30 Weeks and Growing

Aunt Judy sent me an email the other day and told me it was great to finally see my belly sticking out further than my boobs. (Thanks, Aunt Judy.) To date I’ve gained 23 pounds, and since I’m supposed to gain about a pound a week during the last trimester, I’m right on track for a 30 pound weight gain. And according to the experts, this is where all that weight will go:

Uterus 2 pounds
Breasts 1 pound
Increased blood 3 pounds
Water 4 pounds
Fat 8 pounds
Baby 7-8 pounds
Placenta 1-2 pounds
Amniotic fluid 2 pounds

And most of that is riding out in front of me at the moment straining my lower back and making it painful to sit and uncomfortable to try to sleep at night. (Notice I said “TRY” to sleep.) On top of all that Baby recently shifted into the head down position, so his head is sitting right on top of my pelvic floor muscles and my bladder. Not fun. It’s a good thing he continues to entertain me all day long with kicks and jabs, so I can remember why I’m going through all this. My mornings continue to be joyful as I sit at my desk and watch my belly jump around. Sometimes I am so enthralled with watching him poke and pulse the skin of my belly that I get almost nothing done.

Tonight I fast for my 3-hour glucose tolerance test tomorrow. And in two weeks I go in for the next ultrasound. TT is going to make the drive over to go with me, and I can’t wait to see how big my little boy has gotten. He’s probably well over 15 inches and 3 pounds by now, but he should start gaining weight rapidly now. Just 9 more weeks before he arrives.