29 weeks: butternut squash!

We're up to 2.5 pounds and over 15 inches in length! This week my body and the baby have made it really clear to me that I'm in the third trimester, with some new and more significant aches and pains, and clear growth and changes in movement from baby. Baby seems to have become more active recently, and the movements have sometimes made it difficult to fall asleep at night. It feels like it's using my uterus as a climbing wall, then doing backflips off it. It sometimes looks that way from the outside, too. I am amazed at how much is visible from the outside. It's both fascinating and a little creepy. I could just sit and stare at my belly for hours (although I wouldn't be able to do that without getting up to pee and eat several times).

We had our second childbirth education class this week, and it was a great class. We talked about the stages of labor and our instructor demonstrated what contractions might look and sound like during early and active labor and transition. Transition was the most interesting, when she got down in child's pose and groaned for a full minute. I think it was both amusing and a little frightening for all of us in the class, but really helpful, probably especially for the partners, to learn what to expect and what's normal. We also practiced some pain coping techniques holding ice for a minute at a time, and Troy and I decided that if contractions actually feel like holding ice, I'll sail through this. I have a feeling it might be a little different, though.

With all this focus on birth, I've started thinking about other aspects of my life in similar stages. For example, after a nice long easy early labor at work, I'm now in the active stage and quickly approaching transition, the generally agreed upon most difficult stage of labor. With a mere six weeks to go and a ton of work to do, I'm in for a challenge - some seriously hard work with not many breaks to be seen. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though (one that is maybe not as easily seen from the transition phase of actual labor). Six more weeks, then another five until our due date! We're getting close!