Unless you have a scheduled C-section or induction, the final days of pregnancy are a major waiting game. I officially made it to 39 weeks yesterday, and the milestone seemed to mark an “any day now” territory for me. I have no illusions about the timeline – Mason was induced at 40+4 and labor was a 53 hour process. Long story, but bottom line was that he wasn’t ready. I would really like to not go through that again, so I’m trying to avoid being induced as much as possible.
Time is a funny thing, especially in motherhood; while some days and weeks of this pregnancy felt slow, in hindsight it went by pretty quickly. I think simultanesouly having a toddler to take care of helped speed things along. I was more distracted if you will. But these last three weeks have been both a mental and physical challenge. Not only am I really ready, but around week 36, I developed intense Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain that stopped me in my tracks. Daily movement is so important to me, but for the past three weeks, I could hardly walk. And it’s not like I could suddenly put my feet up and be sedentary – there was still so much to do, from finishing the nursery, to attending appointments, to getting up every ten minutes to cater to Mason. In response, I went back to my chiropractor on a weekly basis and got a prenatal massage, while laying off the exercise and trying to rest as much as I could. After the baby dropped and shifted during week 38, the pain subsided (thank goodness). I have been able to walk again, and even been back to the gym for some light strength training, stretching, and band work.
Yesterday was the first time I actually felt somewhat normal!
Breakfast and morning walk
I have been starting my day with my new favorite breakfast bowl: protein overnight oats. This meals packs about 30 grams of protein, so it is satiating and delicious. I have been loving frozen peaches lately, so they always make the cut, along with some blueberries and a sprinkle of homemade granola.
Protein Overnight Oats
- 1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats, soaked overnight in almond milk
- 80g Siggi’s 0% greek yogurt
- 1 scoop Truvani vanilla protein powder
- Toppings of choice
Directions: In a small bowl, combine the soaked rolled oats, greek yogurt, and protein powder. Stir until combined. Add toppings.
About an hour after breakfast, I went on a 35 minute walk. I have really missed my morning walks, so it felt good to get outside. Plus supposedly, walking is a natural labor inducer. I will pull all the stops!
Mason was awake when I returned home, so we loaded him in the stroller for a family coffee walk to Shyndigz. I love this place. It is relatively new, and only about a block from my house. They are known for their desserts, but we noticed they now have a more extensive menu with small plates and entree options. We put it on our list to hit up for happy hour after the baby is born. We ended up walking a few more miles, and it was my highest step count day in over a month!
A big lunch and a lot of couch-sitting ensued for the rest of the afternoon. Now I will just be on baby watch the rest of the week!
