26-29 Weeks: Pregnancy Update COVID

Everything has been going really well and I'm grateful everyday for my health and the baby's health. My last appointment went well.

I'm going to share some thoughts about the COVID-19 vaccine but here is where I want to make myself clear. I do not want your opinion about the vaccine. I do not care about your opinion of the vaccine. Do not mistake this post as an invitation for you to give me your opinion on the vaccine. If I didn't ask you for your opinion about the vaccine it's because I DO NOT CARE about it and didn't want it. I did my research, I made my choice, it's done. I went to trusted vetted resources in my life. God, My family, my doctor, trusted friends in my similar situation and research. Many of you don't know that my degree is in Public Health- the study of disease and vaccines is LITERALLY what I studied in college. I know where to look for good, sound research. I applaud personal choice and agency and appreciate that you may have a different opinion than me. Don't think that my opinion is wrong because it's different than yours.

I was just barely pregnant when the vaccine was made eligible to me in our state. Obviously that is the most crucial and scary time in a pregnancy to make it passed that first trimester. Originally my OB said you can get the vaccine but not in the first trimester. I personally wanted to wait until I was at least 20 weeks. So with my OB, we decided we would make a decision about vaccination when I was in my 3rd trimester. If I were to get it I wanted it to be later in pregnancy (like they do the DTAP) and there seemed to be more of a chance the baby would have antibodies too the later you get it. So my plan was to wait until the third trimester and then decide. Well enter Delta variant and things changed. My OB told me I either need to get vaccinated or to lock down like we were in the beginning of March 2020 quarantine. The amount of unvaccinated pregnant women and patients she was seeing contracting COVID was devastating. So much so that the professional OB group she's apart of said all pregnant and breastfeeding women, regardless of trimester can get vaccinated. And soon the CDC followed suit.

Well I can tell you that I was not going to lock down again. So I started my journey and first took it to the Lord, did a lot of research, asked for experiences of women in similar situations, I knew the opinions of most of my family and friends and then took it to the Lord again with my decision in hopes of finding peace. The impression I received was unmistakable. The thought came to my mind, "The prophet was vaccinated. It's good for him and it's good for you." And so I went and got vaccinated. This answer was right for me and my family but I know many who have done the same thing and gotten a different answer, and that's ok. Personal revelation is just that- personal! Glad we all have the option to choose what's best for us.

So long story short I go the Moderna vaccine. First shot was cake, my arm was sore but that's like. Second shot was not cake haha. I got it at 10am on a Monday and assumed the worst would happen right away and I'd wake up fine Tuesday. I was wrong. Monday I was fine until 9pm I could feel the feverish feelings start so I popped some tylenol (with more on my night stand) and went to bed. Sleeping wasn't terrible but it wasn't great. I tossed and turned a lot, was too hot, then to cold, sweating, chills and super uncomfortable (on top of already being uncomfortable from pregnancy). I was in and out of it until I got up to use the bathroom at 1am, took some more tylenol and tried to sleep some more. I was so cold! Violently shivering then woke up in a pool of sweat. It was wild. The shivering was the worst part because it was involuntary and it hurt all my tight and already stretched ligaments and muscles. My round ligament was on FIRE.

The next morning I was very sore but feeling like that was probably the worst of it. I rolled up in the school drop off line in my pjs, robe, socks WITH sandals. That's how you know how I was feeling. For the rest of the day I was pretty much down for the count. Rested and slept on the couch while Carson played (he was so good for me!), felt a little better after I showered and got dressed, hoping I would be bouncing back but after I picked up Brooks' from school I was just SO TIRED and rested the majority of the day. My arm still hurt but it was also red and felt like fire so that was also painful. Finally by 10pm on Tuesday I was feeling the upswing, got a good night's rest and was good to go Wednesday. The whole time I was mindful and monitoring baby movement, lots of kicks to reassure me too. Woo! I made it!

After feeling so poorly for a day it made me realize it's been a looooong time since I've been sick. Like more than the sniffles sick and boy am I grateful! You forget how miserable it is. Just made me so thankful for mine and my family's health and the modern medicine that can help protect me from COVID. The vaccine knocked me on my butt, I don't want to know what the actual virus would do.

Around 28 weeks I (as usual) failed my hour glucose test. No matter what I do, how I eat, how long I do or don't fast I always fail. Super frustrating when my absolute worst skill is drinking things and bleeding. I couldn't chug anything to save my life. Those drinks are nasty and I always feel so gross for the rest of the day.