My Pregnancy Journey: Third Trimester

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Well, it’s not over yet but we are certainly getting close. It is crazy how fast these days and weeks seem to fly now and each Saturday morning when I hit a new week the excitement to see the size of the baby is a feeling that is really hard to describe.

Every Saturday I journal to baby W. I tell baby W all that has happened in the week and I share all the emotions I am feeling and end with what I am grateful for. It has been such a special way to connect with this little one, who is moving like a UFC fighter truly inside this belly. I get this rush of excitement to look in the mirror and spot something new and I get excited to just stare at my body that I am so in awe of.

I can’t say this enough, but I am so grateful for the work I did to heal my relationship with food, fitness and my body prior to this pregnancy, because it has truly allowed me (I imagine) to enjoy this time so much more.

I really am so connected with my body. It’s so funny, I love dinner - but right now I can barely stomach it. By night time I literally feel like a different person and my appetite is so far gone. But just being able to recognize what my body is asking of me and asking for, feels like such a gift. But, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies, I will be honest - there are still many days and feels where I have poor body image moments and fears. Despite all the work and all the knowing, please understand that no matter the phase of your body image and food freedom work you are in, there is always WORK.

The biggest thing pregnancy has taught me, is the ability to hold space for multiple competing emotions. I feel so happy and so scared and anxious all at once. I feel excited and nervous, grateful and fearful, prepared and a wreck - all the things at the same time. As I have mentioned previously, the highs are the highest they have ever been but the lows and what I call, ‘the meltdowns’ are UNCANNY.

In my second trimester my stress level was OUT OF CONTROL. I took on way too much and it really took a toll on me. What I mentioned in those previous posts was that I know that there is nothing more dangerous for a fetus than that amount of stress, and I can honestly say my focus this third trimester was: stress management! I slowed down a lot, I stopped taking new clients and projects and really was able to put my energy into my current workload and being grateful for this time at home. The crazy part is, now that I am almost on “maternity leave” or whatever that looks like as an entrepreneur which is not really real LOL, and I have a little more time in my days, I find myself somewhat anxious trying to fill it up! All I have ever wanted is the slow down, but actually having it scares me- crazy, I know!! But that is the biggest work I am working on - enjoying all the MOMENTS. This is the journey in life always and it is the hardest work sometimes but so so so worth it!

I know some people really hate being pregnant, and I can see why! But I truly have loved it. The pains and aches feel minimal compared to the joy I have seen. My husband couldnt be nicer to me either LOL, as he sees me struggle sometimes he always says “If I had to do this, or men had to do this, there would be no humans,” it makes me laugh and makes me feel like a super hero. My grandma kissing my belly is a love and feeling I will never forget and seeing the joy it has brought my family in these dark dark days sometimes, truly cannot be matched. So although the struggle is very real, it is also so very beautiful.

Some weird things I am experiencing?

I turn into a MONSTER AT NIGHT TIME.

Legit. Like my legs feel like I have run a marathon by nighttime, I want all sorts of snacks but cant stomach the idea of a meal - although I will still eat one becaues I know the nutrients are important, it is much smaller than my earlier in the day meals. I roll myself out of bed and pee like a trillion times from getting into bed to falling asleep and lately I have been getting this weird shoulder pain that the doc thinks is just likely related to overcompensating with my center of gravity being off LOL but it hurts like HELL. But during the day I feel good! It’s a very crazy phenomena.

One thing that has truly stuck with me is a quote I heard in a yoga class.

The teacher mentioned the importance of being calm and the power of breath in the final weeks and up to labor. She said, “just know your baby is working just as hard as you are to make its debut to meet you, be calm, steady your breath and get excited.” - well something like that LOL but that is what I keep reminding myself.

Every kick I feel makes my heart burst. And although COVID has taken so much away from this experience for me, it has allowed a closeness with my husband and in our home together (with Q too!) that I truly have never experienced before. It is something I will never forget and something I will forever be grateful for. I shared this on IG but when my husband said to me the other day, ‘I love our pregnancy journey,’ all the pains and frustrations just disappeared.

NOW DONT GET ME WRONG though there have been plenty of struggles LOL and nothing is perfect. But I am choosing the happiness.

Fitness Updates:

Prenatal classes have been fun and make me feel really safe. I stopped running at 33.5 weeks, I was running so slowly and just not feeling “good” while doing it so I listened to my body and have stopped all jogging. Walks are my best friend and I really really enjoy them outdoors and on a treadmill these days. I am loving strength training still because truly I just think about what I am training for…BIRTH! An instructor in a class I took the other day said, “MAMA you are training for LIFE right now!” and it really fired me up!

And it gets me excited to just feel so strong and proud of what my body is capable of. Yoga has also been so nice. Opening up my hips and just being slow has acually been something I have enjoyed, crazy, I know.

OK sharing more on my final pregnancy pod episode launching in January. And summing up all the feels I have in these lists below!

Current Cravings:

✨Graham crackers with PB + chocolate chips

✨Smores with honey graham crackers

✨Apple cider still

✨Hot chocolate with whipped cream

✨Heated up wraps with melted goat cheese (yes, pasteurized)

Current Emotions:

🥺 I cant believe this is the last few weeks of my first ever pregnancy, I will never ever be pregnant again without a baby already here. 

🥺Have I enjoyed this pregnancy enough? Have I slowed down enough? Am I present enough? 

🥺I am not ready to not be pregnant, but I am so ready to meet this baby. 

🥺Am I ready to be a mom?! 

What I am most grateful for:

🤍 My body for doing this work

🤍 My husband for being so supportive 

🤍 My family for dealing with all my meltdowns

🤍 This entire experience that has taught me so much about me. 

What I am most fearful of:

🖤 I have always been known as the “before crier” I cry leading up to the thing - this started when I was little before getting my ears pierced. So truly I know the drive to the hospital is going to be rough. 

🖤 I HATE NEEDLES and I know they will be present lol

What I will miss the most:

🤰These powerful baby kicks - this child is a UFC fighter

🤰How sweet my husband is to me pregnant LOL

🤰This special alone time that has allowed our relationship to grow so strong

🤰Being pregnant1 I really love it. 

LOVE YOU ALL.

35 weeks today!

BABY W is arriving in a max of 5 weeks!! SO CRAZY!

XOXO

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Written by Jenna Werner

Hey there, I’m Jenna! I'm a Registered Dietitian, online nutrition coach and serious food lover. I'm ready to help you quit dieting forever and fall in love with the way food makes you feel.

Learn more about me and the HSH offerings here.