Disclaimer: this post contains Affiliate Links. Read about what affiliate links are and how we use them here.
Baby is a: Canary Melon
Weight gained: 0 lbs
Total Weight gained: 46 lbs
36 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms: Tired and headaches throughout the day, which I learned is due to my iron being low.
Cravings: No cravings. In fact, I am not even very hungry.
Aversions: No aversions
Sleep: Even with extra sleep, I feel like I am dragging. I brought this up in my appointment and because my hemoglobin (aka iron) was borderline at 29 weeks, they think it is probably too low now. I have started on iron supplements but unfortunately it takes a few weeks to feel a difference. More on this in my Dr. Update below.
Excited for: Being less than one week away from the due date. I guess excited and nervous is the best way to put this. We have the car seat, nursing areas and diaper stations ready. We still need to work on that hospital bag because next week is FULL term!!
Missing: Air conditioning! This weekend we had a heat wave and our AC quit working on Sunday. Not only was I fussy and hot, my toddler couldn’t sleep. This meant no nap and a very late bedtime. Fortunately, we have a lake nearby so we all took off and went swimming.
Movement: I learned something this week at my appointment. I sometimes feel rhythmic “kicks” and never knew what that was. I now know baby is hiccupping. Baby seems to have the hiccups quite often and it is so cute to know that is what is happening. Besides that, lots of movement always after I eat. Watermelon seems to be a favorite.
Dr. Update: During my appointment this week, I took the Strep B test. Hoping it comes back negative. If it is positive, I will be doing antibiotics during delivery because the risk to baby is too high. It’s a low risk meaning almost no babies contract the bacteria but if so, the outcomes are usually really bad. I will also start a probiotic rich diet.
We also discussed my iron because I mentioned how exhausted I feel. The midwife put me on an iron supplement. Since my iron was borderline at 29 weeks, this means that when I am admitted to the hospital I will need to get my blood drawn. This is to give them a starting point to ensure I don’t lose too much blood. I hemorrhaged (lost too much blood) during delivery with L so I am glad this precaution will be done this time.
Exercise: No
Stretch Marks: No
Swelling: Yes. My feet are swelling the worst. It’s a good thing it is summer and I can wear sandals.
Maternity Clothing: Swimsuit. I bought a swimsuit that is a little bigger. I also wore a t-shirt over my swimsuit, even for swimming, because your skin is very sensitive during pregnancy. You can do major skin damage if you aren’t protecting your skin even if you normally tan.
Labor Signs: No
Wedding Rings On: No. They are off for good until post-partum.
Belly Button In or Out: OUT!
How I’m Preparing: We are packing a minimalist hospital bag. This would be sufficient to get us through if for some reason I went into labor early. When we are about two weeks out, I will be adding a lot more to it. Alli has a fantastic post on what to pack in a hospital bag that was featured on Motherly.
Also looking into some baby items that I didn’t get the first time around because I didn’t know I needed them. My main goals when looking at baby products are practical and well-priced.
Best Moment of the Week: The lake beach near us finally opened for summer! I am so excited to spend some days there cooling off. L is also finally old enough to enjoy playing in the sand and splashing in the water. We had a heat wave this weekend so nearly everyday we go to the beach.
Are you preparing for a baby also? Check out our Expecting section.
Our Purpose
