27 Weeks

Feeling: I've been doing good on my no sugar, high health diet the past week. I have only been drinking water and milk and eating proteins with all my carbs. My carbs are all whole wheat and I'm eating fruits high in fiber (apples, bananas) and veggies with every meal or snack. I really need the extra fiber now that I'm on all this iron...and I think its been doing the trick! I'm not exactly "regular" but I don't have the razor blades in my gut that I used to have. Its been rough, especially with all the sweets around and work, and I'm really not much of a water (except at work) or milk drinker (used to only tolerate chocolate milk, or milk with Oreos hahaha) so that's been the biggest adjustment. I have to start my high carb diet tomorrow in preparation for my 3 hour glucose test on Saturday, so that should be fun. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I pass, I'm really hoping I do!! My belly has really started getting in the way of life lately. My abs are all stretched out so getting up from a laying on my back position or sitting reclined on a low chair or couch, can be a challenge. Also, picking stuff up off the floor is quite a production as well.  The belly button is still an "innie" but getting mighty shallow! I'm so excited for my baby shower this weekend and had so much fun at Marissa's last weekend! I feel like we're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The 2 week doc appts start this week, my next appt is Thursday! I wonder if Dr. Sanchez will remember seeing me in labor in delivery at 10pm 3 weeks ago hahaha! :)

Weight: 136 lbs (maybe I'm losing weight on the new diet?? Hope my doc doesn't yell at me!)

What to Expect From Week 27: For a baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard. So what are your baby’s stats this week (which, coincidentally, is the end of the second trimester)? Fifteen inches — more than a foot long — and triple (or even quadruple) what it was in week 12. His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly (start learning those lullabies!).

Puffy? That's to be expected — about 75 percent of soon-to-be moms experience edema (mild swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles) around this point in pregnancy. That's because fluids build up in your body tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the vena cava (the large vein that cycles blood from your lower limbs to your heart). So while you may have a hard time squeezing into shoes or getting your rings on (or off), keep in mind that the puff factor is completely normal and temporary. Has your innie been outed? Is it poking straight through your clothes these days, like a timer on a well-cooked turkey? Don't worry: There's nothing novel about navels that pop during pregnancy — just about every belly button does at some point. Still, two questions may now come to mind as you glance down at your bulging belly: One — what can you do now that your protruding navel has taken on a larger-than-life life of its own? And two — will your button ever be…cute as a button again? On the first, there's not much you can do (though this is a great opportunity to clean out all that lint). As your baby grows bigger and bigger, so will your belly button. If you find that the outie look doesn't quite work with the fashion statement you're trying to make, consider taping your protruding navel down with a Band-Aid. As far as what will happen postbaby? Your navel will revert inward after you give birth — though it might be a bit wider and looser than before.