Hello Third Trimester

Glucose, smucose. This morning was our official "welcome to the third trimester" appointment at the OBGYN. As a part of the proceedings I had to drink the bring red "fruit punch" beverage 45 minutes beforehand so my blood could be drawn to test my glucose levels. If I 'fail,' which apparently is not uncommon, I have to go back for the three hour glucose test which is really supposed to make you feel gross. I am hoping that swigging the ice cold red juice, which wasn't as bad as I expected, will be the final step of this test and I pass with flying colours. Here's to not getting a call in the next couple of days which would indicate a pass.

J came to this appointment too to hear all the information. We heard about signs of pre-term labour and how to check for baby's movements if he seems unusually quiet. We heard her recommendations for organizing some post birth care or help for when we get home, and she made it very clear that I, Mum, am to do nothing for the first two weeks except be with the baby. It was funny to see J's face when she went through the specifics, "you are not to be cooking, or cleaning, or doing things around the house etc." I am glad that j heard this perspective, and can begin to get his head more clearly around the fact that the baby will be nursing (Please God) around the clock and so I will not be getting long blocks of sleep as well as having my body healing from the delivery itself. However, I did think it was a little over the top, now i do not plan on being a hero, and if those first couple of weeks are as rough as she put out there then I will gladly claim my spot on the couch, but if I feel up to going to church, or going to a friends house for a change of scenery, then I am not going to convince myself otherwise.

I am not sure if it's a US vs UK thing, or a generational thing but I feel as though I never grew up with new mums who avoided getting back to normal activity to lay around doing nothing but feeding a baby. (Granted, I do understand that "laying around and feeding a baby" may be considerably more work than I could ever anticipate, but I saw mum's doing it just fine while out and about very soon after the birth and they seemed to do it just fine. That whole scenario will be safe in the "wait and see" file until the birth happens, but it did feel funny to hear the medical expectation for what I should and shouldn't do post birth.

The nurse practitioner also started to talk to us about post baby contraception.  That was out of left field, trying to have a baby fro son long has meant that we haven't even been thinking about that subject for the majority of our marriage - I especially loved feeling the way J was squirming in his seat across the room as she began her very clinical explanations of post baby issues and such like. I guess this was a good insight for him into what girl talk about with the doctor! ha ha! It was interesting because for us it brought us the very start of conversations about the future, and more kids? Do we even want to try again? And when? The official doctor spiel is that waiting a year is best for your body...only a year?!!!! I am not sure J and I will even be holding hands again after a year once I have pushed a baby outta down there, but still. Good conversation to begin thinking and praying about. There are no guarantees that we would even be able to have another baby, and are we open to dealing with another loss? Many questions. I think this pregnancy has made us forget some of what went before it, and made us feel somewhat like we are able to make the decision to have another baby anytime we want. But we know deep down it is unlikely to be that simple. This is another piece of our lives and our family we have to give over to the Lord, but we may help him out a little by covering our bases so to speak for right after the baby is born so no Irish twins happen for these Blochers.

So here we are 27 weeks today, baby measuring right on track,with a solid heartbeat in the 150's,  mama measuring in the normal range for weight gain, and with low blood pressure so we're all good.

Praying that we can continue to prepare our hearts for what's ahead. I think J and I are handling the impending parenthood differently which is, well, not always easy. I think that might deserve it's own post. So for now, I am signing off, and getting some left over pizza for lunch :)