Up until this week I hadn’t experienced this whole “nesting” thing, but I’m pretty sure I’m now in full on nesting mode. The hard evidence? I’m ironing curtains, washing baseboards, and scrubbing tiny little crevices in the kitchen tile. I cleaned out the fridge and freezer. I’m crafting at night. Who am I and where did I get this energy from? Eric thinks I’ve lost my marbles! I told him this is just the beginning of crazy town. Just wait until I’m a week before my due date.
I had an appointment with my OB this week. He confirmed some good news that I hoped for – my low-lying placenta has been moving on up! It’s now high enough to meet the “hospital standard”, but he is hopeful it will move up even more as the weeks go on. This is great news because it means that a vaginal delivery is in the realm of possibilities for me (of course other issues can come up, but this is a good starting point). Everything looks good and he says we are right on track with respect to measurements and all that.
Our crib and glider arrived recently – several weeks earlier than expected which is always nice. I can’t wait until both are set up in the nursery. The nursery is going slower than expected because I changed the colour scheme after we realized our yellow paint had an awful green undertone. Even Eric hated it! Didn’t I tell you I wasn’t a designer in my previous life? Anyway, the nursery is back on track now, looking better than ever, and I hope to show you the progress soon!
Baby girl is officially taking over my entire stomach! I feel her kicks and hand jabs simultaneously at the top of my rib and very base of my pelvic area. Sometimes her foot kicks way off to the right side of my belly and I’m like how in the world are you way over there? It’s so surreal to think she is really that big. I still remember reading the weekly updates on my phone from 1st trimester saying she was the size of a grain of rice!
My What To Expect iPhone app says she now measures about 17 inches for week 29. They go on to say, “Though she’s getting close to her birth length, she still has to chub out a bit.” hah.
I’m eating lots of healthy fats each day (avocado, coconut oil, algae oil, chia and hemp seeds, etc) to help her chub up!
My sciatica and rib pain is still bothering me – nothing much has changed on that front. Ice is my best friend.
Eric is still playing guitar in the evening for us. The baby perks right up and busts out a few moves for his songs! I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but Sketchie is a total groupie. Every time Eric starts playing the guitar Sketchie comes into the room and jumps up on the couch beside him. He just sits there in a total blissed out trance, swaying from side to side. It’s the funniest thing. What is it about live music that rejuvenates the soul?
We’re gearing up for some special visitors next week and my baby shower next weekend! Eric is sanding and painting the deck this weekend, I’m on a cleaning spree and setting up the guest room and bathroom, and I’ve been running around getting things for the shower and finalizing the menu.
Other tidbits from this week:
Food loves: toast, grapefruit (1st trimester craving is back with a vengeance!), homemade coconut oil chocolate –> (mix 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, a dash of vanilla, and 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup. Pour into lined pan, freeze until firm). It’s the best!
Exercise: Still going on my daily morning walks. I can’t get enough of walking. I just wish there was a bathroom handy on the trail…my bladder is about to BURST by the time I get home.
Days until due date: 67 or 72 days depending on which due date I go by (Sept 17th and 22nd, respectively).
Days until baby shower: 8
Family flying from out of province: 2 – mom and sister arrive next Thursday!
Belly button: Still an innie, for now…
Baby names: We’ve had a first and middle name in the #1 spot for weeks now, with a few others as backups. Still not 100% decided though.
Currently reading: Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, Birthing from Within, and various resource books like What to Expect, The Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, etc.
Ok, tell me how you are doing now 
Thank you for sharing your pregnancy journey! You have really portrayed pregnancy as a wonderful experience that is challenging yet gratifying. It is so inspiring!
You look amazing, Angela! I’m excited for your baby shower for you! They are always a blast. Even if they’re not yours. Ha ha.
I love hearing about your pregnancy journey. Thank you for sharing it with us. :)
You look so wonderful! :) I love reading about how you are doing and what the baby is up to. The story about Eric playing music and the baby loving it and Sketchie swaying made me smile. :) You are glowing, girl!
You look absolutely beautiful!! So glad to hear you are doing well. I am also glad to hear that Sketchie is doing well too! I have started to read your blog from the beginning, I’m only at Jan 2009! Lol.
Hi I washed all the walls during my 3rd pregnancy, then when I was done I realized I may have lost it! ha…pregnancy makes you do crazy things. you look great.
Angela, you look absolutely gorgeous and I am loving the baby updates! So fun to hear how things are going for you week to week. I LOVE going for long, peaceful walks too; you make me want to start up a daily morning ritual of walking again, especially now since it gets pretty hot by about 9:30 or 10am. It’s a great way to get in some gentle but effective exercise and take time to meditate and reset the brain a bit.
And where did you get your beautiful kimono? I’m totally in love with it!
I was pregnant last year (babe is 7.5 months now), and I was so happy to live in the same neighborhood as both my husband’s parents AND grandparents–for the bathroom breaks!! My daily walk was 45 minutes or so, and some days I would pee before I left the house, at both the other houses, and then once I got back home.
My journals also had “belly button: innie…so far” !
Shower tip: wear shorts/pants or a long skirt, simply so you can sit as comfortably as possible while opening gifts and not have to worry about flashing your guests (and their cameras!). If you already have a shorter dress or skirt picked out, just disregard this :D
I was also due in mid September but sadly had a miscarriage at 8 weeks. Regardless, I’m really enjoying following along with your pregnancy and looking forward to going through this one day myself. You look radiant and I wish you all the best!
You are stunning! Love hearing about the nesting, haha. Too funny.
I totally had the grapefruit craving my entire pregnancy! My husband thought that was so weird… I’m happy to learn I’m not alone!
If you want a natural, vaginal birth, you need to advocate for it. Getting a doula was the smartest thing we ever did (she advocated for me when I couldn’t speak up for myself in the throws of labor). We also took Bradley Natural Childbirth classes. We successfully had an unmedicated vaginal birth for our son in May. In the US it’s quite the ordeal to get the nurses and staff to accept your wishes for a natural birth. I wish the best for you and your baby girl!
You look so amazing! I love the glow that has somehow increased! I am happy to read about your progress and hope the placenta keeps moving on up haha! Thanks for sharing your journey with us <3
Have you tried going to see a Registered Massage Therapist for your rib and sciatic pain. They can make a significant difference during pregnancy. They help to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with ligamentous stretching around the SI joint, work with sciatica and other pregnancy induced pains(carpal tunnel etc). Definitely look into it, some clinics have tables specifically designed for pregnant women with a cut out for the tummy and breasts so you can lay face down which is amazing after not being allowed to for months. If not, they position you side-lying (more time on the left than right)
Thanks Kate! I’m off to look for a RMT with that kind of table! My sis was just telling me about it last night. Sounds like a dream!
Angela, just a thought: what my ob initially dismissed as sciatica was actually pain in my sacroiliac joint from my hips loosening. An SI support band might help with the pain. I wore one almost my whole pregnancy and needed it some afterwards too but it really helped. The one I got was by Serola and I found it on Amazon. I hope you can get some relief!
Nesting is a strange thing! I’m 34 weeks and have been feeling the intense urge to clean/organize/purge/craft/shop since about 30 weeks…when I have the energy to do things. I couldn’t sleep this morning and was up at 5 am sorting baby clothes. I was having nightmares about not having washed the baby stuff or started packing a hospital bag, so I did both a few weeks ago. Craziness!
Sciatica has been plaguing me for a while now and I have to recommend something that has been super helpful for me. I know you didn’t get much relief from chiropractic adjustments, but a few weeks ago my chiro put kinesio tape on my belly and lower back- it’s amazing! Instant relief, and not really any risk to try it as you can remove it if it doesn’t help.
Ha! Just read this comment while being up and awake since 2am this morning … :-) (thoughts in my head about sorting and washing baby clothes and finding out what’s still missing) …
Hi Angela! You look absolutely radiant :) Would you consider doing a post on how you decided to start a family and how you prepared your body for it? It is such an important topic for us busy career women considering babies! I would really love to hear your take on the whole thing. Stay well!
Hi Natalie, Thank you :)
We didn’t do much to prepare really – I mentioned in my Prenatal supplement post that I started taking my vitamins a few months before we got pregnant and just made sure I was eating balanced with lots of protein. You can find my vitamin post here: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/05/05/my-prenatal-supplements/
You look positively amazing! Thanks so much for opening up and sharing these updates… as someone hopeful to be a future mother I am loving being along for the ride in this small way. The main reason I had to comment though was about Sketchie being a groupie… that is TOO funny. My cat could care less about live music but she will not let us watch TV without her… she plops down on the armchair in this totally humanlike pose and is mesmerized by the colors. Gotta love cats being silly :)
You may feel like you’re rambling, but I’m with everyone else – I’m loving your updates! Since my first pregnancy a couple years ago, I never tire of the topics of pregnancy, birth, babies, and breastfeeding. My 2nd baby is due in 5 weeks!
I’m so happy for you that your placenta has moved up. I went through that with my first and it was nerve wracking for me. Just want to share a little something that I’m so glad I read before giving birth, because it happened to me – Kath (KERF – I’m sure you know of her ;) shared in her birth story that she bled a lot during labor. I hadn’t read about bleeding in any of the many, many other birth stories I read. Then, it happened to me. I wasn’t freaked out because I knew it happened to her and was no cause for concern. I did call the hospital when it started and they told me it’d be best to come in, just so they could make sure everything was ok. I had been in labor for several hours, so I was ok with that (I wanted to stay at home as long as possible. A good idea for anyone who really wants an unmedicated birth). Anyway, I never did find out exactly why I bled, but I googled around many months later and found that it could have been because the placenta was kind of low. Sorry for writing a novel here, just thought I’d pass it along so you don’t panic if it happens to you, with a low placenta and all.
I step onto your blog at least weekly (and your cookbook is a vegan staple on my shelves), and I’m sorry to say I’m so late in my congratulations on your coming baby! So glad you’re doing well, and that life is blessing you and Eric. All my very, very best to you.
Hello Angela,
I really enjoy your blog, recipes and baby page. My sister and I both have your cookbook and love it!
You look wonderful – I am also expecting a little girl this year, but in October, I can’t wait.
What crib did you go with? I can not decide on one for the life of me!