WOW! I can hardly believe I’m actually reviewing our third trimester! Looking back, I now feel as though our first and second trimesters were really low-key, while our third trimester has centered on a lot of planning, organizing, and preparation! Today, we have just about one month remaining, and I’m sure I’ll be in disbelief until we finally meet our Teeny girl!
Second Trimester of Pregnancy: Weeks 28-36
Week 28 of Pregnancy
Week 28 began the day after our baby shower — a special day celebrating Teeny’s upcoming arrival with family and friends. In Week 28, the second trimester energy wore off quickly, and I began feeling really tired again. Soon, I was only able to do one “big activity” per day — like go to the garden store, or go to a coffee shop — before needing rest or even a nap.
On Saturday of Week 28, we had an unexpected power outage due to a very strong winter storm, so I spent the day unpacking from our baby shower and getting as organized as I could. All-in-all, I learned how to balance rest with productivity, which doesn’t always come naturally!
Week 29 of Pregnancy
In Week 29, Ben returned home from his yearly trip to Tucson, Arizona. Every year, he visits a friend for hiking, mountain biking, and Arizona sunshine. We were able to go together last year, which was so much fun. Maybe we’ll go with Teeny in 2024!
Usually Ben and I do all of our cooking and cleaning together, but he’s been managing everything for us since we learned about Teeny. With Ben away, I definitely struggled and found myself relying on our favorite salad place, Crisp & Green, more than I planned!
Week 30 of Pregnancy
In Week 30, I was in a “work cave” completing the new Showit website template collection for With Grace and Gold. I found myself so engaged with work, I can hardly remember anything else! I believe around Week 30, sleeping became more challenging to do, so I returned to my original pregnancy pillow and added a pillow below my growing bump. It seems silly to look back now and think my bump was “really big” knowing now how much it would grow and grow week after week!
Week 31 of Pregnancy
In Week 31, Ben and I attended the first two of three baby classes we chose. The first class, on Sunday, was a comprehensive review of everything from labor to newborn care. We spent the entire day at a local hospital learning about everything from labor positions and diaper changes to car seat safety and beyond.
The second class, on Wednesday evening, was a labor skills class — a hands-on class where we learned about pain management and labor positions. Ben and I made the critical error of going on a dinner date right before our class, not knowing we’d be moving around so much in class. My stomach was cramping from all the movement — and we ended up crying from laughing so hard as we struggled to maneuver. 😂
I’m really so glad we chose to attend baby classes together because (A) Ben and I agreed we wanted to learn everything we could together — so we could have the same foundation of experience, and be able to help each other in the midst of so much newness, and (B) I’ve found, in practically every situation, learning and preparation always help me to feel less anxious!
Week 32 of Pregnancy
In Week 32, we took an online sleep class — the well-known and highly-recommended Taking Cara Babies! We were able to watch every module in just one day, and we really enjoyed the tangible takeaways — like checklists and acronyms to help us recall what we learned. During Week 32, we also finalized our stroller and car seat decisions, after much test driving, comparison shopping, and deliberation. 😅
Week 33 of Pregnancy
In Week 33, we took our final class: Infant CPR. We started the day with a coffee date, and then attended our half-day CPR class. This class was also extremely hands-on, and I’m so glad we took the class. Not only did we learn about Infant CPR, but we also learned about adult CPR, and how I could help Ben or Ben could help me during pregnancy.
After our class, we went to the Saint Paul Farmers’ Market — because farmers’ market season had just begun in Minnesota! The weather was a little dreary, but we had a nice walk and enjoyed being outdoors!
Week 34 of Pregnancy
In Week 34, we had Courtney, Anthony, and Harper as visitors here in Minnesota. We had really special quality time together and, of course, we focused our weekend on food, food, and more food. In Week 34 we also had one final ultrasound, and Teeny was right on track in terms of growth. Apparently, she may have a head full of hair which is so sweet to think about!
Week 35 of Pregnancy
On Sunday, we celebrated my very first Mother’s Day! I don’t think I expected how wonderful and peaceful the day would be — especially because I wasn’t 100% sure we’d be celebrating Mother’s Day until after Teeny’s arrival.
We started the day with our favorite weekend meal — blueberry waffles! Ben gifted me a card and a gold necklace with a heart and a tiny ‘T’ for Teeny. We went out for coffee, and then our dear friend Lauren of Lauren Kirkbride Photography came over to capture some final maternity photos for us! (See below!) With flowers from our photo session, Ben arranged a bouquet, which was so kind! It was such a special and peaceful day from beginning to end.
In Week 35, our crib was delivered! It took Ben about 45 minutes to assemble (Which, amazingly, is how much time the directions estimated!) and I cheered him on from the rocking chair! 😅 It feels like everything we have for Teeny is an app, but this app-connected-crib is probably my favorite! It bounces gently, plays white noise, and has a monitor, too. It also converts from a bassinet to a crib and can grow with her! Setting up her crib was our “final” Teeny-to-do. Having her crib has made her upcoming arrival feel even more real!
Week 36 of Pregnancy
In Week 36, we are having our final family visitors to Minnesota — at least prior to Teeny’s arrival! I am so excited. We’re hoping to spend the weekend planting flowers on our patio, knowing we’ll be spending a lot of time around the house this summer!
Over these past few weeks, I’ve definitely slowed down quite a bit and I’ve found myself needing more rest than ever before. In just one week from now, we enter the “could give birth anytime” window, and Ben and I both have a feeling she’ll arrive earlier than her due date. I’m getting Braxton Hicks rather frequently, having trouble sleeping, and feeling more and more mentally prepared for what’s ahead!
More Motherhood Posts
I’m sharing more about our journey in my Motherhood category. There, I’m gathering up my favorite resources and documenting pregnancy week by week!
