Pregnancy Update: Week 30

I swear these weeks re starting to go by faster now. I hope this pace keeps up, because I am ready to for the end! This week of pregnancy brought a new nuance...stretch marks. I thought I was going to sneak free of getting theses suckers as I've been lathering on lotion like...well...someone who lathers a lot of lotion on. But I have a few. I bought a new cream called Mederma to see if it will help any in the long run. I also realized I haven't been talking about weight gain at all in any of my updates. So far as of today, 2/27/17 I have gained 27lbs. Which is a little scary. I hear a lot of women gain a pound a week in the final trimester which means I could potentially gain 10 more pounds and on my small frame, I don't know how I'll function.

The skin on my belly this week has started to itch like CRAZY! And there is really nothing I can do about it. If I try to even lightly scratch it, it burns. I thought mosquito bites were something to complain about. I got another prenatal massage last week, and I think I'd rather have paid for her to give me a good scratch down (please don't read that as creepily and weirdly as it sounds).

In our prepared birth class this week, we learned more about the different stages of labor and comforting techniques. We also went over what to expect with my body postpartum. I am happy to report, that the biggest fear I have about labor is no longer not getting an epidural. I know the pain is going to be mad crazy intense, but I figure if I've arrived at the hospital too late for an epidural, than I've already gone through a lot of the painful contraction, now all I'd have to deal with is the "ring of fire" birth. My new big fear...an episiotomy or tearing. It does not sound like fun to have to try and use the bathroom after that.

In the world of Pregnancy fitness. I'm slowing down more. I've found it hard to summon the same energy I had in the 2nd trimester. I'm starting to believe that the 2nd trimester really is the "honeymoon" trimester of pregnancy. This week I was able to workout 5 out of 7 days.

• Sunday, 2/19 - 1 hour walk
• Monday, 2/20 - 30mins elliptical + 30 minute walk
• Tuesday, 2/21 - 30min walk + 40 minute swim
• Wednesday, 2/22 - 45min walk
• Thursday, 2/23 - 35min walk
• Friday, 2/24 - 40min walk
• Saturday, 2/25 - 45min swim

Pre-swim bathroom selfie...classy...I know!

As you can see there was a lot of walking last week, I'm not even really sure if I can consider walking as exercise, but my heart rate gets high enough that I consider it exercise. I swam twice this week, and I m loving it. As I feel my running journey coming to an end with this pregnancy, I might replace it with swimming. I'm excited to see what this week will bring!