We’ve preregistered at the hospital, the carseat has been purchased, we’ve moved, and we’ve bought a minivan.
We are about as ready as we’ll ever be for baby #2.
Of course, I still have things I want to get done. I still have dates to eat every day (they say if you eat 6 dates a day it will make for an easier labor), red raspberry leaf tea to drink (to tone the uterus), walks to take, squats to do, books to finish, tiny baby clothes to wash–but the super important stuff is pretty much done.
And we are entering into the month of the BABY. Which is SO exciting! There was no baby watch period when I was pregnant with my first, because I had a scheduled c-section (even though he chose his own birthday anyways). This time around, anything goes! I could give birth in a week, three weeks, or six weeks! Who knows!
What is baby up to? Baby is now measuring about 5.7 lbs, and is around 19 inches long. Baby is still working on gaining about an ounce a day. Most of his/her major systems are developed by now, so he/she is just continuing to gain weight, and float around until his/her grand entrance!
How are you feeling physically? I honestly feel really comfortable. Sure, I have a few symptoms, but overall I feel really good! I have been amazed at how strong and energetic I have felt this trimester! I am so grateful for how straightforward this pregnancy has been. My main complaint is tension headaches and neck pain that has cropped up over and over throughout my pregnancy. I am addressing it with chiropractic care, heat pads, long showers, and Tylenol.
How are you feeling emotionally? While physically I am not slowing down at all–I pack my days full of house work, blog work, and toddler wrangling–emotionally I am starting to crave downtime. I definitely feel like all I want to do is put on comfy clothes, grab a big icy drink, and just never leave the house, ha ha! I definitely feel like that nesting instinct is super strong right now, and part of me just wants to do nothing but mentally prepare for baby over the course of the next few weeks.
Any cravings? I am really obsessed with certain smells right now—the smell of the air conditioning when the minivan starts, the smell of our basement, the smell of laundry detergent, the smell of ice. How weird is that? Pregnancy is really strange sometimes.
What books have you finished? So far, I’ve finished:
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
- Mama Natural’s Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Cut, Stapled and Mended
- Birth Without Fear
- The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Natural Childbirth
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Books I am still working on finishing:
- Birthing From Within
- The Healthy Pregnancy Book
- The Bradley Method book
What prep work have you done this week? I hauled all of Gideon’s tiny newborn clothes out of storage, sorted through them, and washed them! I also washed my boppy, boppy cover, nursing cover, all the baby blankets, and swaddles too! I set up a little changing station in Gideon’s room, and last week I finished the big virtual assistant projects I needed to get done before maternity leave.
And, for comparison, here is my 36 Week Bumpdate with Baby #1