Downturn

Well it's arrived, and sooner than it did with my pregnancy with Brett. The downturn towards the third trimester. Granted I'm not QUITE there yet...tomorrow I hit 25 weeks, but I'm close to the last 3rd of the journey.

It started about 3 weeks ago, when I began having problems putting my rings on because my fingers had started swelling. Well, I'd have hit and miss days where I was able to wear them until the middle of last week. Yep, ALREADY the rings are on a chain around my neck for the remainder of my pregnancy. I think I hit this mark around 28-30 weeks with Brett, however I was also much skinnier starting pregnancy last time.

I've also noticed my face swelling a little bit, and my features, like my nose, starting to widen (this all happened the first time around too). Makes me a little bummed for sure when I apply makeup in the morning. And the belly has started to take on a life of it's own. I feel it grows another foot each day. Again, same thing I experienced the first time around.

But the real kicker happened when I went to my OB appointment last Wednesday. I gained the most this past month and it made me depressed. Now, I know I NEED to be gaining for the baby, I do. But, ever since I'd stepped on the scale during my first appointment and realized my STARTING weight, I've been SUPER conscious to eat better so I don't get too big and I made a mental note to whip myself into shape after baby girl is born. Chances are we aren't having any more kiddos, so it's not like I am anticipating another pregnancy. I still own my size 2/4 jeans, and darnit, I WANT to wear them again. But, that totally bummed me out.

And, then the worst part of the appointment was when my OB told me that she is getting concerned about my blood pressure. Over the last 2 appointments, I have gone in and have registered a high reading, which has prompted the nurse to have me lay down and rest for about 5 minutes before she retook a lower reading. Again, this is EXACTLY the pattern that started mid pregnancy with me when I was pregnant with Brett. And, my pregnancy with Brett didn't exactly end nicely. That swelling I talked about earlier? Yeah, I swelled up to the size of the stay puff marshmallow man near the end due to pre-eclampsia, which put me on bedrest for a week before I was induced at 37 weeks. My blood pressure had also gotten way ridiculous.

So, since the doc is catching this early this time, I bought a home blood pressure monitor so I can take my reading once a day or so. I asked if I should take it easier and cut out high sodium foods, and she said it didn't really matter at this point. If I'm going to get pre-eclampsia, it's going to happen regardless of my lifestyle. Anyway, I've fallen into a bit of dispair and have started eating horrible junk like I did during my first pregnancy. I'm going to try to be better today and eat a healthy lunch, but it's hard to stay positive when I know that no matter what I do, if I'm going to get pre-eclampsia, I'm just gonna get it. And, it's hard to talk rational sense into my pregnant head sometimes. Oh well, I need to stop complaining and just let nature take it's course...while trying to stay positive and making myself eat better, of course. Is it August 31st yet?