Week 29

*Wrote this last Friday... sorry that some of the information is outdated!

How far along: 29 weeks – began September 11, 2017.

Size of Baby: Pineapple (about 16 inches long, 3 pounds)

Milestones: BB is growing so big that he's starting to run out of room, so his movements are beginning to feel different (less uncoordinated kicks and more deliberate rolling and stretching). Other than that, he's continuing to work on muscle and lung development to get ready for his big debut.

Best Moment This Week: BB was really active the other day (to the point where I was actually getting concerned, if that even makes sense haha), so Leif got to feel him a bunch. I'm so glad I can depend on semi-consistent movements throughout the day as reassurance that things are going well.

What I’m Looking Forward To: I can't believe that my shower is almost here! I'm so excited to celebrate BB with everyone, but I know the party will be a whirlwind. I see that there's snow on the forecast, but hopefully it doesn't make driving conditions too dangerous for anyone. I chose April since I thought we'd be past all the cruddy weather but it's been a weird spring (even for Iowa)!

What I Miss The Most: As some of you already know, I was officially diagnosed with gestational diabetes last Tuesday, so I have to begin taking nutrition classes and monitor my blood sugar. From what I've read, the risk of complications is pretty low as long as it's managed properly. So far, I've been instructed to cut all sugar from my diet and space out my meals a specific way to prevent blood sugar spikes. I've already been feeling a difference. Despite the inconvenience (especially right before my shower!!... although cupcakes do freeze well...), I'm staying positive since this will only help me eat healthier and be more active. Apparently, between 10-20% of the population gets gestational diabetes and the majority of the time, the cause is ultimately unknown. I'll do my best with it and hopefully develop some new lifelong healthy habits along the way! 

Symptoms: I've been feeling especially heavy lately - I thought getting out of bed was hard last month, but now I have to always hook my foot under the bed and use all of my arm strength! Crouching down is also problematic... there was a time at a store when my legs could barely lift me back up. I've also been getting some different feeling round ligament pain, kind of like a shock or snap in my side muscles. I'm pretty sure some nerves are getting pinched too since once in a while when I bend my arm, it feels like electricity runs through my thumb, but that could also be my carpal tunnel acting up. Other than those things, everything is going smoothly!

Cravings: My new diet hasn't been too rough so far - I can still have cheesy popcorn and am allowed to have peanut butter sandwiches as snacks! I can have certain fruit, so that helps with my sweet cravings and I don't think I'll have to change my main meals that much since they're usually veggies and meat anyway. The only really problematic meal was my instant oatmeal breakfast with bananas and milk, but if I want to make it healthier, I just need to switch to steel cut oats, berries, and plant milk.