28 week bumpdate: registering, best maternity jeans & more!

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Hellloooo third trimester! Up until about a week or so ago I felt like people were nuts when they said pregnancy flies by. I felt like it was taking FOREVER! Now that baby girl will be here though in about 12 weeks, things are definitely starting to pick up haha. Really excited to share my 28 week bumpdate with you guys today! [In case you didn’t know, I’ve been doing bumpdates about every 4 weeks sharing things like my workouts, symptoms, baby purchases and more, so make sure you go back and read the previous posts under the pregnancy section of my blog].

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These past few weeks have definitely been the most exciting of my pregnancy so far! For the longest time I felt like I wasn’t showing at all, no one could tell I was pregnant, and it was kinda bugging me (even though I knew I would show eventually). Honestly it wasn’t until around 26-27 weeks that I really started to show! And now I’ve finally made my first few maternity purchases as well! [I’ll share more on that in a bit]. These past few weeks have also been exciting because I now feel the baby move all the time, and it’s the best feeling ever. I first started feeling her move maybe around 22-23 weeks, but as of a few weeks ago the movements are much more frequent and obvious and I love it! I’ve still been feeling great overall and working out consistently (probably 5-6 days a week). I share my workout routine in previous bumpdate blog posts and not a whole lot has changed. I’m not really doing specific core work anymore (ie: planks) because I met with trainer who specializes in prenatal fitness and she said at this point in pregnancy, that’s probably too much pressure on my bump (even though I’ve heard a few different opinions on this). I’ve also incorporated more weight training into my fitness routine because I’ve heard that’s key in having a faster recovery after giving birth (squats, lunges, etc).

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Again, I have still been feeling great overall which I’m thankful for. But recently I’ve definitely just started to feel more pregnant haha. My back has been hurting more, I get out of breath easier, I’ve been getting hot easier than I used to, etc. I have a feeling third trimester is going to be pretty different than second, but we’ll see! NOW, let’s get to the fun stuff! Things I’ve bought over these past few weeks that I’m really excited about [including my hunt for the best maternity jeans]. I finally broke down and bought a pregnancy pillow! I kept thinking these were so unnecessary because my bump wasn’t huge yet. But, I found myself just so uncomfortable at night. You’re not supposed to sleep on your back (or your stomach) while pregnant, and I was definitely a back sleeper prior to pregnancy. So, I’d keep waking up in the middle of the night on my back and freak out haha [even though there’s no need to freak out]. So I got this amazing pillow to help me stay on my side and it’s been WONDERFUL. So many of you guys said you have the same one and love it. For maternity clothes – I’m still wearing non-maternity tops and dresses and they fit fine. I like my tops to be loose and flowy anyway for the most part (free people and Madewell have been great). But, I was definitely starting to need some maternity jeans and leggings. [I can still do the rubber band trick on most of my jeans but maternity jeans are for sure more comfortable!] After trying tons of maternity jeans on, I definitely think Madewell, Paige, and DL1961 make the best maternity jeans – with Madewell being my number one choice! I also got a few pair of maternity leggings that I’m obsessed with – these zella leggings are my favorite so far. They are so comfortable, I legit never want to take them off. Below I rounded up the jeans and leggings I’ve tried (and/or bought) so far that I love + highly recommend:

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I’ve also got a lot of baby stuff these past few weeks I’m really excited about! First of all, I bought the book “moms on call” after SO many people recommended it to me. It’s about basic baby care for baby’s 0-6 months and gives you details on sleep schedules, feeding, bathing, routines, etc. I’ve just read the first few chapters so far (I think I will definitely be using it as more of a reference once baby is here), but I can already tell it’s going to be super helpful. I have a baby shower in mid September so I’m pretty much done registering now! Some of you guys might remember me talking about Gugu Guru on my stories a few months back. They have been insanely helpful with my registry process and I highly recommend using them if you are expecting a little one. They help you make decisions on which stroller to buy, which swing, etc based off of your lifestyle and your needs. They are experts on all things baby and it’s really comforting to know you’re not just making a wild guess on these things, but to get an opinion/advice from an expert! So, I did my registry through them because you can add things to your registry from any website you want! We recently got the 4moms mamaRoo for baby Sims and I’m so excited about it + have heard great things. [I saved a video of it to my “baby” story highlights if you want to see it in action]. The idea behind it is that this seat bounces and sways just like mom does when you’re comforting your baby. It has built in music and toys and bluetooth capability. I also like that it doesn’t take up a ton of space!

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Another update has been starting to think about taking time off work once the baby is here. I absolutely love what I do and feel so blessed to be able to do blogging as my full time job. But, because of that, I don’t really have a set “6 weeks maternity leave” like a lot of companies will give you! So I’m still trying to navigate that, but I think it will be something we just take / figure out a day at a time! Obviously I’ve never had a baby before so I have no idea what to expect haha. Michael stays home though and I’m sure our moms will also be coming in town, so I know I’ll have lots of help, thankfully!

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Outfit details: Polka Dot Dress | Chandelier Earrings | Perforated Booties | Gucci Crossbody (Similar Here) | Round Ray-Ban Sunnies Here and Here

On another note, this polka dot dress is kind of different than my normal jeans and a tee look. I didn’t love it when I originally saw it online but fell in love with it once I put it on. I made it a little more casual / boho by pairing it with booties, but you could easily dress it up with a cute pump or heeled sandal. It’s not a maternity dress but works great for a bump because of the elastic, and I think it would be perfect for a baby shower – either for summer or fall! I think those are my biggest updates for these past few weeks! Let me know if you guys have any specific questions in the comments below. I think my next bumpdate will be another big one as we start to get more and more things for baby’s nursery! I seriously cannot WAIT for her to be here! Thanks for reading!

xo Lauren