Itz Holistically Wholesome

Yippee!!! I am so excited to write this update on my pregnancy. While I enjoyed the journey, for the most part, I am ready to evict baby girl. How quickly I have gotten to this point, 38 weeks, is still mind-blowing. I remember praying to get past the first trimester, which then seemed to linger on, and here I am near the end and could very well meet baby girl any day now.

Pregnancy Symptoms: I suffer from horrible backache and my ankles hurt when I stand. My doctor says I have some water around them but no noticeable swelling. I also feel more contractions and pelvic pressure than usual. Consequently, I am restless at night and struggle to find a comfortable sleeping position. But the worst feeling of all is heartburn every day, especially at night, and it seems that most things trigger it.

Energy Level: My energy level fluctuates a lot. One day I feel great, and the next, I cannot find the strength to do much. Another thing I noticed is that I tend to feel my best towards the end of the day, so I am not sure if the hot summer days have anything to do with feeling so sluggish during the daytime.

Other Physical Changes: I continue to pile on the pounds, arrrgh!!! I have been trying hard to do what I can to avoid getting much bigger; unfortunately, I feel like I am losing the battle.

Workout: My workout has slowed down, and I am not walking as much as I would like. The pressure in my back and ankle feels way too incredible. I try to push against it, but it sometimes gets unbearable.

Diet: Not much has changed as it relates to my diet. However, I enjoy a nice plate of callaloo. Thankfully a friend of mine has grown some in his garden and was kind enough to share, yum!

Food Aversions: I’m not fond of avocado or spring mixed vegetables lately.

Hydration: I have been more focussed on drinking enough water but find that I feel more thirsty towards the end of the day. I also enjoy cold juice.

Prenatal Vitamins: In the earlier part of my pregnancy, I could not take my prenatal every day, but I have been ensuring that I do every day. I take vegan prenatal vitamins from “Garden of Life.”

Diet Modifications: Avoiding too much-processed food.

Food Cravings: I have felt for Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with tofu cream cheese. Now and then, I crave french fries.

Baby Update: Baby is doing fantastic. She is busy inside and always seems to be on the move. At my last visit, her heartbeat was 157bmp. She is very alert and responds to familiar voices especially my son, who is always around me. What I find most interesting is that she stiffens up inside when I take too long to eat but gets relaxed and happy when I finally do. I guess someone has worked up an attitude already.

Doctor visits: My visits to the OBGYN are now weekly, and my next will be this coming Monday, where they will check to see how much she weighs, etc.