How far along? 34 weeks.
How big is baby? More than 4.5 lbs and almost 18 inches, which is seems huge and tiny all at one.
Total weight gain: +21 lbs.
Updates: Same old, same old. Baby is growing, my belly is growing. I’m pretty uncomfortable. I have way more contractions than I did last time at this stage, but hoping the baby stays firmly in for the next 6 weeks! Instead of the usual tired list of updates, I wanted to do something a little different this week.
Let’s talk about how my pregnancies have compared with each other:
Last time: I found myself surprised to be pregnant after 2.5 years of marriage. I was scared, but it eventually gave way to excitement.
This time: I found myself terrified to be pregnant after 2 pregnancy losses in a row. I was nervous all the time, but it eventually gave way to excitement.
Last time: I loved sugary cereal and watermelon, hated lettuce, had awesome skin, and was pretty nauseous for the first 12 weeks, but with only a handful of times actually hugging the toilet bowl.
This time: I love sugary cereal and watermelon, and was quite sick for the first 22 weeks, despite a regimen of B6 and Unsiom. Got two prescriptions for Zofran when I couldn’t stop throwing up.
Last time: We took 12 weeks of 2 hour classes to prepare for childbirth. Read half a dozen books about childbirth. Really focused on preparing for a water birth without pain medication. Practiced pain management and deep breathing with Mike. Increased my protein to crazy amounts as per the Brewer’s diet.
This time: Said, “Hey, do you think we should prepare for the having the baby part at all?” to Mike then looked at one of my childbirth books for 20 minutes. Contemplate my pain relief options that are of the drug variety.
Last time: Didn’t know where we’d be moving until 2 weeks before. Packed up everything and unpacked it all while 7 months pregnant.
This time: Not moving. Going to stay in a 2-bedroom apartment just so we don’t have to pack and unpack.
Last time: Ran until about half way through pregnancy, then walked a few miles several times a week. Prenatal yoga classes in person and on Netflix as well as regular person Pilates or 30 Day Shred or whatever I felt like.
This time: Ran until about halfway through pregnancy, now can’t walk more than a mile or two a time without feeling like my pelvic bone is breaking in half. Prenatal yoga nearly daily to try to help with this.
Last time: Went to the chiropractor twice. Was too expensive and far away. Stopped going.
This time: Went to the chiropractor twice a week, now once a week. The hydrotherapy table is my quiet alone time for the week. Chiropractic treatment is important in this period. Treatment should be done by good chiropractor like chiropractic Singapore.
Last time: Did a ton of research on hospitals and practitioners before deciding on a birthing center at a hospital and a midwife practice. Stayed with them even after we moved, drove 45 minutes to the hospital in labor.
This time: Found the only all-female OB practice in the area and did no research, aside from the c-section rates at both local hospitals. It will be a 4 minute drive when I’m in labor.
Last time: Worked 40 hours a week until the day I went into labor, with an hour commute each way for the last month. Wanted to have a baby mostly so I could go on maternity leave and stop the commute.
This time: Working like crazy (I increased my hours by 25%!). Planning to work up until the day I go into labor, but from home with a glorious 10 second commute. Looking forward to maternity leave, but also nervous about working out child care and getting new projects afterward.
Last time: Everyone told me how I’d never sleep, how hard the newborn days were, how life is changing forever, and their childbirth horror stories.
This time: Everyone tells me the same things and I smile and say, “I already have a 3-year-old. You don’t get to scare me.” (Well, okay, I just say the first part.)
Last time: I was scared I’d lose myself after becoming a mother.
This time: I’m scared I’ll lose my quality time with my beloved firstborn.
Last time: I was super excited to meet the baby growing inside of me.
This time: I am super excited to meet the baby growing inside of me, and get a little teary-eyed when I think about meeting this child who we’ve been through such a bumpy road to get into our arms. Plus, this time I have that first little baby who is now a sweet 3-year-old who clasps his hands and squeals, “I am so essited for dis baby to come!” which only amplifies the awesomeness.
Photo by Gabe. (!)
Weeks 33 + 34 with Gabe.
Wait, Gabe took that photo? That’s awesome!
This is a hilarious last time/this time comparison. Yes to all of it. Go pain meds!
Oh, Gabe. I love his excitement. He’s going to be an amazing big brother. And you will be a wonderful, caring mother for the second time. xo
I love this essay, Ash! Really good writing :)
So funny to see how the pregnancies compared. I don’t like to see how much sicker you are with number 2… I could barely handle my first experience ugh! I can’t wait for all the cuteness of your two kiddos. I have decided I think you are having a boy by the way. Just my guess :)
You look great! I have three children and it’s interesting how each pregnancy was so different. Having a child when I was 35 was definitely different than doing it at 25 as far as my body went.
So interesting how your pregnancies are so similar but still so different! Can’t wait for this baby and DEFINITELY can’t wait to see Gabe as a big brother!!
You’re looking great, Ashley! Love the comparison … especially the “loving sugary cereal and watermelon” … begs the question whether you like those foods when you’re not pregnant, too!!! =)
Hiya, first time pregnant obsessive lady here! Just curious as to why you have decided to birth in a hospital with pain meds and an OB this go round vs the midwife birthing center experience? I know that’s a very personal question, but we are trying to decide which route we want to take for our first and I’m obsessively trying to get details and advice from veterans of birthing centers such as yourself? I’m very nervous about going without an epidural ! Thanks for your input. :) btw Gabe is turning into quite the photog!
I am going to answer this publicly in case anyone else comes across this post and wonders! :)
The short answer: we moved and there are less options in this new place.
The long answer: I LOVED my experience with my son’s birth. LOVED. It was everything I hoped for. I’m glad I spent so much time researching hospitals (he was born at a birth center attached to a hospital) and then decided to go with a midwife practices with that hospital. I’m glad we took 12 weeks of intense childbirth classes. I very much wanted to avoid a c-section primarily because breastfeeding was important to me and there *can be* more difficulties with supply after a c-section. I also wanted to avoid a c-section with my first so that way it would be less difficult with subsequent to have a vaginal birth. The whole med-free thing was sort of something I decided later, but was never insanely gung-ho about. Avoiding paid meds was ideal, because I wanted to feel as much a part of the experience as possible and pain meds often affect me in a way I don’t feel comfortable with. It wasn’t my hill to die on or anything, but I hoped to. So I chose a hospital and birthing classes that were conducive to that goal. And I sort of just wanted to see if I could do it!
I did it and it was hard but amazing. I am SO glad I did it.
So now I have an all-female OB practice (no midwives on my insurance plan here) and am giving birth at one of the only two hospitals (both large, teaching hospitals) in my city. I just have less choice. And I stuck with the OB because she saw me through 2 miscarriages last year and was amazing. Why am I considering the epidural this time? Because it was hard to go without. Haha. But! I also hear the second time can be faster/easier, so we shall see. Also, there’s less of a chance now that an epidural would lead to stalled progress & a c-section since this isn’t my first baby.
Phew. That was a long answer. Good luck!
Thanks so much for your reply! I wish you a super fast and easy second delivery. ;)
The comparison between pregnancy is adorable. Love chiropractic treatment. There are also affordable ones.
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