Third Trimester Recap

Buckle up, this third trimester recap is kind of a long one. As you know by now, Cora is here. I started writing this post while things were happening in the third trimester. Writing this down helps me look back on my pregnancy.
I can truly say I’ve had a wonderful pregnancy thus far. The third trimester has taught me to expect the unexpected and to be flexible with your birth plan. Guessing this is just getting me even more prepared for parenthood.

Let me take you back to Thursday February 4. I went in for a routine ultrasound. This ultrasound was to check baby’s growth as well as my umbilical cord’s circulation. Please note that from a previous ultrasound the doctors noticed baby’s belly was a little small. The question being is it a circulation issue with my cord/placenta causing some growth restriction. So back to February 4 she was in the right weight range, her heart looked great and she had great fetal movement. Now instead of just her belly measuring a little small, she was measuring small all over.

The doctor explained to me that I needed to start doing nonstress tests twice a week plus Doppler ultrasounds to monitor baby girl and her growth. Next I’m told to go to the labor and delivery floor right away to get a steroid shot. This steroid shot helps babies lungs mature quicker in case of early delivery. Oh and one more thing, instead of a 40 week pregnancy that we would be looking to induce at 37 weeks.

Trying to take all of this information in without losing it, I now had to relay it all to Sheldon. Thank God he was in the lobby waiting for me to finish. I was a bit frazzled and probably left some things out but made my way over to labor and delivery to get the shot. Because of Covid, Sheldon could not go with me and had to wait in either the cafeteria or the car. Here I thought I was just getting the shot and next thing I know I’m in a gown hooked up to a fetal monitor getting a nonstress test done. I thought the test was happening the upcoming Monday and not this day too.

Baby girl looked great on the nonstress test, I got my shot and then had to go back to the hospital the next day for my second shot. From there, my twice a week nonstress tests continued. On top of that, regular follow up appointments and ultrasounds to check her growth and my cord’s circulation, yes it was a lot. I’m grateful for the extra care given to baby girl. However, each visit was nerve wracking praying that she was growing properly.

All of these visits and precautions were to take place up until week 37. I did not make it to week 37 because I ended up being diagnosed with preeclampsia. I will explain more in her birth story. Stay tuned for her birth story because that gets pretty interesting too. That about sums everything up that has gone on in the third trimester. If you want to read about my other trimester recaps you can find the first trimester here and second trimester here.

Thanks for reading!