27 weeks today and what a week it’s been. I’m entering my third trimester and the final stretch of pregnancy.
27 WEEKS PREGNANCY UPDATE
Let’s cover baby boy first because he’s the most important one here.
- He’s anywhere from 13.6-14.8 inches and 1.5-2.5 pounds
- He looks like a thinner, smaller and redder version of what he will look like at birth
- Baby boy is breathing amniotic fluid and showing brain activity
- Gaining more fat to help regulate body temperature
- Lungs, liver and immune system aren’t fully developed but getting close
HOW I’M FEELING AT 27 WEEKS PREGNANT
This past week has by far been the hardest week of pregnancy for me on every single level from physical to emotional. While I had a great time in NYC, the busyness of the conference, the fitness classes I took and all the walking I did really took a toll on me. Getting sick on the way back was extra rough and I came home to dealing with a lot of personal stuff. I promise you an update on that soon but please give me some time to sort through it all myself.
I woke up on Monday morning and went to the bathroom. When I wiped there was blood covering the tissue and my heart immediately dropped. I haven’t had any bleeding during my pregnancy so this was alarming. I immediately called my doctor’s office and was instructed to head straight to labor and delivery.
I called Dorie and she was at my house within 10 minutes to take me to the hospital. I started to experience some cramping on the way there. I was told to go up to labor and delivery triage where I only filled out one quick form and was in a gown, in a bed and on monitors within 5 minutes. It was amazing how quickly it all went and I was grateful not to have to sit in the ER scared and surrounded by germs.
Dorie and I both started crying when we heard his heartbeat. I was also hooked up to a monitor for my uterus and after about 20 minutes of monitoring was told that I was contracting. They called the doctor on call from my practice and she came in to do an internal exam to check my cervix. The good news is that it was 100% closed but I was still cramping and contracting. The doctor said my uterus was “irritated” and they also found some blood in my urine. They gave me a bag of fluids and continued to monitor me for another couple of hours. At this point I was still contracting but I really had to pee so they had me get up to go to the bathroom and hoped that might slow them down.
Luckily, it did and I was finally able to go home and instructed to drink a ton of water. I had some on and off cramping and contracting for a couple more hours and things finally seemed to settle down. The doctor told me that I didn’t need to be on bed rest or anything like that but to definitely take it easy for the rest of the day.
I feel so fortunate that my scare wasn’t anything too serious and I am praying that baby boy stays happy in there and keeps growing and developing. I have a big appointment coming up with my doctor in one week for my gestational diabetes screen as well as another ultrasound to check the echogenic focus that they found on his heart at my 18 week ultrasound. I am eager to see him on the ultrasound and to have a check-in with my regular doctor about everything that’s been going on.
As far as symptoms, sleep, cravings and all of my normal updates go, there’s not too much to report that’s new on that front. I will resume those updates next week.
For now, thank you again for following along with my pregnancy and for all of your loves, support, encouragement and shared excitement over the past 6 months. I can’t believe I’m in the third trimester and home stretch.
My focus for the third trimester is gong to be on taking care of myself and preparing for baby boy. I have picked out his nursery furniture and have my painter coming tomorrow to get started on everything.
I am really slowing myself down and taking a big step back from work and teaching. I’ll still be doing a ton of writing and blog projects so you’ll see me here just like normal.
xo,
Jen
