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August Pregnancy Update: 27 weeks

Whew.  Only 5 days until we start the third trimester.  

My body is undergoing quite the transformation! 

Here are a bunch of updates:

Baby Shower

My cousin Carly threw me a baby shower this past weekend.  My cousin let me decide the theme and I went with…unicorns!  I thought it’d make such a fun shower theme and it did.  My cousin is VERY crafty with DIY stuff and the shower was incredible.


Good friends!

Instead of cards, my cousin had everyone bring books for baby.  I LOVED THIS IDEA!

Some fun shower gifts were:

a raspberry bathing suit (my family’s nickname for baby is “raspberry“)

cutest headband

adorable boho-esque onesie

gold moccasins 

a tutu!

When Andrew and I were going through the gifts that evening he said…”we should make a pile for all the non-practical stuff you registered for.” Oh, husbands (*insert eye roll*).

Prenatal Chiropractor  

My doctor referred me to a prenatal chiropractor and it was AWESOME.  It didn’t magically solve all my back pain, but she did some gentle pregnancy adjustments, gave me stretches to do at home, and told me some tips for helping keep my hips tucked (i.e. if I’m standing for long periods of time, bend my knees bc that naturally makes your hips tuck / back not arch).  

Mainly going to see her was nice because I felt really supported having someone listen to how bad the back pain can get.  I don’t think she’s going to fix all my problems, but she was excellent at having empathy for what I’m going through. 

She also mentioned the 4th trimester (aka postpartum), which is a term I’ve decided I love since I’m very curious about how postpartum is going to be for me and I’m working to establish support / care for myself during that time.  She mentioned that after baby comes your body is still loosely goosey from delivery so it’s a good time to come back in and make sure everything goes back together nicely.

I’m going back to see her every two-ish weeks until baby comes and next time I’m getting a prenatal massage…because that sounds incredible. 

Also.  Wearing heels to my shower was the worst idea ever.  I was in so much pain that night.

Nursery Update

Andrew and I found an office filing cabinet at a used office supply store and over the past month he’s transformed it into a dresser for baby.  I’m in LOVE with how it came out.  He thinks it looks kinda awkward…like a filing cabinet with legs on it (which is exactly what it is).  But I think it’s gorgeous and exactly what I wanted.  After fixing it all up it was less that $80 total, which is also awesome!

Other than that the nursery is still looking rough, but it’s coming together slowly but surely.

The unfinished nursery has easily become my favorite room in the house and Maggie and I spend a lot of time in there.  We sit on the floor and read, eat breakfast, watercolor, listen to music…it’s just fun being in there and imagining a baby in there soon.

Movement

I’m at the stage of pregnancy where I like being as close to naked as possible as often as possible lol, which is why the blog has been adorned with so many bath suit photos of myself lately.  Putting on clothes feels just blah.

I’m slowing down a lot and there is a lot of stuff I just can’t physically do anymore without being in a lot of pain.  Walking over 15 minutes at a time is out because my knees and lower back freak out.  For the rest of pregnancy I’m planning on utilizing one of those we-get-all-the-groceries-for-you-and-you-just-pick-them-up services.  While the chiropractor helped my back…I’m still limited on what feels okay to me.  

Swimming continues to be great.  It still feels magical to be in water.

Other than swimming / floating / treading water, my only other movement is my physical therapy knee exercises, my gentle back stretching / strengthening exercises from my chiropractor, and upper body dumbbell moves.  

It’s frustrating when your body physically hurts to move.  My goal is to take care of my back and knees, so if that means movement is limited…so be it.  My heating pad continues to be my best friend and I’m on that thing multiple times a day.  My chiropractor said that a few of the moms she works with are on crutches because their back pain gets so bad.  I’d like to avoid that if possible, so we’ll be taking it easy.

I recently told my sisters that it just feels right to waddle haha. Yep. Definitely slowing down :)

Mammary gland function

Starting this past weekend I started having something, what I guess is colostrum (?), leak a bit.  Honestly (and I’ve talked to a few close mom friends about this bc while I try to be nonjudgmental about the thoughts I have…it annoys me that I feel this way…), thinking about breast feeding makes me feel icky and gross inside.  So many mom’s talk about breastfeeding being this magical experience.  Breastfeeding feels very foreign to me.  I’m sure that’s normal, being it’s something I’ve never done before.  I’m super curious about what the breastfeeding experience will be like for me.  At the recommendation of some friends / my P.A. sister, starting at the beginning of the 3rd trimester I’m going to start preparing my nipples for breastfeeding…which just involves a wash cloth in the shower.  I know where my local La Leche League meets and I’ve got mom friend’s I feel comfortable asking questions to.

When the breast leaking started I felt like I was in middle school again and I had just started my period for the first time…and I cried a lot.  I’m not sure why I cried so much…it just felt really weird for my body to be doing something it has never done before.  Maybe it’s because breasts are so sexualized in our society and I can’t imagine using them for what they are actually supposed to be used for…to nourish a child.  

I know breastfeeding are what breasts are made for.  And I feel it’s okay to be nervous about breastfeeding.  It’s okay to be nervous about something you’ve never done before.  AND it’s okay to decide to try to breastfeed even though thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies.  

Body Changes

It is really fun to dress the bump and do my hair / makeup.  My baby shower dress was easily in my top 5 most favorite outfits I’ve ever worn.  I LOVE that dress and felt beautiful in it.

But most of pregnancy doesn’t look or feel so glamorous.  Like I’ve said before, my pregnant body feels very soft, flesh and mammalian…and that just feels really right. 

The above and below photo were taken less than 12 hours apart.  The below picture is my lower back stretch that my chiropractor encouraged me to do that feels so great on my back.  I do it at least 5 times a day.

When people ask how pregnancy is I tell them, “this is the coolest thing my body has ever done, and somedays it still really sucks.” 

Like I mentioned in another pregnancy update: I do love looking at my changing body in the mirror.  Since recovering from my eating disorder I never spent a lot of time in front of the mirror because body checking was a big part of my eating disorder brain…but now I really love watching the body changes.  The biggest body change (other than my growing belly) is in my hip area, especially the area I’ve heard referred to as “love handles”.  When I was at IAEDP last spring, Ralph Carson spoke on how women store DHA in fat on their hips.  DHA is key to brain health for baby…so my growing hips are actually DHA handles and they’re exactly what they need to be :)

I am pumped to be so close to the third trimester! One of my favorite positive affirmations in pregnancy that I say to myself daily is, “the labor is waiting to meet baby.  The birth will be easy.”

If you missed any past pregnancy posts, here they are:

Gender Reveal

Pregnancy + body image so far

June pregnancy update

A goodbye to pre pregnancy body

July pregnancy update

 

56 comments

  1. Dang gurl – you look awesome in the dress!
    Also I love your candidness regarding breastfeeding. It totally fascinates me and is something I look forward to experiencing, however I understand your different perspective. I have a friend who has the “heebie jeebies” when it comes to imagining giving birth so much that she’d rather adopt. We’re all so different, but it’s all okay!

  2. I’m glad you are enjoying pregnancy for the most part. I can imagine all the body changes can be both fascinating and overwhelming. Personally the thought of pregnancy really disturbs me. I kind of have a phobia about it and I never want to be pregnant but I enjoy reading about your journey as a first time mother.

    As someone who recently started menstruating again I definitely agree that what the female body does is amazing.

  3. I just read this as I breastfed my 8 month old son! I understand your feelings about breastfeeding. Know that it will be challenging, time consuming and probably uncomfortable in the beginning. I nursed my oldest son until 13 months and will most likely continue with my youngest baby longer than that. Once you get used to it, it’s so easy. There’s nothing to pack and milk is always available! I love your body positivity and can’t wait to follow that journey after you give birth.

    • Thanks for the comment, Amy! So many of my mom friend’s have mentioned that the heebie jeebie feelings I have about breastfeeding will melt away once I actually do it. Very curious to actually experience it and see how it goes :)

  4. That unicorn cake!!! And you are right- that floral dress is beautiful and you look lovely in it! I’m sorry you’ve been having so much pain- that can’t be easy. Love your honesty in these posts.

  5. I’m 6 weeks right now and feeling all the nausea and food aversions which literally change by the hour. Waiting to hear the heartbeat in 9 days (literally an eternity). Love your posts!

  6. You look fabulous mama, and gorgeous in that baby shower dress!! As I’m sure many people have said…hang in there, the best is yet to come and your little girl will be here before you know it.

  7. Thank you so much for being incredibly open and honest! I love that you share both sides – positives and negatives – of pregnancy. I wish you all the very best in these last few months before the fourth trimester (great term)!

  8. I love your pregnancy updates. You’re being so smart & thoughtful in your preparations. That can be tough as it’s so different for everyone!
    I had major, mega heebie jeebies at the idea of breast feeding. I told myself I would try but gave myself permission to quit if for any reason I didn’t want to continue. I was pretty much 100% sure I wouldn’t do it for more than a day or two. I was SO shocked to ultimately nurse my little guy for a whole year!! Breastfeeding went well from the beginning & honestly, my kid was such a horrific sleeper & erratic eater that the idea of having to make formula bottles & potentially toss them was very unappealing to me. I told myself, no way will I pump when I go back to work (I’m unpredictably at a bunch of different locations) but then I decided to try with the same permission to quit if I wanted. Ended up pumping in a LOT of random parking lots, lol!! As an obsessive compulsive planner I think my baby (now toddler, waaah!) has been so good for helping me to let go and accept that I can’t control everything. pregnancy was the first step in that acceptance process. I will say I was really surprised at how long my body felt…..weird…after delivering. I had an uncomplicated delivery & returned to my pre-pregnancy weight quickly but just felt weak & not like myself for at least 6-8 months. I didn’t have much energy until I weaned & didn’t anticipate that either.

    Sorry for the monstrous novel of a comment! I think pretty much everything is heard about breastfeeding was very positive & I felt strange to be so hesitant about it. Also, everything I read/was told made it sound like nursing should be immediately pain free & that if you have any pain it means something is going wrong. I don’t know that that’s necessarily true… I had pain for quite a while and we had a great latch, etc. I really think it just took time for the tissue to adjust. Eventually it really was painless.

    • Thanks for all your insight, Jen! I think the idea of –> “giving myself permission to quit if for any reason I don’t want to continue.”

      <3

  9. So I was also totally caught off guard during my first pregnancy when the colostrum started flowing at 22 weeks!?? I agree that it felt like adolescence, but for me, it was total excitement and amazement! Not to mention, an awesome reminder that your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing. Breastfeeding is super messy in the beginning, but an incredible bonding experience and a true testament to the amazingness of the female body:) PS. Didn’t happen with my second pregnancy… who knows why!

    • Hi Laura! Thanks for helping me feel not alone with the colostrum appearance. It started on Sunday evening…which could have explained the tears…I’ve started calling Sunday’s “Irrational Sundays” because for the entire pregnancy I end up crying at least 2 times on Sundays :)

      Gonna get some nursing pads!

  10. Thanks for sharing! I agree completely with all of these(I’m 29 weeks.) breastfeeding can feel foreign because we do live in a sexualized society, but the benefits it provides babies are amazing- better bonding, it helps the mom’s uterus shrink back to its original size after birth and milk has been shown to be the best at keeping babies immune systems boosted. The more I read about it the more I was positive I wanted to do it for myself and my child(ren) and my first baby is almost 2 and I just weaned him because it was painful this far into pregnancy and I didn’t really have any milk left.

    Also, I love the baby carrier in your nursery picture! Baby wearing is so much fun and a great bonding time and calming experience for the baby. I have had lower back pain in my life as well and I had the ergo but noticed quickly that my back hurt. Hopefully this doesn’t happen to you but if it does the Lillebaby carriers are the only carriers that have a lumbar support on them and that was a game changer for me. My husband and I can wear our 30 lb toddler and not hurt.

    Thanks again for sharing all these changes with us!

    • Hey Savanna! Thanks for the carrier tip! I see myself ending up needing one with lumbar support!! Thank you for mentioning the Lillebaby!

      On breastfeeding…I feel like it was drilled into our heads in nutrition undergrad that “breast is best”…but after hearing so many mom’s stories of breastfeeding being so overwhelming / not an option for them I do think “fed is best.” I feel like a lot of my RD friends have felt shame about not breastfeeding, which I wish wasn’t the case. If I can breastfed, I’m breastfeeding. I’m interested to see what the experience ends up being like for me + baby.

  11. Ok so I just have to say I TOTALLY agree with you about breastfeeding! I don’t know why at all but whenever people talk about it or girls post photos of them breastfeeding, I shudder. It’s just so awkward.

    You look super super cute!

    • For me, when I see other mom’s doing it I think it’s beautiful. Probably because I follow some photographers who capture really gorgeous mom + baby photos:) It’s just when I think about me actually breastfeeding I get this icky feeling. Very excited to see how it goes!

  12. This book was my breastfeeding bible: https://www.amazon.com/Womanly-Art-Breastfeeding-Completely-Revised/dp/0345518446. And it helped me feel a little more comfortable with the idea of nursing before it happened. It also helped me to start referring to it differently – “nursing” instead of “breastfeeding.” My brother would often say that his baby was “feeding” when he was eating and it made me think of a barnyard animal. Nursing feels softer and more natural and maternal to me. But still, all that said, some of the best advice I got was to not worry too much about the stage to come, that you’ll figure it out when you get there. And indeed, with a little help from my friends, I have! Sending lots of good vibes your way!

    • I like that wording shift. I would say a lot of my friends who have babies call it nursing and those who don’t have kids call it breastfeeding. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that book, Kate!

  13. That dress is so gorgeous! Also, I had no idea breasts could start leaking milk during pregnancy… ah! Thank you for the heads up in case that starts happening to me soon as well…

  14. Love it. That dress is so you! So nice to read such an honest and raw description of pregnancy instead of the usual sunshine and gumdrops portrayal that media sometimes shows. 

    • hehe…yeah. At church on Sunday the pastor was talking about how everyone only posts the positives on social media and my husband was like, “except you lol.” Reading real womens’ blogs who don’t sugar coat everything are my favorite! So I try to do that too!

  15. Omg love the idea of “DHA handles”! I’m currently writing a blog post about my Intuitive Eating journey, part of which involves judgment about my “love handles” so this was so perfect to read right now as a take a break from writing. Thanks for posting!

  16. Love the pregnancy updates! I read this as I nursed my 2 month old. I had such a hard time breastfeeding my first son. He wasn’t latching right, so I wasn’t making enough milk. I felt like such a failure. I know people feel something similar with miscarriage- like your body can’t do what it’s designed to do. I didn’t even care about breastfeeding until I struggled. I jumped through all sorts of Hoops to increase my milk supply and pumped 6-8 times a day. It was awful. After 6 weeks, he gained some strength and got bigger and all of the milk increase rocks worked, so I was able to breastfeed him for 1.5 years. But it was SUCH an emotional thing even though everyone was telling me that formula was fine. On one hand, I’m glad that it worked because I was able to provide him with breastmilk and pumped so much I donated over 500 ounces of milk. On the other hand, I was so anxious about feeding him and it just wasn’t good for me or my family and I wonder if it would have been better specifically for my relationship with my husband if I stopped nursing. Anyways, that’s a novel, but I just wanted to share my experience. At the same time, nursing my second son has been so easy. It makes me appreciate what my body can do in a whole new way.

    • Thanks for sharing your experience, Korie! I think it’s great for me and other readers to hear a variety of approaches / opinions. Thank you!!

  17. I am the least touchy feeling person ever and I get very overwhelmed with a lot of physical contact. When I was pregnant I knew I wanted to nurse but I hated the idea of it. It felt weird to even think about. that being said, I loved nursing. I probably would’ve done extended nursing last age 1 if my supply hasn’t run into the ground before then.

    • I’m glad you brought this up, Kassie! I was going to include this in the post, but the post was already too long lol. But I too don’t like being touched. Growing up my best friend used to joke I’d never get married because I hated it so much. Those who have anorexia can actually have a heightened awareness of body sensations, so how their pants fit at their waist / when their body changes size / even a hair tie on their wrist may be more distressing to them than the average person. I’ve always thought that was interested since I had an ED and hate being touched…kinda felt like they went together.

      I’m glad to hear nursing was a good experience for you, even with not loving a lot of physical contact.

      Thank you for sharing! Really appreciate it!

  18. I had a hard time understanding breastfeeding before my baby arrived. And after he came, it was anything but natural. I recommend seeing a Lactation consultant while in the hospital or as soon as you get home. They are so helpful and the one on one support makes this foreign-supposed-to-be-natural task much easier to understand.

  19. I love the honesty in this! I felt the same way about breastfeeding my second child- which is weird because I breastfed the first and I study lactation. I assumed it was because of sexuality and my second child being a boy. Nevertheless, I’m breastfeeding him now and those feelings completely went away once he was born! I didn’t even remember how nervous I was until I read this post! So I wish you luck in your journey! I’m excited to see how it all pans out! If you need any help or anyone to talk/vent to about any matters breastfeeding, hit me up!

    Also your baby shower was adorable. So is your nursery. So are you!

    • I was JUST talking to a mom friend about how nursing her boy brought different thoughts than nursing her girl. Thank you for sharing this, Erica!!! And I so appreciate the chance to talk/vent about breastfeeding! I know where to find ya! Thank you!

  20. I’m sorry to hear that you’re in so much back pain. And the beginning of the leaking also does sound confusing and scary. I haven’t been through a pregnancy myself, but I can imagine it would be pretty overwhelming to have your body changing so quickly in how it looks, feels, and moves through the world.

  21. Hi Kylie! I think the life journey you are going through is absolutely amazing and beautiful! The human body is a wondrous thing! You got this girl!

    Also — I recently did a dietetic rotation at a breastfeeding clinic (OU lactation center at OKC Children’s Hospital) and I learned a lot about breast health during lactation and remedies for preventing infection. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you want any info! Praying for you and your family!!

  22. Eeeeek all the little baby things! So adorable.
    And you look fabulous in that dress! 

  23. Hi, Kylie! First of all, I LOVE your blog and I loved listening to you on the Body Love Project Podcast. And congratulations on your pregnancy! I recently had a baby in January, and if it makes you feel any better, your blog was so helpful to me during that time. You made me realize that it’s okay to make time for self-care and how important it is to listen to my body, which was especially important when I was pregnant. But I started leaking colostrum around 27 weeks, so I feel you – I was so creeped out, haha. I remember one time in particular when my husband gave me a new set of pajamas because he knew how tired I was of feeling like I had nothing “cute” to wear around the house. I was so excited and put them on immediately, and then…5 minutes later I looked down and had 2 GIANT wet patches on my shirt from leaking, and I just burst into tears! I had no idea why it bothered me so much, but I think I was just so overwhelmed by the idea that I no longer had any control over my body and wouldn’t for a long time! Also, I did have some of the same feelings you have about breastfeeding. I couldn’t envision it, and the whole thing just seemed so foreign to me. And I’m not going to lie, the 2 weeks after your milk comes in can be rough, but it really does become a natural experience, and you’ll be surprised at how your instincts kick in. Which I’m sure everyone is telling you, but I just want you to know that you aren’t alone in having those feelings :). Lastly, you’re so smart to think of self-care activities for the 4th trimester. It’s such an amazing time, but it’s also kind of an out-of-body experience now that I think back on it, haha. It’s so important to take care of yourself and not just your new tiny human! Wishing you all the luck in the world. Thank you for writing such a great blog!

    • Thanks for this thoughtful comment, Susie! Congrats on your bundle of joy!

      I would’ve had THAT EXACT SAME reaction to new cute pj’s + a colostrum explosion. I’m probably still coming to terms with being overwhelmed by not having control over my body for a bit. So many mixed feelings of OH MY GOSH THIS IS SO COOL I GET TO CREATE AND CARE FOR A BABY and OH MY GOSH THIS IS OVERWHELMING + FOREIGN + HARD SOME DAYS.

      Thanks for sharing your nursing and 4th trimester experiences<3

  24. I found my journey into motherhood to be amazing, intensely difficult, and often just downright weird. What helped (and continues to help) me more than anything was surrounding myself–often virtually–with curious, kind, the no B.S(bs= peppy! and positive! at all times! no matter what you’re actually going through!) moms and moms-to-be. Being open, compassionate, vulnerable and sharing that with a community of women is so badass and you have no idea how much it can help other someday moms, pregnant mothers, nursing mothers and who knows who else. Thank you for sharing???

  25. Just thought I’d weigh in on the breastfeeding thing because I too felt extremely weird about it before I had my baby.
    I blame our culture’s over sexualization of the breast for sure. We simply do not see women using their boobs to feed babies with any kind of the regularity we see them being pushed up and used to sell something.
    That being said, Breastfeeding was really really difficult in the beginning.
    One of the craziest things I learned from the lactation consultant at the hospital (and I saw her twice, I highly recommend you see one in the first couple of days after you have your baby too! They help so much with the scary newness of the act.) was that 80% of women have problems with breastfeeding, and of those 80%, half will quit and choose to supplement with formula.
    It made me feel a lot better about my options during those first seven days (which feel like an eternity to a new mama). Your nipples bleed. It’s true. You’ll cry with sadness because even if the baby latches straight away you’ll be worried the baby isn’t getting enough milk.
    The best way I thought about things was it’s a partnership. You aren’t breastfeeding alone. Your baby is learning how to eat! Up until the moment they first come out of you, they’ve had all the nutrients they’ve ever needed delivered to their bloodstream directly. Eating is something they have to learn alongside you, so it takes a few days.
    For us, it took two weeks, a nipple shield, and a lot of trust.
    Bear in mind, a fed baby is a healthy baby. If breastfeeding doesn’t work out, you did not fail! You just had to take a different route.
    Wishing you the best!

  26. My first thought was…. you are overthinking this. Then I realized I did the same when I was pregnant with my first boy ;)
    I think nursing was a great experience, and in a very pragmatic kind of way also a very unstressful thing. I grew up in a family that is constantly busy so I have the hardest time not moving. And nursing slows you down. And makes you sit and look at your baby and hold it. (and thats wonderful) Nursing my first son was hard (because I didnt eat enough) but once it worked it was great. I got to sit down. I did not have to get the right formula or go anywhere…. I just sat down. And instead of making the water, letting it cool, making the bottle, feeding the child and then washing the bottle and maybe even sterilizing it, when you nurse all you do is sit down. Meditate with the baby. Also I did not feel that its weird. When my sons (I have 2) were born the first 3 months or so I still felt like we are almost one and the same. The term 4th trimester refers to you as a mom being postpartum, but it also refers to the first few months when a baby is still so small that it sometimes seems like it is not ready for the world. (biologically speaking it is not ready, it just had to get out because otherwise its head would be to big). So take that time for a 4th trimester for both of you! :)

    • I really like your explanation of the 4th trimester, Barbara. I haven’t heard / read it explained like that before. I’m really glad you commented with that<3

      Also, I probably totally am overthinking nursing haha.

  27. I’m 20 weeks today and I have felt great throughout my pregnancy. I am even starting a new job which is scary and exciting all at the same time. I have been going to a chiropractor as well and I found out that although my lower back was hurting, it was really my hips and hamstrings that were very tight. I have been stretching a lot and going to prenatal Pilates once a week which helps so much! I also try to go for an evening walk 20 min everyday except on Pilates days. I hope your back feels better!

    Question:Can you explain what you mean by preparing the nipples for breastfeeding? This is new to me!

    • To help ‘toughen up’ your nipple before baby comes, some of my mom friends have recommended using a wet wash cloth to irritate your nipples when you’re in the shower. I’m sure your nipples would adjust on own when baby comes, but I figure why not try to make the adjustment to nursing a bit easier? Some places recommend not doing this, like here: http://www.llli.org/faq/breastprep.html

      …so to each their own. I know I don’t have all the answers, but for some ‘me’ specific reasons this sounds like a good idea for me to do :)

  28. I LOVE the cake. I LOVE the book idea. You look beautiful!

  29. You are not alone with your feelings about breastfeeding. I feel the exact same way. I’m 22 weeks pregnant and I feel bad saying it, but I really feel uncomfortable with it and icky about it. I’m not sure how I’ll feel when I have to try it. One thing I will do is try it. But it does help me feel better to know that pumping is an option as well as formula if need be. It takes the pressure off a bit for now. Thanks for sharing your feelings because its nice to know I’m not alone.

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