This has by far been my favorite trimester and the longest it seems (despite the fact I won’t go till 40 weeks)!!! So much anticipation for baby girl’s arrival (we can’t wait to share her name)!  What will she look like? When will she come? Will it all be ok?  Needless to say, both my husband and I are not the most patient people, so we really can’t wait to hold her and love her!!

I started feeling really great about 32 weeks.  I have been so miserable for so long, I sorta forgot what “feeling great” actually felt like…despite being majorly out of breath all the time!

I will be honest and say, despite having a rough pregnancy mostly due to Type 1 diabetes, I thankfully have not had the other typical issues like bloating, swelling, super strong cravings, heartburn, constipation, acne etc.  I don’t know if God was just giving me a break on that, but I will say that every decision I made to live and eat healthy for years prior is paying off now.  My best encouragement to you is to stay strong and know that how you choose to live today WILL affect you tomorrow!

I have had such a peace and calm recently and finally experienced moments of joy—so all in all I am am so thankful! I never thought I would make it to this point and although growing baby Roo has been the hardest moments of my life, I know in my heart I have done my best and one day I will tell her that!

Thank you all endlessly for your prayers and encouragement! I can’t believe we have almost made it to the end.  Your thoughts and prayers truly have been felt and I feel like most days I live one miracle to the next.

xo, Caroline

Read more baby posts

• Organic Baby Registry
• Type 1 Diabetes & Pregnancy Q & A
• Second Trimester Recap
• Managing a High Risk Pregnancy—Best Ways to Keep You and Baby Health
• 4 Moms Share Their Natural Motherhood & Birth Advice

Third Trimester Recap

Finally feeling great

At 32 weeks, I started feeling great, and thankfully have been diligently working through a big list of to-dos before baby!!  My energy and clarity felt more back to my normal self, and I am so thankful for that!  About 35 weeks, I experienced such a peace and calm that I told my husband I wonder if she is coming today!  Her sweet hiccups and dancing ballerina feet bring me such joy and I am so thankful for moments when I have finally gotten to enjoy pregnancy.  It has been rough but it also has been a beautiful journey of learning to trust in God’s plan!

Staying Persistent

I will be really honest and say that diligence and persistence is probably my biggest strong point.  Due to having Type 1 Diabetes, I had to carefully track everything I ate and was very cautious to get sleep and eliminate stress.  I was very strict up until about 37 weeks and then all I wanted to do was eat brownies (great, “healthy” recipe in my cookbook) and lay on the couch.  I didn’t want to do anything and even walking was rough some days.  So my encouragement to you is to be diligent during the first majority of your pregnancy and that work will truly pay off in the end when you don’t want to do much!

Magnesium & Calcium Needs

About 30 weeks I started craving yogurt and cheese, parmesan to be specific, and I knew this was my body’s way of saying it needed more calcium.  So I loaded up whenever I wanted it and although those were still strong cravings through the end, after a few weeks they weren’t as strong, so I know my body needed the calcium.

I also have had an insane need for magnesium my entire pregnancy but in particular at the end.  Having Type 1 Diabetes means that my mineral balance can easily get thrown off, so I have been incorporating magnesium like crazy, multiple times per day.  I love this sleepy magnesium lotion, Natural Calm magnesium powder and raw cacao powder (I’ve had crazy chocolate milk cravings)!! Funny story, I’ve never craved chocolate once in my life until now, so my body must need it!

I will say that most people (women in particular are deficient in magnesium) and it can take the body a long time to replenish its stores, but after a few weeks of heavy magnesium dosages, I felt much more balanced!

Dehydration and electrolyte balance

Type 1 diabetes can be a major cause of dehydration and electrolyte balance so honestly I am not surprised I have had this issue, and it has been BAD!! I am consuming copious amounts of mineral rich Celtic sea salt, electrolyte powder and magnesium powder, which has helped a bit.

I have tried everything under the sun and the one thing that finally helped, and got me sleeping at night, was drinking one bottle of Smart Water (has natural electrolytes) per day! Hey, whatever works right?!

Fear

I have had strong fears this whole pregnancy, due to being high risk and having had a prior miscarriage.  While right now I feel such a calm and peace, I occasionally have very strong spells of fear and horrible, vivid nightmares about our baby.  Thankfully despite all this, I recently have experienced so much joy and peace, and honestly am not worried or scared about much.

While I do believe that fear is the enemy, I also believe it is so important to acknowledge and name our fears and then intentionally choose positive thoughts.  Stuffing things inside and trying to avoid them is never the answer.  Praying, walking and worship music and really helped me conquer these fears and trust that God is in control.

Preparing her nursery

Her little room is the sweetest, happiest place in the house and I am already so content sitting in there.  It’s quite simple but truly restful!! I plan on sharing her nursery soon, but my favorite pieces are this sweet lamb mobile, this amazing machine washable rug and these feminine bows.  You can see our complete Organic Baby Registry post HERE.  

I also started packing my hospital bags a bit late apparently, but made sure to have these essentials: Earth Mama Postpartum Spray, these organic pads (I’ve heard hospitals give you plenty, but personally I wanted natural ones) and this pink floral robe to feel a bit glamorous!

Why I don’t have a strict birth plan

Ugg, I really don’t like this question because it is just so personal, and trust me, generally I am an open book.  Let me just say I am a major planner.  I thrive on plans, but I also get disappointed and stressed when things change.  

Due to my high risk situation, not knowing if I will have to be induced or not, not knowing if my husband will be able to get home from deployment or not and adding the factor of me delivering in a Spanish hospital in a language I don’t speak, a strict birth plan is honestly the last thing on my mind.  I have every intention of having as natural of a birth as possible, but my situation will also require some additional monitoring, and I am very thankful for modern medicine that keep me alive each day, thank you Type 1 diabetes.

A friend recently gave me the best advice I could ever ask for: “God has baby Roo’s birth planned out already and if it’s slightly chaotic or completely calm, it will be her story and how she is supposed to come into the world.”

Ultimately my plan is to get through birth in a foreign language and give our baby the best possible chance at life!

What I’m Loving This Third Trimester

• Loose, non-maternity clothes: I’ve been loving loose dresses, particularly this floral one, this loose white blouse which I know will be great for nursing and this super soft workout shirt, that will also be great post baby.
• Comfortable bras: I have had to buy SO many as I grow, I’ve always been super small so this is a new experience.  My favorite that are actually comfortable are: Commando Butter Bralette, Bliss Bralette, Wear Lively’s Lace Bralettes.
• Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil: I am loving this oil and using it everywhere, including multiple times a day on my quickly growing belly!
• Primally Pure Baby Balm: Loving this creamy not greasy balm and I apply it everywhere each night for stretch mark prevention.
• Arnica Cream: This is a back pain lifesaver and I apply it at least once a day!
• Red Raspberry Leaf Tea: This is great to tone the uterus and it honestly doesn’t taste like much, but I prefer it iced.
• Red Pepper Flakes: OBSESSED…want to add them to everything!
• Iced Decaf Coffee: I have never been a big iced coffee girl but have been craving it as hot liquids are still freaking me out a bit.  I’ve been loving iced coffee with a big pour of the dairy free hazelnut vanilla creamer from my cookbook!
• Steak: FINALLY! I thought I would never regain my appetite and love for beef, but it has happened little by little.  I have to eat it fully cooked (ok mostly overcooked) and my taste for beef still isn’t as strong as it used to be, but I am thankful to be eating some beef!!
• Pistachios: I have at least a few handfuls everyday and have been craving them!  Pistachios are rich in iron, magnesium and sodium (all of which I am a bit deficient in currently) and vitamins A, E and B which are super important to pregnancy—apparently my body knows what it needs!
• Sugar Free Chocolate Milkshakes: Chocolate milk cravings are in full force over here, so I have been making sugar free chocolate milk most afternoons and it gives me a bit of energy too: blend water, cream (or nut milk), collagen peptides, raw cacao, a spoonful of nut butter if needing more protein and sprinkle of sea salt and pour over ice.  SO GOOD!
• Gluten Free, Low Sugar Granola: Finally sharing the recipe for my go to low-in-sugar, SO easy to make granola!
• “Healthy” Mac and Cheese: This is my all time favorite childhood food, but having Type 1 diabetes means I can’t give into cravings, but I have been making this healthier mac and cheese with mostly chicken, spinach and other veggies with a wee bit of Banza chickpea pasta and a creamy cheddar sauce.  SO GOOD!