I made it to 31 weeks - one more week and I will have met my first small milestone of being far enough to deliver locally and collect EI if I need to leave work early!
I felt pretty crummy this week and mostly felt like I was really just muddling through. I was uncomfortable most days at work whether it was my extremely low blood pressure making me feel faint or dizzy, just getting over an infection, being achy, feeling a ton of pressure, and being over the top exhausted - I just wasn't myself. This was extremely frustrating because I really enjoy my work and I'm usually so on the ball. I'm also usually happiest when I'm very busy. This week was the first time I regretted having extra commitments. Mentally and physically I was just not there. Last night, as soon as the boys were in bed, I packed it in at 7pm. I still woke up every 2-3 hours to go to the bathroom, get a drink/or mini snack (to help with the low blood pressure issues), and rearrange some of my 5 pillows I currently sleep with. But I slept until 7am and for the first time in nearly 2 weeks I felt worlds better.
Some things that helped me cope over the past couple of weeks:
- Having an awesome partner. DH has really been amazing. Being a working mom, we share parenting and household responsibilities pretty equally but the past 2 weeks he's really stepped up his game and taken over the lions share of the kid duties and cooking. My house hasn't been the cleanest but what is really important has been taken care of. My sister also deserves honourable mention as she watches the boys at our house during the week and also helped out more than usual with things like laundry, tidying, and shovelling.
- Making a goal to do just one "extra" thing each day. Usually I ended up doing 2 or 3 but it made me feel more productive when I was really feeling terrible and starting to get overwhelmed by the thought of everything that I wasn't doing that I'd need to get caught up on. One night I cleaned all the toilets (living with boys makes this a frequent chore) and stocked the bathrooms with toilet paper and it felt like such an accomplishment.
- Having the boys help out more. At almost 3 and almost 6, the boys are capable of doing a lot in terms of self care and around the house and they do regularly. I've never been more thankful that we've always encouraged their independence than I was last week. B can help N with a lot of the stuff he can't quite do on his own yet too. B thought it would be nice to help me since I wasn't feeling well by wiping down the table after dinner all of last week. It was sweet of him and it was a big help. N was my little helper all day long today - I barely had to bend over to pick anything up or reach things in low places. Both of them especially like helping to bring grocery bags to the kitchen and putting the groceries away. N loves to help with laundry - gathering items and filling the hamper, loading the machines and pressing start, transferring clothes from washer to dryer and emptying the dryer.
I'm hoping that the past couple of weeks were just a rough patch though I think they really put into perspective that there isn't much time left before baby #3 arrives and that I should be realistic in setting goals over the next couple of months and focus on prioritizing rest, healthy eating, and minimizing stress and sorting goals into what needs to be done immediately and what things can wait until after the baby arrives. Originally I had wanted to make baby photo albums for the boys and family year books for the last 6+ years but that is definitely something I can plug away at once the baby arrives and I'm off work. I've also said it before and it is something that I keep coming back to, I want to enjoy these last few weeks as a family of 4.
6 comments:
Oooo, you're so close! You look great. I distinctly remember being so big and uncomfortable at the end, ugh, I'm sorry. Yoga helped me a lot, so maybe some stretching before bed. I love the "just do one extra thing". Doing something physical is so satisfying. If I take an hour of free time and mow the lawn instead of answering emails I feel so much more accomplished, I've been really noticing that lately. Wishing you the best!!
Thanks Kelsey! My last pregnancy I took a prenatal yoga class but found it difficult to follow along around this point but I think just doing some stretching before bed would probably make a huge difference.
Holy poop! Time flies. You're making me realize how close I am to life changing drastically. That's really sweet that your boys are helping. I couldn't do this pregnancy thing without huge help from my husband. Sometimes you just can't bend over and get those toys, or you just have no energy to make dinner but the kids need to be fed. So glad you made it this far! Keep on truckin'
You too Steph! You are amazing trekking through snowbanks in your third trimester with a toddler! I love how Kelsey refers to her little family as "Team Wharton". I think having a team mentality within families is really healthy. When a member is in need, the others can step it up and pick up the slack and know the same will be done for them when they are in need.
Kristy you are doing so great! So thankful you are so close to that 32 week mark!
Love that 1 extra thing a day, that's pretty much how I'm running right now feeling so awful at only 13 weeks...1 load of laundry, one other chore, or outing of running errands is all the energy I can muster. And having a hubby (and kids!) that helps out is HUGE!
Hang in there, try and relax and rest, that little boy will be here before you know it!
Thanks Mo. Each week the passes is definitely more reassuring while at the same time more uncomfortable then the last! haha Hoping your all day sickness subsides soon. I would definitely take aching over nausea. I remember the all day nausea in my first trimester with this pregnancy and it wasn't fun and I could just sit at my desk at work in peace and quiet and feel terrible without having to worry about running around after my little ones.
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