29 Weeks: Know Thy Limits

Twenty-nine weeks today, and it's been an interesting last week filled with lots of pregnancy experiences. I named my post what I did because I am learning very quickly that I need to respect my body telling me that I'm pushing it too hard.

I decided to take on summer school to pick up some extra money before the baby gets here. This involves me being on my feet a lot, and dealing with cranky 10th graders who don't want to be there. I actually enjoy it, but my body doesn't.

I usually drink a lot of water, but now that I am teaching, I haven't been, mostly because it's a pain to get someone to watch my class, so I can run to the restroom. I have to send a student down to the office to get someone to come all the way back to my room just so I can run around the corner to the restroom. So, I stopped drinking as much water, because I don't want to be a bother to others multiple times in five hours. And, drinking less is not good for me or baby.

The results of this are as follows:

- I am much more tired. I am exhausted by the time I get home, around two in the afternoon, and I nap for a couple of hours, so I can function for the rest of the day. I have also been going to bed earlier, because I just can't stay up very late anymore.

- Contractions. They suck. They especially suck when they become something different than the ones that I am used to. On Friday, I had contractions that started in my back and then wrapped around my stomach -- exactly the kind that my OB told me to call if I had. Well, I hate calling doctors. Hate it. Also, she told me that whenever I have contractions that don't seem to go away, to drink lots of water and lay on my left side. So, I dragged myself up the stairs, chugged some water, laid on my left side, and took a two hour nap. When I woke up, they were gone, thankfully. But still...scary. I will have to bring it up at my appointment tomorrow, but I know she's going to tell me to keep drinking my water. Ugh. And I will...when I have a bathroom that's easily accessible to me. :P

Peeing constantly has been my thing. My baby is still nestled down low, so he loves to kick away at my bladder. I still think his whole goal in life is to make me pee myself, which I haven't done...yet. I'm sure it's coming. One day, it will happen. His feet have also been finding their way under my hips, which is a bit of a pain. I use my prenatal yoga moves to help get him to scoot out of there, and that works, mostly.

Yoga has been the best. I am glad I chose to take the classes. I love them because they are not only relaxing and helpful, but because I'm with other women who are around the same amount of pregnant that I am. So, we can talk about things like sneezing and peeing ourselves (which...I don't do either), and not feel like we are messed up because of it.

My mood has still been great, so that's wonderful. I visited with the baby's pediatrician this past week too, and he's awesome. He doesn't seem thrilled with the idea of my wanting to breastfeed while on my medicine, but we are going to discuss it again later. I've had to rethink my breastfeeding plans, though, and I've thought of another option, if there has to be one. I am not against formula at all, and I rather my baby be healthy in whatever way it has to be.

Hrm, what else? I have another OB/Midwife appointment tomorrow, and I have to do another one hour gestational diabetes test. I had one at the very beginning of my pregnancy, just because I'm overweight, but now is the "normal" one that all women have. I think I'll be fine! I also have to pick up my prescription for a breast pump, and ask about when my next ultrasound will be. I miss seeing my baby. I want to see him again!

And, because I am horrible at keeping up with bump pictures, here is my 29 week one (well, 28w6d):