3rd Trimester Recap

Hi friends!

I most definitely did not write updates for months 7 or 8 or 9 of this pregnancy. Why? Because third trimester fatigue settled in HARD and it was just one thing I could not keep up with. I couldn't (didn't want) to even take monthly pictures that looked *cute.* I could handle going to work, cooking some, and cleaning some, but other than that, my brain could not focus on writing these updates! I tried a couple of times, and then, with the little energy I had, I thought of something more urgent or important to get done (like take a nap haha). So here I am, 6 weeks postpartum, trying to remember the last trimester of my pregnancy.

This last trimester got difficult fast. Month 7 wasn't so bad, but my energy depleted so much. I don't think I was as tired as I was the first trimester, but I was definitely exhausted. I was also never more ready to hold my babies than I was in month 7! As far as symptoms, nothing new except for itchiness EVERYWHERE. During the day it wasn't so bad, but as soon as I would lay down in bed my feet and legs would start itching so badly. My stomach, which I didn't think could stretch any more, itched like crazy too. Month 7 was the beginning of the constantly uncomfortable phase. I was pretty uncomfortable in my 2nd trimester, but it got so. much. worse. Honestly it just continued to get worse for the next 8 weeks.

Months 8 + 9, I can't remember much. There was just a lot of pain. My hips, lower back, and legs just ached constantly. My belly weighed what felt like a ton. Rolling over in bed was an entire workout because I had to lug my belly over with me. I got to a point in the evenings, around 7:00, where there was no way I could be comfortable. I would walk around, I would sit in the recliner, lay on the couch, and eventually I would just give up and crawl in bed. I would get up and go to work (each day caring less about the way I looked...) and come home and lay down in bed. A lot of times I would just fall asleep. I'm so thankful that this school year we were in hybrid learning the whole semester. I don't think I could have made it if we had 20+ students in our classroom. I was able to sit in my chair and teach from my computer. We had some students in class, but in the last 4 weeks I got to the point where if they needed help, I would have them come to me. I could only handle getting up and down so many times!

Braxton hicks got intense in the last month. We had a couple of moments where I thought we might have to go to the hospital. I would start having intense contractions, I would time them, and then they would get to 5 minutes apart and I would think "oh boy, let's get our bags together..." and then they would stop. It was a super fun game to play, haha. Little did I know that I wouldn't end up going into labor on my own at all! I'm very thankful I never experienced preterm labor.

For months 7 + 8, heartburn was AWFUL. It didn't matter what I ate or how much, how I laid, I constantly had heartburn. People would tell me "don't eat this," or "make sure you do this" but let me tell you, when you have two babies pushing your intestines into your ribs, there is nothing that will help heartburn. In month 9, the babies dropped and I was finally able to get some relief from the heartburn. I went through a LOT of tums, haha.

The babies moved SO much in the last trimester. Baby A (Oliver) seemed like he was constantly moving around. Baby B (Asa) moved plenty, but seemed more relaxed. It was the most fun part about being pregnant, seeing and feeling those little bean roll and kick! It did get painful toward the end, when feet were in ribs and hands grazed hip bones. Part of me misses it, but I also love holding my angel babes in my arms!

All in all, this pregnancy was way harder than I expected it to be. It makes me curious about singleton pregnancy and how different it would be for me. Would it be easier? The fatigue and discomfort was so MUCH, I wonder what it is like to only carry one baby. I am so glad to be done with pregnancy. Every day I think, "Wow! It's so nice to shower without being completely wiped out after!" and "Oh man, it's so nice to clean my house without excruciating back pain!" A week or two after birth, when the majority of my pain went away, I felt better than I had in months. I don't take for granted my ability to move and the comfort with which I sleep now (though I don't get much sleep, I sleep good.). I am so glad it is over and I have my beautiful baby boys!

Soon I will have our birth story up. Though it was painful, and somewhat traumatic, I wish often I could experience the day over again!

Here are some progress shots, for fun!

APRIL