We're finally moved into our building site of a new house! Luckily we managed to pretty much finish off the main bedroom, so that's our little sanctuary away from the messy decorating of the rest of the house.
Week 29 has been a week of uncomfortable backache and the constant feeling of tired muscles in my legs - like I had done 10000+ squats! My lower back was really uncomfortable, whichever position I adopted when lying down. I guess my big bump is starting to weigh down and my poor back doesn't know what to do. Tom said that he thought my bump looked slightly lower than usual, though it's hard to tell from the angle I see it and it still has such a long way to grow.
This week has been the first week I've felt a bit like a 'beached whale' - I am so wide and I'm almost sure I've put on weight on my legs, arms and face. I wasn't expecting to feel so big during my pregnancy. I thought I'd love the excuse to eat more (not that you need to, in reality you only need approximately 350 calories more a day) and watch my body grow because it was suppose to, not because I had eaten too much. But actually this week I've felt a bit rubbish about my body. Not my bump, I still think that's amazing but it's the rest of my body that has been changing too. I will be publishing a blog post with a lot more detail about my sudden lack of body confidence very soon, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested or are experiencing something similar.
I've also started getting the 'mask of pregnancy' or at least I think I have. It's darkened patches on my face, resulting in my face looking quite blotchy. I haven't changed my skincare routine, so I'm putting it down to pregnancy. It's not a major issue, as it can be covered up with a medium to full coverage foundation (I'm currently using L'Oreal True Match Foundation, which is more of a lighter medium coverage).
My nails are growing so quickly these days, I can't keep up. When I put gel nail varnish on I have to take it off before it's really ready to come off because there's a big gap at the nail bed where my nails have grown! Not a bad side effect of pregnancy, as I've always dreamt of having stronger and longer nails!
I can really feel her under my ribs now, it feels like the bottom of my ribs are pushing into my womb sometimes. It's a really strange feeling, being able to feel your insides. Her movement pattern has changed over the past couple of weeks, she used to keep me up all night and be pretty quiet during the day. But nowadays she's pretty active during the day and slightly quieter at night - hopefully a reflection of her sleep patterns when she's born! Though I read that a lot of the movements we feel are when they're asleep, so who knows?!
Our NCT meeting this week focused on breast feeding, which had been the session I was most interested in before starting the course. It was so interesting and I learnt loads about how to help your baby latch on properly, all about expressing breast milk and some of the common issues that arise during breastfeeding. I'm not naive, I know that breastfeeding can be/will be very challenging, so it's been really helpful learning a bit more about it this week. I can't believe I'm now 30 weeks - that sounds scarily near to 40 weeks!
Which pregnancy symptoms were your favourite?
Feel free to leave me a comment :)
Helen x
Oh, the everything crushed under your ribs thing? I totally have that and I don't know how to explain it to someone who's not pregnant.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention the kick pattern changing - I remember saying to my midwife a few weeks ago that I never feel the baby in the mornings but now s/he's kicking steadily all morning, every morning. There are some days when I barely feel the baby for the rest of the day and some days when s/he doesn't seem to stop moving at all. In fact, s/he only stops when Steve puts his hand on my belly to feel the kicks - we're hoping he continues to have magically soothing hands when the baby's actually born!
Magically soothing hands would be incredible - oh the power! She's been right under my ribs today too, its such a strange feeling to describe isn't it?!
DeleteHelen x
I am already enjoying the benefit of fast growing nails. I don't think they have ever been stronger! I am terrified of breastfeeding. I have avoided reading anything about it. I'm only 15 weeks so there is still time. I intend on trying it though. I can't wait to get further along and be able to feel my baby move. It sounds amazing. :)
ReplyDeleteFeeling your baby move for the first time is simply incredible! I was about 19 weeks when I first felt her - so you might not have all that long to wait :)
DeleteHelen x
The not losing your hair while pregnant, think my husband is just as thankful for this one!!!
ReplyDeleteYea I haven't really had that one too much either - in fact it won't stop growing, so it's costing me more in trips to the hairdressers! :)
DeleteHelen x
i'm 30 weeks so really close to you, and finding the same with backache and super fast nails (though I do keep catching them and the snap, so annoying!) I'm glad you're being realistic about breastfeeding potentially not being a walk in the park, so many people I know give up after a couple of days because 'I thought it would be easy'
ReplyDeleteWill follow you on twitter/instagram too as we're so close in weeks!
Lauren - Belledubrighton
#MaternityMatters
Lovely update and I can relate to the lack of body confidence, it is a very strange thing seeing your body change, and often in ways you you don't expect it to! Theose hormones have a lot to answer for! WIll look out for your post about that! Thanks for linking with #MaternityMondays xx
ReplyDeleteOh I don't envy you the aches and pains, and yes I get the body confidence thing too. I wrote about this issue myself during my last pregnancy and 14 weeks post partum I still don't feel right in my own skin. I know it will come back though and I really do wish I had celebrated my pregnant body more when I could. Easy to say when you feel like a beached whale though!
ReplyDeleteLovely update, and thank you so much for linking up to #MaternityMatters x x x x