Hello there!
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve checked in with you all, hasn’t it? Everything about this pregnancy and the weeks leading up to the baby’s arrival is going so fast! Realizing that we are officially in the home stretch, I figured it was time to sit down and get cracking on the handful of blog posts that I really want to share with you before this little one gets here.
I mentioned this on my Instagram stories yesterday, so I wanted to share it here too. In an effort to type up everything I’m hoping, I plan to share mostly baby-related content here for the next month or so. This is simply because of time (or lack thereof).
As most of you know, this journey of starting our family hasn’t been an easy one, so if pregnancy and baby posts aren’t something you want to read about – I totally get it. And I’ll have more food and fitness content for you coming up!
That said, it’s almost go-time and I need to hop on a conference call … so without further ado, let’s dive right into a new pregnancy recap. This post is all about what has been going on in our lives since the New Year. I’m currently considered full-term at 37 weeks along (!!!), but today I’m looking back to cover the beginning weeks of my third trimester: Weeks 28-34.
I shared how Weeks 21-27 went in a previous second trimester update, so you can catch up there if you missed it!
Baby was the size of a…
(Referencing the comparisons in my Glow Nurture app)
Week 28
large eggplant
I’ve heard to take it easy and rest as much as I can during the third trimester, so that’s what I wanted to do. Paired with what can easily turn into a stressful day job, I was ready to re-fuel, curl up on the couch, and snuggle with the fur kids any time I came home from a long day. I guess that’s the reason you haven’t seen much of me around these parts lately …
This baby and my (mental and physical) health comes first!
A lot of people have asked us if I think the pets realize what’s going on, and my answer is usually yes. They’ve always been cuddly, but they must sense that I need extra rest and cuddles right now because they are always nearby. It’s the cutest.
Week 29
cauliflower
Thanks to very helpful advice from new-momma friends, I started our baby registry online at Buy Buy Baby and Amazon. I spent weeks researching what to put on it, and it constantly evolved as I read or heard about things to forget and things we had to have. Scott and I finally decided to actually go into a Buy Buy Baby on a Sunday afternoon this week, which was very helpful.
I pointed out a lot of the products we had on our registry and was on a mission to see everything I was unsure about in person, and to see what else we were missing. Baby registries sure are overwhelming!
I actually teared up shortly after taking these photos. This was the moment that we both realized we were shopping and picking things out for our baby. The day had finally arrived, and we were both in disbelief.
Since our baby shower was out-of-state, we started receiving gifts early on, so it seems like we’ve been absolutely showered throughout this entire pregnancy. We feel so blessed and thankful, and I will never forget how I felt walking around the baby store that day.
We ended up leaving with a crib, mattress, glider, and dresser on the way … feeling good!
Week 30
cabbage
I really felt in my groove with working out around Week 30. I was taking a few Orangetheory Fitness workouts a week and complimenting them with workouts I made up on my own at the studio or at home.
As you can see, my belly button has been out for everyone to see for a while, which I eventually accepted as a new outie. It’s funny though, because as I type this up at the end of the third trimester, my belly button has almost disappeared. Space is scarce in there!
Week 31
broccoli stalk
Week 31 was an exciting one, as I was able to fly down to Florida to see my friends, family, and shower Baby H with so much love!
I still haven’t gotten around to posting about this special day (I’m the worst – it’s coming soon!), but it was wonderful, and I am so thankful to have such a loving sister, mom, and other friends and family members who care about me and this baby so much.
Scott showed up for the last half hour or so to be able to be able to say hi to everyone and see some of the gifts we received.
Our trip home to Florida was short but very sweet, and we are looking forward to going back again this summer – as a family of three!
Week 32
bok choy
I felt pretty good throughout the early weeks of the third trimester. Yes, I was getting bigger, but I was navigating my way through what it felt like to do life with a baby growing inside my belly and also work out with the best of ’em.
My biggest motivation for working out during the third trimester came from other pregnant women I would see at the studio or follow online. If they can do it, I can, right? I know every woman, pregnancy, and baby is different… but if I was cleared to work out, I wanted to. I slowly shifted from 3-4 times a week to 2-3 and balanced an average of two workouts a week after this picture.
I was on a roll until I woke up in the middle of the night extremely sick. I thought that it was just pregnancy sickness returning, but it continued on throughout the entire night and I was convinced that I had food poisoning by the time the sun rose. I experienced severe acid reflux anytime I lay down, and I wasn’t able to keep much else down besides occasional gulps of water and Gatorade. I was terrified of getting dehydrated for the baby, so I called my doctor the next morning to ask what else I could do. As expected, I heard to get plenty of rest and fluids, so that’s what I concentrated on.
I’m still not sure if it was food poisoning, the flu, being pregnant, or a combination of all three, but it took a good three days to feel like myself again! Naturally, I backed off of my workouts, got through my work days, and focused on rest and sleep when I was home that week.
Week 33
pineapple
Scott and I traveled down to Houston to see his mom and sister’s family! It was so great to spend quality time with them, and I can’t even write how excited they are for this baby to get here.
We flew in on a Friday night and spent the next few nights staying up way past our bedtimes talking, listening to the baby’s heartbeat with our heartbeat monitor, and discussing plans for their upcoming visits to New York.
We were also able to see Scott’s good friends from college – so that was fun!
We stayed at their house to watch the Super Bowl and I just remember eating allllll the snacks. The pregnancy hunger was real, y’all!
Week 34
cantaloupe
Scott and I celebrated Valentine’s Day during Week 34. And when I say celebrated, I mean we both worked jobs at opposite hours and didn’t really get to do a thing. But that’s okay! There are a few final date nights on the horizon coming up – we’ll be just fine!
Traveling took a lot out of me, so it took the next week for me to really rest up and feel normal again. I unplugged at night, and we started nesting like crazy to try to figure out the logistics of the nursery.
I also had an impromptu doctor’s visit for cramps and a possible amniotic fluid leak this week. Without getting into too much detail, I noticed symptoms I had never seen before and they really freaked me out. When the cramps intensified and it seemed like there was a possibility that something happened, I called my doctor and she told me to come in as soon as possible. She took me right in when I got there and completed a pelvic exam. Everything looked fine, but then she went to the ultrasound.
At first, she was worried that my amniotic fluid level around the baby was low. This means that there might have been a leak somewhere, which is concerning, because a leak could be present that could cause an infection to me and/or the baby. She excused herself and told me she’d be right back with a second opinion. She brought in another doctor who performed the same ultrasound search, and she breathed with a sigh of relief followed by “oh good, this one already looks much better.” I don’t know if the baby was being stubborn or what – but that was terrifying. Long story short, they had a woman at the office that same morning with the same issue, only she was 41 Weeks along and ended up delivering that day.
Thank goodness that wasn’t the case for me!
I was surprised to hear that she said I could continue my normal day-to-day activities, minus working out for a few days. Fortunately, my symptoms cleared soon after that appointment and I went on to have a normal rest of the week.
How I Changed & Weight Gain
I gained up to 32 pounds at the 34 Week mark. Is it more than I thought I would gain? Yes. Am I okay with it? Yup. At this point, I’ve come to the realization that the body does what it needs to, and as long as this little one is healthy … that’s all I care about. Other than additional weight, I’ve noticed a lot of differences in my body including wider hips, swollen ankles (cankles, if you will), an ever-changing behind and legs, and it’s just all part of the process.
How I Felt (Symptoms)
I felt relatively good for the majority of the third trimester. I’m typing this up as I’m in the end of the third (!!!), but from what I can remember, I only had returns of spells of nausea around Week 28, followed by being completely sick at Week 31. Thankfully, the nausea tapered off after that.
Leg cramps at night are frequent, and paired with trips to the potty and heartburn, sleep comes in just a few hours at a time. I guess it’s all prep for the baby!
Fitness
Since the second trimester, I’ve been loving modified Orangetheory workouts (stay tuned for a more detailed post on how I continue to work out at the studio during my pregnancy, coming soon!) bodyweight workouts, long walks, and low-impact workouts at home. I aim to work out two times per week, and I try to keep up with my usual daily activities that includes walking a mile to work (when I feel good), tackling the stairs at our walk-up apartment, taking Roadie for walks, and more.
Interestingly enough, I feel better moving around than I do sitting all day!
What I Ate/Drank
My sweet tooth definitely resurfaced during the beginning of the third trimester. I always had to finish off my dinner with a tall glass of organic milk and a few pieces of chocolate that I keep in the freezer. I also started craving donuts … which I’ve done pretty good at avoiding thus far … but sometimes you just have to do it.
I felt comfortable drinking more caffeine once I hit 30 Weeks, too. I still hover near the recommended amount per day (200 mg), but I allowed myself to enjoy half regular half decaf coffees on the regular, and more chai tea lattes here and there.
What I Didn’t Eat/Drink
The further I get along, the more food Scott brings home with him from work. This is greatly appreciated, as I am keeping busy at my job and don’t have much time to cook at home right now. It’s also slightly unfortunate, since a lot of the food comes accompanied by desserts like chocolate cake, apple cobbler (so delicious), and ginger muffins. When I got sick at 31 Weeks, I wasn’t able to eat much but those muffins and ended up getting sick again — all I remember is not wanting to see another ginger flavored pastry after that. Who knows if that will change in the future!
I think I mentioned this in a previous trimester update already, but I’m also not too keen on seafood right now. I can stomach grilled shrimp, but that’s about it. I hope that love comes back post-baby because seafood is a big part of my diet, especially when we dine out!
Some highs …
- ringing in the New Year knowing we are finally going to meet our little one in 2018!
- celebrating Baby H with his/her baby shower
- being able go home to see friends and family and have them experience this pregnancy
- feeling like we have the majority of what we need for the baby
Some lows …
- being sick while pregnant – of course my mind worried about everything I experienced affecting the baby
- having a pregnancy/early labor scare at 34 weeks – definitely wasn’t ready for baby to arrive yet!
- feeling overwhelmed to complete everything on the to-do list before we head to the hospital
- feeling like I just need more time in general … every day.
Pregnancy/Baby-Related Purchases
I haven’t bought many other maternity items since my last haul. In general, I’ve been sizing up or going for styles that allow extra room in the belly that I can wear post-baby, too.
As I mentioned in Week 29, we purchased our crib, baby dresser, and glider. I’ve been so busy at work that we haven’t set everything up yet, but we are getting there. The good news is that we got everything as floor models from the store, and all of the pieces are in excellent condition. I love them!
(super quick nursery sneak peak)
I purchased a few other things off of our registry that I wanted to have pre-baby including:
- grey felt letter board for our baby (name and gender!) announcement and baby milestones
- Lamaze cotton spandex nursing bras to wear now and post-baby
- a set of under the bump maternity underwear
I also got these smilo pacifiers – they look awesome!
***
Thanks for checking in and reading about our lil baby journey. I’d love to hear from you and also take notes of some of your favorite items and stories from your pregnancy and third trimester, too.
Talk soon!
Previous LIL Baby Posts:
LIL Baby: First Trimester Updates
LIL Baby: First Trimester Favorites
Why We’re Not Finding Out Our Baby’s Gender
LIL Baby: Second Trimester Updates: (Weeks 13-20)
LIL Baby: Second Trimester Updates: (Weeks 21-27)
Pregnancy Friendly Total Body Strength Workout
LIL Baby: Second Trimester Favorites

So excited for you Heather! I’ve been following your blog for quite some time and I’m just so excited about this blessing you’re about to receive! You are your family truly deserve it 🙂
So excited and happy for you guys. Long time reader… you are incredibly strong. I love reading your beautiful words and learning from your experiences. You and Scott are going to be the best parents ever. Thank you for letting us all share this journey with you ! ♥️
So excited for you Heather! You look great! I started Orangetheory last summer and I’m loving it. I am so interested in hearing how you modifying the classes for your pregnancy because it’s inspiring that you are keeping up with them!
Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams
Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams recently posted…Friday Favorites 3.9.18
So happy for you! Can’t wait for you to finally have baby H.
Omg girl!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got on bloglovin for the first time in months SO happy to see you are expecting. It was so upsetting reading about your infertility journey and I’m just so happy for you! Congrats!!!
Andrea @ Pencils and Pancakes recently posted…Safer Beauty Swaps
Thank you GeneD. Echoes of our experience.