Kim’s now in her third trimester and she’s had a bit of a low (a slightly elevated test for gestational diabetes) and some big highs (Tom’s in town!).
We’re very excited here at Capsule to have Kimberley join us every fortnight as she brings us along for the ride of her very exciting pregnancy.
Missed her last edition? Click here to catch up!
Welcome to the third trimester! I’m 28 weeks and the baby is the size of a coconut! These past two weeks have been super exciting because Tom arrived from New Zealand and we got to experience some great baby moments together for the first time.
Tom and I have spent a lot of the second trimester apart because of work which, whilst abnormal for most couples on this journey, is part of our relationship given our chosen careers that at times means we are not physically in the same space. Whilst this is challenging at times, it has also meant we have put a big focus on learning great communication styles and skills that I believe have really enhanced our relationship. It also made the past two weeks even more exciting as baby has really popped and the kicks have increased, so it has been extra special to experience these moments together.
He has been feeling kicks, although baby does have a tendency to stop moving as soon as I say ‘quick! now!’. I appreciate her or his stubbornness to perform on cue, perhaps the maybe baby will be more shy than its mother, haha!
I thought I would break this week’s blog into highs and lows, as I would love some guidance on a few things too.
Let’s kick off with the lows, because I always like to end on a high.
The lows: I tested slightly elevated for gestational diabetes, which prompted me to be sent for a three hour more conclusive test yesterday. That involved four blood tests over a three hour window, which resulted in a pretty yuck video I shared of blood pouring out of my left arm vein after it essentially gave up, I guess. I understand that there is a spectrum when it comes to managing gestational diabetes and that the type of care or concern it requires can colour a pregnancy. I also understand that a positive diagnosis can put you into a high risk category.
Whilst I am open to whatever needs to be done to ensure my own and baby’s safety, the process itself did shake me a bit, especially after my efforts to eat well, remain active, and because I have been feeling so good! I did take some comfort yesterday in some amazing women reaching out and saying they received a false positive on the first test and passed the second. Similarly, if this is a path I have to walk, I would love to hear from anyone who did end up managing their gestational diabetes and hopefully still avoided needing to be induced or birthed naturally without too much medical intervention. If there is anyone out there happy to share, please do.
I think that is why I am classifying this as this week’s low, mainly because the curiosity of exploring all these fun and creative ways people prepare for birth… some of those options would no longer be available to me. And, if I am honest, most things online lean more towards stillbirth stories and horror birth stories, which I would rather not have in my mindset as someone who is prone to catastrophising thoughts and overthinking.
Now for the highs. And there have been many! Entering the third trimester today with Tom by my side, and spending the day in one of the most magical places in California, Topanga Canyon, feels like a dream. We carved out a few days over the past two weeks to rest, digest, and enjoy some sunshine between the busy travel days and work. It has been important for me to remember to chill out and get out of fight or flight mode where possible. Tom is great at helping me do that. I do feel I need permission to rest and relax so that it is free from guilt, and having a few opportunities to do so really fills my cup.
Another highlight was talking to the amazing midwife Cathy McCormick from Holistic Baby about bridging the gap between medical births and more natural births, and how to really listen to your intuition and instincts. We recorded an episode of my podcast together, as I wanted to make our chat available for anyone who might have questions about the role of a midwife and the importance of the birth space and vibe. She was excellent.
I shared with her my insecurities about not feeling comfortable advocating for myself, or second guessing my intuition (something I often do in daily life). Side note: I have been trying to learn more about this by playing the guess the time game with myself, taking a few moments each day to literally guess the time. It sounds silly, but it is a tool that Grace from Forward with Grace taught me to help build my relationship with my intuition or gut feelings after years of self abandonment. When maternal instinct is just supposed to kick in, I want to make sure I am setting myself up for success with a strong base of self trust to carry me through the remaining 10 to 12 weeks of this journey.
And the other highlight, something we are looking forward to trying (which no doubt will bring its own level of fun and experimenting), is perineal massage. Haha. I got some perineal massage oil from Pure Mama and Tom is game and ready to help.
I am curious, did you do anything to mark the start of the third trimester? What stretching, activities, prep or classes did you take that you think I should look into for this final chapter? I read all your messages and love looking into all the fun and informative things you have felt were impactful in your journeys. Looking forward to hearing from you x
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