Hello third trimester…
I have been waiting so long for this moment. I’m so incredibly grateful that I made it this far, and it was definitely a long journey. I feel like it took forever to get to this point, but I also feel like I blinked and the moment was here.
At 28 weeks, I can honestly say that my pregnancy was nothing like I expected it to be and it’s continuing to shock me. First trimester I was sick beyond belief. It wasn’t as bad as some women experience, but it wasn’t as chill as some women experience either. My “morning sickness” was morning, noon, and night. I ate chicken noodle soup for a week because it was the only thing I could keep down. Once I was able to eat, I learned that I had to steer clear of sweets, tuna, Five Guys, and all tex-mex foods. I was on meds for nausea/vomiting every 8 hours; sometimes they worked, but most times all they did was take the edge off. I think I mentioned before that I actually felt like I was being punished by God for getting pregnant (Dramatic – I know). I passed my early glucose test, my NIPTS test was normal, and I was able to make it all 13 weeks without finding out what I was having.
My second trimester was a little bit better. I was able to decrease the amount of times I took nausea medicine which went from three times a day to one. I was able to eat more than chicken noodle soup, but still had to avoid most of the same things as in my first trimester. Ice cream, tacos, and quesadillas were added back into my diet (in moderation of course). I developed an intense food crush on the veggie trays from Sams’ Club, peppers (green, yellow, and orange all of which I used to hate), and Thai food. Tums became my best friend thanks to constant heartburn. I was expecting to have that big boost of energy that comes with your second trimester that people talk about all the time. It was determined that that was a lie. I slept the majority of my second trimester – probably because I wasn’t puking all day and night, but there was no such thing as a burst of energy. I started feeling my kiddo move and kick at around 17ish weeks which is completely abnormal for a first pregnancy, but it was cool and this little one has not stopped moving since. I caved and decided to find out what I was having, and M & I couldn’t be more excited to meet our little guy come August.
This entire pregnancy experience has been filled with anxiety for me, as I’m sure it is for any first time mother. For me though, I think there’s some difference because I work in labor and delivery. Ask me how many intrauterine fetal demises I’ve seen since finding out I was pregnant. Ask me how they’ve affected me mentally and emotionally now versus how they affected me when I first started in L&D. The concept of D&Cs and D&Es never crossed my mind, and I think that’s because I worked full time at a Catholic hospital where those types of procedures weren’t performed. Being exposed to them regularly at my latest travel assignment has been more difficult emotionally than I ever imagined. Needless to say, I’m very glad that this assignment is coming to an end.
Making it to my third trimester is a blessing for me considering the amount of anxiety I’ve felt this entire pregnancy. If it was not for my therapist, my child’s father, my sister and parents – I would have driven myself crazy with worry. Of course it wouldn’t be me if one more thing didn’t pop up right here at the end. As I enter into the final leg of my pregnancy, I’m set to be tested for cholestasis. I’m trying not to let my anxiety get the best of me when I’m so close to the finish line, but it’s difficult. The one thing I’ve been learning throughout this entire journey is that there is only so much of this that is in my control; the rest I have to leave to God. Surrender is the word that always comes to mind. There’s a lot happening in these next 12 weeks and even though I think it’ll be a tad chaotic, I’m looking forward to it. Until next time peeps.
Xoxo,
Ash, RN