Third trimester update and concluding thoughts...

Hello, dear friends and readers!

I hope you are enjoying your Friday and looking forward to the weekend! I know that I certainly am.

I've been pondering what to include in this final post before I enter a pre-birth hiatus from blogging, and the topics I chose to discuss include both the bitter and the sweet elements of this final trimester for my husband and me as we have been anticipating our son's arrival.

First of all, I need to provide an update and let you know how my gestational diabetes scare turned out. Good news! I do NOT have gestational diabetes! As my mom can attest, however, the possibility of having this condition made me pretty darn anxious. I felt like a terrible mom and like I could have done something to prevent even the likelihood of getting diabetes while pregnant. Once I completed the three-hour test, though, I received favorable results. Lots of relief, all around!

A second element of this trimester that my hubby and I have really appreciated and enjoyed is childbirth education classes! If you have access to them in your area, I would HIGHLY recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity, especially if you receive free breastfeeding classes through your insurance.

I don't know about you, but I had been riding high on anxious thoughts and feelings about labor right at the beginning of the third trimester. Whether for better or worse, I had not managed to read very much on the subject -- mostly because reading books about pregnancy in my first trimester made me feel even more nauseated and because the second trimester seemed to literally fly by -- so I approached our last leg of this prenatal journey with a TON of questions.

Fortunately for us, our medical provider had just begun offering classes on preparation for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/infant care. We jumped in with both feet first! Kris and I found that, through the classes, not only did we receive ample information that proved helpful as we developed our birth plan, but we also enjoyed being able to discuss the classes together. Upon completing the last class, I can say with full confidence that my anxiety had abated and that we both felt like we were on the same page with many of our decisions regarding our son's birth.

One priority that has been on my mind and heart during this final trimester is spending quality time with my husband and preparing our marriage relationally as we become parents. Luckily, this is not some formulaic procedure. It will look different for everyone. For us, the process has largely consisted of attending childbirth classes together, making time to have intentional date nights every week or so, helping each other with baby-related tasks, and just hanging out and talking at the end of a long day or week. I have been super grateful for the time we've made to be with each other and invest in our relationship instead of merely getting swept away by all the baby things.

And speaking of baby things, I thought I would add a little note about our baby shower experiences. To date, we have had three baby showers, and we may end up having five total, depending upon other circumstances. Our first two showers were small, intimate gatherings with friends or family members, and they happened to be couples' showers rather than "ladies only," as is often the standard.

For Kris and I, we have simply been blessed and overwhelmed (in a good way) by the generosity and excitement everyone has shared over Asher's impending birth. People have been so kind, and this kid will seriously want for nothing when he arrives.

That being said, I think we've concluded as a couple that we enjoy smaller groups rather than large ones. Both Kris and I are more introverted when it comes to social gatherings, and lots of visual and audio stimulation exhausts us pretty quickly. So, if you are considering any input you may have in the baby shower process, we would humbly suggest evaluating your own personality traits and allowing those insights to help you, if you are stressed about baby showers. Also, just embrace the gratitude! It's amazing and beautiful how much people want to bless new parents, and a thankful attitude can go a long way.

Now for the only truly bitter note... I have experienced the following symptoms during this trimester, and they have been NO FUN at all!

• Heartburn: Although this symptom may have begun at the tail end of the second trimester, it has definitely gotten worse during the third trimester for me. I began by treating it with TONS of antacids, but my doctor let me know that I could try Pepcid for a more consistent form of relief. The generic version is affordable and has definitely helped, and now I only need to supplement with the occasional extra strength antacid.

• PUPPPs: So, at this point, I haven't been able to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have this symptom. By doing some online research, though, it is the only reasonable explanation for what I've been experiencing. PUPPP stands for "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy." Sounds lovely, right? Essentially, it is a demon rash that starts in little bumps within stretch marks on your tummy and can extend to cover your entire body, sparing only the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet, and your face. I am happy to report that it didn't spread that far for me. But it did itch and burn like the DICKENS and cover my upper legs, lower stomach, ankles, and part of my arms. It is subsiding, for now, but the only true cure is to give birth, so I will be excited to see it totally go away once our little man arrives. As far as I could tell, the most helpful coping mechanism for me consisted in taking showers that began at a scalding hot temperature and ended as cold as I could stand them. Between the two "phases" (i.e. intense heat followed by intense cold), I lathered Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap on my rash. After showering, I used an aloe vera gel that I found at Trader Joe's, and the bliss was WONDERFUL! My extreme discomfort melted away for a little while, and I think this method went a long way toward reducing the rash's spread. Anyway, I hope you don't encounter this symptom -- and less than 1% of women do -- but please know that you are not alone and look for a solution that will ease the pain.

• Severely swollen feet: Oddly enough, this symptom appeared almost exactly when my rash cropped up, so I'm not sure if the timing is related at all. Suffice it to say, though, that at this time I can only fit my elephant feet into flip flops or ridiculously unlaced tennis shoes.

As I look back on this post, it feels kinda rushed. I suppose I'm trying to cram too many things in, but I just wanted to share some of the ups and downs of this trimester with you all. Pregnancy is most certainly not for wimps, and I have had days that make me feel more like a wimp than a blossoming mother-to-be. But when I think about having our little boy and beginning life as a family unit with him, I remember that everything is worth it. God has granted us such abundant blessings throughout this pregnancy, and I look forward to the journey ahead.

Thank you so much for sticking with me through this post and for your readership and encouragement! As I mentioned on the Facebook page for Mama Smith Writes, I will begin a hiatus once this post is published and resume when we find it possible after our son is born. I will definitely be posting updates, though, and asking the occasional fun question, so feel free to continue visiting the page and contributing. And, as always, I look forward to hearing your stories and reading comments! Did you have any crazy pregnancy symptoms? If so, what were they, and how did you cope with them?

Until next time,

Soli Deo Gloria

- Mama Smith

P.S. The picture at the top of this post is from a maternity photo shoot with a friend of ours named Emily Hawkins. All photo credit goes to her, and we think her work is simply amazing! To check out more of our maternity photos, please visit the Facebook page for Mama Smith Writes. Thanks!