34 Weeks Pregnant: What pregnancy has taught me

Baby and Parenting

34 Weeks Pregnant: What pregnancy has taught me

Baby and Parenting

Baby boy clothes

Under 6 weeks to go now! The time just seems to be flying so fast. These last two weeks since my 32 week post have been busy. On Monday I had my growth scan and appointment with the consultant at the hospital. I was given this additional scan because of what I was going through getting my hormones back to normal before I conceived and links with pre term births. It was fantastic, peanut is head down and in the right position and we are both perfectly healthy. They measured his head, round his body and femur length as well as the flow of blood from my placenta and the fluid around him. Everything was spot on as well as my blood pressure etc. They are estimating his weight as currently being 5lb 10 so expecting him to be around 8lbs when he arrives and the consultant said there’s no reason why I shouldn’t go post dates. 

34 weeks pregnant

On Wednesday this week my Mam and I popped to collect the travel system and get a few bits and pieces. I bought a play mat gym thing and some bras which I was desperate for. I’ve gone from a 36D to a 40E! Apparently pregnancy can make your rib cage expand and mine was big enough as it is! My lovely sister got a load of things from my two nephews out from her attic so I also have plenty of clothes, a gorgeous little leather jacket, sheets, blankets, sleeping bags, top and tail bowl, bath support and a gym ball. She also got my the loveliest gift but I’m saving showing you that until he is born! I should also be getting a lend of a moses basket for a few weeks. Plus I was very kindly provided with an electric breast pump from Ameda:

Ameda breast pump

It’s BPA free as well which is excellent. Yesterday I spent some time washing his little clothes, hats, booties and scratch mits, pictured above. This is all becoming so real! I actually typed my ‘birth plan’ or what I’ve instead called my birth preferences. They all fit on one sheet of A4 (which I think is better than a longer more complex one) and can basically be summed up as:

  • Labour at home as long as possible
  • No interventions / drugs unless needed for the wellbeing of the baby or myself, no drugs to be offered unless I ask
  • Be able to move around during labour and try different positions
  • Baby delivered straight on to my abdomen
  • Cord not clamped until it has stopped pulsating
  • Breast feeding as soon as possible
  • Skin to skin for as long as possible with cleaning and non essential checks delayed
  • Un managed third stage – i.e. natural delivery of the placenta
  • I’d like to take the placenta home (not sure for what yet!)
  • I’ve also written some notes about what I’d like to happen should I end up needing an emergency c – section for any reason

Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point actually posted a great blog yesterday about her birth plan which covers some very useful points. 

I’m currently feeling pretty good in myself, sleep is ok, legs don’t ache that much and my energy levels are doing fine. I do think I’ve had a few braxton hicks, although the sensation is so hard to describe I’m not sure! I have started to develop stretch marks under my belly, which despite all the oils I’ve been rubbing on I had expected as I know that’s just my skin type. I’d also had some rotten heart burn but I’m starting to see what’s causing it like eating too fast! Baby is moving so much, I’m getting those Alien style pokes and ripples that show up through your stomach, weird and wonderful all at the same time!

What pregnancy has taught me

I know I still have 5, maybe more weeks to go, but I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned about myself being pregnant. It’s an incredible thing for your body to go through and I have a new found respect for my body for that. It’s also incredible just how natural and automatic everything is. Something that is emphasised in natal hypnotherapy is that our bodies know how to birth on their own. It’s magical and a miracle really!

Changes I made in my diet when I lost weight are ‘set’

If there’s ever a time when you are going to go back to ‘default’ settings with your diet it’s probably when you are pregnant. Although my eating certainly hasn’t been perfect, I haven’t gone back to eating the way I used to. After 5 years of being a healthy weight, those changes have stuck and it’s very reassuring to know that. I still go to the gym even when it’s not to lose or maintain weight and my standard meals are always generally very healthy. I can also hand on heart say that right now I eat whatever I want with no worry at all. When I’m full I stop, if I want a bit of chocolate I’ll have it. That is pretty much a first for me, because usually I would need to use some of my management techniques. It will be interesting to see if that sticks once the baby is born!

I’m really bloody organised

Considering that during my pregnancy I’ve gone completely self employed, re done a lot of the flat, bought all the baby stuff we need, read up on pregnancy and looking after a new born and managed to stay sane isn’t bad going I think!

How my body looks is secondary to what it can do

As I said in this post, I did have some wobbles of body confidence. However as I get over them I appreciate my body more and more for what it can do instead of how it looks. I’m slowly losing attachment to a body ideal I had in my head because realistically I know my body is never going to be the same again. It was probably seeing the stretch marks develop and the size of my breasts that have done it. I’m never going to have a bikini body and I’m likely to have some loose skin going on after this (no matter what weight I lose) but I’ll take a body that is strong, fit, healthy and capable of sustaining and feeding a human for several months over one that just looks good. 

I worry too much

Those first few months of pregnancy were wrought with worry. I found it very hard not to think about what could go wrong. It wasn’t until I started using positive affirmations that I found it eased off. I know some worry is natural, but I really was in a bit of a state at times and that’s something I need to handle better as I know I’m going to worry about him just as much if not more when he arrives!

You can’t control all factors and somethings you just have to let go

Being pregnant makes you second guess yourself a lot. Even as a health coach I was double checking what I was eating / not eating etc to make sure it was going to be best for me and my baby. In the end, I started to just let that control go and listen to my body more.   

My instincts are almost always right

Pregnancy has made me trust my instincts a lot more. I somehow think I knew I was pregnant before the test, and deep down past the worry I knew things were going to be ok. The whole process of being pregnant has reconnected me with that.

If you’ve had a baby what did pregnancy teach you? How connected are you to your instincts?

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14 Comments

  1. Amy @fordgredial

    You might also want to include about whether you want baby to have vitamin k injection?

    Amy x

    Reply
    • Laura Agar Wilson

      Yep got that in there as well, don’t think it should be needed. What choice did you make for William?

      Reply
  2. Phil

    “How my body looks is secondary to what it can do” – I think this is a mantra for all of us, pregnant or not :)

    Reply
  3. Lauren

    Loved reading this Laura. You have learned so much, things which can go with you to the future too.
    Pregnancy looks so magical – it is actually a miracle really isn’t it :)
    It made me really smile reading that you truly eat what you want whenever you want now – that is just bloody awesome really!

    Reply
  4. Maria @ runningcupcake

    You are so organised! Not long to go now, it will fly by!
    I think it is right to think that you cannot control everything, especially with a birth, so having an outline of what you would like is great, as then if things go a bit off course you won’t get so stressed.

    Reply
  5. Tamzin

    Sounds like your all sorted! Gosh I bet you can’t wait to met the little nugget! So exciting x x

    Reply
  6. Jess

    I’m really glad you’re feeling better about yourself in terms of body image and pregnancy. I still think you look great and you’ve kept up a really good (but sensible, i.e not dangerous or obsessive) level of activity :)

    I know nothing about birth plans, but to my uneducated eye it looks as though you have a perfect balance between knowing what you want and realism/flexibility. I never know why people freak out over consuming the placenta…I don’t see how/why it’s any more ‘gross’ than eating meat, but I never have a conventional opinion on anything :P So whatever you decide to do with it, don’t be influenced by other people’s reactions or opinions. Trust yourself!

    xxx

    Reply
  7. Emma Potts

    Pregnancy is a big big thing to go through, for the body and the mind (and it can’t always be easy!) so it’s fantastic to hear what a positive experience it’s been for you overall.
    I think it’s so cool that they can “measure” the baby when he’s still inside you! Technology these days!

    Reply
  8. Purely Twins

    can’t believe 5 weeks away, crazy!!
    this pregnancy has taught me to be organized as well and to realize that I can’t do it all.

    Reply
  9. Claire Hayhurst

    Aww the baby clothes are just too adorable Laura, lovely that they’re all washed and ready to go too! So exciting that he is doing so well and at a healthy weight.
    I can’t believe how organised you have to be with a baby, seeing yours and Jemma’s posts about it has definitely been eye opening!
    I think you have looked brilliant through your pregnancy, really glowy and managed to cram in so many good foods and gentle exercise, I’m sure it will make it big different during labour and post too.

    Reply
  10. lucie

    Im like you, such a worrier, I cannot even imagine what a stress head I would be during pregnancy! Congratulations on the birth of your little boy though, he is absolutely perfect!

    Reply
  11. Petra

    It’s so nice to hear that the little one is head down and you are both healthy! When my sister was pregnant she had horrible itching all over her body and the baby was in the wrong position so she had to have a c-section. I hope everything goes well till the end.

    Reply
  12. Elaine

    It’s amazing reading this back now after the birth! Perhaps you knew deep down that baby might make an early arrival- you were totally prepared! Your instincts all ready kicked in and you were sorted just in time.

    The birth preferences list was fab. Positively prepared but all angles covered.

    So glad the affirmations helped. This will continue to benefit you through motherhood. And my top tip for the next few months would be to treat it like a forth trimester. Caring for your baby on the outside as you would have on the inside, and allow those around you to continue to nurture you- accepting help, forgetting about cleaning the house etc, and have plenty of pj days for you and baby to get used to each other and your new world. Be kind to yourself, and those instincts that helped you through the pregnancy will certainly help you through parenthood.

    Sending happy wishes to you all,
    El xoxo

    Reply
  13. Anna @AnnaTheApple

    Well my comment is probably redundant now seen as how the little one has appeared!
    Your pregnancy has sounded so serene and well organised. I’m so pleased it all went well for you – clearly you did something very right :-)

    Reply

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