Less than 12 weeks to go...

I was 28 weeks last (FRIDAY 10/15/10) 7 months. WOW. It really has gone by fast. I didn’t think it would go fast, but it has…

Since the first 4-6 weeks were “funny” I guess it stands to reason. What I mean by “funny” is, women are not pregnant for 9 months, as we have come to believe. We are actually preggers for 10 months. 40 weeks = 10 months. The doc starts counting your weeks on the first day of your last period. So you are “pregnant” the week of your last period, the week you are ovulating after your period, and the 2 weeks after that (fertilization and implantation). Once you miss your period (another week) and go to the doc then the ~ 9 months start.

When I went to my 6-week appointment, I thought it would be forever before I started my 3rd trimester. I also could not imagine what my tummy would look like. Well, that day has come. I have officially started my 3rd trimester last Friday and my tummy is to the point I can’t imagine what it was like when it was flat. Putting on socks is a rather comical event around the Sweet house lately.

Some stats from Friday’s appointment:

• Blood pressure: 122/64 (top # is a little high b/c I was not feeling well)
• Baby HR: 135
• Tummy measurement: 28.5 cm (2 cm larger in 2 weeks)

Things are progressing really well. Andy and I just put together our birth plan and gave it to our mid-wife for suggestions. It was really easy. I just “Googled” birth plan templates and voilà!

I am starting to really feel pregnant. Things are really “happening.”

• I have officially “popped.” As many people have so sweetly pointed out, in case I haven’t noticed. BTW - Thanks. :-/
  
• Every time I look in the mirror I am still surprised to see how big my belly has gotten. It is sorta an out of body experience, even though I am IN my body- so strange.
• My emotions have started becoming more “prenatal.” I cry at a drop of a hat. I have unexplainable feelings of abandonment. I worry I won’t have enough time to be a mother, a wife, an athlete, a friend, an employee, or even sane. Come to find out…back fat is a REAL effing thing. Boo.

Andy has been great. I think the fact I have not gone postal is his amazing patience and understanding. Sometimes he doesn’t even have to say anything. A hug is sometimes the BEST medicine =)

My mother-in-law mentioned something really good the other day too. Since we are athletes, she said it is very similar to when you are training for a big race. The training in the first couple months is relatively easy. You can get the workouts in and you can accomplish the small goals you have initially set out. When you have only a couple months left before the big day you start doubting yourself. Can I do this? Do I have everything planned? Did I train enough? Why do I feel like crap? Am I going to disappoint myself? Am I going to disappoint everyone that helped me get here? If I can’t do “insert name of race here” now, how am I going to do this in a few short months? Then with just a couple of weeks before your race (starting your taper) you start to visualize reaching your goals. Things become much more manageable.

I think pregnancy is very similar. There is no way I am ready to be a Mommy tomorrow. That is why I still have 11 weeks until she is supposed to be here. Now if something happens and she comes crazy early, I know I could adapt, but let’s pretend that all will go according to plan, K? This is just like when I started wigging out 2 months before my first marathon. I thought I would NEVER be able to run 26.2 miles! Well the week before and week of, I had this strange sense of calm and confidence. I am looking forward to the calm, I am sure Andy is too =)

To any Mommies out there, if you have had or are currently having similar emotions, please leave a comment. Sometimes it feels better when I know I am not the only one going through it. Thanks for reading.

Take care,
Heather

PS- 29 week photo will be posted soon...I promise. =)