It’s the last week of the second trimester! Some say this is the first week of the third trimester, but I’m sticking with week 28 starting the last and final trimester.
It’s really starting to sink in that there will be a BABY here in a few months. I have some moments of slight panic because A TEENY TINY BABY! How am I going to do that? I seriously spent so much time trying to get here that I think my brain is just now accepting that I will actually have a baby and be a parent! Crazy!
This week 3BB is the size of a cabbage.
They really need more of the white B’s in that letterboard thing I have.
I think the realness setting in is because we planned my virtual shower. I’m still not comfortable with large gatherings of people, so virtual was the way to go. Plus then people from all over the country can come, which wouldn’t be possible if it was in person.
This week I also got my Covid vaccine booster. My OB recommended it and I was more than happy to comply. Any antibodies I can send to little 3BB to help protect her once she’s out in the real world are worth it. I felt mostly OK after the shot. My arm was really sore and I felt fatigued, but overall I felt fine.
One thing that happened was my teeth started hurting. At first I thought maybe it was because I chipped a crown on my front tooth back in June. But it seemed a little too coincidental and the pain was unlike any normal tooth pain. But then there was some sensitivity or something, where I couldn’t eat or drink without being in pain, so I called the dentist.
They squeezed me in on Friday morning and the verdict is that my gums are super inflamed. Some of it is just from pregnancy, since I have pregnancy gingivitis. But they said the inflammation was worse than when I was just in there last month. The dentist said that the tools were measuring 5-6 millimeters, and the problem is that even flossing can only reach 4 millimeters.
They seem to think that the inflammation may have caused some bacteria to get in there behind the crown. So they gave me some gingivitis toothpaste, told me to rinse with warm salt water and invest in a waterpik, since that can get deeper in those crevices to clear out bacteria.
I’m not totally unconvinced that the swelling and inflammation isn’t from the vaccine booster. I mean, after every shot, I’ve had swelling in my lymph nodes on the side the shot was given, which is a very common side effect. Who is to say that it can’t cause extra swelling/inflammation in my already inflamed gums?
Fingers crossed that these measures help and I don’t have to have any major dental work done while I’m pregnant. I know that is is relatively safe, and if I’m in excruciating pain I will do it, but if I can avoid it, I will.
I’m also super thankful that I switched to this new dentist before this happened. They were all so nice and the main dentist is very adamant about not doing anything unnecessary to me while pregnant and I really appreciate it. He even gave me his cell number just in case something happens over the holiday and I need help. So while it sucks to have this pain and irritation, I’m so glad that going to the dentist didn’t cause any additional pain and irritation, like I’m convinced my last dentist would have done.
I also had a follow-up appointment with my diabeetus nurse this week. I love that she lets these appointments be phone calls because it literally took all of five minutes. Saves me a fortune in gas and parking not having to go down there every few weeks for five whole minutes.
My numbers are all looking good. I had to increase my insulin a little and since then, my fasting numbers have been amazing. She told me to continue to keep an eye out on any high meal numbers that are getting harder to control. She also asked about my next ultrasound. She thought that if 3BB is measuring too big at the next one, we might want to proactively give a mealtime insulin dose so she doesn’t get too big. I’m more than happy to do whatever it takes to keep 3BB in there as long as possible and NOT have a 10 pound baby.
I actually have another ultrasound on Monday! I’m very excited to see my stubborn girl! This is a follow-up one because at the 20-week ultrasound her one kidney was slightly enlarged. So this will check to see if it is still enlarged or if it all worked itself out. Keep your fingers crossed it all looks good and she’s doing good in there!
I don’t look much bigger from last week’s photo, but I feel like I’ve popped more. She’s still very active, which I very much appreciate. I don’t have to worry about kick counts or anything because she is plenty active. She must know that mommy worries a lot about her already. Either that or she’s just going to be a gymnast once she gets out! Or a club dancer!
Sorry for the late update this week, but tooth pain is really the worst. I know I haven’t been in labor yet, but at this point I’d take back pain over tooth pain any day.
Stay tuned for some hopefully very adorable ultrasound photos next week! Hopefully she cooperates this time, but I already know my girl will do what she wants!
#3BBOnBoard
YAY 3BB!! I loved having active babies, so considerate to always let me know they were still alive and (literally) kicking! Well, until the end when the kicking became really painful up under my ribs. But still better than NO kicking!
Hope the U/S goes (went?) well the kidney worked herself out! Juliette in particular had a ton of stuff like that – ooh, something looks a little imperfect, nothing to freak out about buuuut just maybe come back for an additional test / additional u/s / additional blah blah blah… and everything had always resolved itself by the next time. Fingers crossed that 3BB is the same kind of faker 😉