A first time mum shares her story of conceiving in her mid to late thirties. Read on to hear about her journey and see her journal entry at 32 weeks pregnant.
Guest Pregnancy Journal: 32 Weeks Pregnant – Mid to Late Thirties
Would you mind sharing how old you are? Totally fine re. Age! I’m 36 (will be 37 come due date)
Can you tell us about your fertility journey? We were actually really lucky with our conception journey. We had a heap of friends who needed to go down the IVF route so the advice we kept hearing was come off the pill ASAP! We figured we’d need to start trying ASAP after the wedding to give ourselves the best chance – and 2 / 3 days after we were married we fell pregnant (not that I knew so lived it up on honeymoon – EEK!!)
When I count back now the timing ovulation wise from my app couldn’t have been better. My Mums reaction when we told her (at about 5 weeks) was literally ‘oh I wondered as I knew you’d be ovulating on your honeymoon! – she knew as I started my period one week before the wedding).
Week: 32
Baby is the size of a: Large cabbage
My weight: 88kg (20kg weight gain so far). My midwife isn’t worried at all, but it has made me quite self-conscious. I know everyone is different, but I’ve struggled with the weight gain, especially as I’ve been exercising regularly – swimming around 1.5km four times a week. My mum put on about the same amount during her pregnancies, so maybe it’s hereditary. I saw some photos of myself the other weekend and it was a shock, but I am growing a healthy little human and that is the main goal.
Side note: I dropped weight fairly quickly for my wedding two days before conception and have yo-yo dieted most of my life, so neither of those things would have helped with a rapid weight gain.
Cravings: Anything ham, cheese and pineapple. Anything apricot.
Symptoms: Weight gain anxiety.
I’ve been feeling: Overall still very good. I have had a really easy pregnancy and feel incredibly blessed health-wise. I was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 about four years ago and wasn’t sure I wanted children or how pregnancy would go for me. Thankfully I have an amazing village around me and supportive medical professionals. I really feel the best I’ve felt in years. An amazing husband helps too.
My sleep has been: Starting to head towards insomnia land. I was doing so well for a while. I’m up once in the night to wee but struggle to get back to sleep once I’m awake. I’ve started using anti-snore nasal strips recommended by Chloe Morello which have been a lifesaver for my husband. I try to nap in the afternoons but I’m the most distracted person in the world.
This week I learned: How to hang curtains properly. If I hadn’t been shown, I would have done it completely wrong. Won’t start actual expressing yet.
This week we have been doing: The potential start of the “last” appointments before 40 weeks. Hair appointment in the city. Brows and lashes done. Wax sorted. Four good swims. Pregnancy massage and lactation consultant discussion started. My 32 week scan was Thursday to check placenta position and it has moved away from the cervix, so home birth prep can begin.
In preparation for baby we need to: Organise baby clothes into some sort of order and get a few things packed into the hospital bag just in case. Start writing birth preferences now that we know placenta has moved. Antenatal and hypnobirthing start next week.
Something that has really helped me: Keeping up with the Kiwi Birth Tales podcast. I’ve purchased and started the More Than Milk breastfeeding course. Visiting the lactation consultant to start those conversations.
The strangest thing about being pregnant: The whole experience has taken over my life. I never expected it to take up so much thinking space. From what I google and look at on social media to conversations I have daily, times have changed. Forget organising a wedding, this is next level.
If I could say anything to my baby right now it would be: You are already so, so loved. You have a big tribe waiting on the outside who are so ready to meet you. Your auntie moved all the way back from Canada to be with mum when she gives birth. Daddy is starting to get excited, which is amazing for mum to see. I bet you can hear it in his voice when you kick at night. The feeling I get when I feel your big, strong movements is out of this world. I hope I can be a mum just as amazing as Granny Jillis was to me.
Fertility Journey
Would you mind sharing how old you are? I’m 36 and will be 37 by my due date.
Can you tell us about your fertility journey? We were actually very lucky. We had many friends who needed IVF, so the advice we kept hearing was to come off the pill early. We assumed we might need to try straight after the wedding to give ourselves the best chance. Two or three days after we were married, we conceived. I didn’t know at the time so I definitely lived it up on honeymoon. When I counted back later, the ovulation timing from my app could not have been better.
My mum’s reaction when we told her at about five weeks was, “Oh I wondered, I knew you’d be ovulating on your honeymoon.” She knew because I had started my period the week before the wedding.
If after reading this you’d be happy to share your own experience of pregnancy, please email megan@forgetmenotjournals.com to receive one of these pages, or send a photo of your own pregnancy journal.