This post covers weeks 27 and beyond in pregnancy. Read all about my third trimester including symptoms, favorite products, cravings, and exercise!

I’ve started writing this post at 33 weeks and 5 days pregnant, and plan on adding to it as this trimester progresses. As of right now, I am feeling pretty good (I have occasional and uncomfortable lower back pain and feel tired more easily but can’t complain!) and we honestly have just about everything we can think of ready to go! The nursery is stocked, clothes are washed, carseat is installed, we’ve done (and continue to review) child birth education, the bags are packed, and we have a CPR class scheduled for the end of the month. Now, we just need a baby here!

Pregnancy and COVID-19

UPDATE – as of 37 weeks and 3 days, we have been in quarantine due to COVID-19 for a few weeks now. It’s taken me a while to come back to this post because there is so much uncertainty with the end of pregnancy (when WILL the baby actually come?) and so much uncertainty in the world with how things will pan out over the next several weeks and months in regards to how COVID-19 will affect all of us.

That being said, I’ve done a lot of mental prep leading up to this point in pregnancy and I am beyond thankful for it. Because of the mental prep work I have done through a program called Hypnobabies, I feel calm and accepting of whatever comes our way. Thankfully, we found out last week at our doctor appointment that Brian will be able to be allowed in the birthing room. Our care providers really value having the birth partner present during birthing time, and they said it would be a very slim chance (even if things continue to progress with the spread of the disease) that he would not be allowed. That news has been a huge sigh of relief for both of us!

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

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Hunger

As of 33 weeks, I wake up very early in the morning feeling very hungry. I have to have a snack after dinner because I usually feel pretty hungry then too. This kind of leads to the next symptom.

Nausea

It’s not as bad as the first trimester, but nausea and vomiting have made a return. It seemed like literally as soon as we entered the third trimester I was unexpectedly rushing to the bathroom again. Thankfully, I have figured out that if I wait too long to eat or if I let myself get overly tired that usually triggers the nausea and vomiting…so I just have to keep eating little bits throughout the day.

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

Heartburn

This started a little in the second trimester, but it’s been pretty consistent in the third trimester. To be honest, I never really understood what heartburn was prior to pregnancy…not I TOTALLY understand why people call it “heart-burn” and it really isn’t pleasant. Usually taking a tums clears it up for a bit, but it seems to set in pretty randomly. I haven’t been able to pinpoint any trigger foods or specific times of day that cause it to occur.

Sleep

While I am absolutely more tired than the second trimester I am having trouble staying asleep at night. We usually go to bed pretty early (9pm being the very latest on most nights), but I wake up several times to use the restroom and then sometimes I just wake up really early feeling wide awake. Thankfully, after laying quietly in bed for a bit I am usually able to fall back asleep.

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

Swelling

My feet are more swollen and gaining in size! I had to purchase running shoes in a size 11 (I’m normally an 9.5). While the size was a bit shocking, the larger shoes are so much more comfortable. My hands are also swollen and I haven’t been able to wear my wedding and engagement rings for quite some time, but I have many friends that have assured me that this will all go back to normal after our baby is born.

Baths

I have been loving relaxing in the bath a few times a week with either a bath bomb or epsom salts. It helps relieve muscle tension and soreness and is just SO relaxing.

Back Pain

Many days my back feels totally fine, but other times it can feel pretty uncomfortable. I have found that sitting on my birthing ball while working at the computer, foam rolling, prenatal yoga, and visiting the chiropractor all really help with this.

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

Weight Gain

I really didn’t gain any weight in the first trimester (which is pretty normal, but everyone is different), but have consistently been gaining weight since the second trimester. My doctor never mentions my weight, despite weighing me at every appointment, so I have asked if they think I am gaining too much weight and they’ve told me not to worry about it. While the number on the scale does cause anxiety at times, I am eating when I’m hungry and exercising/moving my body on most days. Truthfully, if I was told I WAS gaining too much weight, I’m not sure what I would actually do (besides be even more hungry all the time than I already am). I do know that gaining weight is healthy for me and baby, but it’s sometimes hard to wrap my head around.

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

Exercise

I am still exercising with my fitness center through virtual classes on Zoom a few times a week, walking with Brian and the dogs most days, stretching every day, and practicing yoga at least once a week. I really think continuing to include movement into my regular routine is helping me feel good mentally, sleep as well as I can, and be as physically strong as possible for child birth.

Some of you have asked if I have been wearing a belly band while running or working out. I did purchase a belly band, similar to this one, back in December. I have worn it while running and walking the dogs and it does provide a little bit of relief for my lower back. That being said, it’s not as miraculous as I thought it would be, so I still make sure to sit on my birthing ball and do lots of stretching to help relieve any back discomfort.

Even though I am still fairly active, I do want to mention that the intensity of my exercises is toned down QUITE a bit from my normal, and I’m ok with that! Honestly, right now small things like picking up something off the floor or squatting low to get something off the bottom shelf take quite a bit of energy…so I am just doing what I can right now.

Maternity Photos

At the beginning of March (around 34 weeks of pregnancy) we had Kelley from Kelley Jordan Photography and Skyler Creative come to our house to capture some maternity photos. I am SO thankful we did this. We were initially planning on having Kelley come to the hospital to capture our birth through photos, but with current COVID-19 restrictions we are not able to have her with us. We will probably have to adjust our newborn photo plans, but we are waiting as long as we can to make any decisions there.

Here are a couple of photos from our shoot with Kelley. 

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

The Third Trimester #tararochfordnutrition #healthypregnancy

My Favorite Books for Pregnancy and Parenting

I have read quite a few books during pregnancy, and I’ve loved some more than others. Here is a list of my favorites!

  • Taking Charge of Your Fertility – I read this about a year before we planned on trying to have a baby so that I could figure out if things were working the way they should be on my end. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in getting pregnant.
  • Bringing Up Bebe – fun read that gives a peak inside French parenting
  • Moms on Call – Great no-fluff book for newborn care and sleep training
  • Babywise – A friend recommended this book for sleep training and scheduling – we will let you know how this ACTUALLY works once we have a baby 🙂
  • Natural Mama – I’ve been reading through this book as pregnancy progresses and it brings up interesting things and perspectives to ask my physician about.
  • Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy – Excellent evidence-based information about pregnancy so I know if what I’m experiencing is “normal” or if I should give my doctor a call.

Preparation for Baby

As far as preparing our house for the arrival of Baby R, we have been ready to go for quite some time! The bags are packed, nursery is complete, all clothes are washed, we’ve sanitized all toys and gadgets, and everything is organized. Now, we are just anxious and excited for her arrival…when will it be!?

Make sure to check out my other pregnancy posts:

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