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August 17, 2017

26 Week Pregnancy Update

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It’s time for another pregnancy update! I’m 26 weeks now, and earlier this week for the first time I had someone get up and offer me their seat on the metro! So apparently it’s official – I legit look pregnant. 🙂 Check out the previous posts first if you missed them:

  • Sharing our big news
  • 1st trimester recap/Q&A post
  • Boy or girl?!
  • 16 Week Pregnancy Update (all the emotions, all the carbs)
  • 18 Week Pregnancy Update (all the sandwiches, not feeling the snoogle)
  • 20 Week Pregnancy Update (in the sweet spot + starting to feel movement flutters!)
  • 22 Week Pregnancy Update (still in the sweet spot!)
  • 24 Week Pregnancy Update (emotional roller coaster)

26 week pregnancy update

26 Week Pregnancy Update

Baby Size: A large zucchini! She’s almost 2 pounds now.

Symptoms: I’m starting to depart the sweet spot 2nd trimester phase where you feel mostly good physically… I mentioned earlier this week that I’ve been having some hip/lower back/glute pain (mostly dull, but with some sharp twinges). Thank you for all the helpful tips! I have reached out to both a PT and a chiropractor in the area who specialize in prenatal/women’s health… hoping one of them can help!

Other than that, though, physically I’m slowing down a lot but mostly still feeling good, so hoping it continues!

Currently Missing: Fun trips. I’ve had to turn down a lot of invitations to cool events/trips in the fall/winter… obviously it’s very well worth it, but it’s still hard not to have some FOMO feelings. I also get a lot of my work-related energy and enthusiasm on trips/from networking with others, and I haven’t been out and about much lately, so that’s made me less pumped about work stuff, too. My summer/fall is usually INSANE with travel, and while it’s exhausting at times, I thrive on that! Trying to embrace slowing down… but when I have too much time on my hands, instead of getting more done, I ironically tend to be less inspired and get LESS done. Is anyone else like this?

Sleep: Still needing lots of sleep, which is challenging with the dogs and also because sleep is getting more uncomfortable and seems to exacerbate my hip pain. I reintroduced the snoogle this week… I still don’t like the head part (I’d rather use my own pillow) and I hate how MASSIVE it is, but it did seem to prop up my hips better so I’m not really tilted like I was with just a normal thin pillow between my legs. That said, any recs for leg pillows that are much smaller/more maneuverable than the snoogle but still good for pregnancy? I’d love one about half the length so I can just use it for my legs.

Cravings and favorite foods: Still loving fresh, summery stuff – the juicier the better! Peaches are so good right now… as are summer tomatoes. Still loving raw veggies too. I’ve also been craving savory comfort foods – these homemade BBQ wings with waffle sweet potato fries (I forget what brand they were, but I bought them at Mom’s Organic Market) we had last week were delicious!

homemade wings

Food aversions: Nothing too intense right now – I do seem to go through phases where I’m really into something, though, and then I don’t want it again for awhile.

Exercise: I’m still getting in some sort of movement pretty much every day of the week, and sticking with my routine of a few classes (usually 1 to 2 strength boot camps and 1 yoga class) plus lots of walking (with occasional brief jogging spurts – although now that it’s really humid and warm again I’m not feeling the jogging anymore), a swim here and there, and hiking. Exercise doesn’t seem to hurt the hip pain situation, and it definitely improves my mood, so I figure I might as well keep it up. The exception is too much walking with my heavy work backpack, which does not seem to be my hip’s friend right now. On days I work downtown I end up walking about 4 to 5 miles between commuting, meeting friends for lunch, walking the dogs, etc. I may have to start taking cabs home to skip the final walk (uphill and with the heavy backpack) because I end up getting home so exhausted I’m worthless the rest of the night.

Mood: Hit or miss. I’m feeling better than I was when I wrote my last update, but in general still feeling a little blah. As I mentioned, I’m at kind of a weird place with work right now where I don’t feel super motivated or inspired because I don’t have any interesting side projects going on, but then I also don’t want to start up anything new/time consuming only to have to pause it in a few months. So… yeah. Meh.

Maternity clothes: I bought myself some new Brooks tanks for workouts, but they are just regular ones in larger sizes. So nothing new here really!

Reading: Still working my way through Bringing Up Bebe!

Buying: Nothing quite yet, but we are currently in the process of turning Matt’s office into the baby’s room! (The guest room downstairs has been turned into his new office, and we put our guest room bed in the attic for now.) We are going to start looking at baby furniture and decorations this weekend – it will be fun to start getting things set up. I think it might make all of this feel more real!

Excited about: The fact that Matt can now feel the baby move!! He felt her for the first time earlier this week. Such a cool, special moment. 🙂

I’m also excited because it appears I passed my glucose screening test (for gestational diabetes) because it was last week and I still haven’t heard anything from my doctors. They said no news was good news, so hooray!

Thank you for reading and sharing in this special time with us! My next update will be at 28 weeks. Until then!

—

Please note there are affiliate links in this post.

- anne
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28 Week Pregnancy Update

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24 Week Pregnancy Update

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32 comments
  • Ashley August 17, 2017 · 11:16AM:
    Due date buddy here! Well, almost...I'm due two days after you. :) Somehow I went from being jealous at how much you were showing early on in the pregnancy to now feeling pretty sure that my belly is larger than yours! Apparently I caught up and then some. I'm so impressed with you keeping up the daily workouts...I'm lucky if I fit in 3 per week. Definitely starting to feel a lag in energy these days after feeling so good for most of the 2nd tri. Also, the heartburn....oy! It doesn't sound like you've had to deal with that yet, so be thankful for that. It's the WORST. Love following along on your journey and comparing notes!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 3:55PM:
      Oh yay, congratulations! My bump gets larger and larger throughout the day - I need to start taking these pictures at night instead of morning! I feel really lucky I haven't had any heartburn issues (knock on wood) yet... I'm sorry you are dealing with that!!
      Reply
  • Kori
    August 17, 2017 · 11:49AM:
    Yay for passing the pesky glucose test! I'm sorry the "sweet spot" is starting to fade a little, but I hope you find relief from the PT. I like to stay busy too. If I have too much time on my hands, then I think too much and fall out of rhythm (if that makes sense). There's definitely a fine line between too much and too little to do for me. :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 3:54PM:
      Totally agree on the fine line!
      Reply
  • Shan August 17, 2017 · 11:59AM:
    I had the same issues with the snoogle. By the end I used it daily, but I had the same hip and sciatica issues as you are having. Doesn't that feel good to know you aren't alone in that!? I used a regular bed pillow between my knees, a small very firm pillow behind my back to lean against and my normal pillow for my head.
    Reply
  • Beth August 17, 2017 · 12:13PM:
    I feel like that all the time. When I'm busy it makes me want to do more and plow through. Less busy I feel I have all of the time and just not into anything. For the snoogle issue - what about trying a bolster pillow instead?
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 3:54PM:
      It's sounding like a boppy pillow may be a good fit!
      Reply
  • Amber
    August 17, 2017 · 1:21PM:
    I totally understand the FOMO! We usually attend the Philadelphia Folk Festival, I've been going for the past 8 years, and it started today! I am so sad not to be there, but I knew it wasn't a great place for an 8 month pregnant lady. Congrats on passing your glucose test :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 3:53PM:
      Yeah... probably the right call, although bummer to miss out! Congratulations on your impending new arrival! :)
      Reply
    • Amber
      August 17, 2017 · 4:01PM:
      Thank you :D
      Reply
  • TrackBuddy August 17, 2017 · 3:56PM:
    Why not just cut the top off the snoogle to get the length that you want (and throw in a quick hand-hem to keep it from disintegrating)? This will mark the first but definitely not the last time that motherhood will cause you to randomly improvise something. ;-)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 4:04PM:
      Lol that's not a bad idea... thinking I might just try to return it and give another smaller pillow a shot instead, though!
      Reply
  • Liz August 17, 2017 · 6:37PM:
    I used a hoppy pregnancy pillow and it was primarily under belly and between my knees. I used my regular pillow for my head. You may also try a combination of regular pillows to support where you need them! It's money well spent figure out how to rest comfortably! Also, I ended up having to have c-sections for both my girls, so slept with the pillows during the early days of recovery. Plenty of use to justify getting the right props ☺️
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 17, 2017 · 6:55PM:
      Just purchased a boppy since a few of you recommended it - excited and hoping it's a better, less cumbersome fit! :)
      Reply
      • Lindsay August 18, 2017 · 3:11PM:
        Yes! Not sure which you ordered, but I was going to recommend this one https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Pregnancy-Slipcover-Scalloped-Trellis/dp/B01N06ZFIX/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1503083384&sr=8-3&keywords=pregnancy%2Bpillow%2Bwedge%2Bfor%2Bside%2Bsleeping&th=1. Hope you get some relief!
        Reply
        • Anne
          August 18, 2017 · 5:40PM:
          I ordered a slightly bigger one - I'll put this on the list in case I don't like the one I got, though! Thank you!
          Reply
  • Liz August 17, 2017 · 7:17PM:
    *boppy* no to hoppy! ??
    Reply
  • Allison August 17, 2017 · 9:20PM:
    Just a tip-I recently learned that if you put a pillow between your knees, you need to have the same space between you ankles in order to keep your alignment or you could be making alignment problems worse!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 18, 2017 · 9:48AM:
      That is good to know - my current regular pillow just props my knees, not my ankles! Hoping the boppy I just ordered will be the solution. :)
      Reply
  • Kris S August 18, 2017 · 3:50AM:
    I'm totally like that too- I'm having a hard time transitioning to 'unemployment/working from home' :( Missing the social interaction and also just waaaay less productive! Too much time means it's hard for me to schedule it myself, and also being too relaxed makes me just blah. Hmpf. Good luck balancing things, maybe it's a comfort to know that you'll be busy for the next 18 years really soon so.. enjoy the downtime while it lasts?!?! :P
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 18, 2017 · 9:48AM:
      Oh man - I'm sorry to hear you're feeling the same way! Let me know if you figure out any solutions. :)
      Reply
      • Kris S August 18, 2017 · 9:50AM:
        Thanks, yes you too! For now I am sneaking into my old office and using spare desks while people are on vacation but that's not going to work forever. Wish I had a coworking space like you! Good luck with the pillow business.. hope you find something that helps!
        Reply
        • Anne
          August 18, 2017 · 9:53AM:
          Yeah, the co-working space definitely helps, but lately a lot of my friends I've made there have left so I feel like I'm not really interacting with people as much. Still nice to get out of the house, but not quite as social as I'd like!
          Reply
  • Sarah @ O-HI-30
    August 18, 2017 · 1:07PM:
    I'm not pregnant or a mother, but I just want to say how much I appreciate your honesty in this post and all of your posts. Your part about feeling "blah" is so real and true to life. It's hard to find people who will speak with such openness and vulnerability, and I applaud you for putting it out there. Thank you!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 18, 2017 · 5:41PM:
      Thank you for reading, Sarah!
      Reply
  • Desiree August 18, 2017 · 1:41PM:
    I used the Boppy pregnancy pillow and liked it. https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/boppy-reg-prenatal-support-pillow-w-jersey-slipcover-in-grey/1060097446?skuId=60097446&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_bedding_online&product_id=60097446&adtype=pla&product_channel=online&adpos=1o3&creative=43742631709&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwoNrMBRB4EiwA_ODYv2Jxt1NTMwyoaOEAU4MoxLin5J_fw3PHUxwkrtjblqH8WgIXPHF_phoCcuYQAvD_BwE
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 18, 2017 · 5:41PM:
      Oh good, that's the one I bought!
      Reply
  • Amy August 18, 2017 · 2:08PM:
    I tried a bunch of special pillows, but I ended up preferring a plain ole body pillow when I was pregnant. I used my regular pillow for my head and positioned the body pillow so I could hug it with my arms and legs. If I have something between my knees, I like to have something in my arms, too. :) It's still a little cumbersome to roll over, but much better than the Snoogle. I hope you find something that works for you!
    Reply
  • Eva August 18, 2017 · 8:44PM:
    so just a question about work... i'm not sure how it usually works in the blogosphere/self-employed zone-- what are your plans for "maternity leave" once the baby is born?? how do self-employed folk manage maternity leave? because it's not like you're getting paid maternity leave by an employer, so do a lot of self-employed folk still work through the first months postpartum (albeit fewer hours)? i can see it being both a pro & con. like you said, you have the flexibility to choose what projects to accept/turn down , but at the same time, your "salary" is more or less directly impacted by how much/what you're involved in.... just curious!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 21, 2017 · 10:37AM:
      Yeah, this is definitely a problem for those of us that are self employed! Like you said, flexibility is nice, especially early on, but at the same time, we often don't get the opportunity to 100% unplug from work, which is not ideal. I'm going to take a real break from my private practice client work for a couple months because I know I won't be able to schedule calls/meetings and/or be coherent at them for a little while, but I'm planning to keep the blog going - although I'm planning to dial down the frequency of posting, and just be more flexible with it in general. We'll see!
      Reply
  • Kath
    August 20, 2017 · 8:39AM:
    The week Mazen was due, I was invited to Norway, Italy and the Dr. Oz show. I was like GUYS, ANY OTHER TIME would have been great!! : ) Major FOMO then and in the year after when I couldn't (and didn't want to) leave.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 21, 2017 · 10:34AM:
      Oh MAN that's such a bummer!! So far I've turned down Denmark, Portugal, and then various US trips... FOMO!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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