{sunset beach walk at 37 weeks}
I made it to the home stretch. I'm currently 38 weeks pregnant, and Jack could make his arrival any day. Pregnancy has been a truly unbelievable experience and I'm so thankful to have had a healthy journey. There have been tough days sprinkled in over the last 9 months but overall I've been happy, feeling pretty good and just beyond grateful for our little miracle. Greg and I have been together for 9 years and have always talked about wanting a family. After we got married last year, we decided it was as good a time as any to start trying, and we feel really blessed that we will be meeting our son so soon.
The aches and pains have definitely set in, but I've done my best to stay active during my entire pregnancy. Working out has become increasingly harder the farther along I've gotten, but I am still going for (almost) daily 30-45 minute beach walks, albeit at a much slower pace. Late in the second trimester, I began experiencing some pain in my abdomen and pelvis so certain exercises only made it worse. Between 34 and 36 weeks, he dropped and the pressure has been intense with random jolts of shooting pain that stop me in my tracks. I have had good days and bad days, but have taken advantage of when I'm feeling up to it to go for a walk, lift light weights, and practice yoga.
During the third trimester, my diet has remained pretty much the same - focusing on protein, fruits and veggies, but I've actually had a decrease in appetite as he continues to grow and take up more space in my tummy. Meals have become snacks, as I get full after several bites. The all-day nausea that finally broke around week 20 has come back but thankfully only in waves, usually after eating and dissipates within an hour. I really didn't have any cravings throughout pregnancy, so Greg got lucky with not having any crazy late-night runs :)
The recommended weight gain for pregnancy is between 25-35 pounds. I have tried my best to stay on the low end of that spectrum, given my petite 5'2 frame. I weighed 112 lbs pre-pregnancy and have gained a total of 26 pounds. I'm not going to stress myself out over losing the weight right away. I'm focused on recovering and healing, and spending time bonding with my newborn. It took 9 months to gain the weight in order to grow my son, so I'm giving myself at least that much time to try and get my body back to "normal." It has been amazing to see my body transform and looking back at baby bump progression photos is mind-blowing!
There are numerous physical changes with pregnancy, and a lot of them have to do with skin: acne, melasma, spider veins, the linea nigra, and stretch marks. Hormonal breakouts hit me hard during the first trimester, but have since settled down tremendously. I did not experience any melasma, which I contribute to wearing sunscreen on my face everyday, thanks to my SPF 30 tinted moisturizer. I also haven't seen any spider veins pop up. Around week 36, the linea nigra started showing on my belly, but it's very faint. Knowing that I'm prone to developing stretch marks (I have some from my teenage years), I've been super diligent about trying to avoid them. Starting at 9 weeks, I have applied Bio Oil and Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter twice a day. After every shower, I slather on Bio Oil while my skin is still a little damp, and every morning and night without fail, I have used the Burt's Bees lotion. Neither one leaves a residue on clothes, and neither one has a strong smell. I think using these products in combination with staying really hydrated (drinking a gallon of water a day, no joke) and gaining the recommended weight gradually, has helped a lot. I'm going to continue using both of these after delivery to help my skin stay moisturized while my tummy shrinks back down.
{32 weeks - when I officially couldn't see my toes anymore}
I've been wearing comfy dresses 95% of the time (maxis and stretchy bodycon styles are the best!) The only piece of maternity clothing I bought was one pair of jeans, but it's been such a hot year in Florida that I didn't wear them until the last week of October when "fall" finally decided to appear. The temperature dropped below 80 degrees and I decided I should at least wear them once before my bump is gone!
I previously shared all the details of our Baby Shower - it was a fun day filled with family, friends, BBQ and playing in the pool. My amazing co-workers also threw me a surprise shower in October which was so special! Greg and I feel extremely fortunate to have a village of loved ones to help us in this new chapter. Everyone has been very generous and we have everything we could ever need or want for Jack! My parents have been crucial in preparing for our new arrival, and we're grateful that they live only 15 minutes away. Nana and Poppy are over the moon about their new grand-baby!
Decorating the nursery was one of my favorite parts of pregnancy, and I loved finding all the special pieces that tie the room together. It's surreal to think that we will be bringing our son home within the next couple weeks! Greg and I did a maternity shoot at the 8-month mark and I know we are going to treasure those photos forever. For the most part, I have enjoyed being pregnant and it's so nice to have documented memories to look back on, between pictures, blog posts and my own personal journal entries.
{35 weeks pregnant at the pumpkin patch}
It's no surprise to anyone that knows my husband, but Greg has been the absolute biggest support throughout this entire journey - everything from coming to doctor's appointments to cleaning the cat box, giving me back rubs and getting excited every time he feels Jack moving. On days when I'm in a lot of pain, he totally takes over - setting me up with a comfy spot on the couch, cooks dinner, cleans, everything! I already knew he was an amazing partner but he has gone above and beyond these last 9+ months. He is anxious to meet his mini-me, and I can't wait to see him grow into his role as a father.
As I'm nearing the end of pregnancy, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I am thrilled by the thought of meeting our little man, but I'm going to miss having him with me every second of the day. I already feel so connected to him, knowing that my body made his, everything from his eyelashes to his toes. I have been his home and know he's safe in there - protected and getting all the nutrients and sleep he needs. The thing I'm going to miss the most is feeling Jack move in my tummy - I'm soaking up all the kicks, jabs, hiccups and rolls while I can. He's running out of room in there lately but every movement is the sweetest reminder that he will be in my arms soon.
Greg is planning to take off work for the first four weeks after Jack arrives and I couldn't be more excited for the time we are going to spend as a family of three, enjoying all the new baby snuggles, learning about our little guy and being sleep-deprived together. Our hospital bags are packed and waiting by the door - the final countdown is on!
