29 weeks

It’s been a week of strange events. First, all of the fire alarms in our apartment building went off and we were evacuated by the fire department, only to be let back inside 20 minutes later without much explanation. The next day my hospital went into lockdown after an announcement that there was an “active shooter” in the building, later to find out that no one had actually been shot but the gunman. Then on Sunday, a loud cracking noise made everyone in our church scream and take cover under the pews, although we soon realized the sound was not gunfire but a woman fainting. In sum, I feared for my life (and, more importantly, Baby’s!) on 3 different occasions this week, making me feel rather unsafe in my environment. While I thank God that nothing tragic actually happened, these random events reminded me how fragile life is and how protective I already am of this precious little one inside me. 

Fortunately, Tom and I also had some fun this week! We saw Duck Dynasty Live at the Pabst downtown, where we heard Phil, Kay, and Si Robertson talk about life, marriage, and raising children. It was funny, wholesome, and enlightening all at the same time – just what we needed after a somewhat unsettling week. We also had dinner and went to the symphony with some of my in-laws, which further established our baby’s love for music (who kicked and squirmed and danced throughout the entire performance). 

Plus, Tom and I both got good news this week. For me, it was a pleasant prenatal checkup that confirmed my blood pressure and weight gain are right on track, Baby’s heart rate is strong and steady in the 140’s, and that we are measuring slightly ahead of schedule based on fundal height. Due to my family history of “maternal macrosomia” (a fancy medical term for growing big babies), my doctor ordered a fetal growth ultrasound to get an estimate of birth weight. She doubts the baby will be too big to rule out a vaginal delivery (knock on wood!), but she wants to know if she’s dealing with an “80^th or 90^th percentile baby” during labor. Can’t wait to get the verdict and see our baby again in a few short weeks!

For Tom, the good news was regarding his rotation schedule after the new year. Originally, he was going to start OB/GYN (a very demanding rotation) soon after our new arrival, but – after months of failed attempts – he was finally able to switch his schedule so that OB will start in January instead. This way, he’ll be working at my birth center when I go into labor (which ensures he will be there right away!), and then he’ll be done with that rotation shortly after the baby is born; leaving only lighter, less demanding rotations for afterward. Baby and I will both be so grateful for his presence during delivery and the weeks/months following of adjusting to life with a newborn.

Finally, my weekly update tells me that Baby weighs around 2 ½ pounds now and is about the size of a butternut squash. Her head is growing bigger to accommodate her developing brain, and her lungs and muscles are continuing to mature. Baby’s bones are absorbing large amounts of calcium in this trimester (about 250 milligrams/day!), which explains my newfound, incessant need for milk. I’ve also been experiencing some new joint pain, leg cramping, and backaches – but nothing too extreme. I just try to remind myself that minor aches and pains only signify that Baby is growing bigger and will be here before we know it! :)