my mind a lot around this time, too.

body changes/symptoms

My acne is better this week – hallelujah! I’m sure it’ll be back next week, lol.

This is the first time I’ve noticed my feet/ankles start to swell up, and they KILL me if I’m on them for too long. Krissy of @2borganizedkc came over one night to help organize my kitchen so we were cleaning out drawers and cabinets for 3 hours, and by the end of the night I was EXHAUSTED and my feet felt like they were on fire, haha. The struggle is real!

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

My motivation this week has been ZERO. To work, to workout…. anything really. I’m just checked out, haha. Ready for this baby!!!

baby or nursery prep

Our dog trainer from @barkbusterskc actually brought over a fake baby doll that cries and makes baby sounds (that are pretty realistic) so we can practice holding it and walking around with it, etc. to get the dogs used to it. They are very curious and pretty unsure at the moment, but I think it will be super helpful honestly!

doctor’s appointments

I had a normal appointment this week that was fairly uneventful, which again, is a good thing! Thankfully my blood pressure was back to my normal, around 114/60-something, which was a relief! Baby’s HR was around 143 bpm and my doc says I’m measuring right at 35 weeks.

Next week for my 36 week appointment we will do an ultrasound to check baby’s position and she will also do a vaginal culture to check for group strep B.

Applied for maternity leave and got approved from work – woo hoo!

36 weeks: 12/20-26

how i’m feeling

ALL of the emotions are hitting me this week. It’s crazy how it all just hits you as you get really close to the end. Also, had a few little surprises this week that have contributed to the emotional roller coaster… see below!

body changes/symptoms

It is interesting because some moments I feel fine and normal; other moments I feel SO uncomfortable. Like low back pain, pelvic pain, all the fun things. Sleep is hit and miss for sure. I get up to pee every hour and getting out of bed and resituated again is an Olympic sport LOL.

Also, I was slightly panicked the day before/of my 36 week appointment, because I felt like he wasn’t moving nearly as much. It is really hard as they get bigger and their movements are just very different than what they were before. It is hard not to stress about it. I haven’t been doing kick counts really because I feel like it causes more anxiety for me. I know he is moving *enough*, just wish we would move more sometimes! But also have to remind myself that he is not consistent and some days he is just more chill than others.

I also feel like maybe he had just recently gotten into this new position before our ultrasound, so maybe that is why movement felt different, too.

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

No changes here. Same old! Still getting out and walking most days, thankfully! We have been blessed with some very mild / warm-ish December weather for the most part! I’m definitely moving slower than normal, but proud of myself for making it happen most days.

baby or nursery prep

Not much in this department. Waiting forever for his map to arrive that I ordered from Etsy, as this will complete the nursery. It is obviously not a necessity before he arrives whatsoever, but I’m just ready for the damn room to be done, haha! Obviously there are tons of shipping delays happening right now between the holidays, COVID, etc., so just trying to be patient!

We also did ask for several more things off of our registries for Christmas, so we will see what we get in the next few days. : )

doctor’s appointments

This is the eventful part… I had my 36 week appointment at 36 + 1 day and have been anticipating this for a while since I knew I’d be having an ultrasound to check baby’s position, approximate size, and all of those things.

The moment she put the probe on my belly for the ultrasound, she said, “Ope! He’s breech!” I was SHOCKED and caught so off guard. I was definitely NOT expecting to hear those words. Tears filled my eyes almost immediately, knowing that meant I would likely have to get a C-section. However, most importantly, he scored an 8 out of 8 on the ultrasound and she said everything looked good. They estimated his size to be 6 lbs 6 oz, his heart rate was around 120-127 bpm, which felt low to me, but she said she wasn’t concerned about it at all. All babies are different, and their HR does go down closer to the end. He was breathing well, she said I had a good amount of amniotic fluid, he had good movement/”tone”, and everything else they check for looked good also.

My blood pressure was good, considering the fact that I was bawling and stressed, and my weight was pretty consistent from the week prior.

They also did my group strep B culture which was very quick and painless, as well as my first check to see if I was dilated at all. I personally found this to be painless also.

I talked to my provider about our options now knowing that baby is breech. She said we could come in for an ECV the next week and try to flip baby from the outside. They do this at the birth center so if anything goes wrong, like his HR drops, or my water breaks, etc., they would do a C-section right then. Otherwise, we can wait it out and see if he flips on his own before my due date. If he doesn’t, we will do a planned C-section at 39 weeks.

I was pretty distraught throughout this appointment and cried all the way home because I was just totally not prepared to hear any of this and like I mentioned last week, I have been thinking more and more about how much I was a vaginal birth. However, after just a few days of having time to process it, talking to friends, family and followers who have had C-sections with very positive experiences, I feel 100x better and know that whatever happens, it will be okay. All I want is for him to arrive safe and healthy, and for me to be safe and healthy, too.

There are of course so many pros and cons for both methods of delivery for mom/baby, as well as the recovery process. Either way, I know I can handle it, and I have an amazing support system AND the team at AdventHealth is incredible. I know I’ll be in good hands regardless. God has it all under control!

I will be visiting my chiropractor @drjessbohlke at @journeychirokc several times a week leading up to my due date, so we will see if that helps him flip at all. If he stays put, I trust there is a reason for it. Ethan and I are both a little excited about the thought of meeting him a week early! And him having a perfectly round head via C-section LOL. It’s up to little Rhett what he wants to do now.

37 weeks: 12/27-1/2

how i’m feeling

Anxious to see if baby flipped.

body changes/symptoms

Swelling in the feet and ankles sometimes, which I hate!!! It just freaks me out haha even though I know it is normal.

Also started having some nausea during this week, as well as continued headaches, which are rough!

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

No big changes here. Walking the dogs and myself for around 30 minutes on days when it’s nice enough to do so and I’m feeling up for it!

baby or nursery prep

Hospital bag is pretty much ready to go! Check out my post on what I packed here.

doctor’s appointments

I had another ultrasound to check baby’s position and we found that he was HEAD DOWN this time!!! I could NOT believe he flipped in there. Absolute shock! I was definitely so happy to get this news, but still know that anything could happen and trying to remain as open minded as possible. BUT it is nice to know that we can most likely do a vaginal delivery at this point!

She actually didn’t check to see if I was dilated or anything at this appt, so we will plan to do that next week. Otherwise, everything looked good. My blood pressure was good and I also learned I was negative for group strep B which I was happy to hear!

38 weeks: 1/3-1/9

how i’m feeling

On high alert since I learned at my appt. that I’m progressing!

Some moments I feel patient and try to remind myself that we still have time… he’s safe in my belly… he’s still growing and developing and this time inside is good for his brain, etc. But other moments I am like GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME.

Very irritable at times this week if I’m being honest. And having some anxiety as we get closer — just wanting to make sure he is okay in there.

body changes/symptoms

The day I turned 38 weeks I was having what I believe are Braxton Hicks contractions. It’s so hard to know what all of these things really feel like when it’s your first time experiencing it! But after speaking with a few friends who have been through it, I’m pretty sure that is what it was. I was also having some pretty bad back pain around the same time, as well as some weird / different sensations “down there”.

I sat on my birthing ball for a bit and then on my recliner and eventually it all felt normal again, but I did end up having BH one more time that night (I think).

diet/exercise/cravings/etc.

At this point I am not doing much in the way of exercise. First of all, it has been pretty darn cold and snowy out, and I am moving much slower than before haha. I do feel like baby has dropped which can make it hard and uncomfortable to walk too long at a time. Some days I feel a lot more agile than others.

I also woke up in the middle of the night super hungry at 38 weeks + 2 days — I know my body is working so hard right now, even when I don’t always feel like I’m doing much!

I’m also SO THIRSTY all the time. Even during the middle of the night, which doesn’t help my 15 overnight bathroom breaks. But whatever. I’m used to it at this point lol.

*Update – after I learned that I am started to dilate and efface, trying to walk as much as I can, when weather permits!!!

baby or nursery prep

At this point we are ready for baby!!! We got a baby swing from my brother and SIL that we have already set out in the living room to get the pups used to it. We also have our pack & play all set up, as well as our play gym and bassinet. Everything will be put in place one he gets here. 🙂

My parents will be keeping our dogs when we go to the hospital and for the first few days after he is born so Ethan and I can kinda get our lives figured out before adding them into the mix. ; ) We are planning to bring a blanket over to their house from the hospital that Rhett has been wrapped in so they can smell him ahead of time. Apparently this helps!

doctor’s appointments

At my 38 week appointment, she checked me and said I was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced!!! This felt like really exciting news. Progress is progress; I’ll take it! However, now I’m overthinking every possible sensation. It’s a bit of a mind game.

After that appointment I was feeling confident that he would come early… I’m estimating next weekend when I hit 39 weeks. But then other times I feel so unsure!

Update: at 38 and a half weeks, I woke up in the middle of the night panicked because I felt like he wasn’t moving enough. I got out of bed, called the on-call doctor and she encouraged me to drink some water, eat something and do kick counts for a bit, and if he didn’t respond enough to come in. He ended up moving just fine and it was all okay, but just know that if you are having anxiety like this, too, you are not alone. They ordered an ultrasound for me the next day for peace of mind also, and thankfully everything looked good.

39 weeks: 1/10-1/16

how i’m feeling

EXTREMELY impatient. So beyond ready for him to be here. Really struggling with that…

body changes/symptoms

One morning my gums were bleeding really bad after brushing my teeth, which can be totally normal, but that was a not-so-fun surprise. Also having some swelling in the feet and ankles. He feels really low so lots of pressure down there — it feels more intense some moments than others. Having some cramping and occasional Braxton Hicks, but nothing significant at this point.

baby / labor prep

All of the things I’m doing to attempt to get labor to start haha.

• Eating dates
• Bouncing / rolling my hips on my birthing ball
• Going on walks — about 30 minutes per day if I can
• Doing some squats
• Trying “curb walking” – look it up lol
• TMI but, doing the deed

So far, NOTHING IS WORKING. : ) He must be comfy in there.

doctor’s appointments

Sadly, at my 39 week appointment, everything was the same. Still 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Better than nothing, but I was a little disappointed there hadn’t been more action during that week!

Now that I am 39 weeks she said we could go ahead and do a membrane sweep, so we did that. A lot of people say they went into labor 12-48 hours after doing a membrane sweep, but sadly, no such luck for me yet (writing this two days later, at 39+4).

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If you are also expecting, I hope you enjoyed reading this third trimester recap! I personally find it fun and interesting to hear about others’ experiences and see which symptoms we are both experiencing and when, etc. When you’re pregnant and going through so much, it’s just nice to know you’re not alone in it all!!

Feel free to reach out if you have questions on anything, and best of luck to you on your journey if you are also pregnant!

Thank you for reading,

Shanna