Lauren’s Story, Part 10: Third Trimester Update

Written by: Lauren – Guest Blogger sharing her perspective as a VA employee and patient during her second pregnancy.

Hello! Baby Hunter and I are doing well. I am 31 weeks and definitely starting to feel the aches and pains of the third trimester. My glucose test for gestational diabetes was normal, which is awesome but apparently I developed anemia so I have been taking gross iron pills.

The baby is growing like a champ, so he is measuring a little big. I should tell you that my first son was born at a whopping 10 pounds, 12.8 ounces, so my midwives and I are discussing the possibilities of me having another large baby. On one hand, I am not scared because I had no complications with my first son’s delivery and I know that if I had one large baby, I can do it again. On the other hand, I will admit I am a little anxious.

Healthy mom, healthy baby.

One thing I have going for me is I have not gained as much weight as I did with my first son. I gained 75 pounds with him, and so far with this one I have gained 22. Most of it probably has to do with my diet. I still crave some sweet things, and I occasionally indulge, but I have been very good about packing my lunch and trying to make more balanced dinners at home. We will see how that lasts as I start losing more and more energy this trimester! Either way, I feel like I have been eating a lot healthier than I did my last pregnancy.

My social worker has still been calling to check up on me, which I really appreciate. It’s nice to know that my care team is monitoring me for how things are going even though I haven’t physically seen them since I have been pregnant.

All in all, even though I am exhausted and preparing for the baby, I feel like this pregnancy is going by very quickly. I will check in at 36 weeks and will let you know if I still feel that way!

About Lauren

Lauren is a Navy Veteran and current Public Affairs Specialist at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center in West Virginia. Throughout her second pregnancy, she will be sharing her thoughts and experiences as a patient at VA. We are all excited to follow her on this healthcare journey!