The Belly Report

Well, through a somewhat hazy and toothpaste-splattered mirror, you can see that the belly is growing. Monday was the beginning of my 28th week, putting me officially into my third trimester. We also had a prenatal that day, at which all the kids were able to listen to her heartbeat. With the help of the midwives, Forrest and I were able to feel her positioning and even caress her tiny back and bum! She was squirming all over the place and kept kicking at all of the hands placed on her. Much to my dismay, my back and hip ache has begun already, making it difficult to walk. I have had this with every pregnancy, but it usually doesn't come until later in the third trimester. The pro to this was that it gave me the motivation to inflate my exercise ball (or birth ball) and bring it upstairs into my bedroom, where I am able to use it for stretches and core-toning exercises. That seems to help, if only temporarily. The third trimester is always my favorite, aches and pains and all. 11 1/2 weeks and counting.