Third Trimester

Another few weeks have just floated past and I am in the third trimester already!Back again after over a month of quiet.

Routine tests at 24 weeks- sugars, Hemoglobin and urine tests have been fine. And a scan for evolving cardiac abnormalities has been done and reassuring. Phew, now I feel free to plan for my "Godh Bharai" ceremony.

MIL wanted me to choose a gold ornament of my choice, but the prices have been so restrictive that I didn't have the heart to do it. She plans to pass on her old nice bangles to me, and I think I will skip buying any new gold for myself. I am not a big fan of jewelry anyway. For a saree too I have one I had just treated myself to at Kolkata a year ago. Considering how rarely I get to wear my fine sarees, I will resist the temptation of buying one more. Although buying and owning sarees makes me really happy..heh heh

Third Trimester Highlights

• Return of fatigue and somnolence of first trimester
• Heartburn at times
• More active baby movements, sometimes even seen as shaking of the abdominal wall!
• Breathlessness on climbing stairs (I take the Mumbai Local trains to work often)
• Backache, that had begun in the second trimester itself, makes an appearance sometimes
• Nesting is setting in and I have emptied few shelves of my cupboards for baby stuff

I really want to shop for the baby, but MIL and mother are quite against it. I think I shall buy some basic stuff anyhow.

For myself I have gotten a few loose kurtas and stretchable leggings, stashed away or donated my old dresses. I need to buy a pair of maternity pants. I regret missing the crazy August sales, but in August I wasn't even showing. I was worried about getting a pair of pants that's too small or large. Nothing sucks more than a pair of pants that won't fit.

In the hubbyland, my otherwise reluctant to have a baby husband is pretty excited- He's excited to see me happy, see my excitement about baby movements but somewhere in his heart I know he's scared of losing his freedom. And his own "childhood" I really hope and pray he has a change of heart for good once the baby arrives!

Mother is extra anxious now a days- typically. "You don't show so much" I guess being worried is a part of being a mom. And I worry too- my pet fear is me dropping my baby. Phew hope that never happens to anyone.

So Far

Long time, in fact 2 months since I last blogged! When I started off, I was hoping for a week by week update. Yeah right, I really thought I could do it.

Anyway to wrap up, all was fine in baby land. The nuchal thickness scan, looking for any chromosomal trisomy was OK. But the biochemistry wasn't all quite right. That called for more testing, some stress, considerations of amniocentesis, ruling out of amniocentesis, and an anomaly scan which was reassuring. Of course, some stress still remains. That will stay till I have my baby in my arms!

Hope I am wrong, but I have always feared that with my patience and my kind of great luck so far, God may be hell bent on gifting me with a specially abled child. Please God, change your mind right away. You know I am quite ordinary. Just give me an ordinary healthy baby. No Einstein, nothing otherwise either.

We took a long overdue family vacation abroad. Between my 13th to 15th weeks. It was planned way before I was pregnant. And thanks to God, since all was fine otherwise in babyland. And my super cool obstetrician was fine with me taking the trip as well! I did a lot on that trip, stuff normally a pregnant woman should not. About that I will write later on but! Not that I believe in jinxes but I will spill all the beans once I have my baby. I don't want idiotic people coming up with their ridiculous "I told you so's." Thankfully, I am not surrounded by too many such people. My family is really caring but simultaneously non interfering! A unique gift.

BTW I have, in my pregnancy realized again and yet again what a caring lady I have for mother in law. She's the best thing happened to me. I can imagine how I have such a nice husband. He's her son! She never minds my extra hours of sleep, makes everything I crave- pickle's, chaat, sweets. She doesn't mind me camping at Mom's when tired (Mom stays close to workplace), has an almost non existent list of dos and don'ts. She even gets up an hour earlier to pack me a wholesome lunch for work! Something she has never done so far! Her children have always eaten at their office cafeterias so far.

Second trimester has been good so far. Nausea is low, appetite is at a all time high and the first trimester food aversions are diminishing. Finally I am gaining weight! And the bump is showing. And I am not too keen on hiding it. I hate when girls wear grossly mismatched stoles and dupattas that run till the pubes to just hide the beautiful bump! It certainly doesn't hide the bump, makes you look frumpy instead, since you asked me :P

Iron and Calcium supplementation has begun! Thankfully apart from the occasional  acidity and vomiting, I am tolerating the tablets very well.

Some fetal movements I can finally feel. In the beginning of this month, when I was about 19 weeks, I felt some flutters in my tummy, but only on paying close attention, when I was resting. I wasn't sure that was my baby, gas or my mind. But at 21 weeks I have started feeling definite kicks/fists! Its a mild lovely feeling. The pregnancy feeling is finally sinking in! However the kicks are too mild. So the husband will have to wait for them...for a few more weeks I guess!

Well, that's a lot for today!  Soon I intend to write about traveling when pregnant, and more about Iron and Calcium...