{week 18} Did you know that in pregnancy months, 18 weeks also marks the start of the fifth month of pregnancy? The FIFTH?! It’s hard to believe I am so far along. And also, pregnancy is really more like 10 months, which is why I can be in my fifth month and not quite half-way thru.
{Side note: I, obviously, haven’t updated our letterboard in a while. I am open to any and all suggestions for a new phrase!}
In looking back at my old weekly updates (linked below) I think I may be just slightly bigger this time around. One of my midwives (especially after I had Daphne at 8.5 pounds) has always joked that I have a secret compartment inside my body that holds the all of the extra and keeps my belly pretty small. Ha! I know my big belly is coming, but it seems like it takes forever…
This past week I have been feeling pretty good! I don’t have a ton of extra energy, but am not completely exhausted, so it’s a good balance. I was able to get a workout in yesterday and hope to get another one in at the end of the week. The weather (it’s rainy), the quarantine, and my varicose vein keep me from taking long walks as much as I’d like to. But I feel like I am pretty active with the girls at home all day (every day) so I am trying to give myself some grace. I have been really trying to keep up with my hydration throughout the day which seems to help keep any headaches at bay. I am still taking my anti-nausea meds (B6+Unisom) with every meal since the benefit (not being nauseous) seems to greatly outweigh any risk.
Sleep has been a little bit tricky lately as it feels like I wake up numerous times throughout the night. I don’t have insomnia though (except maybe one night a few weeks ago) and am able to go back to sleep, but I still feel tired when Daphne, our alarm clock, comes into bed for a snuggle around 7:30 each morning. I don’t have a pregnancy pillow this time (yet – a warning to Aaron that it still may be coming!) but use two pillows on either side of my body, sleeping mostly on my left side.
Also, this Sonnet James dress – it’s called the Stella – is one of the first dresses that was launched as part of the first collection, an OG if you will. It was my first Sonnet James dress and it is my FAVORITE dress to wear when I’m pregnant. The shape of the green over a pregnant belly is just the best!
In my last two 18 week updates, I did an FAQ so I thought I would do it again this time around!
{question one} how are you feeling?
SO much better than I was in my first trimester! With the Stay Home order in place and everyone home all day long, it doesn’t give me much alone time (which I crave) but I am feeling grateful we are all (mostly) happy and healthy! I am slightly terrified of having another migraine-type event but other than having a constantly running nose, no complaints. I feel really good after a workout (I am doing BBG Beginner at the moment with modifications for no ab workouts) and have only minimal back or body pain afterwards!
{question two} how much weight have you gained?
Honestly, I have no idea. I wasn’t closely tracking my weight before I was pregnant, so I don’t know where I started! I saw my weight at one of my prenatal appointments, but it is pretty much meaningless. And since I won’t go in for an in-person prenatal appointment until my 28 week check-up, I won’t really have a chance to know my weight. If my midwife is worried or wants me to weigh myself before my appointment (for my medical records) I know she will let me know!
{question three} are you having any cravings?
Currently, it is pineapple, mango, strawberries. Though maybe the tropical fruit is stemming more from the fact that I am wanderlusting about being in Maui rather than from the pregnancy? Perhaps. Also, I have been craving bubble tea for about a month and a half. I was finally able to order a DIY bubble tea kit (which is en route) and bought the ingredients to make my own. I see lots of bubble teas in my spring and summer! Also, I am really craving dessert.
{question four} are you feeling the baby yet?
I have felt the baby move a few times. Little flutters here and there. I know from an early ultrasound that my placenta is anterior, meaning it is in the front of my uterus and can make early movement harder to feel. I can’t wait for the big belly kicks!
{question five} will you find out the gender?
Same answer as the last two times – NOPE! We will love this baby if it’s a boy or a girl. And Aaron and I have both really liked having the gender be a surprise at the end of the pregnancy!
{question six} how many more kids are you planning on having?
None. Ha! Until about a year ago, to be honest, we thought we were done having kids. But given a lot of factors (my age, my first trimester, our home, future college tuition) we don’t have plans to have any other children, biological or adopted.
{question seven} have you picked out any names?
Similarly to my last pregnancy, we have a boy’s name picked out and I am 99% sure we will use this name if Baby Lower is a boy. And we have a short list of girls’ names, but are still making edits. We are also hoping to use a family name for a girl’s middle name, so if you know any, let us know!
{question eight} have you started designing the nursery?
Honestly, the nursery is currently and will remain in flux until likely the end of the calendar year (and perhaps longer, depending on how loud Baby Lower is). Right now the nursery is currently acting as our home gym and my sewing room. In the coming weeks, we will move the glider and dresser out of the room (into the master bedroom) to make room for Aaron’s work desk (which is currently in our room). We are anticipating Aaron will be working from home for some time and we are unsure of the details given the current (and future) Stay Home orders for our city and state.
In terms of furniture, we have all of it already – the crib, the glider (which is my favorite and I never, ever want to get rid of it!), and the smaller dresser from Eloise’s room (she and Daphne now share the big, Mid Century dresser that acted as the changing station in both of the former nurseries). We are planning on moving the book ledges to the other side of the room and changing the entire layout of the space. Curtains (with blackout liners) will stay for now. Art will likely wait until Baby Lower is born. And I will probably pick up a new rug for the nursery; I am thinking of getting a big round rug for the center of the room rather than a 9×12 rug which is what I had previously (one for each girl*). I may also get some new crib sheets (though the ones we have are honestly just fine) as well as a new changing pad (I LOVE the Keekaroo one we have but am sort of tired of the red color, to be honest).
Our short term plan is to have the glider and dresser (for the changing pad, mostly) in our bedroom, along with a bassinet for Baby Lower. In those early weeks, it really doesn’t make sense to have a separate nursery space for the baby, especially when we could use the additional space for other things (like Aaron’s office space). Come late fall or winter, we will either kick Baby Lower out of our room and re-arrange the master and nursery spaces, or keep things as is until we need a change.
*Eloise’s old nursery rug is one from West Elm with purple-ish zebra stripes and currently is in the girls’ room. Daphne’s old nursery rug was a gold and cream rag-type rug which is currently in our master bedroom.
And here’s the updates for Eloise and Daphne!
Happy 18 weeks!
M