Dec 21, 2020

Lately: The Final Days of Pregnancy

I passed 37 weeks last week, so I'm now officially full term and our little one could come at any moment! Or not for another several weeks.

That's absolutely bizarre, isn't it? 

There's no other time in life when you're told, "hey, sometime in the next minute to four weeks you'll run a marathon, undergo perhaps the most significant medical event of your life, start a new job, and get a high-needs roommate whom you'll be solely responsible for keeping alive." 

The very idea is ridiculous. But in pregnancy it's totally normal!

As I try not to go mad with the uncertainty of it all, here are some things that I've been occupying my time with lately.

Bouncing on a birthing ball

Bouncing on a birthing ball

Bouncing on a yoga/birthing ball is said to help the baby drop into position for labor. I'm pretty sure our little girl is still relatively high, because I still feel her tiny feet way up there in my bump sometimes and I also haven't visibly seen any changes in the position of my bump. 

Who knows if it'll work, but it's worth a try! I'm also trying out a few other ways to naturally encourage labor, because both my husband and I were quite late, as were our siblings, and I'm hoping not to still be pregnant in mid-January!

Finding go-to recipes


Baked tofu with coconut kale

When I was younger my mom said that the hardest part of cooking for a family was deciding what to cook, day after day. At the time that didn't really make sense to me, but now it does! 

Especially in those first days/weeks after we've brought our little girl home from the hospital, I imagine the mental bandwidth to come up with creative, healthy, and delicious meals just won't be there. 

Identifying go-to recipes now could come in handy! Pictured above is Food52's baked tofu with coconut kale. It's a tasty vegan dinner that even my carnivore husband (neither of us is vegan, but I'm pescatarian) loves!

Cooking with an air fryer

Cooking with an air fryer

Air fryers are the trendy new kitchen gadget of 2020. But they're not just trendy, they're actually pretty handy!

Our favorite use for our air fryer is to roast vegetables in a fraction of the time that it takes to roast them in the oven. You also don't need to use nearly as much oil for the same delicious roast veggie flavor and texture.

You can get air fryers for just over $100, so if you're considering it I definitely recommend going for it. We use ours several times a week, making air fried broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, shrimp, and more!

What are you up to this week?

16 comments:

  1. I remember the countdown before my girls came and it's really an unbelievable time especially with the first! I used to walk around the mall lol, hope the bouncy ball helps.
    Martha
    www.alovelymessylife.com

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    1. It's too bad about covid, otherwise a festive stroll through Christmas markets would be perfect right now!

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  2. I am actually in my last days before labor. But I am not in a hurry because I have a toddler and I know it will be hard.

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    1. I'm nervous about the first year, too - especially the first 3-6 months! I'm hoping it's not as overwhelming as I think it might be.

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  3. The last stretch of pregnancy can be such an exhausting time, between being exhausted, unable to get comfortable and the constant racing thoughts about the baby. I'm glad you've found some things to keep yourself busy!

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    1. Thanks! I'm actually still pretty comfortable at this point, though I do get tired earlier in the evenings. My husband has been such a big help in making this pregnancy relatively easy for me!

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  4. We just got an air fryer last month and honestly we use it everyday! it's such a lifesaver and timesaver.

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    1. If it were dishwasher safe it'd seriously be my favorite kitchen gadget.

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  5. I have been thinking about getting an air fryer. I know the last thing I wanted to do when I just had a baby was cook!

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    1. I've heard that, too, but I'm having such a hard time imagining what it'll be like! On one hand I've heard it's stressful, overwhelming, exhausting, and you're working harder than you ever had. On the other, I've heard that it's beautiful, newborn babies sleep a ton so there's a lot of downtime, and you can get back to your regular chore/cooking schedule by week 2... I guess everyone has a different experience, so I have no idea what mine will be like!

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  6. This is such a sweet post, it reminded me of my third trimester days! I agree with your mom, deciding what to make for dinner is the hardest part of making it day in and out!

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    1. That's really good to know, maybe I'll write out tentative cooking plans!

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  7. Air fryer is the best thing I bought for my kitchen! Your mom is very right. Planning the meal is difficult than actually cooking it.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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  8. I spent so much time on the exercise ball when I was pregnant - it was a good way to deal with the pregnancy aches and pains and when labour did start I found the ball helpful. We made sure to stock our freezer with easy to reheat meals it really helps for the early newborn days! :)

    Hope 2021 is off to a good start for you so far :)

    Away From Blue

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    1. Thanks, Mica! I'm still pregnant and in that strange limbo state when she could be born any moment or not for an other week or more. I'll definitely spend some more time on the exercise ball and remember it for labor, too!

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