third trimester things | baby five

when people ask how far along I am I want to respond with something along the lines of “800 weeks with 72 weeks left to go.”

I feel like this pregnancy has been the longest ever, yet the weeks have flown past in a blink of an eye. I’m definitely the most emotional I’ve ever been during pregnancy but as we prepare for our baby boy’s arrival I cannot help but feel a bit sentimental about this season being so close to over. I’ll never get to feel the baby stretch and movement in my belly after this, so, I am really doing my very best to embrace and enjoy these last weeks. baby boy is a BIG boy! we are well over 4 pounds and I get to see him frequently on the sonogram screen. he’s measuring about 2 weeks ahead of time, as he has for the last several months and I 100% feel the weight and girth of this belly. I’ve been saying it for months but I so closely relate this pregnancy to when I was carrying the twins. his placement is very low and its become difficult for me to even sit with my legs crossed or pull my legs up while I’m attempting to get comfortable to sleep. jeans SUCK, even my most comfortable full panel denim from Loft are uncomfortable after a couple hours of wear because my belly is basically between my legs- ha! leggings or pajamas pants are the most comfortable for me at this point.

oh.. sleep. whats that?? I’m running on about 3-4 hours of sleep at night. aside from constant baby bumps and tumbles in the womb at all hours of the night I have found it to be so hard to find a comfortable spot in the bed to fall asleep. this is also the first pregnancy I haven’t been able to use my beloved pregnancy pillow- it is the strangest thing because I lived for sleep and rest with my pillow in all my previous pregnancies- but this time around just doesn’t work for me. Jordan surely doesn’t mind that its not in the bed 🙂 bright side is that I’ve boosted my Netflix game and have made a good dent in the first couple seasons of 90210 and Gossip Girl in my newly accustomed night owl routine.

food is.. whatever. small high protein meals have been my focus and nearly every morning I start my day with hot tea and a protein smoothie and end my day with halloween candy in front of the television 🙂

dress // cardigan placenta previa is still a major concern with this pregnancy- I have continued to be monitored closely and go to the doctor weekly for sonograms and a check up on my symptoms. I haven’t experienced anything out of the ordinary and I’m really thankful for that. I’m in a weird period of time where things could go totally south and I would be in the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy in hopes to keep the baby from being delivered early or things could be completely fine and I’ll make it to delivery day without a single issue. its normal for women with PP to start having issues around the 30-32 week mark.

last week my OB had a MRI scheduled to get a better picture of exact placement of my placenta and if accreta is truly involved and the extent of it. it was a really long morning spent at the hospital but after it was over I was glad to have it done. I went to the doctor the following day and my OB walked into the room and hugged me tight. the MRI showed no signs of accreta AND that my placenta was 5mm off the scar wall. in her 25 years of practice she’s never seen this happen in a previa patient, especially with the extent that mine was at such an early point in pregnancy. it was scary and emotional and like nothing we ever expected to walk through.

I cried. again. for the 500th time over the last 30 weeks while sitting in front of her. this was such a relief and such good news. we’ve moved my delivery day back to early January.. if I make it that far. my OB doesn’t think (and neither do I) that I’ll get there on my own, but the chances of the baby having complications at birth due to premature delivery have been lowered tremendously.  we have been slowly working on the nursery and finally its coming together.. we had a ton of things in boxes and bins and donation piles while we updated the girls room so the nursery became a catch all space. now that their room is finally completed I’m so excited to get it his room done! we have all the “things”.. we just need to put them all together.

we have so many fun activities planned before baby comes in the next 8 weeks. thanksgiving, celebrating the twins turning 6 years old (cant believe that!), all the Christmas festivities, waking up on Christmas morning to four excited babes.. and Jordan decided this week that now was the best time to repaint the entire house! who is the one nesting here? him or me?? I’m not complaining because I’ve been asking for an indigo blue island in our kitchen for years and finally we’re doing it 🙂 here’s to enjoying the next 8 weeks growing our sweet baby.  

November 13, 2018

  1. Saira says:

    Hi Amber, I’m Saira, many year reader, first time commenter! I’m thrilled to hear all is looking good with #5. I couldn’t be more different to you, I’m Asian living in London, 35 and I’m expecting my first baby (little baby girl ruby) in jan, but despite all these differences the love you have for your family and joy that is evident in their faces has crossed all these traditional boundaries. I just wanted to say that. Emo 30 week pregnant lady ????????????‍♀️. From a selfish point of view it would be great to get a list of things you’re planning on using this time round, like pacifiers, bottles etc, although a lot of those things I might not be able to get shipped here, you never know.

    Take care x

    • amber says:

      Hey Saira! Yes, I’ll be putting together a group of items I plan to use and have loved in my previous deliveries and with the other babies!

  2. Mercedes Livingston says:

    Congrats! Thank God for answered prayers! I’m.sure you have sighed many sighs of relief! And, you look great!

  3. Bk says:

    I had a complete previa that moved to 1.8 away (so marginal vs low lying) and I did bleed at 35 weeks but it wasn’t horrifying amounts, i had an uncomplicated c section and my baby was healthy. We had a 7 day nursery stay but she is doing well now!

  4. Chrissy says:

    I have followed since the twins and just wanted to tell you my happy previa story. I was diagnosed with our second at 18 weeks and it stayed firmly at the bottom the entire time. We started watching for bleeds but made it incident free until 36 weeks. I ended up hemorrhaging after the first cut and I was put to sleep and had a partial hysterectomy. I ended up with placenta increta! The drs has never seen it but they were prepared and Emmy Love and I were reunited a short hour and a half later and I was walking later that night. No bleeds and baby was perfect! Good luck!!

    • amber says:

      Your story has me so emotional! I am so happy to hear all went well considering- thats very encouraging to hear! I’m so excited to meet our little guy!

  5. Brandee says:

    Wishing you the best! My baby boy was born 2 weeks ago at 35 weeks (water broke). Partial previa was involved and baby was transverse. We went in for c section and complete previa was actually found present, as well as total accreta, and an inverted uterus. It was a total mess to say the least but by the grace of God they were able to save everything enough and complete a tubal. But, long terrible story short, baby boy was delivered perfect. 4lbs of sweet delicious amazing little boy. 7 days in NICU, but he never needed breathing or feeding assistance! I have faith that your journey will go well, and that baby boy will be perfect and worth all the hassle and stress!

  6. Lindsey says:

    I’m in tears. I’m so emotional since having kids. An easy cry. You are so strong and show so much grace! I’m so happy that some of these dangers have cleared up. God is good

  7. First of all, I can NOT believe the girls are SIX!!! And second of all, I can NOT wait to see that Indigo Blue island. Glad everything is going well.