A Weekend Away in My Third Trimester

Dear Diary,

Whew, I can’t believe it’s already week 28! The third trimester is officially upon us and I don’t know if it’s just because I’m hyper-aware, but I feel like I’ve noticed a shift in symptoms almost immediately.

Starting off with the not-so-great changes, my ribs are bruised from the inside since the baby boy seems to prefer standing positions rather than laying down across my belly. That, paired with the unbelievable back and hip pain has made everyday tasks incredibly difficult. Walking down the street seems like a mission and takes me three times longer than it should. I’ve also had my first weekend of Braxton Hicks, which definitely stirred some more anxiety and tears that I’d like to admit.

That being said, my husband and I got to enjoy a nice extended weekend away at the beach! It was as relaxing as it could be, all the joint pain and fake contractions aside. We got to focus on just enjoying the day, walking around the small beach town, eating lots of ice cream and great food. Unfortunately, on our walk to dinner was when the first of the Braxton Hicks decided to make their appearances. It felt so strange. Like a period cramp in my lower abdomen, paired with an intense stiffening and tightening of my entire belly. To the touch, my whole abdomen was rigid, much more than normal. I immediately started saying ‘Oh my God I think I’m having a contraction!’ and a few heads turned our way. But after a quick Google search, and a ChatGPT discussion from my husband, we ruled out real contractions and concluded it must be Braxton Hicks. The biggest worry was that we were a 3 hour drive away from home and it was our first night away. But after monitoring for several hours, and only having one more short episode of this, we decided to stay the weekend. I knew I could call my midwife’s emergency line if I needed, but also knew that they would most likely ask if my water broke (which was no), and if they were getting stronger (also no) and then come to the same conclusion.

Overall, we had a much needed weekend away, especially after everything going on back home. While I’m definitely not looking forward to returning to work in a few weeks, I’m happy we got to have some semblance of a vacation this summer to enjoy our last few weeks as just us. As excited as we are to start our little family,

I’ve also been thinking about all the years we got to spend with just us two and how much I’ve loved having this time to grow with my husband.

Our next ultrasound is next weekend! Can’t wait to see the baby boy and how much he’s hopefully grown these past few months! Stay tuned for more updates!

B.