So much baby stuff this week!
In addition to settling into our new apartment, there were a whole bunch of baby-related activities on the agenda.
On Wednesday night, Brian and I went to a childbirth education class at our midwife’s office, led by our doula and another doula. It was like a really weird little date night! At one point, the doulas were talking about the signs of impending labor (water breaking, contractions, the “bloody show” which I remember hearing in the movie Knocked Up and definitely thought was a “bloody shell,” but OK), and one woman was like, “Um, I have a question…”
Because HER WATER WAS BREAKING. During class! It was awesome. She was so calm about it! That’s the part I feel like I won’t be calm about — the waiting part. The labor, NBD. (I mean, not really NBD, but I’m not worried about it or stressing over it.) But I feel like the time between those first few signs of labor and the waiting to go to the hospital, and then the waiting for big labor to start… I have to mentally prep for that part, and for being super chill. (I have three playlists ready to go. So I’m clearly focused on the important stuff.)
Anyway, the class was fine, and I’m really glad we’ll have Doula Jessica with us on Game Day. She likes Celine Dion, so we’re good to go. I also liked that they talked about postpartum depression in the class. I think it’s great to see that discussed more, and appreciated that it was included in the conversation.
Hooray for jumpers and comfy maternity clothes!What else? I get emotional every time I walk past the baby’s room. We keep finding Ellie sleeping in there. My heart is in for a wild ride, isn’t it?
Here’s the rest of the week.
Pregnancy face! (Brian insists he “doesn’t see it,” but I know he’s smart and nice and lying.)BABY IS THE SIZE OF…
an eggplant. Again. Or a head of cauliflower. Also again. (These apps are getting repetitive!) One website said baby is the size of a kabocha squash, which I could definitely not pick out of a squash lineup.
HOW I’M FEELING
Larger. Listen, these photos aren’t doing me much justice. This belly is growing. My face, too, is growing, and based on recent chafing situations, I’d say my thighs and arms and boobs are also growing. I’m pregnant everywhere!
When does the pregnancy face go back down?! Like immediately after birth? Weeks? Months? YEARS? NEVER?!WHAT I’M EATING
I’m mostly just eating more of everything, and more often. I’ve noticed an increase in hunger lately. I’m having some acid reflux, which isn’t a big deal, but it’s a bit unpleasant. I constantly feel like I just finished vomiting for an hour straight. So I guess I feel like I did every Sunday until 5 PM in college.
ON THE WORKOUT FRONT
It was a good week for workouts! I went to Orangetheory most days, and did a workout in our building gym on Saturday morning. (I did 12 400m repeats, slowly, and did arm stuff — bicep curls, tricep dips, etc. — in between. It was fun!)
On Wednesday, I was able to do the entire Orangetheory treadmill block as prescribed, which was nice! I was able to keep my paces at a 6 mph base, 6.5–7 mph push, and 8–10 mph all-out. (Again, for reference, my paces pre-pregnancy were 7 base, 8–9 push, and 10–12 all-out. So I’ve slowed down, but am still going!)
SIGNATURE POSE.The peeing has really amped up on the run, though. I don’t know how women run 10 miles and marathons and stuff in the third trimester. I pee, and then I start running and feel like I have to pee again, and it’s this constant cycle of feeling like I have to pee.
During the childbirth class, I asked a few questions about timing, like how long contractions tend to last, and how long the transition phase is during labor. And now I translate those into fitness terms. If a long contraction is two minutes, that’s a two-minute push on the treadmill at Orangetheory. If transition lasts 30 minutes, that’s racing a 5K. I can do this!
WHAT I’M WEARING
These pants. (The palm leaf print looks like it’s sold out, but there are some other fun ones!)
Brian has been making me cocktails at night! It’s just ice water with cucumber slices, and I LOVE IT.WHAT I’M READING
Nothing baby-related. It’s fine. It’ll be fine.
HOW I’M SLEEPING
Meh. I’m not going to lie to you: I’ve been a bit gassy at night lately. And when that’s the case, I don’t sleep well. Otherwise, sleeping great in the new place!
BEING HELPFUL.WHAT I’M WONDERING
Why my belly is so pointy?! I always thought pregnant bellies were all cute and round and basketball-like, but mine looks more like a little torpedo. Or a pyramid. Or wedge of brie.
See?! Pointy!Strangers have really been commenting on me being pregnant, so I know I’m really showing now! And on Saturday, Brian and I did our hospital tour at Hackensack University Medical Center, where I’ll deliver. It was basically two hours of mostly useless information, but we learned where to park on the big day, and got to peek in the nursery, which was sooooo cute! And then we went shopping for baby things, and got the baby’s crib, dresser, and rocking chair. Stuff is starting to come together!
Turns out, the labor and delivery unit is, tragically, not dog friendly. I checked.More Baby on the Run:
13 Responses
I swear my nose got bigger during pregnancy and my face in general got very puffy. It all went back to normal a few weeks after giving birth. And your belly might be pointy because of how baby is positioned.
I just moved as well and have no idea how you made it look so easy. I was stressed out for months! Your positive attitude is an inspiration as always 🙂
Your new apartment (+ view!) is amazing. How wonderful to settle into a new place before the baby arrives!
Ali i am your big fan. i like reading your blog 🙂
I totally viewed labor like a workout too! And honestly, I felt like it was easier than a hard workout. Wayyyy more painful, but you don’t actually have to do anything, if that makes sense. And once they’re happening, they can come in a pattern of like 1 minute of contracting and 1-2 minutes off, and somehow that made time pass really quickly. It still hurt really bad, but you can always ask for an epidural if you’re not into that!
I’m into the pants!
Here’s another spot to get them (non-Amazon). Same pattern, however, scrunched around the ankles:
https://piparadiseisland.com/collections/scrunched-bottom/products/my-heart-is-in-havana-scrunched-bottom
I survived the waiting to go to the hospital by watching a bunch of my favorite mindless movies. (Well, I had three picked out but we only made it through 1.5 — Napoleon Dynamite and half of A Goofy Movie — before we had to go.) I feel like Mean Girls would be good for this purpose.
But even doing that, I feel like I’ll be sitting there like, “Is it time? Is it time?” How did you just chill out and watch movies?!
Is your baby breech position? My belly was really pointy like that when my daughter was breech. She flipped late on her own at 36 weeks and then I suddenly had a traditional looking bump. My mom and older women always remarked on the pointiness before the baby flipped. My daughter is SUPER active since day 1, so I think breech was just more comfortable for her to move.
Tums for the acid reflux are a lifesaver in the 3rd trimester! I love your running mental game for labor. It is perfect.
No! She was breech for a little while earlier on but, as of my last appointment, had turned. Still pointy-looking, though! And super active!
I delivered my first (and will be delivering my 2nd mid-October) at hackensack and the labor and delivery nurses are complete rock stars!! They take such good care of you!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that! And our doula said the same thing, that the nurses are WONDERFUL! (And YAY, maybe we’ll see each other there in October! Hehe.)