Week 33 Pregnancy Journal

How Far Along? 33 weeks

Week 33 Began: Friday, January 27

Size of Baby: a pineapple (17", should be at 4+ pounds)

Gender: A girl, Margaret

Weight Gain: Well, the OB on Friday told me I could safely gain another 12 pounds so I'm still in the middle RANGE for my pregnancy. Which blows my mind but also makes me happy that I had been on such a good Celiac/PCOS protocol pre-pregnancy!

Maternity Clothes: As long as it is clean and fits I like it! For my baby shower on Saturday, I wore a great drapy dress I previously wore the burgundy version of over Thanksgiving and it still fits great! My boots still fit fine, too. Hoping to not need to get anything else, though I may buy another few pairs of lingerie and yoga pants so I don't have only 3 pants in rotation post-baby.

Nursery: Still getting more gifts or donations (like our friends K+T who gave us their old backup crib liners/sheets/changing table sheets/etc.) to wash and organize. Which I'm enjoying - cleaning, finding a place to store items and just the organizing in general has always been a good relaxation method for me. Things are really coming together! Our custom-ordered reclina-glider was delivered on Wednesday afternoon, so now that it is in place and the correct rug was sent to us... we are basically done with the nursery big ticket items! Very exciting.

Movement: Still a super-active girl in there! Margaret really loves the night hours and lets me know it.

Symptoms: back pain, general pain. No Braxton-Hicks or contractions though. I did start getting more aggravated tummy/stretched pain in a specific spot on my belly but not bad, just uncomfortable. The tailbone pain continues to drive me nuts.

Side Effects: The back pain really sucks. I'm taking more baths with salt as my OB said it was okay. Sometimes I do a lavender milk bath instead. Anything to help ease the back/coccyx/tailbone pains (I know, I'm sorry, ugh)!

Sleep: It's okay, but not as deep as it once was - at least I don't think so... I'm thinking I may just unplug all the phones on our top floor but kinda would hate to do that and need it at some point pre-baby... but the random calls always seem to happen while I'm napping or sleeping!

Cravings: nothing really specific. I've not gotten sick of anything either. Chocolate in some form or another has continued this whole pregnancy!

What I Miss: rum and Cokes. Being able to see certain body parts, haha! But I can still see my feet at least!

Best Moment This Week: OB telling us that Margaret has gone SO FAR and BEYOND anything they could have imagined with her IUGR diagnosis. She is now doing much better. She went from 2nd percentile to 12th percentile in waist circumference (which... whoa. They told us she was below a certain range but TWO percent?!? Intense intense intense). Everything else is doing well or more above-average great. But she is tracking on all fronts back in the various Bell curves the OBs use to chart growth. She has gone from not even 3 pounds (2lbs, 13/14 oz) to 4 pounds 8 ounces in just 3 weeks! We are still being monitored for IUGR just not as aggressively as we were the past month. We will still have another ultrasound in a few weeks. We can only hope it will be giving us more good news as we approach being term!

What I Learned This Week: Mommy gut instinct and positivity will take you very far, but that doesn't mean I should stick my head in the sand. I was informed, but just put all the scary stuff on the back burner so I could cope and function as healthily as I could for Margaret's sake. When we got the good news I wept with relief during the ultrasound. I was so glad M was there holding my hand and that I can read the ultrasound machine! All the back burner scary stuff could finally fall away for the time being and maybe we won't have to visit that topic again, I hope she continues to exceed expectations and grow!

Looking Forward To: Margaret making her appearance in healthy, due time. My second baby shower this weekend (family centric one) and thankfully the weather looks to be in our favor! Margaret dropping down more at some point which will help me with my breathing (I've had sternum inflammation issues so lots of current discomfort as she has grown... but I'll take her growing over my discomfort any day)! But I will say she has been head down the whole pregnancy so I don't know how much more DOWN she can get before labor/delivery.

Week 32 Pregnancy Journal

#32weekspregnant #32weeks6days Here I am enjoying this fun little belly and sleeping in since she is still loving the heartburn game from 12am - 3/4am every night. People who text know I'm easiest to reach after 11:30 😅 I'm mastering the art of lounge wear - today's primo example are my circa 2000 @chatham_hall gym sweatpants and theeeeeee softest shirt M got me from one of his recent range school trips (@therangecomplex). Today's game plan is to start on Thank You notes and continue to wash onesies. But first, a nice long bathtub soak! 🛀 Tomorrow we get to have an ultrasound for the first time in the 3 weeks since Margaret's #IUGR diagnosis so we hope for LOTS of growth and only good news. Baths help me RELAX and just let the stress go as best as I can. 💗 #WorthyStyle

A photo posted by worthystyle (@worthystyle) on Jan 26, 2017 at 10:09am PST

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How Far Along? 32 weeks

Week 32 Began: Friday, January 20

Size of Baby: a jicama (16.7", should be at 3.75 pounds)

Gender: A girl, Margaret

Weight Gain: I had a crazy spike up on weight this week. I mentioned it during my non stress test and the OB told me to take Colace for regularity. Well, lets just say I lost about 5 pounds after that. haha. I had no idea I could be uhhh so backed up? #RealPregnancyTruths #SorryMom

Maternity Clothes: still just loafing about with the least interesting wardrobe possible. I mean, I even pulled out some sweatpants that were part of our "Winter gym uniform" in boarding school from 2000. So... yeah. Not really trying to impress anyone. I love my Barefoot Dreams cozy chic robe most of all.

Nursery: Since the room was painted we continue to get things settled in here. I started really working on washing the vintage clothes my Mom gave me that were my brother's and mine when we were kids, and washing things I had bought anticipating this someday moment! It's fun to fill drawers and bookshelves with items.

Movement: Margaret continues to be SUPER active which makes me happy.

Symptoms: I wish I had an in-house masseuse. Mike does a great job trying to help but I really do need to see a Pro. He does have us scheduled for a couple's massage in February which I CANNOT wait for.

Side Effects: Insomnia blows. Also I'm always hungry. So now I'm indulging it. Perpetually thirsty but that's because of the weather and how dry our air is, I think. (We have two humidifiers I just run all the time).

Sleep: Once I get to sleep I am reliably out 8-10 hours unless someone rings the doorbell or calls the house line... falling back to sleep once that jolts me awake is the big problem.

Cravings: Sour gummy worms.

What I Miss: Going to the bathroom being a simple thing, and not a game of Twister.

Best Moment This Week: OB telling me to take Colace and also the acetaminophen and Zantac as needed (basically stop being so conservative, Whitney). Margaret doing OK on nonstress test but not as well as we really would like to see.

What I Learned This Week: M and I are both learning more and more that we can about various kinds of deliveries. We want to go the natural route but are trying to be well versed on planned and emergency c-sections and induction methods due to the IUGR diagnosis. This includes reading: Dad's Playbook to Labor & Birth, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, the later chapters of What to Expect When You're Expecting, What to Expect the First Year, and Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Year. We have 4 more books to get through in the next few weeks that involve labor/birth as well!

Looking Forward To: Our ultrasound tomorrow which will be a huge deal as I could be sent straight to the hospital or we could be celebrating a great diagnosis! Fingers crossed.

Week 31 Pregnancy Journal

31 weeks and 5 days today. The past almost 2 weeks have been tough. Margaret is throwing us some medical curve balls (asymmetrical IUGR - low birth weight risk due to waist/abdominal circumference measuring behind) so we have done a bit of a rush job on getting the nursery together - just in case - but are pleased that things are coming together! We have been so deeply moved by the well wishes, surprise notes/trinkets, love from afar, and just cannot thank everyone enough for the support during this entire journey - including what I've sporadically shared on my blog and on social media over the past 4 years. It's been an infertility rollercoaster! I'm just hoping we can keep this sweet girl in utero to term. I want to celebrate her and RELAX at the adorable showers my family and friends have coming up in a few weeks! Also... no snow. Please. 😬 ❤️ M is my rock. His brother helped us swap room furniture around last weekend, and this past holiday weekend M painted Margaret's bathroom one day and her nursery the next. I don't know what we'd do without him! He's had a lot of late nights to help me get things done and I hate that I haven't been able to help more (and giving up control... I really suck at that... Type A!). 〰〰 Nursery theme isn't anything specific. But I guess you could vaguely point it to something involving the sea or the coast. This color is similar to the one in my childhood bedroom and I just always found it so soothing! It varies through the day which is also nice. All of the furniture but the crib were from Mike and my childhood. 〰〰 🎨 is @benjaminmoore Skydive CSP-700 Crib is @bertinibaby purchased @toysrus @babiesrus @babiesrus_inc Pembrooke Upholstered 3-in-1 Convertible Crib in natural wood 〰〰 #pregnancy #31weekspregnant #IUGR #iugrbaby #IUGRbabies #clomid #ClomidBaby #nurserydecor #nursery #benjaminmoore #homedecor #WorthyStyle #babygirl #baby #infertilityjourney #thirdtrimester #toysrus #toysruskid #babiesrus #Bertini #BertiniBaby #31weeks #PCOS #PCOSbaby #PCOSandpregnant #DIY #MyBRUBaby

A video posted by worthystyle (@worthystyle) on Jan 17, 2017 at 10:12pm PST

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How Far Along? 31 weeks

Week 31 Began: Friday, January 13

Size of Baby: a coconut (16", should be at 3.4 pounds)

Gender: A girl, Margaret

Weight Gain: They told me gaining weight or eating more would not help with Margaret's IUGR diagnosis, but my Momma gut is telling me to at least try. So I'm trying to eat a lot more even though it often makes my Celiac-damaged digestive system feel all sour and stuffed to capacity. I AM up another 2-3 pounds on average, so I'm about 12+ gained at this point.

Maternity Clothes: laying low and just lounging about outside of my doctors appointments means I am sticking to my 'uniform' (see last week's post).

Nursery: Since M's brother helped M get the nursery furniture all in, he started working on painting the room this week. It looks WONDERFUL! We used paint color Benjamin Moore Color Stories Skydive CSP-700. A lazy, poorly-lit tour of the very unfinished nursery is up at the top of the post.

Movement: Kicking is increasingly awkward or closer to tender areas but movement with her IUGR diagnosis is important and she is still WAY active so I'm OK with it!

Symptoms: pelvic girdle pain, tailbone pain, insomnia, heartburn (the usual nowadays)

Side Effects: Insomnia continues to be a bitch. That said, another one of my Momma gut instincts has been to just lay low during this stressful time. So I've taken to just lounging in bed or on one of the couches in the living room, laying or sleeping 75% of the time on my left side to ensure my placenta/circulation/etc. is all at it's biggest advantage point for Margaret in the hopes that somehow it will fatten her up! Also the heartburn gurgles that turn into surprise barf. Not fun.

Sleep: M has given me nightly foot rubs and we do some counter pressure work and that seems to help with getting me to bed and sleeping more deeply (once sleep comes to town). So, I'm averaging over 9 hours a night, sometimes over 10, which is great.

Cravings: chocolate peanut butter smoothies - with chocolate ice cream for good measure. I'm deliberately replacing a high fiber/folic acid cereal instead with a bulky smoothie. Chocolate protein, peanut butter, chocolate ice cream, a banana, vanilla Greek yogurt and lots of ice. Drink it up! Really tastes good.

What I Miss: digestive regularity (I mean, really). Also, infrequent peeing. Breasts that don't touch my expanding uterus. haha.

Best Moment This Week: Margaret and I acing our non stress tests at our OB practice... shows we are here to fight the IUGR diagnosis and we want her to stay in utero as long as possible!

What I Learned This Week: that yes, you can be leaking premilk already. Totally blew my mind when I was doing laundry this week. Childbirth class at the birthing center talked about pain management during labor. That was eye opening to options and reminded me why I ardently want to avoid others. Learned about delivery options for us if we have to deliver Margaret early, where we would go, what an NICU stay would look like in our situation.

Looking Forward To: our one-day, all day childbirth class at UVA this weekend. I hope we will learn new stuff and it won't be a waste of time!

Week 30 Pregnancy Journal

Not how I expected to spend the last two months of my pregnancy... 😕 #pregnancy #IUGR #iugrbaby #baby #firstpregnancy #nonstresstest #nonstress #WorthyStyle #ClomidBaby #PCOS #Celiac #30weeks #30weeks5Days #2lbs14oz #babygirl #infertility #growbabygrow

A video posted by worthystyle (@worthystyle) on Jan 11, 2017 at 12:07pm PST

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How Far Along? 30 weeks

Week 30 Began: Friday, January 6

Size of Baby: size of a head of cabbage (15.7", should be at 3+ pounds)

Gender: A girl, Margaret

Weight Gain: Up about 10-13 pounds, that seems to be the range this week.

Maternity Clothes: My uniform pretty much consists of: comfy wool running socks, the most flattering but comfortable non-Granny underwear ever (Natori Bliss style), a shelf bra camisole, maternity yoga pants, Chucks, a v-neck t-shirt, a sweater, and then if I'm leaving the house a fleece or a vest.

Nursery: M's brother is a saint. In exchange for a delish steak dinner prepared by M and I, on Sunday he assisted M in moving the guest BR queen bed into the home office, set up the crib, moved the twin day bed into the nursery, rearranged the nursery furniture, and also watched some painfully bad football.

Movement: Kicking is occasionally uncomfortable but I kinda like knowing she's in there doing OK.

Symptoms: pelvic girdle pain, continued tailbone pain, insomnia, heartburn

Side Effects: Insomnia is throwing a wrench into my reliable sleep, and I think it is aggravated by my terrible heartburn that I just can't quit until after 3am pretty much every night...

Sleep: Still lucky enough to get more than 8 hours a night even though I am not working in an office setting anymore... which is probably a good thing due to increasing doctors appointments and terrible insomnia

Cravings: chocolate peanut butter gelato from Gelati Celesti

What I Miss: piles of sushi, a good white wine, GFs going out with me for girls night

Best Moment This Week: Talking with the hostesses of my two baby showers over fun details and having events like that even happen! Seeing the crib assembled and ready to go in the nursery. Going to our first childbirth class which is done by a Midwife at a local birthing center in Cville.

What I Learned This Week: That Margaret only weighs 2 pounds 13 ounces (only because while that's only slightly below the goal weight her waist circumference is measuring at 27 weeks which is NOT GOOD)... That she and I are now on the practice's IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) protocol, which includes twice weekly non-stress tests, more ultrasounds, biophysical profiles, and regular checks on me to confirm everything is functioning as it should. We hope she will catch up on her weight soon. Otherwise I will be induced and/or have a c-section within the next month.

Looking Forward To: our 30+ scheduled doctor's appointments over the next two months that will make sure our baby girl is growing the way she is supposed to. We are very optimistic she will catch up and not have to go to a NICU at birth.