Howdy! 

Are you ready? 

Am I ready? 

I can’t believe I am writing the first recap of my third trimester. WHOA BABY. So does that mean that sh$t is getting real, real? As my belly continues to grow, I feel as though it’s ready to welcome this baby. Truth: I’m not mentally ready for this baby. 

I am all about balance and even though I have the supplies, etc. to take care of the baby, my confidence is slacking. I want to give this child everything.

Maybe everything is unrealistic? I don’t know. All I know is that I feel more determined to spend time on the mental portion of this pregnancy. Hopefully that will calm some nerves and anxiety because truly this baby is a blessing. 

With that, want to see what the last month has looked like? OH! In case you missed prior recaps check out: HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Let’s get this recap started! 

Pregnancy Recap of Weeks: 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

Week 28: The baby was the size of an eggplant.

Symptoms: Belly is definitely stretching and making room for Baby G. 

The start of Week 28 marked the official start of my third trimester. CUE: FREAK OUT! Knowing that I have only three months to go is a little overwhelming given the amount of stuff we have to do with the house, nursery, and life in general. BUT! I am trying to breathe through it! 

I had a lot of stuff going on that week. Bret and I had our second birthing class and it was definitely an eye opener because they went through all positions that help with pain management during labor. Some positions were pretty sporty while others seemed simple. We have not decided on a birth plan option yet. Trying to keep an open mind with this whole process since I have no idea what to expect! 

Besides birthing class, I had my glucose test and another ultrasound. Managed to survive the chugging of the glucose, but it was funny because I had my ultrasound done before they drew blood. Well, the tech was like your baby is jumping up and down! I’m not even kidding it felt like I had eaten 18 ice cream cones. Hope Baby G enjoyed the sugar rush. Other than feeling like a cracked out picky stix my appointment went well. Baby G is growing just fine, the fibroid isn’t in the way and his/her head is down. Basically all we do is wait! 

The next day I was off to Kansas City for the weekend for back-to-back baby showers! I was excited to be around all the wonderful women in my life who will be extraordinary help with this baby! First shower was with the Wurth-Grier family. Arin and Sarah, my two sister-in-laws hosted the shower at La Bodega a Spanish tapas restaurant. The setting was perfect for a “taco about a baby” shower with a gorgeous spread to boot. Baby G was definitely spoiled! 

The second shower was hosted by my G-Phi sorority sisters at The Oliver on the Plaza. Nothing like a good brunch accompanied by sugar cookies, doughnuts and lots of mom advice. Between the nine of us we will have 15 babies! 

Week 29: The baby was the size of an acorn squash. 

Symptoms: Baby is moving and grooving. I swear he or she is in a permanent Tae-Bo class. The second I stop moving, BOOM! KICK! JAB! DOUBLE TIME! I am starting to wonder how I am going to survive the last few months feeling like a giant punching bag. 

The start of Week 29 had my head starting to spin. After the shower, I realized I had so much to organize, prepare and gather. Getting ready for a baby is no joke. Even though we got a lot of great stuff at the shower and I feel so thankful that Baby G is showered with love, it kind of left me feeling a little disoriented. Like I needed to catch my bearings on what to do with all the stuff. Which led to how the hell am I am going to give birth? Which led to how the hell am I going to take care of a baby? Dizzy yet? 

It was a good thing Mr. B and I had our third birthing class the evening I got back from Kansas City because we did a hospital tour and talked about epidurals, etc. The hospital tour definitely calmed my nerves and to see Mr. B get excited about all the things he will do to help me feel comfortable during labor was such a relief. Plus, hearing stories (especially from you guys) about having an epidural made birthing sound less daunting! 

Week 30: The baby was the size of a zucchini. 

Symptoms: I think my feet got bigger! Or wider? In either case, some of my current sandals and shoes are fitting a little snug which is quite annoying because I feel like I live in tennis shoes which is not sexy at all. 

The start of Week 30 was pretty average. Okay, maybe not average, average because I officially entered into my thirties of pregnancy. Which meant we only had 10 more weeks until we meet Baby G. Do what?!! I had my 30 week prenatal appointment that went well. Baby G has a strong heartbeat, my iron count looks good, and I got cleared for travel to Maine. 

We had our final birth class this week. Mr. B and I were both kind of bummed that class was coming to end because it definitely has been informative, but also comforting. Knowing that everyone was going through the same situation was a huge relief. Felt good to have a baby tribe for a minute.  In the final class we learned about what the baby will look like after birth, tests that are given and postpartum care. Did you know that you can delay cutting of the umbilical cord? Apparently if you delay it even a minute it supposed to give the baby an extra boost of all these crazy nutrients, etc. Kind of cool.  

Other than working on more maternity leave content, I was gearing up for our babymoon to Maine! Traveling while this late in pregnancy had me a little concerned with swelling, being overly tired, and feeling achy. This trip would definitely feel different than our standard cram everything you possible can into one vacation. But! I was ready to relax and take it slow. 

Week 31: The baby was the size of an asparagus. 

Symptoms: TRAVEL!!! Definitely felt the effects of flying on an airplane. My back was more sore than anticipated and my ankles did swell a bit. Also, laying down became a must in between all the adventures. Carrying around 20 extra pounds while touring is no joke! 

The start of Week 31 was a fun one! Woke up in Maine and felt excited to connect with Mr.B over the week. Our lives have been crazy between work, the house renovations and getting ready for the baby. I can’t tell you how much we needed a moment to just breathe. We took a sunset cruise in Bar Harbor, visited South Brooksville where Mr.B’s great-grandfather started Bucks Harbor Yacht Club, ate lobster at every meal, played on the beach and just talked about life. This trip was literally the perfect pregnancy pace! 

Now, on the way back from Maine we were supposed to go to a wedding in NY.  Two canceled flights and 10 hours at the airport left us with no choice, but to head back to Denver. This is where being 30+ weeks pregnant is not fun. It took me two full days to recover from being confined to a seat, not being able to prop up my feet or lay down and breathing in stale air. Note to self: fly private next time! LOL! 

Week 32: The baby was the size of a summer squash. 

Symptoms: Shortness of breath. Baby G is taking up more and more real estate. I can definitely tell when I move around a bunch the need to take really big deep breaths. Also, the belly is expanding faster than a balloon. 

The start of Week 32 was tough. Hello, month 8! Excited and nervous are the emotions I feel at starting this second-to-last month of pregnancy. Right now, I am mentally and physically preparing myself to get past Labor Day weekend. It helps me to have somewhat of a horizon to look upon because if I just sit in a corner and think of trying to survive until Sept 30th, I won’t make it! 

Also, this may be TMI, but I think I’m feeling my whoo-ha expanding. Not like I am dilating or anything more of pulsing. Does that make sense? I don’t think they are Braxton Hicks contractions. What do I know? There is a lovely little discharge that just burped up so my body is definitely up to something. Mamas, thoughts? 

Besides the expanding I have noticed my need to lay down more in the afternoon. By 3pm my body is like, “Lauren, time to hit the couch.” Good thing Juniper is the best snuggle buddy so I don’t feel so lazy! 

What I’m Loving Now for Maternity and Nursery: 
– Kindred Bravely Nursing Bras: trying to find a good nursing bra situation was quite the process. I tried a bunch of options and ended up loving the Kindred Bravely Nursing Bra. SO COMFY!! Also, easy to get the boob out too! 
– Spectra S1 Plus Hooter Pump: I did a lot of research on hooter pumps and the Spectra ended up wining because of portability and can pump more than 4oz at a time. I was thinking of doing the Willow, but for the price tag (and lack of storage), I just couldn’t do it. Also, the Spectra I got was covered through insurance which was a huge life savor! 
– Baby Letto Dresser: Super pumped about this dresser…..errrrrrr…..once our renovation upstairs is done. Comes pre-assembled and lots of storage! 
– Milkology: if you are a FTM I recommend this $20 course. It covers the basics of latching, storage and pumping. I breezed through it on our flight to Maine.