25 weeks today. Baby in 15 weeks seems like no time at all. My Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy book tells me this is the first week of my seventh month of pregnancy. That is crazy.
25 WEEKS PREGNANCY UPDATE
Here’s what’s going on with my little pound and a half cauliflower this week.
- He now knows which way is up and down
- Hands are fully formed complete with mini fingernails and baby might already be sucking his thumb
- He’s exploring his environment and reaching around for things both on his body and inside the uterus
- Testes are moving down into the lower abdomen descending into the scrotom
HOW I’M FEELING AT 25 WEEKS PREGNANT
Overall, really good. I’m FINALLY over the month-long sickness I endured. Thank god for those antibiotics. It’s been amazing to have energy again and to want to workout!
Weight Gain/Body Changes: right around 15 pounds although with how rapidly he’s growing now, I think I’m about to enter the rapid growth stage as well!
Workouts/Workout Modifications: WOO for workouts being back in action because they make me feel about a thousand times better and more energized/like myself. Here is what I’ve done since the last update…
- two hot yoga practices
- taught two strength classes
- two 3.5 mile walks
- one 3.1 mile run
- two FlyWheel classes
- two FULL rest days
You guys know I’m so on and off with FlyWheel but I think it’s going to become a thing for these last few months of pregnancy. Running just puts SO much pressure on my bladder and FlyWheel is much more comfortable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to get runs in here and there but FlyWheel is a great sub for that cardio fix I get from running.
Today I took my first ever 60-minute FlyWheel class (most are 45) and boy was it ever hard. Those last 15 minutes were definitely super challenging mentally and physically.
(PS…I’m going to be in NYC next week. Should I try to sign up for a SoulCycle class? I’ve never taken one.)
Regarding workout modifications, I’ve been so very lucky to be able to keep things pretty normal through this point. I’m definitely skipping crunching/abs and anything laying on my stomach but other than that I’m feeling good. I have noticed in the last few weeks that my average heart rate is up across the board for all workouts that I do whether it’s FlyWheel or walking.
Symptoms: I really don’t have a lot to mention or complain about. I am just so grateful not to be sick and to feel like myself again.
Sleep: all I can say is thank god for my body pillow. Sleep is a bit hit or miss for me right now but the pillow is so comfy and snuggly. I did take a Unisom one night (safe for pregnancy) and it was magical. I slept hard for a full eight hours.
Also, guided meditations have been very helpful for me when it comes to sleep. I use the Insight Timer app.
Food Aversions/Cravings: nothing new to report here. I am happy as can be eating frozen pizza for dinner. Haha.
Maternity Clothes: well, I have mostly been living in stretchy active wear but I’m going to be in NYC for a conference next week so I’m going to have to get creative! I am absolutely LOVING the maternity pieces that I do have. They are so comfy and make the bump look super cute.
Movement: baby boy is moving like crazy these days. I think I felt him get the hiccups for the first time yesterday morning! He’s most active between 10 p.m.-midnight and early in the morning but I also feel him sometimes throughout the day.
Fun Shares: Doula is hired! This is a huge relief for me. She is available from now through a few months after delivery to answer any and all questions that I have. She will also support me through labor and delivery as I am hoping for an unmedicated birth.
Birth Hopes/Plans: Well, I haven’t really discussed this here yet but my wish is for an unmedicated birth if that is in the cards for me. I used to be VERY in the camp of “if the science exists to reduce the pain, give it to me” until I did my prenatal yoga teacher training. Once I learned a lot more about labor, birth and women’s bodies in general, my perspective shifted quite a bit.
I am not going to go crazy preparing (for example, 12 weeks of Bradley classes seems intense) and I am going to go into it with a super open mind. Obviously, I’ve never given birth before so in the event that I end up with an epidural or something happens that warrants a C-section, I won’t beat myself up about it whatsoever.
My hope with hiring a doula is that she will be able to support and coach me through labor and help me understand and trust what my body is doing. Hoping all that yoga comes in handy. We shall see! 🙂
That’s all for today. One quick note to say THANK YOU for all of the car seat and stroller advice that you gave me last week. It was incredibly helpful and I’m so lucky to have so many amazing moms to lean on through this process.
Talk to me now about picking out a crib! Is it better to go with the convertible cribs that will become toddler beds or just a standard infant crib?
Did you go into labor with a birth plan? Was it loose or were you really set one way or the other?
How did you prepare for labor and childbirth? Did you take classes? Read books? Wing it?
I recommend CYC fitness over Soul Cycle— it is beat based cycling and Elena is an incredible instructor.
Yes!!!! go to a soul cycle! You will live it!
My husband built a crib that will convert into a toddler bed, and once that is outgrown, the headboard can fit a twin mattress.
I did a lot of reading about breastfeeding but didn’t take any classes (I work in L&D and teach childbirth classes). I went in to it as open minded as I could, and glad I did because it was not how I expected!
I like the convertible crib. My toddler is now in it, with it’s 2nd stage. And, it even has a 3rd stage (without any side rail). It was only $100 online. I think it was a Graco convertible. You are bringing back memories of me wondering what to buy. The carseat/stroller thing was overwhelming for me too!
We bought a convertible crib on amazon and love it. It is a light grey color that I had trouble finding in stores. I had no plan for delivery other than to get the baby out. My little boy was four days overdue and by that time I didn’t care if they had to pull him out. I ended up with a c-section- baby was face up and a whopping 9 lbs 12oz. C-section wasn’t bad and I started run/walking two weeks later.
Yes, I would do the convertible crib, it is worth it for sure! Love your blog ?
Hi Jen! Longtime follower and just had to pop in and offer a very belated congratulations on your pending arrival!! What an exciting time for you. Get the convertible crib – not that much more $$ and then you have the option!! Congrats again!
Hi Jen! I have been a long time reader (since about 2011) but this is my first ever comment! Although I think you would LOVE soul cycle, I would not recommend it at 25 weeks. I am a spin instructor & nurse practitioner, there is a lot of rhythm components that involve crunches, oblique’s, and overall quick side to side movement that I think would try to avoid this late in the game, especially if it is your first class and are not aware of modifications. I would 100% recommend it as part of your post baby routine or to try in the future though! Congrats again on your growing family, you seem so happy & it shows in all of your posts 🙂
Hey Chelsea – thank you so much for reading for so long and for taking a moment to comment. It means so much to me! 🙂 I had no idea about SoulCycle so THANK YOU for the head’s up! I will 100% save it for later and explore the many other fitness options in NYC!
I went into birth with the plan to go all natural and I did! Having a supportive team is everything. I would highly recommend some sort of natural birth class, not just for you but for Tanner. I agree that Bradley seems like a huge, and kind of intense, time commitment. We took a much shorter class through the birth center I had my daughter at and I feel like it really prepared my husband and I to tackle a natural birth.
I would also read Ina May Gaskins books on birth and breastfeeding. There’s so many positive stories in them. They were very helpful.
Hey Holly – this is awesome to read. I am most definitely planning on taking some local classes as well as online courses/classes. I am planning on reading Ina May Gaskins books. I need to order them!
Regarding your desire to have non-medicated/natural childbirth, I would suggest you do things to prepare and really commit to this, if this is your desire. Make sure your birth team knows how important it is to you and plan for it. Sure, there may be curve balls that make it challenging, or simply not an option. If you plan, you can overcome the challenging. I had two children over twenty plus years ago without so much as an Advil (and 20 hours of back labor with the first one). You can do this and it is worth it!
Hey Sarah! Yes, I am most definitely going to take some classes locally and also online. I’ll also be sitting down with my doula and writing out a birth plan which we will turn into the hospital in addition to requesting a nurse who is “enthusiastic about natural childbirth.” My doula has attended many births where I’ll be delivering and knows a lot of the nurses. I feel hopeful that if we are all on the same page about my wishes for birth that we can work together to make it happen. I’m also looking forward to having her as a resource for helping to suggest various coping techniques, labor positions, etc.
Your attitude and expectations around birth are wonderful. Having an idea of what yippy want and prepping for it are great, but being ok with that plan changing if needed will help reduce stress during an already stressful moment. I didn’t have a birth plan either time other than knowing I wanted an epidural and that we’d do whatever was safest medically to deliver our kiddos (while also protecting my health).
That said, I did take a bunch of classes through CMC Main here in Charlotte. As it’s a teaching hospital, they offer a lot of classes to the community (or at least they did) and you don’t need to be delivering there to take them. We took a two – day labor prep class and a car seat class together, and I took a breastfeeding and something called Transition Into Motherhood (my favorite) on my own. Anf once both my boys arrived, I did Infant Massage with them starting at around 6 weeks old (also highly recommend).
We did end up buying convertible cribs for both boys (they’re 18 mos apart, so the first one wasn’t out of his crib when his brother came along), but never ended up actually using the conversion kits (go figure). So we aren’t the best example on that, lol.
Great to see you’re feeling better! Being sick is so tough anytime, but somehow worse when you’re pregnant and so limited in what you can take to manage symptoms.
Thanks Lauren. I do plan on taking classes offered locally as well as maybe researching some courses/classes to do online as well. I’m definitely NOT planning on going in totally blind and hoping for the best. Haha. 🙂
Thank you so much for the head’s up on the infant massage class. I love that.
Hi there! So happy for you and your growing family. If you have time in NYC, try to go to Peloton for a class. They don’t have as many jumps and crunches as SoulCycle usually incorporates (love SoulCycle, just not pregnant) and the instructors are absolutely wonderful. And definitely yes on the convertible crib—we did one with each of our children. Hope you continue to feel good and enjoy your last weeks of pregnancy!
I have heard SO much about Peloton. I’ll definitely check to see if there is a class nearby to where I’m staying/playing. 🙂
Was just about to post this – definitely go to Peloton. The instructors are the BEST, and you get feedback on how you’re doing in the class (I sometimes think Soul Cycle, though fun, is more about the choreography than the actual workout). If you can, try to make it to a live DJ class, which they do on Fridays and Sunday evenings – it’s like a party!
I just had my 2nd daughter 6 weeks ago and had a very different experience than with my 1st. I went into both labors extremely pro-epidural. I had the epidural with my 1st labor and had a mostly positive experience, the only negative was that I had full body shakes after getting the epidural, but that didn’t deter me from planning to get it with my 2nd labor. My 2nd labor did not go quite as expected, my daughter came very, very fast. When we got to the hospital I was 7 cm dilated and things progressed quickly, she was born half an hour after we walked through the doors so there was no time for the epidural. At the time all of this was very scary as I never planned on feeling the pain and loss of control that I did. But now, looking back, if I had understood what was really happening to my body, I would have been much less afraid. I think that planning and “training” for an unmedicated birth makes it totally possible (obviously barring any complications) and will make it much less scary. I also think that if you’re in tune with your body and letting it do what it needs to do, which it seems that you are, you would prefer the unmedicated birth. That’s just my 2 cents on it.
Oh wow Sara. I can’t believe how fast your second delivery went. That same thing happened to a friend of mine but with her first. I can imagine that it wasn’t at all what you expected it to be. I have done a lot of reading/education on stages of labor and understanding the process and I also plan on taking some classes online or at the hospital prior to birth. I really appreciate your comment and input and also your encouragement that you think I might prefer the unmedicated birth. <3
I had a similar philosophy to you – I wanted to go as long as I could unmedicated and I studied some coping techniques, but I was in no way opposed to pain medication if I needed it. I’m very glad I had that perspective as my daughter – my first, so I was expecting a relatively long labor – was born after only 4 hours of labor. We were only at the hospital 1.5 hours before she arrived and I went from 5cm dialated to complete in about a half hour so there was no time for an epidural. While I think overall I would prefer this to a long, drawn out labor, I will say that a fast labor (especially for your first baby when you’re experiencing it for the first time) can be hard in its own way. I did not have time to get into a rhythm with my body and often felt like I was hanging on for dear life.
So being mentally prepared for a variety of things to happen and recognizing that there is so much outside of your control (so hard!) is a good idea as you approach the end of your pregnancy. I do think your yoga and running background and the mental strength that comes from those practices will benefit you – good luck!
My birth plan could not have been more different than my birth experience. My first child was born via c-section weighing in at a little over 10lbs. My advice would be to listen to your medical team and if they tell you your baby is too big to come out that way, don’t let the doula convince you otherwise. Also, listen to Tanner and trust his gut instincts too. I treated my husband badly in the delivery room – I wanted everyone’s advice but his. If I could turn back the clock I would treat his opinions with more respect than I did. Because as it turns out, if I’d listened to him instead of the doula I would have had a much better birthing experience….
Hey Vicki – I’m sorry you had that experience. 🙁 I am most definitely planning to be very open-minded and listen to the input of my medical team first and foremost. Doula is for best-case scenario “all things go” type of labor and delivery. Only time will tell how baby boy will make his arrival into the world. <3
I took Lamaze and had both babies naturally. The first weighed ten pounds and was posterior but I did it, so I feel strongly about persevering. The second was only eight Pounds and I could’ve had a million of that kind of easy delivery. This was 38 years ago! You will have no trouble!
I highly highly recommend Monster Cycle in NYC. They are the best cycling studio I have ever been to. The atmosphere and vibe of the place pump you up so much! If you are looking for a place to get in a yoga practice as well Sky Ting is an amazing studio. I love following your baby journey! Have fun in NYC!
I really usually do not comment – but thought a few thoughts could be helpful / things I wish I had known(??). I also desperately wanted natural childbirth with no interventions (hired doula, took classes, read, mentally prepped, did hypnosis tapes, and a number of other “natural preps” people talk about). I had the easiest pregnancies – like zero complications, stayed fit, check all the “good to go boxes”. With baby one – at 42 weeks – labor never progressed even with a few “helps” and my baby was distressed and I very low fluid levels. C-Section. Mentally – it was tough (I am stubborn, and was not mentally flexible or prepared) – but the baby was wonderfully healthy, and it is truly all that matters (I love my scar as a reminder). Second child – similar outset and similar outcome. With the second, instead of being so “I won’t have a c-section” – I did more investigation on what a “natural c-section” could be like, just in case. It made a world of difference. I hope you have your natural birth – I do believe it is best for mom and baby, assuming no health risks of course. Talk to your doctors/doula about potentially having a clear drape (if you want to see the baby arrive), and being able to hold the baby on your chest (with Tanner’s help) after the baby arrives (assuming no issues with baby). I was able to see my second arrive and hold him nearly immediately after birth. I did have to wait to feed him until the recovery room, but that immediate feeling of him next to me made such a difference. And being surprised when he came out (I didn’t know his sex). With my first, I did not know to ask for some of these things – and with the second, they helped me feel more connected. With the first, it felt like an eternity before I could really see her/hold her – but she did need more evaluation when she came out. Even asking for them to turn the lights down low in the operating room…Again, some of this assumes it is not a flat out rushing emergency. With my first, I just wish I had done more mental prep on ALL outcomes, which it sounds like you are doing. I wish with my first I had thought through and researched what could make a c-section feel a bit more natural, if needed….
I highly recommend doing a small side-car crib you can attach to your own bed ic you plan to breastfeed. It really helps with sleep! For a natural birth, breathing through contractions, meditation, and seeing them as interval training helped me. 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off! I also enjoyed reading women’s stories in Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth.
I went to the hospital with a birth plan, but it was written with the expectation that birth rarely goes exactly as you planned! My doula helped with a template and went over all the various options with me beforehand so I could make informed decisions – there was a lot to consider that I wasn’t even aware of despite the reading I’d done in advance. I also included a section in my plan for how I’d like the birth to go via c-section, should one be deemed medically necessary. I wanted an unmedicated birth but I think my plan said something like “I am informed about pain management options are available. Please do not offer pain management unless I explicitly ask for it.” Having my husband and doula present and committed to helping me through labor was key for me to mostly stick to it (I did use nitrous, but did not get an epidural).
For childbirth education, I read and enjoyed Ina May Gaskin’s guide to childbirth. My husband and I opted to just do a hospital tour but not take the childbirth class at the hospital. Instead, we took a 2-day GentleBirth workshop. The program included hypnosis and mindfulness practices and came with an app that had guided hypnosis, meditation, and affirmation tracks that I used a lot in the month or so leading up to delivery. It cost a bit more than the classes at the hospital but both of us thought it was a worthwhile investment.
I read daily and have only commented regarding puppies : ) I highly recommend the book “Mind Over Labor” – this really helped me with the birth of my two children – this may work, or may not, but wanted to put it out there because I believe that book changed my approach to birth. I took a photo of a hydrangea that was 10 cm wide and envisioned my body opening up to that size – I stared at that photo for a long time while in labor. That and I tried to squat every chance I got for the last month – I would watch TV in a squatting position, etc. Sort of weird but I think it worked for me. All the best as you continue on the journey 🙂
Depending on how granola you want to get, my daughter had a natural water birth at Natural Beginnings Birthing Center and they were outstanding. They are two minutes from a hospital so their is backup. The energy of the women was calming, nurturing but knowledgeable. The birthing room looks like a regular bedroom with a pool in it so it is super comfortable and homey. You get to go home as soon as you get up and potty on your own..so like a few hours after the birth. The only downside is that it is far away but that was not a problem for my daughter.
Jen! I live right outside of Charlotte and got my convertible crib, dresser/changing table, and rocker at Shower Me With Love right next to Whole Foods at South Park! Would highly recommend. Seriously the cutest stuff and great quality. Delivery was great as well.
I hope your birth experience is better than mine. Wanted unmedicated and ended with a C section! But at the end of the day I have a healthy baby and now that is all that matters! Good Luck!?
Glad you are feeling better! Honestly, SoulCycle would crush me right now at 21 weeks. They spend probably 85% out of the saddle (3rd in a FW class) which is so hard compared to a FW class when you are up and down a lot instead. I have heard that FlyWheel NYC is WAY different than CLT, but obviously the same class structure. But either way, have fun!
I have totally been using your comments section to find some suggestions you’ve asked for on baby stuff, haha! We are planning to buy an IKEA crib that my sister has for her kid and loves. She said she’d buy it 10 times over, and she’s had it for 3 years! It’s convertible and all that. We also looked at the PB Outlet in Gaffney (got a glider there recently) and they had a TON of crib options. Their inventory is straight from stores, not manufactured specifically for the outlet (aka cheaper like a jcrew outlet, etc) which is great, since that means it’s of PB quality! Good luck shopping!
The Honest Conpany makes great non toxic, well built and beautiful baby furnitue.
The best advice anyone gave me was to ignore everything everyone else tells you and their stories. Let it be your process:) You and bab will be fabulous no matter what! Our birth doula was a savior and so was our post partum doula! She taught us everything about BF and sleep and all things baby! Was so nice to have the reassurance being new as a parent. You’ll be great. Trust your instincts:)
Yep, had a birthplan all printed out lol. Then had to be induced and most of it went out the window! Great to have a plan but even better that youre open minded!! I read the Yoga Birth Method and we took the childbirth classes at Novant.
Hi, I just stumbled across your blog thanks to your sourdough bread post 🙂 Congrats on your baby bump! It’s such a beautiful, exciting time, I kinda miss it!
I delivered my daughter vaginally without any meds, so I totally think you can do it too (with an open mind in case the baby decides otherwise, of course). Hiring an experienced doula was probably the best decision we ever made, and looks like you have that all taken care of. It will be super helpful to have someone there who knows how things usually go, especially for your partner as you might be just a bit busy to even notice who is there… It helped me to think of the contractions as waves or an opening flower as someone else also commented. Try to think of them not as your enemy but as something that helps your body open up so you can meet your baby. Go with the wave. I tried to think of it as a super intense interval training, I think you’ll be able to relate to that 😉 I enjoyed Ina May Gaskins book, and also “Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds” by Cynthia Gabriel, and the documentary “The Business of Being Born” on Youtube. I think I learned very useful tools and ways of coping from all of those. I think the best advice of all in case of any medical issues that might come up along the way was to ask the doctors to leave the room so you could discuss the matter between yourselves before making a decision. For instance, we opted for going home one week before my daughter was born when I thought my water was breaking, but according to the hospital it wasn’t, and they wanted to induce me anyway. And you don’t have to let EVERY single intern in the hospital examine you internally (of course that’s how teaching hospitals work, but this can be very disruptive to the laboring process as you’ll learn in the books above, and you don’t have to let them). You might be too tired to talk, but have your husband ask them if it’s absolutely necessary, and maybe ask if it could wait another hour, and they will leave you alone! To me, learning I was only 6 cm when I was certain I must have been at least 9 was very discouraging and not very helpful at all. Your body will know when it’s time to push, you’ll have no way of preventing that baby from coming out when it’s time 😉 Finally, and I’m sure your doula will emphasize this too, the moment when you really think you absolutely can’t take it anymore happens to everyone, and it just means you’ve entered transition, and you are so, so close to meeting your little one!
Sorry for the long post, I got a little carried away… I will be following your story from here on for sure. I wish you all the best, you can totally do it!
I love the idea of changing thinking around contractions. I appreciate the book recommendation and I’m going to watch The Business of Being Born very soon!
I also LOVE your suggestion of taking a moment to discuss the medical advice without doctors in the room. What a great piece of insight.
I’ve heard so much about that transition time and it being when the “I can’t do this” starts along with lots of other fun things. I will definitely be aware of that.
I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share so much information! 🙂 Glad the bread brought you here!
I highly recommend The Birth Partner book for you and Tanner to read. Good luck!
I took the hospital classes to just get an idea of what I was in for and to tour the hospital, but that was it! I truly did not have a birth plan. I took body pump and took a long walk the day before and woke up feeling off but thought it was just due to working out too hard at that point, I went to the hospital late that night and had my son at 1:33 AM no time for an epidural or a birth plan or anything! I think birth is so crazy and unexpected that you can have an idea of what you want but you just never know what will happen so being open and flexible is key especially knowing no matter how it happens you will have an amazing little person when it’s all said and done! Everyone has such a unique and amazing story. We had a regular crib and when my son transitioned at about 2.5 we moved him to a queen bed it was soo much easier to lay with him and snuggle, read books, etc. as he got used to the transition.
I had a doula as well and wanted unmedicated but you know life happens. You don’t really know how it’s going to go until you get there but I think that’s great you are trying for unmedicated! I think working out is great birth preparation. I honestly don’t know how anyone can do it if they don’t work out! Just crazy to me!!!!
I had a simple birth plan with just my basic preferences. I think it’s good to have some sort of plan and they want to know stuff like if you plan to nurse or if the baby will receive a bath immediately or not.
I am really trying to stay OPEN MINDED about the birth process and to keep all of my options open. Yes, I am going to have that basic birth plan with my wishes but other than that, I will hope and pray for the best delivery of a healthy baby boy.