Week 35 - only 5 weeks to go! A lot has been going on. It's been about 7 weeks since I did a preggo update. In this time we opened a yoga studio and we're currently amidst a global health pandemic. So it's been intense, but beautiful.
👶🏽 Baby Status: Baby is almost his full birth length at 46cm long and 2.4kg (as heavy as a honeydew melon). Baby's organs are well and truly formed and his skin is now opaque. Now he will focus on gaining weight and as he packs on 1-3 pounds every week all in baby fat up until the due day. So his skinny arms are slowly becoming juicy, plump and squishy (cute!). At this stage, he can already process information and pick up signals from all 5 senses. At the moment I can definitely notice longer patterns and periods of wakefulness and sleep. Apparently baby now closes his eyes when he sleeps and has that deep restful REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. When he's awake is busy making faces, hiccuping, swallowing, breathing, pedalling with little hands and feet along the uterine wall and even sucking his thumb. I don't so much feel kicks or punches anymore - more jabs, rolls and wiggles as he's run out of room. Sometimes I also see little hands and little feet poke through. During the night I'll press my belly into Guillaume's back and be big spoon so he can feel baby kicking as we fall asleep. Oh and this week baby's testicles make their way down his abdomen to the scrotum - just so you know lol.
🤰🏽 Mama's Status:
Well, let's see. My belly button is well and truly an outtie. Feels like I’ve been punched in the tits again this week - just like I did all first trimester -they are so sore. I can physically feel my upper abdominals separating. It’s a pain and pulling sensation that is constant. I need to pee every 1-2 hours 24/7 with bae's head pressing on my bladder. Sometimes if I laugh or sneeze I swear a little pee comes out. I feel short of breath these days just from talking. Demoing one simple yoga pose in yoga class has me out of breath and working up a sweat. I've also been feeling Braxton Hicks contractions (the body preparing for birth with fake contractions). They have started to increase in frequency and strength too and I usually have to close my eyes and take a few deep, deep breaths. The biggest symptom and probably the most annoying yet is Edema (excessive swelling) in the ankles, feet and sometimes hands. Around 75% of women get this at the end of pregnancy. It's usually pretty chill in the morning and then from moving around during the day, baby presses on veins which causes the blood to pool and my hands and feet often swell up. It's not painful unless I get calf cramps and spasm throughout the night - then it's like you're being stabbed in the leg. As a result, I'm finding exercise, gym, walking and yoga really challenging and have been skipping it and have been on bed rest a lot. Overall it's been intense to say the least. All this going on internally while launching a yoga studio amidst a global health pandemic (good times!).
Weight: Our scales are conveniently out of battery - grateful for this haha
Diet and Cravings: Frozen fruit and tea this week. Have completely gone off coffee.
Pregnancy Exercises and Yoga: My movement is so restricted right now. I am trying some light walks but my feet and hands balloon up with swelling.
Self Care Ritual This Week: Acupuncture and massage to help with swelling.
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✌🏽 Thanks for taking the time to read and connect. I'm sharing my pregnancy journey online for friends, family and other mamas out there. If you have any questions, tips or anything you'd like to share, please comment below.
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