Dear Pooh Bear,

Holy Moly little one we have officially started our third trimester! Can you believe it? I know I certainly can’t. I feel like I have been waiting for you for so long, and now we are finally approaching the end of the road. There is so much for your daddy and I to get done before your arrival, but don’t worry your cute little head….we’ll be sure to do it all!

What does it mean to be in the third trimester? I am not totally sure since this is my first go at it, but I am anticipating alot of growth. You have treated me so well thus far, but it seems that with the end comes natures reminder that soon you will be here and sleep will be but a thing of the past. I must admit I am a bit scared of what is ahead. I feel like there are so many unknowns. How will I feel? When will you decide to come? And most of all labor…I am absolutely terrified about that, but I will save those fears for another post. (Think stork)

What I am focusing on is all the joys and fun things that are coming in the coming weeks! Your furniture has come into the store, but we are waiting to have it set up for a few more weeks. This weekend your daddy, Grandma, Nana and I are going to get to see your cute little face in a 3D/4D sonogram! I can’t wait! We will be able to get an idea of what you are going to look like!

I am sleeping less and less these days. I keep getting restless legs that just want to move around, and I get aches if I stay in one position too long. Even my wonderful Snoogle pillow can’t battle the restlessness. But, like I said above I think it’s nature’s way of getting me prepared, and I am sure it’s only going to get worse. My back is starting to ache, and I have officially had to take off my wedding rings. Sometimes I feel that people are looking at me, and judging me, but what can I do? I don’t want them to get stuck on my fingers!

Pooh Bear: 28 Weeks

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She’s also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

You’re in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you’re like most women, you’ll gain about 11 pounds this trimester.

At this point, you’ll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you’ll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven’t yet had follow-up testing, you’ll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you’re Rh negative, you’ll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby’s blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you’ll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.)

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant “creepy-crawly” sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what’s known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it’s relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

I promise I felt the restless leg BEFORE reading about it! I admit to being a hypochondriac sometimes..but this is not one of these times. I really hope when we see your little face this weekend that we can see your eyes opening and closing! I need you to cooperate with us! Time to put your game face on and give us those great model looks that I know you can.