Go Embryo Go [Part III]: Third Trimester

As we approached the 3^rd trimester, I could feel myself getting a little slower especially on my runs. I was still able to run up to 5 miles the first part of the 3^rd trimester then had to bring it down to 3-4 miles at a time. Exercise has been a large part of surviving a big change in my life and has kept me mentally in shape as well (more on that in a later post). In fact, the first part of the 3^rd trimester, we spent in Jackson, WY on a family vacation with my husband’s family. A place none of us had ever been and didn’t really know what to expect. We certainly crammed in a lot and only scratched the surface of God’s impeccable landscape! 

The 2^nd day we were there, my husband and I were motivated to run and hike an 8-mile trail to a waterfall. We ran 4.5 miles of it and we both felt GREAT (aside from dehydration). I did forget the water bottles we packed so after making it to the beautiful waterfall, we began to feel a little dehydrated for the 2+ mile hike back. When we got close to the starting point, we dipped our legs into the crisp lake water. It was cold but felt so good considering how hot the day was getting. When hiking, it’s best to start early and while we didn’t start bright and early, we started early enough to barely survive the heat in the end. In fact, my husband nearly blacked out and got to some hydration just in time…well, maybe not “some,” He bought a gallon of water and chugged it. 

If you have never been to Wyoming, you will not be disappointed. We really had no clue what to expect and had a wonderful, memorable family vacation. The last family vacation with my in-laws was in Hawaii and of course when you go places like that you wonder how you can top it? My husband and I love traveling especially to different places each time even though we want to go back to the last place we thought we couldn’t top…like our late honeymoon to Bora Bora.  It was our very first vacation together (1.5 years after our wedding) and at that time, we wondered how do we top that?! You don’t. We later went to New Zealand and thought the same thing, then went to Greece. The unique landscapes of God’s creation made every place AMAZINGLY beautiful and unforgettable and we didn’t even have to go outside the country. We LOVE spending long weekends traveling to different cities like we have been while carrying Baby Dill. 

The remainder of the Jackson Hole, Wyoming trip was spent with more exploring and adventures from my husband parasailing to hiking down from the peak of Mountain Rendezvous (starting at 10,450 feet) about 2 miles which felt like 5! It was a scary hike and the fact that my husband said it was scarier than running off the mountain with a chute, made me think, it was probably not a smart idea for a woman at 29 weeks pregnant. We promised our family we wouldn’t do anything crazy, but for the first time in my life, I would say, “that was not a smart adventure decision.” We really couldn’t turn around when it got tough, so we managed by not looking down or over the trail and I slid on my bottom a couple of times just to get down the climbs. We went on this trail because we thought it was graded moderately “easy” while still providing magnificent views. Plus, someone told us they took their 5-year old on this trail. Let me just save you right now…if you’re in Jackson, WY, with young kids, (especially those that are clumsy or do not have good core or balance), or if you are pregnant (I think it’s ok early on, just not when your belly is poking out – not as flexible), do not take the “moderate” Cirque Trail! The trail around Jenny Lake is long, but beautiful and mostly flat except when you get to the small hike up to the Hidden Falls waterfall. We have quickly realized "moderate" has different meanings on each trail. There is an “All Trails” app you can download for mobile that will allow you to search trails for hiking, running, and biking. It also provides reviews and descriptions such as the trail condition, elevations, and more. I would say to also pay attention to your oxygen when pregnant at higher elevations to make sure you’re breathing okay for you and baby before hiking or sticking around at the top of the mountain. We took a tram up Rendezvous Mountain and got the famous waffle experience (which wasn’t appealing to my brother-n-law because they didn’t serve syrup with their waffles and he made it loud and clear…I didn’t blame him because I was honestly looking for syrup, too).

Cirque Trail, Hike from Rendezvous Mountain Jackson, WY

After a couple of high adventure days, I have to say, I felt pretty exhausted for the first time in my pregnancy which carried over when I got back home as well. We did get in some low-key adventures downtown Jackson shopping, the famous Rodeo, a cool art gallery, the magnificent Yellowstone National Park (be sure to download their app for live Geyser times and more), and even the renowned Bar J Chuckwagon (which was VERY entertaining despite the food that was “okay” – you get your money’s worth from the entertainment). It’s definitely a trip worth going back to especially in the winter with the snow (I’d love to do some snowshoeing!). 

Our last trip was at 34 weeks and off to the wine country and peaceful small town outside of Portland, Oregon for a business/leisure trip. It was a business trip, but we again experienced the scrumptious and fresh food of the west coast. For the first time, we didn’t cram a lot in and instead enjoyed the spa resort, a couple wineries, and daily business excursions. We were able to workout daily at the gym and cool down with a swim. It was our last trip together as a couple before the birth of our baby and we truly took advantage of our get away with lots of relaxation. 

Fox Winery, Oregon

Our last month of the 3^rd trimester from 36 weeks on, my husband and I spent every possible moment together because we kept hearing how our little family was getting ready to change drastically. We slept in on the weekends and stayed in bed listening to therapeutic classical music (sometimes carried a Christmas tune – yes, October is super early for that!).  We also found ourselves cruising the internet, reading, and being lazy with our fur baby before we face the days of insomnia or lack of sleep. I still kept up my routine of running 3x/week and taking long walks/hikes with my little family. We had a few showers by family and friends and even our work families. I spent time getting things checked off my to-do list:

Pre-Baby “To Do” List:

-       Develop a list of people to call after birth or make the announcement
-       Create a schedule for family visits if you prefer to have some control over the visitations
-       Nursery preparations along with washing clothes, bottles, pacifiers (I did not realize we had to boil everything before use!)
-       Organize and clean house
-       Put up Christmas Décor the first weekend of November
 

I never planned anything of this until the end – not good timing I know! We had several fun deliveries of furniture we had on order and did a little decorating to cozy up our home. We soaked in the tub, got regular massages and I continued on with prenatal yoga. We also spent quality time with friends before our schedules would get chaotic. 

Despite being very uncomfortable with the crowded space causing my upper back to hurt, especially while sitting, I actually found myself eating and feeling better and actually enjoying being pregnant more than my first 2 trimesters. One thing I would say to keep in mind is that every pregnant body is different and every pregnancy is different, so I can’t speak for every mommy-to-be. My tip for 3^rd trimester is to ENJOY every moment especially with your love (whether your spouse, your fur babies, human babies). There’s not really anything I would change at this point of my pregnancy. Of course, if the Baby came early, I probably would have wished that my bag would be ready. I keep remembering the saying, “you’ll never be ‘ready’.” 

Making the most of our last, full weekend together...spent
Sunday (4 days til due date) to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather on a family hike. 

As we wait to meet Baby D (which still seems so unreal, overwhelming, and crazy to think we will have a human baby soon!), I thank God for this miracle, this blessing, and of course, my supportive family and our friends. It’s so hard to grasp the time frame from the day we got the phone call in the car that we were “very” pregnant, to this last trimester. Never in a million years did I think I’d have a belly with a human inside and to have carried this human throughout our travels and our runs, our hikes…our crazy adventures. I never dreamed of looking down to see and feel all the limbs rolling around, karate chopping, or simply squirming inside. Hearing the heartbeat and seeing the monthly ultrasounds proved the miracle growing inside has to be created by our Father. And now, as we wait…we pray for this child entering the world. We pray for the labor and delivery, the doctors/nurses and us as we endure the last leg of this pregnancy journey. One. Day. At. A. Time.

Third Trimester Tips:

1)    Make time for RELAXATION (between all the adventures of course)!
2)    Treat yourself (spa dates, massages, pedi/mani, yoga, soak in a tub) whether alone, with friends, and/or your significant other.
3)    Take a birthing class. We hesitated at first then after we went, we were SO glad we took the time to do a full day class…SUPER helpful!
4)    Be lazy on the weekends. That means, don’t schedule a lot your last month. I made sure my husband and I didn’t plan anything on the weekends so we could enjoy one another even if it was occasionally with friends.
5)    Enjoy time with friends. We mostly did this during the week to break up the work week.
6)    Take long walks if your body allows. No phones, no distractions, just a little peace and quiet whether alone, with a friend, or your significant other.
7)    Ladies, I made sure I kept up with grooming such as shaving, doing my nails, getting hair done, and even getting our puppy groomed.
8)    Keep a clean house.
9)    Prep baby stuff. Such as washing bottles/pacifiers, clothes, blankets, sheets, etc.
10) Car seat check! I did this with our local fire department and learned SO much! I had no idea about the difference between the latch and using a seat belt (let’s just say, seatbelts are highly rated and safer for any weight according to car crash testing).
11) Get a pediatrician! I almost waited too late for this one but luckily, many friends of ours referred us to the same pediatrician so that made our choice easier and less stressful!
12) Pack your bag! There are lots of videos and tips online and learned in birthing class on what to pack. Some things I didn’t think of: snacks for you and your significant other, oil diffuser and other modalities to help with distraction, heating pad, clean baby clothes, and more.
13) There are many more tips but when signing up for pregnancy milestone apps (I just used one: Baby Center), you’ll get updates as you progress on your journey. We combined all our registries under Babylist which also sends email updates. From these sources, you will get more tips and articles you might want to read for additional advice. Don’t overwhelm yourself with lots of apps and websites though.