Past updates:
Baby Updates
Baby is as long as a carrot or about the size of a pomegranate!
Weight Gained
Didnāt weigh myself.
Workouts
BodyPump made a comeback in my life this week! I took two classes and was reminded of just how much I love the class and how strong it makes me feel. Coupled with a few barre workouts and the classes I teach, I had a pretty great week on the workout front! Iām hoping that my April teaching schedule will allow me to incorporate more BodyPump classes into my routine again (I donāt love doubling up workouts and always take a complete rest day from all strength training after a BodyPump day) because itās simply the best!
The only real cardio Iām doing is spinning during the spin classes I teach twice a week. Iām also trying to include longer walks in my day-to-day routine (listening to Serial makes it easy to feel motivated to get out there for a long walk with Sadie!) and this week Iāve noticed myself start to feel a little out of breath when walking up inclines that used to not faze me in the least. I just take them slower than usual and that feels much better.
Symptoms
Hallelujah!! The acne that has plagued my face and chest for weeks seems to be lessening and this is happening right at the exact same time that my pregnancy app decided to tell me that my face will begin āproducing more oil and acne may occur.ā Shhhh. Do not freak out the face and the chest!
I was about to swear off the Belli brand of skincare which probably wasnāt fair because I hadnāt been using it for all that long (ummm, it was supposed to make my zits go away immediately), but Iām thinking that after a couple of weeks of continuous use, it may be starting to work its magic. I actually thought the spot treatment was a bunch of bologna at first, but my mind is changing. Iāve been using it on my chin (the worst place for acne for me so far) and even on my chest and I think it may actually be making a difference. Either that or my body decided to give me a little reprieve from pimples. Iāll take it!
Nausea isnāt popping up daily anymore which is pretty stellar, but there were a few afternoons this week where I felt some pretty intense fatigue.
I am also experiencing some uncomfortable feelings of heaviness down there. Truthfully, itās pretty darn miserable and I notice it most when Iām walking uphill (running is definitely not happening!) and doing certain stabilizing exercises (even putting on my pants one leg at a time). Iām just trying my best to avoid anything that exacerbates this feeling right now.
Food Aversions
Tomato-based soups, most plain cooked vegetables, anything cooked with cumin
Food Cravings
Hard boiled eggs, frozen yogurt, apples (and all fruit in general), anything sweet and carby
Sleep
I am convinced that the Snoogle is saving my sleep! (Sadie is trying to hijack my magical pregnancy pillow every single day now…) I know Iāve talked about the Snoogle on the blog about 5,000 times since I started using it a little more than a week ago, but it is such a game changer! My hips and back feel better and Iām not nearly as uncomfortable or restless.
Looking Forward Toā¦
- Ryan feeling our baby move
- Picking out bedding, getting two pictures from my momās childhood room reframed for the nursery and figuring out a good layout for the nursery furniture
- Figuring out a name for our babyā¦ This is a tough one and Iām thinking we may not really commit to a name until we meet our baby after heās born
Any Baby/Pregnancy-Related Purchases?
Okay, Zulily, you can stop featuring a bazillion maternity/baby-related sales every day because youāre kind of killing me. This week I ordered a few more things for our nursery, including a set of Trafalgarās Square animal prints to hang on the wall and a light blue stuffed elephant because it was $6 and adorable.
Stretch Marks?
Nope. Still religiously applying a combination of Mambino Organic Oh Baby! Belly Butter and Burtās Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter to my tummy and boobs.
Belly Button In Or Out?
In-ish. Flattening out more and more by the day. I just know Iām on my way to having a giant outie.
Happy or Moody Most Of The Time?
Happy! My good friend Leah had her baby boy two weeks ago and every time I see pictures of him and hear how happy she is with her new little guy, my heart fills with joy. Iām so thrilled for her and sheās definitely making me all the more excited to meet our little boy when heās ready.
Aside from feeling mostly happy, I am also still experiencing some bouts of anxiety that continue to pop up daily. Though Iām definitely feeling better than I was in my first trimester with regard to anxiety, I wish I could just sit back and relax and trust everything will go well, but itās hard not to worry. Itās the weeks in between doctorās appointments that make me worry most but when I feel our little guy move, it helps me feel a little more secure.
Any Movement?
Yes! There were actually a few days this past week that went by where I didnāt feel our little guy move at all and I didnāt realize how worried I was until I felt him move again and started tearing up out of nowhere. Feeling him move around is apparently way more reassuring to me than I realized! I feel him most when Iām working at the computer and right before bed at night.
Any Fun Stories?
This is a rather random one, but when Ryan and I have discussed middle names, we always end up laughing because our babyās middle name is still very much up in the air. (We still arenāt ready to commit to a first name either, but at least we have a pretty solid contender!) Anyway, Ryan isnāt really into middle names and even though he has one, he said he doesnāt really care either way if our little guy has a middle name or not. Iād like him to have a middle name, so weāve had a few conversations about it and the one that made me laugh the hardest was when Ryan joked that we should make our babyās middle name āOh.ā Like Baby Oh Faganā¦ Or Baby OāFagan. Our little Irishman. Thatās definitely not happening, but we have been joking about our little Baby OāFagan ever since.
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Sounds like you’re hitting the “good” spot of pregnancy (if there is one!). I SO regret not getting that pillow. I am 39 weeks tomorrow and basically can’t sleep. I told my hubby I was mad he didn’t let me get the pillow and he says, “well, it’s not too late!” Really man?! The nerve!
Aw!!! And that’s so exciting that you’re almost 39 weeks!!!! I hope you’re feeling great and aren’t too uncomfortable <3 <3
Have you been using the Belli face wash and spot treatment both or just the spot treatment? I just ordered the spot treatment but I’m almost out of my normal face wash so I’m debating on trying Belli’s face wash.
I’ve been using the face wash, spot treatment AND moisturizer! I was desperate!! š
Still having issues at 25 weeks, I’m getting desperate too š Will give the cleanser and moisturizer a try! Anything is worth a shot!
Hahaha that’s so funny about you wanting facial products to work immediately. I am the exact same way and that’s why I have a whole bag filled to the brim with facial products that didn’t work out for me. Talk about a waste of money! And that’s when I found out that Sephora and Ulta accept returns. What?! How did I not know this?
But now I’ve realized that you really have to give it a few weeks (at least a month) to determine whether a product is working out or not and I finally found a routine that works for me. It’s so hard to not get frustrated when you don’t wake up acne-free after using a new product for one day! LOL! š
You look great! Definitely have that pregnancy glow!
I can definitely relate to wanting your husband to feel the baby. I am 26 weeks, and I remember a month or so ago, I was constantly having him come over and put his hand on my belly. It took probably 10 times, but one night when I was laying in bed, baby was going nuts and kicking up a storm. I thought that surely my husband HAD to feel these, and sure enough he did. It was such a special moment. Now, he is constantly checking and pushing on my stomach, and we get quite entertained just watching my belly and sometimes being able to see the baby move. Such a cool time!! Can’t wait to hear your story of Ryan feeling your boy move for the first time š
Glowing missus!! Spinning is great, you can take it at your own pace right the way to the end of your pregnancy almost!
I agree with Ryan about middle names, I am not really into them either! I am too practical….they aren’t really that useful! Both of my kids (one boy and one girl) have my maiden name as their middle name. My cousins did the same thing with their 3 boys, and I thought it was a neat idea! It’s helpful in our case too, because I kept my maiden name, so this helps me feel like the whole family is connected!
Love that idea!! One of my best friebds’ parents did that, too!
This is a popular Jewish tradition and I love it. I mentioned it to my husband and he thought it was weird for all the kids to have the same middle name, but I just love the idea.
Those animal prints are so cute! Im thinking about getting them for MY room haha. Thanks for the update and I am glad everything is going well!
I’m so glad I found your blog!! I am right behind you at 17 weeks, and was experiencing the same anxiety you talk about, as well as the same food aversions and cravings. I took comfort in knowing someone else was going through the same things!
So glad you found me, too!! And congratulations to you! Are you seeing a bump yet!?
Just a heads up that Joss & Main is having a huge sale on Nursery items today! I just browsed and they have a lot of adorable things – many of which fit in the neutral decor theme š
Oooh I will check it out when I get home! Thanks!
I;m in the same boat as Melissa. I’m 39 weeks on Friday and would DIE for that pillow. My husband thinks it’s still an OK time to purchase but it’s like um DUDE the kid will be out of me before Amazon even gets my order!
Haha!! Congrats to you!!!
My mom wasn’t given a middle name as a child and felt like such an outcast not having one. She still resents her parents for that one.
I’ll pass this onto Ryan since I’m pro-middle name š
I don’t know how common Fagan is, or the first name you’ll choose, but my friend in Germany and her sister both have very, very common first and last names in Germany (think Katie and Jessica Johnson) and no middle names. There is no way to differentiate their names from thousands of others!! Similarly my husband has the same first and last as his uncle and grandfather, but the middle names are different, which is a good thing because his uncle has some not good things that pop up on Google searches. Points for middle names! (I think they can also be nice to honor people without having two living, close relatives with the same name. My middle is my aunt’s first, and since her passing it’s been extra special to me). <3
I’m almost 27 weeks and finally broke down & ordered the Snoogle; it comes tomorrow and I am beyond excited! The pillow I’ve been trying to use just between my legs has not been doing the trick!
You will LOVE it!!!!!
Well Julie, your baby is going to need a middle name to be gifted with proper monograms. So don’t let your friends and family down hahhah! š And YAY for BODYPUMP. I taught the brand new release 93 last night for the first time. It’s great!
A lot of my friends actually waited until the baby was born to name their little one. Some have even kept the baby name a secret because they didn’t want anyone to criticize their choice.
Those baby animal pictures are adorable! Glad to hear you are feeling more like yourself again!
So much sweetness! I can’t imagine having to fight the urge to buy ALL the baby things while pregnant! I feel like I give into that just when I have a friend who is expecting, I can’t imagine how much worse my impulse buys would be while pregnant!
Boy names are so much harder to come up with than girl names, aren’t they?! We’ve narrowed it down now to a couple of choices but plan to wait until the baby is actually born to make a final decision, too.
And yes about the belly button thing! I’m 23 weeks now, and my belly button is definitely starting to push out a bit. It’s still an “innie” but it’s flatter and I just know it’s going to pop out. I just hope it goes back in later haha
Yes!!! I have a million girl names I love but it took us a while to come up with even ONE boy name we both liked a lot!
And I hope my belly button goes back in, too! I know there is no way around me getting a giant outie at some point in the near future!
Don’t worry about not feeling the baby move every day at this point in your pregnancy. My doc told me not to freak out (when I was around 22 weeks) if I didn’t feel it move every day. Later on you’ll want to make sure you do!
Thank you for this!!
I’m 12 weeks along with baby #3. I can’t wait to feel normal again.
I am pro middle name! My kids have our first names as their middle name.
I have my moms name as mine and I always thought it was neat. Makes it pretty easy with future kids…girls get my name and boys get my husbands. Done. Lol
I love reading your updates because you are just one week ahead of me in this pregnancy! It gives me an idea of what to expect the next week!
We are finding out the gender tonight and I’m so excited! We will then start planning our nursery also! Last night was my first night with the snoogle and I agree, it’s a great thing!! I’m feeling more movement by the day and it’s pretty much the best and I agree that it’s very reassuring!
Good luck!!!
Ahhhh!!!! So excited for you tonight!!!!
I ADORE those prints. My husband and I are pretty outdoorsy and I dream about having those in a nursery in the future. I’ll have to look elsewhere for them!
Random question: when you were flying a few month ago, how did you deal with security lines? Did you tell the TSA people you were expecting?
Did you buy the Mambino Organic Belly Butter from Amazon, or were you able to find a better deal somewhere else? I’ll be 17 weeks tomorrow and just noticed I have 1 stretchmark on my hip….ugh! I’ve been using the Burt’s Bees Mamma Butter for a few weeks now and love it!
My husband is from Vietnam, and they use their mom’s maiden name as 1 of their middle names. They then get another middle name – so everyone in Vietnam has 2! Being that Armstrong is my maiden name, we won’t be going that route haha!
Make sure you are doing your Kegels! That may help a bit with the heavy feeling down there now, and will certainly help with postpartum recovery.
I remember feeling that way after my now-9-month-old was born and it made it so uncomfortable to be sitting in one position for a long time (which is a lot of the day with a newborn!) It took a few weeks to feel back to normal, but I’m sure it would’ve taken even longer if I hadn’t done the Kegels while pregnant.
I also would recommend getting an exercise ball to role around on/bounce on to help open up your hips–it also takes some of that pressure off your “nethers” and feels really good as your belly grows when sitting in an unsupportive chair/sofa becomes uncomfortable.
**roll
Your bump is so cute!! I miss mine at times š I was anxious my entire pregnancy up until I had my daughter in my arms. The anxiety definitely lessened as the weeks went on, but it was still there. I loved having her move inside me because, like you, it was completely reassuring to me. I even went in to my Dr. one day because she wasn’t moving as much as usual, and I wanted to make sure she was OK. I have been keeping you and Baby O’Fagan (<– hilarious BTW), in my prayers!
You are so super adorable! I love following your pregnancy!!
Your bump is just so dang cute!
We couldn’t choose the name until we met her. Once she was on my chest & we had hung out a bit with her in those first few hours, we knew which name was right for her. We’ll do the same with this one when she comes in August! I love middle names, actually, so I agree with you! The O is a perfect compromise though, haha š
So fun that you’re feeling the little guy on a regular basis now! I cannot WAIT until I can feel our little one. It’s one of my favorite parts about pregnancy! And yeah – I had a total outie by the end of my pregnancy with Hunter. This time around, it popped out basically as soon as I started getting any sort of belly at around 10-12 weeks! I just embrace it. š
I can’t believe you’re 21 weeks!! Time is FLYING!
My parents got creative with my middle name…they combined both of my Grandma’s names (Rachel and Kay) and came up with RaKay š I LOVE IT because it’s so unique, special, and meaningful…and I don’t think anyone else has it (I’d be surprised if they did!)!
Jyan or Rulie hahaha not sure what your’s and ryan’s mom’s names are, but could be something to play around with
More like “Juan” or “Rylie”
This is too funny since my name is Rachel, and my mother’s name is Kay š
My favorite post of the week! You look great!
I give you props for not weighing yourself. I’m 18 weeks and I must admit that I weigh myself EVERY MORNING. I’m embracing my body changes pretty well and I’m not letting the numbers freak me out, but I just like knowing. I may change my mind about that in a month or two though. š
I’m actually not very anxious (my first baby, too) which makes me feel weird. I suppose I should enjoy the calm feeling while it lasts because I’m sure the crazy will unleash soon! š
I remember wayyyy back in the day when you blogged about Ryan coming up with a pretty stellar boy’s name. It was something along the lines of Spike… or Hulk… or something. I actually tried to go back and find it but then decided that would be kind of creepy. But maybe you should revisit those posts! š
Hubby and I just found out Sunday that we will be grandparents come November!! I’ve shared with her your blog to follow. The first thing I did was order her a Snoogle, belly balm and morning sickness drops. I cant wait for her to get them Friday! Not having kids myself, its’ fun and very informative following this amazing part of your lifes! Thanks for sharing!!
Wow! I feel like your pregnancy is flying by! Before we know it, your little guy is going to be here. I am thrilled for you! AGH- you are listening to Serial! It is addicting, and I miss it dearly.
My husband always wanted to add “Von” before our last name for our kids. So my son’s name is Henrik, so his could have been “Henrik Von Muth”. We call him that sometimes and laugh! We actually went with Michael as a middle name- I put my foot down, haha!
hahaha! where do guys come up with this stuff!?
These recaps are so fun to read! When my parents named me, they left my middle name a single initial, M, so that I could pick my own when I turned 18. They chose the M because there are a lot of M-names in our family, so when I chose Magic to be my middle name, they were all a little surprised. Ultimately, though, it grew on them and now my blog is named after it. š
That’s cute and really special!
I noticed I was out of breath almost immediately after finding out I was pregnant. Going up stairs, walking, carrying groceries, etc. You’d think I was running a marathon! There will be another Serial podcast starting April 13th about Adnan….http://www.refinery29.com/2015/04/85202/adnan-syed-podcast-rabia-chaudry?utm_source=email&utm_medium=editorial&utm_content=everywhere&utm_campaign=150408-white-tee-outfits
I’m about two weeks behind you but welcoming twins and experiencing so many of the same things as you. Mine are moving like crazy for the most part but if they have a less active day it really gets me wondering about them! I can’t wait for Ryan to feel them move for the first time – my husband felt each of ours move for the first time the weekend before last and it was a wonderful and magical moment that I never want to forget! My food aversions/cravings are almost completely opposite of yours which made me giggle. And I can totally relate on the anxiety issue. I had some fairly major panic attacks earlier on during the pregnancy & now am just trying to focus on the miracles. Love reading your bumpdates š
Twins!!! That is so exciting! Congratulations to you, Joey! <3
I’m pregnant with my first baby and I love those prints!!!! I’ve been having a lot of anxiety too, but it’s getting a little better, especially since our 12 week ultrasound.. I am at 13 and a half weeks. We have to move before the baby is born, right now we don’t even have a place for a nursery or I would be going crazy decorating already.
š
I laughed about the middle name portion! My GPA didn’t gmhave a middle name, just an initial. William J. Williamson. I thought it was unique & everyone that tells me they struggle with a middle name I suggest choosing a letter š why not?!?! It’s your baby! š
You’re adorable! As for that pressure, be sure to communicate with your doctor if it becomes painful. With my first pregnancy I thought the extreme pain I ended up feeling was normal. Turned out I had Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction and it was quite severe. It reoccurred in my second pregnancy. Not many people know about it, but the discomfort putting one leg in your pants caught my attention. Of course I hope it’s Baby Boy just hanging out in a funky spot that he’ll move away from and give you some relief!! Thanks for sharing your pregnancy with your readers!
I appreciate this comment!! Thank you — I’ll definitely bring it up to my doctor at my next appointment.
I can totally relate with the anxiety! The two things that really helped me were reading a book (it’s called the panic free pregnancy or something like that, I can’t remember exactly) and staying away from all those pregnancy message boards that come up when you google things about pregnancy! The book had really practical advice and just made me feel more confident that everything I was experiencing was normal and that I didn’t have anything to stress about!
Why haven’t you been weighing yourself, but still keep that question in your blog posts? Just wondering š
Because I am sharing my weight gain after I get weighed at doctor’s appointments along the way — like last week! š I’m just not weighing myself at home.
Love this! You are so adorable! I WISH I had a snoogle when I was preggers with my daughter. Instead, I bought a feather body pillow that I would squish under my belly and hips. I still sleep with it! The husband is not so crazy about it though; he says it is like the size another person! Ha!
The snoogle has HANDS DOWN been the best purchase that I have made this entire pregnancy! I have been considering what I’m going to do with all my maternity stuff once this pregnancy is over (I’m 33 weeks tomorrow), but I think I might have to hoard that baby away until my next pregnancy. I just can’t give it up!!
Also, I had a friend in HS whose name was Mary Oh. We always used to call her Mary Oh Mary. Poor thing. haha.
I love thie photos of you week by week … Jill Dillard (of 19kidsandcounting) did that and I loved it.
http://www.duggarfamilyblog.com/2015/03/5-days-overdue.html
The prints are adorable š
I’ve never been pregnant, but I’ve heard that babies tend to be more active in the womb when the mother is at rest. It has something to do with movement from the mother being relaxing for them, so they calm down and sleep. Since you’re fairly active all day with the gym and working out, maybe that’s why he isn’t moving much. Then when you’re resting or still, (like at the computer or in bed,) he wakes up and moves around.
So nostalgic to read this! I had my first baby in November (also a boy). Yesterday he rolled onto his stomach and back for the first time, and I just thought how amazing it has been to carry him and then have him in my life. You’ll love it!
I entirely know what you mean about the movements being a huge comfort. Now I know a little tap compared to simple gas (excuse me!) Its just alarming whem a whole day can go by with nothing and other days it’ll happen a few times! Never mind. Stay positive. There will come a point they willl be kicking us so hard we will wish they would stop! (Secretly I can’t wait!) X