Getting ready for a new phase

Week 27 and I’m just about to enter the third trimester. Baby Julandy is now the size of a Fennec fox.

Source

Getting bigger every week. I still can’t fathom that I really am this far. Do I get to be this happy?

So as she is still gestating, J² and I signed up for a childbirth preparation class. We had our first class last Thursday. This one focused on the third trimester and what is happening/going to happen. It also covered warning symptoms and when to seek help. Some good information.

During the class, the fathers(because that’s all that was there) got to wear a fake pregnancy belly. One guy had a lot of fun with it. He was quite the character. This is me and J² for our turn.

Who wore it better?

Nice bump you have there.

Yikes. I look….let’s just say there is a beach missing it’s whale. I’m thinking no to those maternity pictures. The vest thing was a little big on J². He said the belly rested on his legs and noted that he doesn’t believe that is how it really works. Smart man. I told him I could jab him in the abdomen every so often. You know, for realism.

Speaking of jabs to the gut……

Can I talk about fetal movement for a minute? Is it a pretty incredible experience? Yes, it really is and I am grateful for each roundhouse kick(I’m assuming this is what she is doing). But…...it is still kind of weird. Promise--not whining. I just think it’s a twofold phenomenon. Amazing with a dash of freaky. It is a unique occurrence when it’s your first pregnancy(to make it this far). As she gets bigger, her movements becomes more distinguishable and in the interim the sporadic jabs are a little startling. And there are some sharp ones which can make me pause. I’ve felt most of them at the very top right or very bottom left. What does that mean? Is it common to feel movement in similar areas? I have no answer for this, but am curious.

Because, Chuck Norris

So, yes, it is sort of odd to have a life form moving inside you. I will admit it. Just because I’ve fought so hard for this, doesn’t eliminate all the good, the bad, and the WTF is going on in there of pregnancy. I’ve seen plenty of stories of woman who have undergone fertility treatments that have been told in not so many words that because they wanted to get pregnant they can’t voice their stuggles. Wanting something and striving to get it doesn’t make the hardships vanish. Because if this is the gr0und rule then I never want to hear another college student complain about finals again. Just sayin’…..

It’s just that my body is changing in order to grow a baby in me. And as soon as I adjust to one change, another pops up. And like many infertile woman and loss moms, I’ve struggled to really focused on actually HAVING the baby. For me, I allowed myself to breath slightly at 24 weeks. Since then, I’ve slowly been trying to plan for the future.

We just got a crib! A pretty big milestone for us.

Oh, and another big deal--J² actually told someone that we are expecting. Completely voluntary without it being connected to a doctor’s appointment. If you know him, you know it’s a big step.

Now, instead of just being anxious about the pregnancy, I am now anxious about being ready for when this baby girl arrives.