Today I am celebrating being half-way through my pregnancy! However, I am not celebrating because I don’t like being pregnant but because I survived growing another human while taking care of a toddler, ha-ha! In all seriousness, it’s a big deal when you reach that halfway point! By now most of the morning sickness, if any, is gone, energy levels are back up, there’s a little bump poking out, and pregnancy is mostly enjoyable!

I officially have about two months until my third trimester and roughly forty weeks until we meet our newest addition, so I felt like it was the perfect time to reflect on my pregnancy thus far. As always, here is my 20-week update when I was pregnant with Jasper.

My 20-week Pregnancy Update

So, what does being twenty weeks pregnant look like the second time around? Let me tell ya, it is not much different than my first and I am beyond grateful for that. If you read my post on my first trimester then you know I had very little to no nausea whatsoever, but I was exhausted. By now at the half way point any and all nausea is completely gone with the exception of if I wait too long to eat in the mornings. I have all of my energy back and am feeling like the Energizer Bunny most days. However, chasing around a toddler definitely wears me out. I feel like this pregnancy, and baby, are SO low key. My pregnancy with Jasper was pretty chill but with the distraction of a toddler and knowing what to (somewhat) expect I am getting through it with more ease. I don’t feel the need to research every little thing, I recognize certain signs and symptoms that arise, and I feel very confident and prepared overall. (But ask me how prepared I feel once this babe comes, lol). Also, studying for all of my different doula certifications help. Not to mention I hired a doula for myself this time around. Jasper is also super sweet and loves giving “his baby” kisses and cuddles. He’ll lift up my shirt and lay his head on my belly and you guys, it melts my freaking heart.

As far as this new babe’s health and sex, well you will know that VERY soon. Aside from knowing the sex, this baby is perfectly healthy! Something I haven’t really touched on in detail is being monitored for my placenta. I talked a little bit about it in my pregnancy announcement post and a little bit on my Instagram, but if you want to know where it all started read Jasper Thomas’ Birth Story (pt. I) and Jasper Thomas’ Birth Story (pt. II). I plan on doing a full blog post on this issue because there’s just SO much information I want to get out there and share, but it’s a lot so I want to organize my thoughts first. Long story short, after I delivered Jasper I had retained placenta which caused me to need a D&C to remove the remaining tissue. The doctor did not get all of the placenta out, again, causing me to have another D&C at six weeks postpartum. It was absolute hell. So, fast forward to this pregnancy and any other future pregnancies, I am considered high risk because it could happen again. There are many risks involved at the time of delivery so that is why I am considered high risk, but like I said, I’ll save all that for another day. For now, I am seen every four weeks for an ultrasound at Maternal Fetal Medicine to monitor where my placenta is. It has been extremely emotional because it brings up the trauma I went through with Jasper’s birth and is obviously scary for future births. It isn’t something I ever thought would happen to me and I really have been trying to stay positive and hope for a healthy all-natural labor and delivery.

On top of all of that craziness, there’s COVID-19 of course. That in itself has been such a whirlwind. Where do I even start? I truly wasn’t affected by it (pregnancy wise) until I went for my anatomy scan. By the time I went for my scan absolutely no one was allowed with me and masks were mandatory. So, you have an important appointment to begin with and then you have to go alone during a pandemic. Before that appointment I never really had to leave my house, so I never had to face the reality of it. It then altered our gender reveal plans and we had to get a little more creative, but I am hopeful it’ll all be passed us once September rolls around. To any other mamas going through this, especially those who had to deliver, I see you. It’s not easy growing and birthing a child but we are doing it during a pandemic and that is freaking scary but so empowering. What a story to tell your babe!

Despite everything going on, I am just grateful to be able to experience growing another human. It truly is something I will never take for granted no matter how hard it is. As always, thank you for supporting me and following along my crazy journeys.

Share your thoughts with me! Comment below or head to my Instagram page (@iamdevonjade)! 

XOXO,

D.J.