STATS:
Her size: We’re a large cantaloupe this week! Getting closer and closer to a watermelon.
How far along: 35 WEEKS. Yesterday was the famous 35/35 – 35 weeks along with 35 days to go.
Total weight gain: 168 lb. (+2 lbs this week, total at 32 lbs). I guess I gotta get used to this 2 lbs a week thing. I can tell Alexis is gaining a lot, she’s getting bigger and stronger with each day. Starting from about 28 weeks, I’ve been trying to make sure my protein intake is adequate, which isn’t exactly easy for a person who doesn’t eat meat, so all I have to rely on is diary products, cheese and occasional well cooked shrimp or sardines (low in mercury and dioxins). I’ve had sort of an aversion to beans this whole pregnancy, so I can’t even eat them without grimacing. I’m pretty sure that’s where the extra weight gain is coming from, which makes me feel good because I know protein is something that is crucial for her development and her brain.
Sleep: The bathroom trips are out of control. Seriously, it feels like I get up 10 times a night (it’s really about 4-5 times). I can’t cut down on my evening water intake though, because I get so thirsty at night. Getting up 5 times a night doesn’t really bother me as much as I’d imagine it would, so I’m still pretty content with my sleep (minus the occasional nightmares)
Maternity Clothes: Just the same old stuff I’ve blogged about before
Food cravings: Anything sweet and fruit.
Food aversions: none
Symptoms I HAVE: Lots of little Lexi punches, occasional heartburn, occasional pelvic pressure. But otherwise I feel great! No stretchmarks so far either, so I have my fingers crossed (and tummy lubed up). BTW, I don’t think I ever mentioned but my skin cleared up. I had broken out pretty badly in the first trimester and it lasted throughout the 2nd trimester, but now it seems everything is settled in. I still don’t have the skin I had before pregnancy, but I attribute it to the fact that I am not using the same products, since they aren’t 100% “pregnancy approved”.
Doctor’s Appointment: Yesterday for strep B test. Now I am switched over visiting the doctor’s office once a week.
Movement: The strong punches have started. I feel she’s trying to poke out of me with her butt! She is REALLY strong. It doesn’t necessarily hurt, but it’s not exactly pleasant. I do love her movements no matter how uncomfortable it gets. She seems to love my hipbone, because it gets kicked all the time. I keep meaning to videotape her moving in my belly but miss her every time.
Belly Button: Outie.
Gender: GIRL!
Best moment of the week: I love feeling good. It’s surprising to me that I’m that far along and don’t have much to complain about in terms of aches. I do have occasional pains, but they don’t seem to bother me much. So I’m enjoying this part of the pregnancy.
What I’m looking forward to:
I should be looking forward to the holidays, but this year it’s going to be low key. We are having a nice Christmas dinner at our friends’ house, which is making me feel a little better about skipping most of the festivities ( we didn’t even decorate, because then we’d have to take all the decor down right as Lexi is supposed to arrive.
Another friend of ours is hosting an amazing New Year’s party this year at his mansion that we decided not to go to 🙁 But I swear that’s the last party we’ll have to miss (bummer 🙁 ). We went back and forth considering going, but it’s just too close to our due date, too many people (flu season), and too much smoke. Just to give you an idea of the scale of parties he throws: there’s gonna be valet parking at his house as well as a bus he rented that will take anyone home who doesn’t want to worry about not drinking and driving. There’s also going to be a separate area of the house set up for kids/teenagers with their own food and DJ, which I thought was a neat idea.
What I miss:
BEING ABLE TO BEND WITHOUT GROANING 🙂 HA!
What else?
- I recently read something I’d like to share with you guys. If you aren’t subscribed to my Facebook page, you might have missed this. It was an article about pain fighting foods and one of those foods are cherries (or pretty much any berries), which was nice to know. But specifically, they found out that 2 tablespoons of cherry extract (cherry juice concentrate) is 10 times more effective at fighting inflammation than aspirin. If you read anything about inflammation in our bodies, you know that it has a lot of negative effects on our health and we all have it (from foods we eat and medications we take and just from living life), so it’s nice to know that something so natural and easy can be done to counteract that. Any junk foods we eat add to that silent inflammation inside of us, and a lot of healthy foods are inflammatory as well. So I ordered a bottle of cherry concentrate and read some reviews on it too. It seems to really work, as amazing as it sounds (lots of people treat pain due to arthritis with cherry concentrate). This is the one I got: Tart Is Smart Tart Cherry Concentrate, 32-Ounce Bottle
, in case you’re interested. NOTE: I am not taking it during pregnancy, just in case, so I bought it for my husband. I would research about the effect of cherry extract/juice/concentrate in pregnancy before taking it.
- Another thing I’d like to mention is Isabella Oliver is having a 50% off sale. I wish I had more than a month left in my pregnancy because I’d love to get a few more of those dresses and skirts. But for those of you out there pregnant and looking for a super classy and elegant maternity brand, check it out: 50% off Isabella Oliver
- A fellow “recently preggo, now with a baby” blogger Megan is holding her first child related giveaway. And she’d love for those interested to enter check it out!
35/35 is cool 🙂
Oh, I meant to ask you if you have this “penguin walk” most preggos get at their last weeks? 🙂
I guess you don’t since you don’t have a huge belly 🙂
The waddle? Hahahaha that’s what the doctor asked me yesterday. Andrew’s answer was “No, she has her usual swagger!” hahaha
I don’t think I waddle too much but when I’m really tired I might let myself waddle a bit.
You look great!! You carry so well, boy am I jealous. I suggest keeping up the lotion, I ended up getting lax with it and got stretch marks in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
That NYE party sounds like so much fun!! Too bad you’ll miss out, but with good reason! Looking good! Beware of stretch marks that pop up AFTER delivery. I didn’t have any s.m. my whole pregnancy, but a few days after I gave birth I was getting out of the shower and what. is. that? They just showed up. I ended up having to have a c-section, so I don’t know if all that tugging and pulling they do has something to do with it…another friend of mine had the same thing happen..no stretch marks, then a c-section and suddenly, stretch marks. Booooo!
Oh yeah I read about postpartum stretchmarks. So weird. I wanna find out the mechanics behind that. It’s not like your still stretching. So I know I’m not in the clear until a few weeks after birth.
She’s almost here! Congratulations!
I am going to try the cherry extract tip —I am 20 weeks along, and it would be great to avoid over the counter medicine if anything comes up.
For the stretchmarks, I had a very odd experience. I would check every night to see if I had any, and each night: none. Then, one night (at 35 and 1/2 weeks) I checked as usual — nothing. But for some reason, I checked again a few hours later and much to my surprised my belly had ‘dropped’ and I my entire stomach was covered in deep red lines (they looked like lightning bolts). I was horrified! Even later that night, I woke up to my water breaking, we were off to the hospital and we had our son the next day! But luckily, a year later, there was no sign left of the marks. And now we are pregnant with our second child (a girl!!!!) and I see no stretch marks so I am hoping they don’t come back!
I am keeping my fingers crossed for you! I know so many friends who didn’t get a single stretchmark and I have a feeling you won’t get them either, not sure why, but that’s my sense. Good luck with everything!
Wow that’s amazing (re:stretchmarks)!!! I’d probably freak if it happened so suddenly.
you look amazing! you are doing such a good job of taking care of your little one! i know you will be a wonderful mom!
Thanks! You look fab! You’re very lucky about the stretch marks, I got them at 13 weeks and they got worse and worse the farther along I got. And I moisturized with that Mom’s Oil from Whole Foods daily. I’m convinced they are hereditary and it has to do with genes, because I was “preventing” them as much as possible. :-/
You’re doing awesome! 🙂 Almost there!
Thanks :))) yeah SM are mainly hereditary and then just moisturization and hydration. My mom didn’t get them, my sister did (but she was pregnant in her teens so that doesn’t count cuz skin is more vulnerable then). So I’m hoping I’ll skip them. Who knows though….
You must be so excited, it’s getting closer and closer to when you’ll meet her!!!
just a FYI about stretch marks: I got them with my 1st (not horrible but they were there) and they went away –fairly quickly I might add–. I didnt get them with my 2nd. I was spotty with using the lotion……sometimes I did, sometimes I didnt.
Don’t forget to put lotion/oil on thighs and boobs. I avoided all stretch marks until the last week of my pregnancy, when I was already 7 days overdue, by the time I had her (at 15 days overdue, a whopping 9lbs5oz) my boobs were not a pretty sight, made worse when my milk came in. I also noticed a few teeny marks on my thighs when I lost some baby-weight, I hadn’t oiled either of these areas in the last few weeks, just my belly, which was absolutely humungous and completely mark free! So although I think a lot of it is due to genetics, the oils etc do help in my opinion – keep going!!
Yes! I do tummy, thighs, butt and boobs every day!
I was up often to pee also (every 2 hours in 9th month) and my grandma would laugh and say it works the same way your baby sleeps. It’s your body getting used to it. I laughed it off…..yeah that monster was also up, every two hours for almost 3 months! No joke lol!
That’s kind of what I thought too 🙂 I’d wake up and imagine having to feed and change diapers instead of just go pee and back to bed.
I gave birth a month ago… You look great! All the best in meeting your little one soon 🙂
I am little concerned about you recommendation of Cherry Juice concentrate during pregnancy. Cherry juice has high level of melatonin in it and melatonin has been shown to be unsafe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melatonin/NS_patient-melatonin/DSECTION=safety
All natural or herbal medicines are not regulated by the FDA so most are not recommended during pregnancy because the risk are unknown.
Oh I fully agree! I am not recommending it DURING pregnancy! I won’t be taking it while I’m pregnant, that’s for sure, since like you said while cherry juice might be fine, a concentrate might not. Didn’t know that it’s a concern during breastfeeding but would probably research before I take it.
I only bought it for my hubby to take it for now, until I can do it safely as well.
On the other hand, cherry juice concentrate is nothing more but concentrated cherry juice lol So if eating cherries is safe, taking 2 spoonfuls diluted in water (which is how you’re supposed to take it) is like drinking a glass of cherry juice. I doubt it has enough melatonin to be of concern. If it did, then we would be able to drink juice drinks, and juices from concentrate.
Also, just read the link you left. It refers to melatonin supplements taken by mouth, not naturally melatonin containing foods like fruits and fruit juices from concentrate (even walnuts are high in melatonin).
it’s well known that you need to be careful with any natural and herbal supplements because there haven’t been adequate studies…
Just an a separate note, it always cracks me up when I see whether something is regulated or not regulated by FDA, because there are so many super harmful things ( aspartame, for example) that have been allowed in our food, simply because FDA is corrupt to no end, while scientists and activists are screaming and throwing studies in their faces about the bad effects of it.
love those capris!