Pregnancy 1: Week 27

27 Weeks: 3rd Trimester EEK!!! :)

This week already feels extra special because we are officially in our third trimester! Note some say the 3rd trimester starts at 28 weeks and some say 27, we are following our OB- which is what we recommend to ladies- and thus are saying 27 weeks!

Symptoms: heartburn, constant peeing, lack of patience,

Weight: Hopefully 1 pound a week isn’t too bad as I am officially at 9.5 lbs gained in this pregnancy. I get more anxious about the weight gain but it is what it is and my goal is to have a healthy son, not to be a tiny stick, so I accept all the symptoms including weight gain that will come with us having our little blessing as healthy as possible!

Family Visit: This weekend we went down to visit family out of state. There were definitely some joyous times and some trying ones. I had moments where I felt teamed up against for things that I have already said we don’t want to do with our future baby. Although we had a great time relaxing in the pool, I got to hold our cousin’s cute little baby as he fell asleep in my arms in the pool and was in heaven! I still ended the night going to bed early (I have yet to learn the fascination my husband and his family has with some weird movies such as Joe Dirt they had us watching that night), reading up on Irish traditions that we can incorporate in our own family, and feeling a little sad. I felt sad mostly because every time someone tried to tell me about doing something differently, whether it be labor and delivery or with our son after he is born, at first I would just explain what we did plan on doing and when they kept pushing about something else it made me feel as though people think I will not be a good mother.

There is definitely some projection occurring here as I know I worry about not being a good enough mother as it since I don’t have a great childhood background for myself, but truly after having the same topic pushed on me repeatedly, even after saying no or we are doing something different I feel like I am stuck defending myself the entire time. When we left the next morning I just broke down crying in the car. I know I am overly emotional now for sure, it doesn’t happen often but it still happens (I cry much easier), but I had to be reassured and then distracted by my husband the entire car ride about how I will be a good mom, how this is OUR child and OUR choice and if people don’t choose to respect that then they won’t get to be with our child. He definitely felt as though I was emotionally overwhelmed beyond necessary as he kept expressing that these were just random opinions of other people that we don’t have to listen to, and everyone seems to have an opinion. Even people I know that don’t have children have opinions on how I raise my son.

I think that with a little of my projection I was pretty devastated. I felt as though everyone kept telling me about how wonderful of a father my husband will be, which I truly agree, about how he is a natural, etc. and no one said I would be a good mom, instead I was hearing things like and I bet you will be “high strung or a lady who “attacked” me with “you will be stressed, stressed stressed!” The truth is I feel stressed, upset, nervous, and anxious when people feel the need to defer from our parenting plan, insist on the way they think we should raise our son, and tell me how I shouldn’t have a natural (aka non-medicated, no-epidural birth) birth, etc. those comments stress me out and make me feel even more depressed.

So needless to say when I realized I left my phone at the house and my MIL had to grab it for me and drive it all the way back to her house and us pick it up from there I was just even more upset. I was frustrated because my phone is a place of privacy for me. I without a doubt am fine if my husband goes through it but I don’t want anyone else going through it, I keep logs/journals/etc. on it and so when I had to leave it in the hands of someone else for that long it just made the emotional rollercoaster I was on feel even worse.

I know I went on and on about the negatives there but I think it is just because I am finally breaking down and admitting that this is something that has been bothering me with many people in my life from immediate family, friends, to even people I consider strangers (or acquaintances I guess) and that it can really make a pregnant lady, or at least this pregnant lady spiral! I think the most helpful part of this for me to type that I have to remember is how amazing my husband is. Even if it is his family with the opinions, mine, or friends, he put his foot down and said he doesn’t care! We will raise our son the way we want to raise our son, no exceptions, and no special rules at other places...our way or the highway. This helped me realize that at least when I feel cornered and upset that someone is trying to break our rules with our son my husband will be right there with me, supporting me, and stopping the madness!

Fun: Okay I promise we had fun there too! Tomek and I both loved the pool time with family. He finally was able to meet his cousin’s fiance from Edinburgh (whom all the ladies met when we went to Scotland). We both met the newest family edition, Emmitt for the first time which was hard to believe he was already nearing 6 months old, we both felt bad that it had been so long since we had been down there but between work schedules it just hasn’t been possible for a long time. Tomek’s uncle made an amazing breakfast for us before we left (he made me scrambled eggs, such a sweetie!). He also made dinner the night before but I couldn’t handle most foods so I had broccoli that I brought with me and a couple of nutritional shakes that day. At one point the cute little Emmitt was fussy and so I held onto him while his mom went to go get him some formula. In the meantime as a distraction I let him play with my phone, he was grabbing anything off the table that wasn’t his toys heehee. So he naturally managed to snap a few pictures when I turned it to camera mode so he could look at himself.

Last 3 days: Talk about not handling certain foods I spend the last 3 days of this week with nausea, migraines, terrible acid reflux, and heartburn! The acid reflux and heartburn is so bad that I am taking Tums like it’s my job. I will say the biggest relief I have found at night, which is usually when it is at its worst is to use my u-pillow to sleep but put a thin pillow on top of that so I am propped up in more of a leaning back position than a flat position. I also went from sleeping on my side all night to sleeping propped up on my back. Many worry about laying on your back because of where baby might be pushing but my OB explained (and my hubby constantly reminds me) if I feel okay and am not experiencing pain in that position I am good. For example, I slept on my belly before I was pregnant and early on I still could, however, now I get really bad pains letting me know, “nope not such a good idea anymore girl” and so I move to a side or my back. I actually ended up throwing up all day before we went down to see family which is why I didn’t eat much there.

Other than that day most of it has just be a nauseous feeling, and everytime a storm front comes through I get a migraine, which of course also freaks out my Maggie so I have to take care of her and give her extra cuddles. (I was really frustrated because 1 night that was stormless someone decided to light fireworks off and that threw my pup into a tizzy as well). Tomek and I both wish there was something more we could do to stop her from panicking but unfortunately after 6 years we haven’t found anything except giving her melatonin dog treats, cuddles, and putting a thunder vest/wrap on her.

I am ending this week excited prepping for my brother to visit, going to watch Incredibles 2, cleaning the house for next weekend, trying to get through laundry and dishes, and so much more! :)