HOW BABY IS DOING
Baby Girl is doing awesome!! She is head down, HR is strong 140-160s. She kicks all of the time & positioned herself perfectly on her my sciatic nerve -phew! My stomach looks wonky sometimes, the baby sticks her butt out super high so my left side is constantly a bulging bump on my stomach! Her movement is wild, especially at night and especially when I am soaking in the bath tub. I appreciate how go with the flow this baby is, she keeps up with my crazy work/school & daily life schedule, goes along with my diet- she really likes smoothies! & is patient for her arrival.
HOW I’M FEELING
Despite the everyday aches & pains- leg cramps, acid reflux, Braxton hicks, shortness of breath, total exhaustion, hangriness…. baby girl & I were rocking + rolling with this pregnancy journey!! That is until Week 33- everything changed, I was diagnosed with sciatic nerve pain on the R hip/leg & when I say this is/was the most EXCRUCIATING PAIN I have ever experienced I mean it. The pain was constant stabbing, sharp pain 24/7 and was barely relieved by anything, my mobility was greatly affected, I could barely walk, move or even sleep comfortably- the last 7 weeks were incredibly painful & challenging for me. To get ready for work I would tape by belly up, slide on the compression socks, bust my heat packs and strap them on, then leave extra early to give myself extra time to drag my leg behind me slowly but surely… eventually I was transitioned to light duty & my coworkers helped wheel me in/out of the hospital, the walk from the parking deck was at least 1/2 mile & so miserable to navigate. It was strange to not be able to go out on my own terms, but I worked up until 39 weeks pregnant. I knew bedside nursing was challenging but inpatient nursing PREGNANT is extremely difficult. I am proud of myself for persisting even on the days when the pain literally knocked me to the ground.
~Be sure to check out myย {3rd TRIMESTER MUST HAVES} postย to see what helped get me through!
MEMORIES & MILESTONES
Pregnancy is wildly challenging in so many different areas… As excited as we were I didn’t want to do anything too early… but then you run the risk of being “last minute” I had planned to close out the school year & year 2022, enjoy the holidays & then come January really kick it into gear for baby’s arrival! That is exactly what we did! ๐ in the midst of moving into our new home, while getting bigger every day. I had no idea how much decision fatigue would set in when figuring out so many things for the house, nursery, baby registry, or life in general & I didn’t expect the sciatica to attack! It was so overwhelming & crazy busy!! In hindsight I wish we had gotten things done a bit sooner, but with so much going on I am amazed by how much we actually did! I finished up another semester of grad school, we celebrated Christmas, New Years & Valentine’s Day! Hosted Devon’s bridal shower & enjoyed the best baby shower!! Prepared hardcore for baby- hospital tour, birth class, nursery painting & remodel, furniture set up, and lots of baby laundry! For myself I got lots of Lucy snuggles, took those last few bump pics, prepared my recovery kits & packed our bags… there is a lot to get ready for when a baby is quickly approaching!
At 40 weeks we were officially really ready for baby girl!!!
I’m so glad she waited until we were totally ready, it was a mad dash!
