31 Weeks Pregnancy Update: What’s Most Important Right Now

I don’t know if this can be considered an update, because I haven’t exactly posted much about my  pregnancy since announcing it. 😛

Soooo…basically this is what has happened so far:

• We are planning on a home birth again.
• We had one ultrasound at 22 weeks to determine we are having a third GIRL.
• I had 24/7 nausea and extreme blood sugar issues for the entire first trimester- plus a few weeks- no matter what tricks I had “up my sleeve” to get over it.
• I had a really busy and stressful second trimester due to producing a full-length high school musical (we do things “big” at this school), all while balancing everything else in life.
• Because of my stressful second trimester, I didn’t stay on top of taking my supplements and sticking with my own pregnancy “rules”. At my 28 week appointment my midwife took my blood and before she did I told her my blood was going to suck. I was right. My results SUCKED!
• I am in a ton of sciatic pain. Sometimes I can barely walk and look like I should be using a cane or walker.
• I’m entering the part of my pregnancy where I’m totally addicted to salt…like, I want to eat small spoonfuls of it (which is related to both anemia and adrenal fatigue, which I have both problems).
• This baby is so active it’s like she’s kickboxing in there. Her kicks occur everywhere, so she’s obviously not ready to settle down in a birth position yet. She’ll probably do it at the last minute.
• I have a feeling this is going to be an active and ambitious kid who gets things accomplished, but only at the last minute…like her mom. 🙂

So here I am at 30 weeks, with the threat of not being healthy enough for a home birth and in a lot of sciatic pain. Other than that, I’m feeling pretty good, although last week we experienced a tragic, unexpected death in my family that has, of course, caused me to experience a bit more emotion. I traveled to Texas on a plane this past weekend and I’ve never flown this late in pregnancy. It wasn’t the most comfortable experience, but I made it through. (You may have read on my Facebook and Twitter pages that I had to go through pretty invasive pat downs to avoid the giant radiation machines…and it wasn’t that bad. I suggest that you opt out of those, too.) I’m am totally at peace with her passing, though, knowing she’s in heaven with our Lord!

Back to my bad blood results…

My body NEEDS aggressive supplement therapy during pregnancy. I bled a lot after my first two births because my uterus wouldn’t contract and my blood levels were too low, and if I want things to be different (and safer) third time around, I need to get to work. I have to get my blood counts and hemoglobin levels UP in the next few weeks and keep doing what I can to tone my uterus for labor. I am in “crunch time” between now and this birth to make this baby, birth and post partum period as healthy as possible. I know I’m not alone, too, so if you are pregnant I suggest following these guidelines, too…with the supervision of your midwife or doctor, of course.

Here’s what I’m doing:

• I’m trying to be as consistent with my traditional foods pregnancy diet as possible.
• I’m taking all my regular pregnancy supplements as religiously as possible, doubling up on iron and liver:

1. Cod Liver Oil– 4-6 per day
2. Juice Plus– 4 per day
3. Probiotics– 2-4 per day (plus homemade lacto fermented foods)
4. Grassfed Liver Capsules– 6-9 per day (I’m trying to take 3 with every meal.)
5. Iron Supplement– 2 capsules per day
6. Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium tablets– 2 per day
7. B12/Folate lozenge– 1 tablet per day
8. Dr. Ron’s specially formulated multi-vitamin– 2 capsules per day
9. Red Raspberry Leaf tea– 8-24 ounces daily

• I’m scheduling chiropractic care regularly now that it’s covered by my new temporary insurance plan. Hopefully this will help my sciatic pain and get the baby in the right position if she doesn’t turn head-down soon.
• I’m trying to exercise daily…I was doing really well before my busy season, taking Zumba and Ballet regularly, but now I’m too lazy and BIG to try to take those classes again. I do need to be in shape for labor, though! I’m going to stick with my own yoga/dance stretching and strengthening routines at home, plus taking walks at least 5 days per week.
• I’m looking into more herbs and essential oils to have on hand for labor. More on that later…
• I’m studying up on some wonderful new articles and tutorials at Spinning Babies. I used the information on this site with my last baby to get her head down before birth. I use a lot of their information as a doula, but also for my own pregnancy and birth.

Anyone else out there pregnant? What are the most important things you’re doing right now?

PS: Because it’s my third baby and third natural birth I’m not as worried as before about preparing for the birth. If you are reading this and you are not as experienced, I highly recommend reading and researching a LOT before your birth, and also considering a doula if you haven’t already. For all my recommendations, make sure to check out my “MUST READ” post on Everything I Would Tell My Best Friend About Pregnancy.

Photo by Lindy Rojas