kim through
   the looking glass

I can’t believe I’m 27 weeks - officially in my third trimester. Only 10 more weeks until I’m full-term. Um - ACK.

Time for an update, methinks!

Overall, I’m feeling fantastic. A bit of back pain every now and then, but nothing like when I was pregnant with Gwen. I think a lot of that had to do with my job, so I’m so so so thankful that I’m able to stay at home this time around! With Gwen, I was sleeping with a Snoogle by the end of my first trimester … this time, I’m still sleeping with only one pillow - the one under my head! I find the back pain the worst on the days where Gwen wants to be carried a lot … and it makes me so sad when I’m not able to do it

I went to see a Thrombosis specialist a few weeks ago. He was unconcerned with my veins - in fact, he said that I was experiencing completely common symptoms among women who suffer from pregnancy-induced varicose veins. He reassured me that having varicose veins during pregnancy only slightly increases your risk - if at all - of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) post-partum. He said I’m definitely at risk for superficial clots (thrombophlebitis), but barely at an increased risk of DVT. That made me feel a TONNE better and I’m hoping that will help ease others’ concerns as well. They sent me for a compression ultrasound of the veins on my left leg just as a baseline, since I’ve still got a whole trimester to go, but it was, thankfully, negative and I was free to go! He also let me know that full-length hose are completely unnecessary and that thigh-high vs. full-length is merely a matter of preference and comfort. Please shoot me. I’ve been wearing full-length since mid-summer and have hated Every. Minute. Of it. He also suggested I wear hose on only the only leg, since it’s the most commonly affected and I show no symptoms of anything happening on my right leg. Maybe in the new year I’ll buy a new pair of thigh-high hose!

Brad has now felt Love Bug move a bunch of times - he/she is VERY strong already! I think we’re both finally starting to feel real excitement about this new addition to our family - excited to meet him/her and excited to see how our family is going to change!