Pregnancy (30-32 Weeks) and Other Updates

32 Weeks

30 Weeks (keep reading and my attire will make sense)

3rd Trimester Changes

Back Pain

Well, up until now I've had a pretty smooth pregnancy but for the past week and a half, I have been struggling with some pretty intense back pack. I went on a hike with the Linc children last Wednesday afternoon that was supposed to be 30 minutes, but turned into an hour hike uphill. Needless to say, it must have been too much for my body because I woke up Wednesday night in excruciating pain. I thought it was pain caused from an old stress fracture, but by Friday it had moved to the right side of my back. After almost 3 sleepless nights, I finally called the Dr. and they said it sounded like my Sciatic nerve had become inflamed which causes both constant sharp pain and these horrible sharp shooting pains as the baby moves on the nerve. When the sharp shooting pains would come, they would literally send me to my knees. I had some rough days and nights to say the least. I went and saw a massage therapist and have been taking it VERY easy this week and thankfully it appears to be healing. I am still trying to take it easy and limit the amount of time I am sitting, but my back feels like it is healing. My pregnancy has been so easy thus far, so I was a little taken back by this pain, but I have tried to stay positive (knowing that it could truly be so much worse) and continue to pray that my back will be completely healed :).

A Full Belly
Now that I am in my third trimester, I have learned that overeating (even in the least bit) will result in stomach cramps and difficulty breathing. I have found that eating small frequent meals is the best way to prevent both heartburn and stomach discomfort. Within the last few weeks, I have felt like there isn't much room for food in my big belly.

Lots of Motion
Another fun new change is Judah's big movements and kicks. His movements, jabs, and kicks used to feel like little flutters in my belly, but now I feel sharp distinct kicks and I see him moving all over in my belly! It is incredible! Nate and I love feeling him move and trying to guess which body part we feel or see :). We are so thankful he is healthy and active!

Preparation for Birth
While I have in essence been preparing for labor and delivery for months, I have recently been spending more time trying to mentally and physically prepare myself for birth. This past week, we decided to hire a doula and will begin classes with her in the next couple of weeks. For now, I am reading a lot of good materials and praying about overcoming my fears associated with giving birth (I have a few ;).

While I have certainly experienced some new challenges this trimester, I am still really enjoying carrying this sweet baby! Only 7 (or so) weeks to go!

In other news...

A couple weeks ago, we had a costume party to celebrate Nathan's 30th birthday (It is hard to believe that Nate is 30! Time flies when your having fun.)! A couple of white table covers and some cheap leaves were the key to our perfect costume! We are suckers for a costume party. So far, we've celebrated Christmas and two 30th birthday parties in silly attire. There is something fun about adding a silly dress code to a get together with friends. We had a great time!

This past weekend, we took several of the children to a family fun day hosted by our dear friend's church. They had lots of fun games and activities for both the children and adults. As always, we all really enjoy spending time with this awesome group of people!