Week 25-37 of My Pregnancy

27 Weeks Pregnant, Classy
Starbucks Bathroom Pic!

I must apologize for not keeping up on my weekly blogging of my pregnancy! It just got to be too much trying to juggle a full time job, 2 kids and daily life and the exhaustion of being pregnant.

But I am back, and still pregnant, so I feel a bit of triumph at working on catching you all up on my progress and what I'm currently doing now.

I'm seeing a civilian doctor off post every week. I don't like them at all, feels like I've just been passed around from doctor to doctor and they tune me out when I have issues, claiming everything I feel is just normal. This is my 4th and I have a pretty good idea what normal is...but alas, I get cut off with phony sympathy and treated like I'm naive and uneducated. For now, I've just been going in and playing the part.

From week 25-32, I really didn't do anything of note. Just continued with a high protein diet, vitamins, and trying to sleep anytime I could.

At about 34 weeks, I could feel by his hiccups that his head was right under my rib cage. I did have a bit of anxiety about this, but instead of panicking, I started researching and watching home videos on breech birth. How AMAZING it is! Such a delicate hands-off miracle to witness. However, about a week after I settled myself at the possibility of a breech birth, I had 3 hours of intense contractions one night accompanied with violent moving on his part, and he flipped into place! Since this, his head has been in the proper position. **As a side note, I did read something that said breech babies tended to be born to mothers who didn't feel like they had much of a connection with their baby while in the womb....Needless to say, I did take more time to connect which "might" have helped him flip...I don't know, but figured it was worth mentioning.

34 Weeks Pregnant!

I am now sitting at 37 weeks. I have been drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea since about week 32. I add 2 teabags to my morning water bottle and have at least 1-2 cups hot in the evening. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea is for toning the uterus for the big day as well as keeping gingivitis at bay AND helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage. It also has a modest amount of vitamins and minerals, which I can't seem to get enough of these days.
   As of week 34, I've been taking organic alfalfa capsules. I started at about 4 a day, 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Now I'm taking about 2-3 capsules 3 times daily. This will give my baby a good dose of vitamin K which will help prevent jaundice AND it will help prevent postpartum hemorrhage as well. Love these dual purpose herbs!!

I do struggle with a little bit of swelling. I try my best to drink at least 1/2 gallon of just water daily. When I stay on top of this, it isn't as bad. I also take 1 capsule of high quality fish oil at night before bed. Fish oil is great for helping with internal inflammation, plus it's been linked to being a sleep aid...which at this point I need all the help I can get! Also, getting myself in the habit of taking fish oil regularly will help cut down on belly fat after my pregnancy...win, win, win is what I see.
     I push myself to keep walking!! I do squats and stretches anytime I sit too long or feel like I'm swelling...so far it seems to keep it under control.

I'm trying so hard to stay away from salty foods...but my body has been craving CARBS like none other and ladies I have NOT been shy about giving into it. I felt guilty at first, but now I have no shame. I am eating somewhat ferociously, loving pasta, pizza, cheeseburgers, no bull sandwiches...it's crazy. Then I looked up the weekly outlook on how my little guy is growing aaaand...found out he is putting on fat at a rapid rate, so that might explain my monster appetite! Just have to keep up on the water intake.

I weigh 182 pounds right now, the heaviest in my life!! I was 178 when I gave birth to my 3rd, so this is different for me.

I have my birth kit assembled and ready. I will be doing my next post in detail about my kit, so be sure and stop by to check it out.

~~Caroleena