33 Weeks Pregnant

Just in case you’re wondering, my omnipresent sun hat is from MEC, it’s « Outdoor Research » brand, and I love it. My tank top is Au Fait Mama.

Greetings from Third Trimester Land, everyone! A mere seven weeks to go, which at times seems like an eternity and at others seems like not quite long enough to prepare. We are still living in our temporary digs in downtown Calgary, with possession of our townhouse in Marda Loop not until July 10. I want, of course, to be all moved in and settled before Miss Cub makes her arrival.

Speaking of Miss Cub, what do I call her for blog purposes? I’m sure MOST of you know that my son’s name isn’t really Cub, so should his little sister be Cub 2.0? What about Cubette/Cubbette? I like the latter, but I’m not sure if it should be spelled with one or two Bs. I think with one B, it looks like it would be pronounced « CUBE-ette, » so I suppose I’d go with the double B option. And, speaking of double Bs (I love a good segue), I think my boobs might have made it to B-cup territory finally! I’m like a real, grown woman once I start breastfeeding: a C!

On to more serious matters: at my midwife appointment this week my belly measured one-week smaller than it should, and my midwife examined my food record and concluded that I need more protein in my diet. Guilty as charged! As a lazy cook and picky vegetarian (really bad combo), I definitely don’t get enough protein. My sister-in-law, a Dietitian, recommended a target of between 70-100 g of protein. Looking at the protein-content chart from my midwife, I was probably skimming the 40-50 g mark most days: yikes! While I’m not losing sleep about measuring a week too small, it was a really good motivation to improve my diet. I’ll want to be full of protein for breastfeeding, too, so I best be getting into the habit now. I know that when I wanted to get pregnant with this baby, I still hadn’t gotten my period back (1.5 years post-partum), and what seems to have started my cycle again was an increase in protein in my diet.

So far I’ve added a really yummy (and « not too bad for a protein powder, » as per SIL Dietitican) vanilla shake that I mix with milk, sunflower seeds, almonds, Greek yogurt, hemp seeds, meat substitutes from Yves, more beans and a bit of soy milk to my daily menu. Amazingly, 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt and 2 tbsp of hemp seeds is already 27 g of protein: this is compared to my usual bowl of cereal at a meager 4 g. No wonder I’m no longer starving by 10 am! Just 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds is 6 g, and I’m munching away right now. Point of fact: a large McDonald’s fries is also 6 g. NO JUDGING!

My midwife also suggested I start taking 50 billion-count acidophilus to promote healthy gut flora and to encourage a negative GB test at 36 weeks. Gut bacteria supplements are expensive! Furthermore, I will be getting a consultation with an OB to make sure I am clear for an out-of-hospital birth due to the fact that I take 60 mg of Paxil (an antidepressant), which I also took with Cub with no impact, but he was born in hospital. I’m hoping the OB has no concerns, because I truly do have my heart set on the birthing centre!

Funny pregnancy comment from a stranger anecdote:

At the checkout at the natural foods store (in search of acidophilis and protein shakes), the cashier asked me if I knew what I was having. No big deal, I told her it’s a girl. Then she said she was so surprised, because my face was so pretty, and usually if you’re pregnant with a girl your face goes nasty. (I’m paraphrasing.) I suppose I’m glad she didn’t think I was pregnant with a girl?!

Having been pregnant with Cub in Montreal in the summer, last week’s two days of 30°C weather here in Calgary, which is apparently unseasonal, was indeed a reminder of how unpleasant it is to be hot and pregnant. That said, Calgary heat is dry, and there’s a breeze, and it’s cool in the shade, and it goes down below 15°C in the evening! In Montreal, if you are not aware, an average June through August forecast is « 30°C, but feels like 40° C with humidity. Temperature rising overnight. » I basically stayed indoors, with air conditioning, for that entire summer. Now that it’s back to « normal » Calgary June (a bit wet, under 20° C), I’m thinking in terms of summer climate (pregnant or not), this was a smart move!