solar squirrel

28-week workout (notice the belly)

I am heading into week 30 of my pregnancy and I am so excited to be nearing the end!  I was thinking that I would stop my workouts w/ Larry (Amp Fitness) after August, but at my 28-week Dr. apt. my Dr. told me that I should continue.  Well, OK then!  She also told me to keep running and exercising like normal.  Unfortunately running is really getting uncomfortable and I haven’t ran in a few weeks.  I’m keeping up my aerobic fitness by either doing the elliptical-type machines at the gym or hiking the Buckeye trail.

I’ve been pretty consistent w/ 2 days a week with Larry.  I am SO happy that I decided to continue to workout w/ him while pregnant.  I really think it is going to make a huge difference in my recovery and also aid with the time it takes for me to get back to where I was w/ my running.

The Rhogam (sp?) shot and glucose tolerance tests were SO much better than I thought they would be!  I was seriously worried for nothing.  The glucose test was actually quite enjoyable.  I just had to drink this yummy orange flavored stuff (the nurse even put ice in it and added a cute cocktail umbrella!!!) and then wait a little over an hour.  I did have to have my blood drawn twice - once before the drink and once after, but the nurse loved my veins (she complemented me on them, LOL!) so it was really quick and easy.  The shot that I had to get was to prevent my body from attacking Mini or any future babies if they were to have A+ blood.  I thought the nurse was joking after she gave me the shot.  I DID NOT FEEL IT AT ALL and I didn’t have any kind of reaction.  I’m really hoping that this is how everything else is - way better than I expect!!

I’m going to the Dr. every 2 weeks now.  The visits are pretty uneventful.  I have to pee in a cup, get weighed (not my favorite part) and have my blood pressure taken, and then I see the Dr. or midwife who asks me how I’m feeling, if I’ve had any of a handful of problems (haven’t had them) we go through any questions I have and then they listen to the heartbeat, which is super fast and sounds really cool.  (It’s been about 140 bpm each time).  Oh - and the last two times they used a tape measure to measure my stomach.  It’s measured exactly normal each time.  (It was 28 cm last Dr. visit).

I’ve been cleaning and organizing like crazy trying to get everything ready.  The spare bedroom upstairs is finally done thanks to the help of my sisters.  As of today the old office is now cleaned, emptied, and ready to receive baby furniture.  Todd and I are in the process of putting in a new ceiling and shower in the downstairs bedroom.  I want it to be nice for visitors (Todd’s parents may come this winter and I’m going to likely force my mom to stay over when I first get back from the hospital so she can help me).  The projects are never-ending, though…

Here are some photos from my 28-week workout w/ Larry.  I wanted to take pictures of my last workout session, but now that I’m continuing we’ll have to take them a little bit later!  Anyone who thinks you can’t workout when you are pregnant is WRONG.  You can keep working out as long as you don’t over do it and you go into it already in shape.  Obviously if you were sedentary before you got pregnant then you need to be careful.  Not a day goes by that I’m not consciously thankful for my health and fitness.  It also really helps that I workout w/ Brittany, who makes me laugh at myself when I sometimes want to cry.

Burpees (not my favorite considering the extra belly weight!!)

Plank with weighted arm raises (typically you should try to go lower, but I have to modify due to my heavy mid-section)

Getting ready to do resistance band twists (these were easy).

Me and my partner in crime Brittany. Without her these workouts would SUCK!

25 weeks and counting

I created a folder on my 2nd hard drive called ‘Stomach Evolution’ to capture photos of my ever-growing belly.  I was just looking through some of the photos and it’s funny - looking back to April when I thought I was already SO BIG and then comparing it to today.  I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like over the next 3 months!  I think I’m big now!

I seem to be more tired than usual this past week.  I hope it’s just temporary and I don’t have to be tired like this for the next several months.  I’ve been managing to keep up with working out, though.  I’ve been steadily doing 5 days / week of at least 40 min of exercise.  I found a new running group on Facebook in Akron.  I’m going to try to make some new running friends that are close to me (and around the same pace as me).  I am not someone who is motivated enough to run by myself regularly.  I really like the social aspect of running and sharing in each others successes and goals.  I think I’m also going to try to find some expecting or new moms who live in the Akron area who would like to start running a few times a week.  If you know anyone please pass along my info to them!

So at my last Dr. apt. I found out that I might have to get a Rhogam shot if Todd isn’t RH-.  My blood type is A- and I guess we could have possible complications if baby’s blood type is +.  The Dr. suggested that Todd just go donate blood so that he could find out his blood type.  This seemed kind of weird to me, because I’ve donated blood before and I don’t remember them ever giving me any follow up paperwork (this was a while ago, though).  I knew my blood type from being in the military, but Todd didn’t know his.  So Todd (on my request) went and donated blood only to find out that he would not be receiving any information!  I felt so bad that I ‘made’ him take time out of work short notice and go donate blood.  So anyway - if you didn’t know (I didn’t) you can buy a test for like $8 - $12 that will tell you your blood type.  Todd ordered one from Amazon that was FDA approved and we found out that he is indeed A+.  Boo.  So I have to get this dumb shot.  ARGH.  I hate giving blood and getting shots.  HATE IT!  In the military they used to line us up and use these crazy air gun shots in our arms.  It was seriously like something out of some science fiction movie.  The good news is that my apt. for my glucose test isn’t until 1pm and I only have to fast for 3 hours before, which means I can eat breakfast AND if necessary a snack beforehand.  YIPPEE!!  Don’t think I didn’t already have this worked out in my head before I called to make the appointment…