Week 22- The most exciting thing that happened this week was Kevin feeling the baby kick for the first time! I love when they can start bonding. Thankfully the Braxton Hicks have improved from last week; they haven’t been quite as frequent. That’s a load of worry off my mind. We’ve started the process of setting up some baby things- just enough to see what we need to rearrange to make space. I love my house. I am so lucky just to be in a home and have a mortgage in this day and age. It is a small house though! We will need to be a bit creative to make sure everyone has space. Decluttering and rearranging has been quite the undertaking and I’m glad we have a while to figure it out. The kids are professionals at smuggling random stuff in the house. I find more every time I open a closet.
Week 23- Pregnancy has some moments that just aren’t pretty. I had the worst bloody nose of my life at work. So embarrassing. I finally had time to run for a pee break- the second I sat down, blood just started pouring out of both sides of my nose. The 1 ply toilet paper had no chance. Blood started going straight down my throat- I called for a coworker to bring me a towel. As she came into the bathroom, she was blessed to observe me throwing up blood straight into the sink. I was trying to clean up the blood everywhere (read: crime scene) and all the nurses that had gathered were like, “what do you think you’re doing…” and called housekeeping to come deal with the puddle of blood. 😭😭
I don’t usually get bloody noses, but I’ve had “pregnancy congestion” constantly this time around. That plus the aspirin was a recipe for disaster.
The new development this week was feeling baby’s hiccups for the first time! I forgot about those.
I took care of a baby at work that was born about as far along as I am now (they were born at 23 + 2). It’s such a crazy thing to care for a baby on the outside knowing they are the size of your baby on the inside. It’s just a unique experience.
Unfortunately, a friend of mine just had a miscarriage and it made me so sick to my stomach. I was seriously ill for a full day and night. I just know that pain, especially when that baby was supposed to be your miracle. It’s still so close to home. And there’s this weird mix of guilt that my baby is still okay.
Week 24- It’s too early for the waddle! But this week I’ve welcomed intense groin and thigh pain. Getting in and out of the car has felt impossible. Stairs and walking have been shockingly painful. It seems to be SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction) again like I had with Aidia. Basically the ligaments in the pelvis are too loose to keep everything in place. It causes uneven movements and lots of pain. My OB said it will probably be worse this time around since I’ve had it before. Gotta work on my PT exercises.
Embracing the maternity scrubs |
At 6 months, Ivy should have conscious thought and is making memories. I’m starting to see her kicks from the outside!
Week 25- Each day that I wake up and feel her moving and kicking I feel immensely grateful and amazed. Aidia felt her first kick this week! The kicks are much bigger, and are starting to move my whole belly.
I found out that after maternity leave, the fewest amount of hours I would be allowed to schedule at work is 60 hours per pay period. I can reduce hours further after the next level of education is complete (there’s a significant amount of prep work, tests, paired shifts, etc.) I can’t imagine how that many overnight shifts would ever work while breastfeeding a 3-month-old. I know people do it when they have to. I would have to sleep when I came home from work too though. I feel like I need a longer stretch with my baby; we have waited an impossibly long time for her. Maybe I can quit and then go back when she’s a little older? Or find a different job to start with fewer hours if we can’t swing it financially? I feel sad thinking about it because I don’t want to leave my position. I have put so much work into it this year.
The stress of watching everything happening with the stock market/ tariffs/ the daily dismantling of government organizations really has me down. Especially as all repayment plans for student loans hang in the balance. Income driven repayment recertification coming down off the website has especially made me sick to my stomach. We’ve always made big decisions based on the repayment plans we agreed to. In all these years, I’ve never missed a payment. If suddenly income based repayment goes away, there’s no way I could make the standard payments (well over 2K a month). Interest continues to climb. All the terms and interest are one sided and we get strapped with the consequences of political decisions. I wish it had been more like a mortgage agreement. We are holding all that stress that keeps us up at night wondering how to afford the interest increase or sudden change in terms. It’s terrifying to wonder what terms are going to change and what fresh hell awaits us in the news each morning. Maybe the courts will block some of these proposed changes? I’m really trying to enjoy this pregnancy if all the political nonsense could PLEASE chill for a minute.
At my 25 week OB appointment I was measuring 26 weeks by my belly, so I think Ivy’s growth is great!
As expected, the 3 hour glucose test was torture. Fasting while pregnant. Chugging syrup and trying not to void the test by throwing up. The 4 blood draws (in dehydrated veins) in 3.5 hours. The nausea and pounding headache made me wish for a bed to lay in between blood draws. This is the 6th time I’ve done a glucose test- one reason to celebrate my last pregnancy. I never want to do this again. Of course I got a call halfway through the testing from the 8th grade counselor with Jack in the office. One crisis at a time please!
And after all that- I still failed (confirmed diagnosis of gestational diabetes). I felt really depressed by the results. I was almost sure I wouldn’t pass, but actually failing feels terrible. I’m only 25 weeks, that is such a long time to manage diabetes until the baby’s born. Especially working nights and eating/sleeping at random times. Fun fact- just working nights increases your insulin resistance. I get overwhelmed trying to figure out how to cook for my family separately from what I will be able to eat. Have you seen the price of groceries?
I was really hopeful I could get a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) instead of doing finger sticks 4+ times a day. Insurance said they will only cover it if I end up going on insulin injections to manage my sugar. So it’s bruised fingers for now. I hope I can manage the diabetes with a strict diet like I did with Aidia.
I just want to keep Ivy healthy. I’ll be monitored at the MFM now and likely have NSTs (non-stress tests). It will all be worth it not to have another 9.5lb baby like Jack. I'm happy it's not a borderline result, the careful monitoring will give me peace of mind that I'm keeping both of us healthy.
I’m not sure if I’ll lose any of the extra weight, but maybe I’ll stop gaining so fast if I can monitor my glucose. I have been trying, but without the actual blood result data it’s mostly a guessing game. I swear I have FELT the insulin resistance in this pregnancy
Lab results showed my thyroid was overcorrected too. I'm a bit nervous about reducing my dose, I'm already so tired.
I immediately started reducing/counting all my carbs while I waited to hear from the doctor. My brain must have noticed because now the munchies are in full swing and I’m hungry all the time. This transition might be hard.
Night one of being at work with gestational diabetes. I really hope this keeps me full and my blood pressure stable for 12 hours (it's been really low lately). This baby only wants muffins and cereal since yesterday 😩. I get really nauseous if I go too long without snacking so I hope I can make this work.
Healthy food can be yummy, just expensive!! |
On the bright side, the constant craving to chew pebble ice is definitely increasing my fluid intake. I almost always have a cup of ice water in hand.
Week 25 ended on a high note because Jack felt a kick finally! He had been anxiously waiting.
Week 26- This week brought my first real kick to the ribs! Also several days of massive headaches and charley horses. The muscle spasms in my calves at night are the kind where I can’t even seem to stretch it out on my own- my toes are just frozen, pointed. Diabetes management sucks, It’s real motivation to never develop Type II diabetes if at all possible. Gestational diabetes is like a 3 month trial and it’s like no thank you! Unsubscribe!!
Let’s move on to happy things. The kids had a random day off school, so I decided to take them to my private 3D ultrasound. It was the right timing to try and get a glimpse of this sweet girl’s face. Watching Jack and Aidia react to seeing their little sister in real time was priceless. Seriously such a moment of joy! We got great pictures- and it looks like Ivy has the same little dimple as Aidia! I could sit and watch the video of this babe yawning over and over again! Amazing to see her so developed and learning in her environment. I’m so thankful.
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Dimple! |
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Snuggles |
I met with my neurologist and the good news is they are increasing my nerve med just slightly. He said it likely won’t be enough to change any outcomes with baby, but might be enough to help me significantly. I’ve really been struggling with my chronic pain the past few weeks. Unfortunately I can’t take most of my other meds until I’m finished breastfeeding, but I’m happy they could make any changes at all to help my quality of life.
When I talked to my OB, they said regardless of shift work, I need a daily fasting glucose (no eating 8-12 hours). I was trying to figure out when the heck that would be when I work at night. Sometimes I get my lunch break at 5am; and I usually only sleep about 2 hours before heading in to my first shift each week. It’s already difficult to stay up 24 hours, I don’t think I can fast through a third of them.
The gestational diabetes has really propelled me past my fear of Kevin getting a vasectomy before the baby is here. I know I can’t do this again. It makes more sense for him to get the procedure and recover before I’m a recovering postpartum mom. Between my risks, being off my meds, and now managing diabetes while working nights and raising two kids- this is it. It just took that final straw for me to schedule a consult for him.
I know I sound like a baby about this, but finger sticks really hurt- at least for me. They stay sore for a long time. I get bruises on my fingers and I hate the idea of going to work and putting sanitizer on 700 times a shift. Stay healthy Ivy and help make all this worth it! I’m 27 weeks tomorrow, which means one more week until the 3rd trimester!