I can’t believe I just ordered postpartum essentials for my hospital bag. My little man is going to be here before I know it, and it is blowing my mind. You would think my bowling ball of a stomach would make his imminent arrival feel more real, but I have gotten used to my body even with all of the changes. I think the baby swing in the living room sometimes hits me harder than even his kicks do (which is saying something- this dude is active).
Emotional Me: So how is 34-week pregnant Gabriela doing? The answer changes on the daily. There are some days where I have high energy levels and overall feel pretty normal; however, there are also days where I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck both emotionally and physically. That said, even on the rougher days, I get myself up, take my dog on a walk, and live my life. I’ve been able to stay active throughout my pregnancy, and going on a walk never fails to make me get out of my head. What also makes me feel better emotionally is giving myself a pass for feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I am a first time expecting mother during a pandemic… I would be worried about myself if I wasn’t worried. Sometimes I call and chit chat with my mom. I may not even mention how much I am struggling, but her words are so soothing that even random conversation is healing. Sometimes, I can’t stop talking to Noah when he gets home from work and just let it all out. Either way, the important thing is that I don’t bottle it in.
Physical Me: Overall, I would say my body is taking pregnancy well. The nurses have always told me that my blood pressure is perfect at my appointments and that the baby’s heartbeat is right on target. At my last visit, the nurse told me that she was impressed that I still had ankles, and I agree with her that I haven’t swelled up as bad as I thought I would. My toes feel like snausages every once in a while, but it’s also been hot and h.u.m.i.d. Also on the plus side, my issue with acid reflux has gotten much better. The bottle of Tums is now next to my bed, because I mostly only need one right before bed. To say that my body is business as usual would not be true though, as I am overall weaker. Bending over is not fun, and I definitely need Noah’s help painting my toenails (have I mentioned how amazing he is?). On many of my walks, I call Noah or my mom, because it makes me feel better knowing that someone is aware that I’m outside. I never know when I’m going to get hit with a cramp/ache in some part of my body: hip, leg, back, stomach, or lady parts. Up until this point, no pregnancy pains have been too crazy, but like I said, I don’t want to be out by myself when things change.
I did have a scare last weekend when I thought that my pregnancy pain was going to drive me crazy, and I was worried that something was wrong. Lo and behold, I passed and caught a kidney stone that evening, so it wasn’t pregnancy related at all. I have never been more shocked and relieved to pee out a rock in my life.
Thus far, baby is noticeably active enough for me to not feel like I need to monitor strict kick counts. My whole stomach visibly bulges and shakes when he moves, and I still stare at my belly in awe. Speaking of awe, I leaked a smidge of colostrum a week ago, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. The ability for boobs to support life is too weird.
If you have stuck through this whole ramble about pregnancy, thank you! I love getting the opportunity to document my experience for future me.
Until next time,
Stay healthy and safe.
