Wednesday, January 7, 2009

A normal third trimester?

What's that look like?

It was this very time (today, to be precise), at the 28 week mark, in my first pregnancy that a visit with my OB resulted in bed rest. I believe it was called "Level 2" bed rest at that time, which meant I could be on my feet for short intervals and could still do steps, but otherwise needed to take it easy (I later was escalated to Level 3 bed rest, which literally meant BUMP ON LOG - no walking accept to the bathroom! As you can imagine, I broke the rules a bit from time to time!). I stopped teaching at 28 weeks. I stopped cooking at 28 weeks. I stopped cleaning at 28 weeks. It was heaven and hell all at the same time!

Not to mention, as I look back, this was when Mom was failing quickly. I made the last trip to Louisville before she died during the 28th week of pregnancy (my OB raised her eyebrow pretty high at my insistance to make this trip, but compromised by making me promise not to drive - instead Lynette drove me to a half-way point, where Dad picked me up and finished the drive... then Theresa did the same for the way home).

What a weird third trimester I had with the twins... not only was it cut in half, due to premature delivery, but those 6 weeks were spent feeling pretty darn helpless. And yet I knew in my helplessness to do ANYTHING else (be with my mom, prepare the nursery for the babies, cook for my husband, NEST, or do anything productive) that I was helping my babies ( be letting them cook a little longer). And I that's all it took to keep me grounded and sane.

So here I am in pregnancy #2 experiencing from this point forward a new side of being pregnant... I plan on teaching up till this baby pops out, and it's strange to think I'll be doing all the other normal tasks till then too (I have to clean my own house? I have to cook my own food? I have to run to Target and buy the newborn diapers myself? I have to pack my own hospital-prep bag?). And I also get to experience another first: getting so uncomfortable and sick n tired of being pregnant that I'll WANT to deliver. I've heard women gripe in their 38th - 40th, 41st, 42nd weeks... but I do not know what that's like (cuz all I ever wanted to do was KEEP THOSE BABIES IN!). Yeehaa. Bring it on, third trimester!! I'm ready!

4 comments:

Emily said...

GOOD, you will cook that baby beautifully.
As a 41+, 40+ and 38 weeker, it is REALLY different. Even the difference between Hannah and Austin was HUGE. Not to mention the size of my belly!
I actually was ready to evict with Hannah and Charlie, I was begging for heavy lifting, I walked the zoo one day with the girls for EIGHT hours, I used Adam for sex, spicy foods didnt sound good so that is ONLY thing I didnt do to evict my overdue munchkins.
Although, with Austin, when I was told he was going to be early (I didnt believe them first) but when it was happening, I remember thinking how weird it was to NOT get to my due date!
I know you, you will make it a wonderful time, and you will get to nest your little buns off!
Love to you and everyone!
Em

MissRebecca said...

I was the opposite of most, my girls were both born at 40 weeks exactly and 39 weeks 3 days... and I loved the third trimester. I loved my gigantic belly, I loved the movement and the anticipation. Preston and I walked a lot toward the end because Kaiya was due in May and Cass in July... but I loved every minute, Em can attest to it. Enjoy your third trimester sweetheart, you so deserve it and show off that belly like crazy!!!!

Tiffany McCallen said...

I still think my favorite semester was my 2nd—not so ungainly and a little bit sexy with all those new curves. Good stuff all around. Plus, I had ankles the size of tree trunks in my third trimester... I was ready for Noah to make that appearance (that and I was dilate to four centimeters for 3+ weeks. Ridiculous.) Anyway, so glad everything is going well and that you are having a good time. Enjoy it! Oh, and I love the new room decor. Jackson's a lucky boy to have such a creative mama.

Emily said...

Hey Tif, you were pregnant in semesters? How cool? What is the time on those?
I LOVE YOU!! I COULDNT RESIST, YOU ARE SO DAGGONE FUNNY!!!
HEE HEE!!