What it Feels like Being 26 Weeks Pregnant

     Twenty six weeks pregnant, and this baby kicks all the time! I love it! There will be a couple days where I don't feel a whole lot of movement, and then all of a sudden she starts moving like crazy. I got my first rib kick yesterday (04/25/2018), which was pretty neat, because this whole time I keep picturing our baby as this little apple sized thing, because I only ever feel her kicking really low. This little girl is definitely not the size of an apple, but rather, a butternut squash. Can't lie, knowing there is a baby the size of a butternut squash in there, makes me feel a lot better about my growing stomach. 
     We had another baby appointment yesterday, where we were told the baby looks and sounds very healthy (alleluia!). The doctor couldn't tell if her head was all the way down yet, but also said we have a few weeks before she really needs to get there. I haven't felt many, if any, contractions/braxton hicks yet. If I have, they have been very small, as I honestly can't tell if my muscles are just tight from being on my feet for a while, or if it's something else. What can I say? This is my first pregnancy!
     All other symptoms seem to be pretty minor at this point. I get tired easily, and I am hungry all the time. I can't bend over without losing my breath, simply because my lungs get so squished, but all of that is pretty normal. Half the time I can't tell if I am stuffed, hungry, bloated, or if the baby is just growing, because I will feel hunger pangs, and yet I feel like my stomach is about to pop because there is so much in it... fun. But much better than morning sickness, so I'll take it!
     I did experience some lightheadedness for a couple days, which was not very fun at all. I remember sitting at my desk at work just a week ago, looking at the ground and watching it spin... I read into it and I guess at this time in pregnancy, veins and arteries start to expand to allow more room for blood. The dizziness can come when there isn't yet enough blood to fill the newly found space. 
     Lance took me out for a big lunch that day (Red Robin, yum!), and I then went home after work to take an iron and drink as much water as I could fit in my stomach. After a couple of days of taking extra iron, eating good food, and drinking lots of water to help my body in its efforts to support a healthy baby, I felt much better, and have not felt any sort of dizziness since.
     I can't think of any other fun or interesting stories from the past week, except for Lance finally feeling the baby kick. He had felt it once before, but just barely. Recently, however, our baby's kicks have been getting strong enough and regular enough, that Lance can feel them more often. I love being able to feel every one of her movements and kicks, so it makes me really happy when Lance can feel some of them, too. 
     Well, fourteen more weeks, and our little one will be here! It's a good thing we finally got the crib and the changing table set up in the nursery. For anyone reading this, I would love to hear any tips and tricks you might have for making the third trimester easier. As much as the time is coming closer and closer, I also know there is still a long road ahead of me. Plus, I love to hear other women's pregnancy stories, so share away!

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