25 Weeks Pregnant – Size of a Head of Cauliflower

25 WEEKS PREGNANT!

Fall is here, and so is the near end to the second trimester! Baby Sandee is the size of a cauliflower, measuring well over a foot long (more like near 14 inches), and I just can’t believe how hard she can kick! Now we can visibly see her strong kicks, and winecoach can really feel her do her thing, even when he hugs me! She’s also nearer about 2 lbs now, which should explain my 22lb weight gain, right? Well, it definitely shows by her activity level, and there is definitely a lot going on in my body. Like last week, I still have the feeling of always having a full bladder, I mean, almost always even though it’s just her probably chilling on top of it most of the day!

Maternity overall by Motherhood.

I had a pretty eventful week with lots of major changes going on both at my work life and home life. I’m not going there yet, but big changes are coming and I’m trying to handle them with the least amount of stress possible. Life can get interesting all on its own; add a big belly and emotions to it, plus ALL things happening at the same time ans you get a perfect storm, which is not always optimal. One (me) would wish things were just calm during this period that requires so much attention and nurturing (pregnancy) but God has plans and I’m not going to question them. Live day by day, and we will get through this.
Sometimes I wish it wasn’t the case, but what do I know? Cliche or not, everything happens for a reason, and we as humans need to just stick to doing our part and what we think is right for us and our families, am I right? God is good, and change is also good although can be hard! I’m ready for the learning curve ahead and God’s teachings, which have been nothing but amazing. I too shall learn from this.
My priorities have shifted now an I’m completely focused on Ms. Kicky and our growing family, so I am just keeping calm, doing my part and praying about the things I cannot control. I know at the end of the day EVERYTHING will come together and we will prosper as a family, stronger than ever! Baby Sandee is a very healthy and active baby, that I can tell you, and I know she will be just a joy once she debuts into this world! I know she is a gift from my dad who went earlier this year, and perhaps she will come with his smile, or a hint of his personality? That would be awesome.

• Challenges this week: Weird hand numbness upon awakening, no matter how I sleep! Literally feels like my hands are swollen or I’m wearing mittens. The sensation returns after about 3-5 minutes of pumping my fists. These symptoms are associated with pregnancy carpal tunnel, commonly occurring due to the increased level of fluid in our bodies. I don’t have any tingling throughout the day (yet), it’s just upon waking up.

Having minor heartburn, especially when I “overeat” but nothing compared to 20-22 weeks which was just 1 month ago! Did the baby stop growing so much hair? Haha, I was told hairy babies are responsible for this. This one comes after eating something very sweet, so go figure! I think I’m slowly running out of stomach room.
Slight shortness of breath with simple activities. I can tell my lung capacity is decreased because obviously the baby is growing, putting pressure on my rib cage. This means I want to be just as agile as before but I easily get “winded” and run out of breath often, especially with stairs, or going a bit faster than usual. Definitely need to continue on with my endurance training, I know it will help as continue to grow.

Realization….that if my baby came out this week it would more than likely survive, even if with much struggle and fight, much like one of my friend’s baby who was born towards the end of 25 weeks gestation. Today he’s a healthy little boy running around and it blows my mind that he came into this world this early. Baby is completely formed, and from now on, she’s just fattening up and getting stronger, maturing. It’s a truly amazing thing!

• Cravings: Burger cravings have diminished this week, but I do crave some flavor! Salty, crunchy stuff and chocolate are still a go. I think this week I craved ice cream/frozen yogurt once or twice, otherwise I’m still eating pretty healthily and nothing super weird, like the weird pickle combos, I don’t even like pickles all that much.
• Aversions: Still feeling blessed that I don’t have this. Still have to stay on top of eating though because every 2-3 hours I do need to be eating to avoid nausea or just not feeling well.
• Mood: uneventful, and that’s a good thing because my energy levels seem to be just as high as when I wasn’t pregnant. Second trimester, God Bless you! Not having “narcolepsia” really helps get things done! I better hurry up and continue taking care of business because I know the third trimester will likely not be as kind to me, especially towards the end.
  Ultrasound and Baby’s sex: She’s still a girl! YAY! I’m starting to get more excited about baby clothes and decorations! Maybe the “nesting” is coming in the near future.
• Movement and Positioning: Ms. Kicky would probably win a boxing match or karate in her age group right now. Everyone I talk to doesn’t seem to have a baby who kicks as often and as hard is this one this early, but now not only can I really fell her, I can see her in action. No body parts are yet identified, but she’s bumpin in there, and is quickly running out of room. It’s insane and surreal to me but I really enjoy it, although I’m still getting used to it! Sometimes I’m at a meeting and nearly shout “OUCH” because I was kicked on a rib, or in worse places, haha! Still, feeling Baby Sandee move is probably the best parts of my day; and having winecoach feel her move is the most special, for sure!
• Weight gain: apparently gaining 1-2 lbs a week, pretty steadily. Definitely about 22 lbs up from my initial weight but feeling pretty good . I really started “waddling” or walking with a larger base of support this week. That means my toes point out and I don’t have the easiest time bending over anymore. Everything is still doable but slower. It’s funny to see and feel the transition and how others behave towards me!
• Nursery and registry: taking a better look at the important things, like strollers and bassinets. Everything else is really secondary, so I know this will be what matters most, earlier. As far as I know and with the help of my friends who have toddlers, my registry is complete and great! Thank you all for the feedback a lot of your have given me on the registries! I’m with Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby, and they are consolidated on The Bump as well in case anyone has more constructive feedback for me! More feedback is always better feedback when it comes to these things!
• Names: Looks like we are getting closer and closer to choosing a name, and we are looking at our family names! We feel this will make it that much more special. Exciting times!
• Midwife or OB: Still seeing a midwife and getting ready for Bradley method of natural birth class 5 of 12. Winecoach and I are learning so much, and I’m getting more comfortable with the idea of allowing my body to do what it was made to do. It’s very liberating! It’s also helping in other aspects of my life, relaxation is key!
• Aches and pains: Feeling amazing this week! Prenatal yoga is really paying off I think! I do get tired and short of breath easily during the workouts, I definitely should get more walking in.
• Sleep: I’ve been making myself so tired with work, working out and traveling that I haven’t really had trouble sleeping. I do a lot of shifting around from side to side at night but am able to fall back asleep easily. I shall enjoy this time, as I know it will change, soon and forever!
• Currently wearing: Ha! Finally wearing maternity clothes!!! It took me 6 months to start, but here we are!! My personal favorites right now are the maternity overalls from Motherhood, they are so fun! I’ll have to wear them every chance I get before the weather turn or I just outgrow them! I still wear my stretchy dresses, and am also enjoying my belly leggings. Also got a pair of belly jeans which are super comfy! My feet definitely feel a bit swollen, the right more than left since even before I was pregnant due to a bunionectomy earlier this year, but I do feel them swell a bit during the day! Been living in my oversized converses or loose open toe shoes. Summer is over but the weather is still nice. New maternity bras feel wonderful!

• Traveling – Quick weekend trip to St. Louis over the weekend to see my man who was on a work trip! Still nice to getaway on a “spur of the moment” type trip like this, something I won’t likely be able to do for a while with Baby Sandee coming. My lifestyle is about to change drastically but I hear it is all worth it! I do believe this….

with my honey…we are so excited!

Thank you for following my journey! Please leave me comments with any tips for the upcoming months as baby continues to grow, especially on your own experiences with labor and how you prepared for it. I am going to start taking birthing classes and getting more familiar with birthing methods.

I’m happy to announce I got help from some friends with the registry! Please have a peak and leave me your comments on anything else that is crucially necessary because I’m still clueless. Don’t forget to follow @ColorfulPregnancy on Instagram for my nutrition tips during pregnancy!

Xo, Ana

Count Colors, NOT Calories!
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SNAPCHAT: AnaSandee – I will continue to snap and cook so get the recipes in real time before they make it to the blog! Of course I’ll also be sharing some more awesome things about the pregnancy as I learn them! Videos stay up for 24 hours. I may condense them into YouTube videos after!