We went for an ultrasound yesterday just to check on everything. The baby looks great... he was super cute, waving his hands around and opening and closing his mouth until he found his thumb and started sucking on it :) His heart rate was fine, and he has been as active as ever.
Unfortunately, the ultrasound showed that my cervix (the thing that keeps the baby inside, basically) was too short compared to what it's supposed to be - it's 19mm and it's supposed to be closer to 30mm. This means that the contractions I've been having have shortened it, and caused me to dilate 1/2cm and efface 50%. Because of all that I have to definitely stay on strict bedrest to prevent any more shortening/dilating/effacing. I'll find out what the next step of the pregnancy is going to look like at my appointment on the 22nd.
So bedrest is kind of a bummer, but I'll do anything for baby boy... and I'm finding things to keep me busy!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
30 weeks, and bedrest {sigh}
Well we had a little hiccup yesterday... I was out shopping and started having contractions. Try as we might, they would not go away so at 10:00pm my midwife sent us to Baylor hospital to be monitored. They ended up giving me a shot of Terbutaline to slow the contractions, and we got to come home at 6:00am this morning. Poor Thomas has an engineering grad class exam tonight (he's actually taking it as I write) and didn't have much time to prepare... not to mention the fact that we were awake basically all night with contractions and nurses and doctors in and out of the room.
We had a follow-up appointment at the Birth Center today and they put me on strict bedrest because I'm still having contractions (although not as bad as last night) and I'm 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced already, which they are not happy about at 30 weeks. The baby is fine, which we are so thankful for, his heart rate is strong and he's very active. But we don't want him to make his debut just yet! I'm hoping we make it to at least 37 weeks, which is considered "full term".
The plan for now is bedrest until my next appointment on the 22nd of December when they'll re-evaluate. I'm hoping the contractions stop and they'll allow me to move around a little more before then, because right now all I'm allowed to do is get up to go to the bathroom, and take a very short shower once a day!
How far along: 30 weeks (Dec. 8th)
Baby size: 3 pounds, and about 17 inches long... one of my pregnancy websites say he's about the size of a head of cabbage? Haha.
Total weight gain/loss: +15 lbs
Sleep: Not so great anymore... can't get comfortable. I guess I'll have to get used to the lying-down position, though!
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings/aversions: Soups have been my best friend this week... they are so nice in the cold weather, and especially since Thomas and I seem to have come down with some minor sniffly cold-ness.
Pregnancy symptoms: Lots of contractions, unfortunately! And general crampiness and achiness.
What I miss: Not being on bedrest :) It's only been a day and already I hardly know what to do with myself. I can now see the dust on every surface in the house and I'm itching to get up and dust everything! Haha.
What I'm looking forward to: Having Thomas home for the weekend to hang out with! And also, we're both looking forward to him being done with his classes for the semester. He has two more exams next Tuesday and Wednesday and then he's done!
Milestones: Three-fourths of the way through pregnancy! 30 weeks down, [hopefully] around 10 more to go!
Best moment of this week: Ironically, it was really cool to be able to constantly hear the baby's heartbeat while I was hooked up to the monitors at the hospital! Very reassuring.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: He has just been wonderful since all this started yesterday. He's taken good care of me. The contractions last night were often very painful and he helped me relax through them. He scolds me if I'm not lying down flat enough :) And he brings me everything I need.
We had a follow-up appointment at the Birth Center today and they put me on strict bedrest because I'm still having contractions (although not as bad as last night) and I'm 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced already, which they are not happy about at 30 weeks. The baby is fine, which we are so thankful for, his heart rate is strong and he's very active. But we don't want him to make his debut just yet! I'm hoping we make it to at least 37 weeks, which is considered "full term".
The plan for now is bedrest until my next appointment on the 22nd of December when they'll re-evaluate. I'm hoping the contractions stop and they'll allow me to move around a little more before then, because right now all I'm allowed to do is get up to go to the bathroom, and take a very short shower once a day!
How far along: 30 weeks (Dec. 8th)
Baby size: 3 pounds, and about 17 inches long... one of my pregnancy websites say he's about the size of a head of cabbage? Haha.
Total weight gain/loss: +15 lbs
Sleep: Not so great anymore... can't get comfortable. I guess I'll have to get used to the lying-down position, though!
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings/aversions: Soups have been my best friend this week... they are so nice in the cold weather, and especially since Thomas and I seem to have come down with some minor sniffly cold-ness.
Pregnancy symptoms: Lots of contractions, unfortunately! And general crampiness and achiness.
What I miss: Not being on bedrest :) It's only been a day and already I hardly know what to do with myself. I can now see the dust on every surface in the house and I'm itching to get up and dust everything! Haha.
What I'm looking forward to: Having Thomas home for the weekend to hang out with! And also, we're both looking forward to him being done with his classes for the semester. He has two more exams next Tuesday and Wednesday and then he's done!
Milestones: Three-fourths of the way through pregnancy! 30 weeks down, [hopefully] around 10 more to go!
Best moment of this week: Ironically, it was really cool to be able to constantly hear the baby's heartbeat while I was hooked up to the monitors at the hospital! Very reassuring.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: He has just been wonderful since all this started yesterday. He's taken good care of me. The contractions last night were often very painful and he helped me relax through them. He scolds me if I'm not lying down flat enough :) And he brings me everything I need.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
26 - 29 weeks
I'm behind, as usual.
How far along: 26 weeks (Nov. 10th), 27 weeks (Nov. 17th), 28 weeks (Nov. 24th), 29 weeks (Dec. 1st)
Baby size: Currently a butternut squash :) He's about 3 pounds, and up to 17 inches long from head to foot.
Total weight gain/loss: +15 lbs at 29 weeks (sigh)
Sleep: Not so great anymore... can't get comfortable.
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings/aversions: I'm still really liking spicy stuff... Thai food especially at the moment... I make this Thai red curry veggie/noodle soup, and it's been on the menu pretty much every week. We also like to go to (or get take-out from) Royal Thai, our favorite restaurant. Anything chocolate is really good... Twix bars, Starbucks hot chocolate, chocolate gelato & frozen yogurt, chocolate gummy bears (yes, really)... and the list goes on. And lots & lots of fresh fruit... can't get enough of it... I went through an entire 5-pound bag of Cuties (tangerines) in about 3 days. Haha.
Pregnancy symptoms: Bruised ribs! This little boy can really kick. Recently he's been lodging himself up in my ribs whenever I'm lying down. Sometimes I have to get up and walk around for him to move down a bit so I can breathe. Do I really have 10 more weeks of this? Yikes! At my 29-week appointment, I was measuring ahead again - at 33-34 weeks. At this point no one can give me a reason as to why except that some people just measure differently... like my uterus is positioned differently so it measures further "ahead" (higher up on my torso) or something. My glucose screening was fine, so I don't have gestational diabetes, which is good. Apparently if you have gestational diabetes, the baby tends to be bigger. In all of our ultrasounds the baby has been pretty normal-sized... they just moved my due date up 5 days. So I guess I'm just weird and measure ahead :)
What I miss: Being able to move around freely. It gets a little harder with a basketball in your abdomen.
What I'm looking forward to: More of all the Christmas-y stuff :) We've already put up our tree and I've been making presents. I love it! Also, I'm REALLY looking forward to moving to a bigger apartment in early January. I can't get this apartment clean & tidy enough because there's just too much stuff to fit!
Milestones: We are in the third trimester (starting week 28)!
Best moment of this
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: We like to "play" with baby boy... we'll give my belly little pokes and watch him wriggle and kick back. Thomas also likes to talk to him through my belly... baby boy likes the vibrations of his voice and usually calms right down if he's been wriggling (or kicking me in the ribs).
The past couple of weeks at our birthing class we've done "labor practice"... the instructor rings a little bell when the "contraction" starts and again when it ends. During the "contraction" we have to practice different laboring positions... like rocking on a birth ball, or kneeling and leaning on a ball/chair... and the labor coach (ie. Thomas) has to do massage or counter-pressure on my back etc. It's all really good practice, and I'm sure we'll be grateful for it when the real contractions start and we know what to do to manage the pain... but it's pretty comical at the time. Especially when, as usual, all the other couples are taking it very seriously and the women actually look like they're in pain... and Thomas and I are trying not to laugh at them. This past week we practiced positions for pushing the baby out... and that was just plain funny.
The ever-growing baby bump.
12.5 weeks
15 weeks. I'm not seeing a huge difference yet...
16 weeks... holy moly, where did that bump come from?!
22.5 weeks!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
25 weeks, and a new due date
Because I was consistently measuring a few weeks ahead, my midwife sent me for an ultrasound to check if my due date was wrong. My due date used to be Feb. 21st, and it has been changed to Feb. 16th... so only 5 days earlier. Apparently I have a "generous amount" of amniotic fluid, and that is causing me to measure ahead.
So... I thought I was 25 weeks today, but it turns out I was actually 25 weeks last Thursday, and I will be 26 weeks in a couple days.
How far along: 25 weeks (Nov. 3rd)
Baby size: A rutabaga! (At our ultrasound yesterday, they said he weighed just over 2 pounds!)
Total weight gain/loss: +9 lbs
Sleep: Generally pretty good.
Movement: Sometimes his kicks jolt my whole torso!
Food cravings/aversions: Fresh fruit cravings this week! Grapes, strawberries, oranges...
Pregnancy symptoms: I'll probably laugh at myself later in pregnancy for saying this now... but I'm starting to feel uncomfortable, and somewhat like a beached whale! It takes me a few extra seconds to get up from a sitting or lying position, and it's getting harder to bend down to floor level to pick things up.
What I miss: Champagne! We had our birthday date this past weekend, and our waiter brought Thomas a glass of champagne... and some sparkling grape juice for me... haha :)
What I'm looking forward to: The holiday season! I get so excited for everything about Christmas... the traditions, bundling up for colder weather, Christmas music, the general festiveness and good cheer :)
Milestones: 25 weeks down, 15 to go! Time is just flying by. Baby's hair is apparently starting to develop its color this week :)
Best moment of this week: Having another ultrasound and getting to see our adorable baby boy (who is definitely still a boy, haha)! Also, our various birthday celebrations :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: We went back this past Saturday for our second birthing class. It was better than the first one, the teacher gave us some useful information that I didn't already know and helped us start thinking about birth plans etc. We also did some mental relaxation techniques for labor... this is the funny part :) The teacher had all of the pregnant women fill out a little worksheet of where you would go in your mind in order to relax. It was fill-in-the-blank, and you had to fill in things like what you could see, what you could feel, what you could hear etc. I said I would go to the beach... be able to feel the sand, hear the waves etc. Then the preggos had to lie on the floor while the husbands read the description quietly to us to help us relax. So Thomas started reading my fill-in-the-blank description of what I would focus on to relax and I could already hear the laughter in his voice, which of course was making me want to laugh too. He came to one fill-in-the-blank spot where I had to write what I could see in the distance. I had written "fluffy clouds"... big mistake. I knew it was coming and started giggling... and when Thomas tried to read it we both started snorting with laughter. Everyone else in the room was taking things seriously, of course, and being very meditative as the husbands lovingly and gently whispered into their wives' ears... which just made me and Thomas want to laugh even more.
At least our birthing class gives us comic relief... maybe that will help during labor. Haha.
Friday, November 4, 2011
baby stuff is overwhelming
So, I need advice.
1. Carseats... What infant carseat should we get? Or do we even need an infant one? Could we skip right to one of those convertible ones? It's probably convenient to carry baby in & out of the car in an infant one, right?
At first I was leaning towards the Britax Chaperone for an infant carseat, but then we bought our stroller and it doesn't work with Britax carseats. So now I'm thinking the Chicco Keyfit 30, because it has the next best safety ratings. But there are lots of other options too... I just don't knowwwww....
2. Baby carriers... I plan on "wearing" Baby Congdon around a lot. I've heard the Moby Wrap is good for when he's little, but it kind of intimidates me with it's miles of fabric. Is there a better one? Also, I really like the Ergobaby carrier, maybe for when he gets a bit older, and it's something Thomas could use to carry him too. Good choice?
3. Bottles/pacifiers... I plan on breastfeeding, but it's always good to have a few bottles around for other people to be able to feed baby pumped milk. Which ones are best for breastfed babies? Same thing with pacifiers...
4. Breast pump... I was thinking about just getting a manual one because it's not like I'll be working away from home. Are electric ones really necessary? Which brands are best?
5. Bouncy seats... necessary? What kinds/brands should I look for?
6. Swaddle wraps/ sleep sacks... What kinds should I look for?
7. What things have been invaluable to you? What am I missing? What do babies need?!
8. We'll be living in a fairly small apartment, so space-saving ideas would be very helpful too :)
Help me, please! :)
1. Carseats... What infant carseat should we get? Or do we even need an infant one? Could we skip right to one of those convertible ones? It's probably convenient to carry baby in & out of the car in an infant one, right?
At first I was leaning towards the Britax Chaperone for an infant carseat, but then we bought our stroller and it doesn't work with Britax carseats. So now I'm thinking the Chicco Keyfit 30, because it has the next best safety ratings. But there are lots of other options too... I just don't knowwwww....
2. Baby carriers... I plan on "wearing" Baby Congdon around a lot. I've heard the Moby Wrap is good for when he's little, but it kind of intimidates me with it's miles of fabric. Is there a better one? Also, I really like the Ergobaby carrier, maybe for when he gets a bit older, and it's something Thomas could use to carry him too. Good choice?
3. Bottles/pacifiers... I plan on breastfeeding, but it's always good to have a few bottles around for other people to be able to feed baby pumped milk. Which ones are best for breastfed babies? Same thing with pacifiers...
4. Breast pump... I was thinking about just getting a manual one because it's not like I'll be working away from home. Are electric ones really necessary? Which brands are best?
5. Bouncy seats... necessary? What kinds/brands should I look for?
6. Swaddle wraps/ sleep sacks... What kinds should I look for?
7. What things have been invaluable to you? What am I missing? What do babies need?!
8. We'll be living in a fairly small apartment, so space-saving ideas would be very helpful too :)
Help me, please! :)
Thursday, November 3, 2011
21 - 24 weeks
I'm reeeeeally behind so I'm going to do all 4 weeks in one :)
How far along: 21 weeks (Oct. 11th), 22 weeks (Oct. 18th), 23 weeks (Oct. 25th) and 24 weeks (Nov. 1st)
Baby size: 21 week - a banana, 22 weeks - a spaghetti squash, 23 weeks & 24 weeks - a papaya. He's over a foot long and weighs about 1.5 pounds now!
Total weight gain/loss: +8 lbs
Sleep: Pretty good, but sometimes baby wakes me up with his kicking!
Movement: Yes! Holy moly, this little baby can kick!
Food cravings/aversions: This month I've been wanting carbs - pizza, pasta, bread... Baby is really packing on the weight (and so is mama, oh yay) starting this month so I guess he needs those carbs! The chocolate gelato and the salted caramel hot chocolate cravings are still there. I've also been wanting lots of fresh fruit - pineapple, oranges, strawberries... yum. And don't worry, I'm eating plenty of veggies and salads too :)
Pregnancy symptoms: The 2nd trimester energy rush and nesting instinct have arrived... I've reorganized every closet in the house, gone through boxes and boxes of books and other things, filled several trash bags with clothes and stuff to give away, and generally just made more room for baby! Some aches and pains are beginning... in my lower back and hips mostly. The baby bump has exploded and it seems to be getting in the way sometimes! One time I was making pizza and somehow got pizza sauce in my bellybutton. I almost can't reach the kitchen cupboards where our dishes are kept because the bump is in the way!
What I miss: Can't think of anything! I'm thoroughly enjoying pregnancy at the moment :)
(I honestly never thought I would say those words... I've always thought I would just grit my teeth and get through it!)
What I'm looking forward to: Mine and Thomas's 23rd birthday next week (yes, we have the same birthday)! We have a fun date planned :) It's our last birthday without worrying about getting a babysitter!
Milestones: 24 weeks is viability week! That means that if baby was born prematurely right now, he would have a chance of survival with lots of medical help. Obviously we pray that doesn't happen! But it is reassuring to know we've reached that point.
Best moment of thisweek month: There have been quite a few fun moments! Thomas's parents and brother Paul came for a visit and we had so much fun with them. We went to the Dallas zoo one weekend, to the Texas State Fair another weekend, and did some pumpkin carving another weekend. We also ordered our first big baby purchase - our stroller!
I had my 24 week appointment with my midwife yesterday, and my uterus was measuring 29 weeks! Yikes! Back at my 20 week appointment it was measuring 24 weeks... so now they're thinking my due date might be off. It's generally normal to measure 2 or 3 weeks ahead, but not so much 4 or 5 weeks ahead! (No wonder the baby bump seems huge to me). They're going to send me for another ultrasound to see why my uterus is measuring so big. I'm kind of excited to see baby again :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Last Saturday we had our first childbirth class. We're doing the Bradley method, which encourages natural childbirth (no drugs, etc). I was kind of expecting some of the people to be... let's say... hippy-ish? Because those are the type of people who often choose "natural" childbirth. When we arrived (and I'm really trying not to sound awful here... haha) pretty much everyone in the class was super weird. There was the typical homeschool couple, the hippies, and generally just mother earth kind of people. There was even a lesbian couple, which was kind of unexpected. So Thomas and I walk in and scan the room, and look at each other like... "I told you so!". The first class was a lot of stuff that I already knew, and Thomas and I kept to ourselves mostly. Everyone else was super over-talkative. At the end of the class we learned and practiced some relaxation techniques and exercises, and Thomas and I were desperately trying not to giggle while all the other couples took things way too seriously. I'm kind of hoping the next few weeks will prove to be more useful! Poor Thomas. He's being a good sport.
How far along: 21 weeks (Oct. 11th), 22 weeks (Oct. 18th), 23 weeks (Oct. 25th) and 24 weeks (Nov. 1st)
Baby size: 21 week - a banana, 22 weeks - a spaghetti squash, 23 weeks & 24 weeks - a papaya. He's over a foot long and weighs about 1.5 pounds now!
Total weight gain/loss: +8 lbs
Sleep: Pretty good, but sometimes baby wakes me up with his kicking!
Movement: Yes! Holy moly, this little baby can kick!
Food cravings/aversions: This month I've been wanting carbs - pizza, pasta, bread... Baby is really packing on the weight (and so is mama, oh yay) starting this month so I guess he needs those carbs! The chocolate gelato and the salted caramel hot chocolate cravings are still there. I've also been wanting lots of fresh fruit - pineapple, oranges, strawberries... yum. And don't worry, I'm eating plenty of veggies and salads too :)
Pregnancy symptoms: The 2nd trimester energy rush and nesting instinct have arrived... I've reorganized every closet in the house, gone through boxes and boxes of books and other things, filled several trash bags with clothes and stuff to give away, and generally just made more room for baby! Some aches and pains are beginning... in my lower back and hips mostly. The baby bump has exploded and it seems to be getting in the way sometimes! One time I was making pizza and somehow got pizza sauce in my bellybutton. I almost can't reach the kitchen cupboards where our dishes are kept because the bump is in the way!
What I miss: Can't think of anything! I'm thoroughly enjoying pregnancy at the moment :)
(I honestly never thought I would say those words... I've always thought I would just grit my teeth and get through it!)
What I'm looking forward to: Mine and Thomas's 23rd birthday next week (yes, we have the same birthday)! We have a fun date planned :) It's our last birthday without worrying about getting a babysitter!
Milestones: 24 weeks is viability week! That means that if baby was born prematurely right now, he would have a chance of survival with lots of medical help. Obviously we pray that doesn't happen! But it is reassuring to know we've reached that point.
Best moment of this
I had my 24 week appointment with my midwife yesterday, and my uterus was measuring 29 weeks! Yikes! Back at my 20 week appointment it was measuring 24 weeks... so now they're thinking my due date might be off. It's generally normal to measure 2 or 3 weeks ahead, but not so much 4 or 5 weeks ahead! (No wonder the baby bump seems huge to me). They're going to send me for another ultrasound to see why my uterus is measuring so big. I'm kind of excited to see baby again :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Last Saturday we had our first childbirth class. We're doing the Bradley method, which encourages natural childbirth (no drugs, etc). I was kind of expecting some of the people to be... let's say... hippy-ish? Because those are the type of people who often choose "natural" childbirth. When we arrived (and I'm really trying not to sound awful here... haha) pretty much everyone in the class was super weird. There was the typical homeschool couple, the hippies, and generally just mother earth kind of people. There was even a lesbian couple, which was kind of unexpected. So Thomas and I walk in and scan the room, and look at each other like... "I told you so!". The first class was a lot of stuff that I already knew, and Thomas and I kept to ourselves mostly. Everyone else was super over-talkative. At the end of the class we learned and practiced some relaxation techniques and exercises, and Thomas and I were desperately trying not to giggle while all the other couples took things way too seriously. I'm kind of hoping the next few weeks will prove to be more useful! Poor Thomas. He's being a good sport.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
20 weeks
We are halfway there, baby boy!
How far along: 20 weeks (Oct. 4th)
Baby size: A cantaloupe!
Total weight gain/loss: +4 lbs
Sleep: OK at the moment. Not great, but not terrible either.
Movement: Yes, all the time!
Food cravings/aversions: I've been wanting lots of spicy food. And I've also developed a sweet tooth. Earlier on in pregnancy I didn't really want too many sweet things, but now I want them all. Chocolate gelato, gooey cakes, sour candy, cheesecake (I REALLY want cheesecake right now... too bad I'm stuck at home without the car...)
Pregnancy symptoms: Lots of ligament stretching going on. Some heartburn, occasionally, if I lie down soon after eating. Some back pain and aches.
What I miss: Frozen margaritas.
What I'm looking forward to: Thomas's parents and youngest brother are coming to visit next week!
Milestones: Halfway done with the pregnancy! It feels like it's going very fast, but at the same time February seems far away. Today I had my 20 week appointment, and my midwife said I was measuring closer to 24 weeks when she felt the height of my uterus. She said sometimes that happens but the growth usually evens out. If I'm still measuring ahead next month I'll probably need some more tests... maybe my due date is wrong.
Best moment of this week: Last weekend was super fun... we went to the zoo, saw friends in the evenings, and relaxed... it was a nice break from the busy weeks where Thomas and I don't get to see each other much.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: It's just fun in general now that we know baby is a boy and Thomas can feel him moving all the time. We've been talking more about names and baby stuff and plans etc.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Pregnancy: my thoughts so far
You know your life is changing when you get all excited about a Fuzzibunz cloth diaper sale on Zulily, like I did this morning (and bought 6 of them!). Even the fact that I know what Zulily is and have a membership is a sign that my life is changing. Oy.
I've always wanted to be a mother... I've loved babies and children since I was one myself. I've never been enamored about pregnancy though - I would have been quite happy if someone just dropped a newborn in my lap (kind of like the stork story we tell children). Truthfully, though, this pregnancy hasn't been so bad thus far. I've been blessed with an easy one. I hardly got any morning sickness, just felt a little queasy on and off through the first few weeks. The second trimester has been picture perfect, with the few usual aches and pains here and there. Baby boy is growing healthily and I've gained around 3 or 4 pounds so far at 20 weeks. Halfway there! The baby bump is getting more and more noticeable.
I think the best part about pregnancy so far is feeling baby boy move around inside me. I started feeling little flutters at 14.5 weeks, and they've been getting stronger ever since. These days it feels like he hardly ever stops moving, flipping, kicking and jabbing. Before I was pregnant I thought it would be really weird to have a baby moving around inside me, like a little alien or something. But now that it's happened to me, I can hardly remember why I thought it would be weird. It is kind of a funny feeling to be kicked from the inside, but it just feels right and normal and reassuring instead of weird. It's fun to wonder if that was an arm or a leg or a head or a little butt poking me. I feel like baby and I can sort of communicate now. If I hunch over when I'm sitting, he protests the lack of space and kicks and wriggles until I straighten up. If I poke my belly I usually get a reaction from him. When I lie down he gets active, and when I get up and walk around he calms down.
It's hard to imagine another whole 20 weeks of pregnancy until baby boy is born. I realize he needs to grow and mature more but I kind of wish the human gestational period was shorter. I want to meet this little fellow! I know I'm supposed to slow down and enjoy these last couple of months without a baby to take care of, but it's hard not to be a little impatient. It's also hard to comprehend how much larger my belly is going to get to accommodate baby boy - yikes.
I haven't thought too much about labor and delivery yet, except to research and choose to have a natural birth at a birthing center with Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). It's been the best decision I've made yet this pregnancy. [If you haven't watched the documentary "The Business of Being Born" you should do so! It's online streaming on Netflix]. I did like my OB-GYN, but I felt like I never knew what was going on and I was never told what the various blood tests etc. that they did were actually for. I didn't feel comfortable to ask all the questions I wanted to ask. I also strongly dislike hospitals... I used to have panic attacks when I was little whenever I had to go into a hospital. I knew that if I went into labor and went to a hospital, my body would shut down and labor wouldn't progress properly because I would be so uncomfortable with being in a hospital. So I did some research and found a lovely birthing center (which is very close to Baylor hospital in case of emergencies) and transferred my prenatal care to the CNM's there. The center is in a big lovely old colonial-style house, infinitely more comfortable and welcoming than a hospital. The CNM's are personable and truly interested in answering all of my questions and making sure that baby and I get the best care possible.
We've signed up for Bradley method childbirth classes (which prepare you for natural childbirth without drugs) with an experienced doula, who is apparently the best in Dallas. They start on October 29th, so then I'll really have to start thinking about labor and delivery. For now I'm enjoying being blissfully ignorant, and just thinking positive thoughts like "My labor and delivery is going to be smooth and fast and the pain will be manageable and totally worth it in the end". Haha.
Oy.
I've always wanted to be a mother... I've loved babies and children since I was one myself. I've never been enamored about pregnancy though - I would have been quite happy if someone just dropped a newborn in my lap (kind of like the stork story we tell children). Truthfully, though, this pregnancy hasn't been so bad thus far. I've been blessed with an easy one. I hardly got any morning sickness, just felt a little queasy on and off through the first few weeks. The second trimester has been picture perfect, with the few usual aches and pains here and there. Baby boy is growing healthily and I've gained around 3 or 4 pounds so far at 20 weeks. Halfway there! The baby bump is getting more and more noticeable.
I think the best part about pregnancy so far is feeling baby boy move around inside me. I started feeling little flutters at 14.5 weeks, and they've been getting stronger ever since. These days it feels like he hardly ever stops moving, flipping, kicking and jabbing. Before I was pregnant I thought it would be really weird to have a baby moving around inside me, like a little alien or something. But now that it's happened to me, I can hardly remember why I thought it would be weird. It is kind of a funny feeling to be kicked from the inside, but it just feels right and normal and reassuring instead of weird. It's fun to wonder if that was an arm or a leg or a head or a little butt poking me. I feel like baby and I can sort of communicate now. If I hunch over when I'm sitting, he protests the lack of space and kicks and wriggles until I straighten up. If I poke my belly I usually get a reaction from him. When I lie down he gets active, and when I get up and walk around he calms down.
It's hard to imagine another whole 20 weeks of pregnancy until baby boy is born. I realize he needs to grow and mature more but I kind of wish the human gestational period was shorter. I want to meet this little fellow! I know I'm supposed to slow down and enjoy these last couple of months without a baby to take care of, but it's hard not to be a little impatient. It's also hard to comprehend how much larger my belly is going to get to accommodate baby boy - yikes.
I haven't thought too much about labor and delivery yet, except to research and choose to have a natural birth at a birthing center with Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). It's been the best decision I've made yet this pregnancy. [If you haven't watched the documentary "The Business of Being Born" you should do so! It's online streaming on Netflix]. I did like my OB-GYN, but I felt like I never knew what was going on and I was never told what the various blood tests etc. that they did were actually for. I didn't feel comfortable to ask all the questions I wanted to ask. I also strongly dislike hospitals... I used to have panic attacks when I was little whenever I had to go into a hospital. I knew that if I went into labor and went to a hospital, my body would shut down and labor wouldn't progress properly because I would be so uncomfortable with being in a hospital. So I did some research and found a lovely birthing center (which is very close to Baylor hospital in case of emergencies) and transferred my prenatal care to the CNM's there. The center is in a big lovely old colonial-style house, infinitely more comfortable and welcoming than a hospital. The CNM's are personable and truly interested in answering all of my questions and making sure that baby and I get the best care possible.
We've signed up for Bradley method childbirth classes (which prepare you for natural childbirth without drugs) with an experienced doula, who is apparently the best in Dallas. They start on October 29th, so then I'll really have to start thinking about labor and delivery. For now I'm enjoying being blissfully ignorant, and just thinking positive thoughts like "My labor and delivery is going to be smooth and fast and the pain will be manageable and totally worth it in the end". Haha.
Oy.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
18 weeks & 19 weeks
How far along: 18 weeks (Sept. 20th) and 19 weeks (Sept. 27th)
Baby size: 18 weeks - a sweet potato, 19 weeks - a large mango
Total weight gain/loss: +3 lbs
Sleep: Some nights I wake up to pee and can't fall back asleep for a couple of hours. But other nights I sleep like a rock even if I have to get up for a bathroom trip.
Movement: Yes, lots! I'm starting to figure out patterns of baby's wakeful and sleepy times.
Food cravings/aversions: I'm loving spicy things... especially the "jungle curry" from our favorite restaurant - Royal Thai. And the salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks... Thomas got one for me one night on his way back from grad school... it was so good that I cried when I finished it! Crazy pregnant hormones. I wanted more. Anything chocolate tastes SO. GOOD. right now.
Pregnancy symptoms: Round ligament pain, abdominal muscles stretching... sometimes I feel like I just did 100 sit ups. Starting to get more uncomfortable and realize my limitations... I have to sit up straight, I can't lie on my stomach anymore... or flat on my back, I can't jump up quickly anymore... and so on. My back is starting to hurt more the further the baby bump sticks out. Oh yes, and the crazy pregnant hormones have arrived (as evidenced by the crying-when-hot-chocolate-was-all-gone story above)... bring on the waterworks. Poor Thomas.
What I miss: Sushi, and the occasional glass of wine or a cold beer.
What I'm looking forward to: My 20 week appointment next week :) I love going to check-ups and hearing baby's heartbeat and making sure everything is healthy.
Milestones: Baby's ears have developed enough to be able to hear my voice!
Best moment of this week: We had our anatomy scan ultrasound on Monday (26th) and we got to see our baby moving around and being oh-so-cute! We also found out that baby is a BOY! I knew it :) We are so excited to be having a son! We did a gender reveal post over on the Congdon Chronicles.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Before we found out that our baby is a boy, Thomas wasn't really too interested in picking out names... in his own words because "We don't know if it's a boy or a girl or even an alien yet"... such great faith in our reproductive capabilities. But now that we know it's a boy (and not an alien baby) he really wants it to have a name so we [correction: I] have long lists that he keeps veto-ing. I am determined to sift through every boy name in the universe so we don't miss any... whereas Thomas is quite happy to name the baby one of the very first names we came up with. It is one of our top names, but there are SO MANY other names out there... how can we possibly pick the RIGHT one out of millions??? I'm feeling the pressure. And getting off track.
OH, and on Sept. 23rd Thomas felt the baby move for the first time... I had been able to feel him move from the outside for several days, but this was the first time that Thomas was there at the right time. It's so fun now that we can both feel him moving :)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
16 weeks & 17 weeks
I'm behind once again...
How far along: 16 weeks (Sept. 6th) and 17 weeks (Sept. 13th)
Baby size: 16 weeks - and avocado, 17 weeks - an onion
Total weight gain/loss: And the weight gain begins... +1 lb.
Sleep: OK... still need to get one of those body pillows
Movement: Yes and getting stronger every day... I love feeling the little pokes and flips and wriggles :)
Food cravings/aversions: Hmmm... the "bad" food cravings have begun... chocolate gelato, for one. I let myself have a small bowl every other night. I've gotten back into cooking, and have made some yummy stuff recently... I need to do another food blog post over on the Congdon Chronicles!
Pregnancy symptoms: I got my headaches under control... my midwife told me to eat more protein and sure enough that was the problem. I've been have round ligament pains (ligaments stretching) and cramping every now and then - I think the cramping is Braxton Hicks contractions beginning. The cramping woke me up one morning and was quite painful so I called my midwife and she told me not to worry unless they continued for longer than an hour or two. But they went away... I just lay down and drank lots of water. Other than that, I've just been dealing with the usual pregnant sluggish digestive system*yay*... lots of fiber and nutritious food for me!
What I miss: Sushi, and the occasional glass of wine.
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out whether Baby Congdon is a boy or a girl! Soon!
Milestones: For baby - he/she has mastered the sucking, swallowing, and blinking reflexes! For me - the baby bump really started popping out over the past couple of weeks!
Best moment of this week: Well I got to have another appointment since I switched over from my OB-GYN to a birthing center with midwives... and I heard baby's heartbeat again. That's always reassuring and exciting :) I also just felt a big sense of relief about switching over... the midwives are more invested in each patient and I felt much more comfortable. (I'll probably write a whole post about why I switched over and chose natural childbirth etc.).
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: I called to set up our birthing classes (Bradley method), which start on October 29th... we meet as a couple with a small group and instructor for ten Saturdays, two hours each time. I told Thomas and he was in shock... "Why on earth do we need THAT much time?!"... I replied by saying "You're not the one who has to figure out how to get this baby out of me, and manage the pain without drugs! I'll take all the time and help I can get!"
How far along: 16 weeks (Sept. 6th) and 17 weeks (Sept. 13th)
Baby size: 16 weeks - and avocado, 17 weeks - an onion
Total weight gain/loss: And the weight gain begins... +1 lb.
Sleep: OK... still need to get one of those body pillows
Movement: Yes and getting stronger every day... I love feeling the little pokes and flips and wriggles :)
Food cravings/aversions: Hmmm... the "bad" food cravings have begun... chocolate gelato, for one. I let myself have a small bowl every other night. I've gotten back into cooking, and have made some yummy stuff recently... I need to do another food blog post over on the Congdon Chronicles!
Pregnancy symptoms: I got my headaches under control... my midwife told me to eat more protein and sure enough that was the problem. I've been have round ligament pains (ligaments stretching) and cramping every now and then - I think the cramping is Braxton Hicks contractions beginning. The cramping woke me up one morning and was quite painful so I called my midwife and she told me not to worry unless they continued for longer than an hour or two. But they went away... I just lay down and drank lots of water. Other than that, I've just been dealing with the usual pregnant sluggish digestive system*yay*... lots of fiber and nutritious food for me!
What I miss: Sushi, and the occasional glass of wine.
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out whether Baby Congdon is a boy or a girl! Soon!
Milestones: For baby - he/she has mastered the sucking, swallowing, and blinking reflexes! For me - the baby bump really started popping out over the past couple of weeks!
Best moment of this week: Well I got to have another appointment since I switched over from my OB-GYN to a birthing center with midwives... and I heard baby's heartbeat again. That's always reassuring and exciting :) I also just felt a big sense of relief about switching over... the midwives are more invested in each patient and I felt much more comfortable. (I'll probably write a whole post about why I switched over and chose natural childbirth etc.).
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: I called to set up our birthing classes (Bradley method), which start on October 29th... we meet as a couple with a small group and instructor for ten Saturdays, two hours each time. I told Thomas and he was in shock... "Why on earth do we need THAT much time?!"... I replied by saying "You're not the one who has to figure out how to get this baby out of me, and manage the pain without drugs! I'll take all the time and help I can get!"
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
15 weeks
15 weeks seemed so far away when I was newly pregnant... now time is just rushing by!
How far along: 15 weeks today!
Baby size: A navel orange... 4+ inches long!
Total weight gain/loss: No gain or loss so far.
Sleep: Getting a little worse... I wake up with back pain. I need to get one of those body pillow things.
Movement: I think so! Just some little flutters :) Can't wait for more!
Food cravings/aversions: I've been really into bread this week. So much so that I made a loaf of French bread last night at 10pm. And then ate half of it... :)
Pregnancy symptoms: I've been getting headaches this week, which is unusual for me. I hardly ever get headaches. I really have to watch that I'm drinking enough water otherwise the headache kicks in and it's hard to get rid of. Also, I've had a couple of almost leg cramps... so far I've been able to catch them right before they happen and stretch out my calf.
What I miss: Sushi, and the occasional glass of wine.
What I'm looking forward to: More baby movement!
Milestones: I just think that baby is getting so big! 4+ inches seems huge to me... haha... I know he/she will get much bigger, but right now 4 inches sounds really big :)
Best moment of this week: I had my 15-week appointment and got to hear the baby's heartbeat again! It was really loud and strong (150bpm) this time, and the nurse picked it up as soon as she put the Doppler machine on my stomach. Last time I was only 11 weeks and it was a little harder to find. The baby is so much higher up now... no wonder I'm starting to get a little baby bump!
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Now that I'm feeling little baby flutters, Thomas is determined to feel them too... he keeps trying, but I think it's going to be a while before baby is strong enough to kick through my stomach! He was poking my stomach last night trying to get baby to kick back. Haha :)
How far along: 15 weeks today!
Baby size: A navel orange... 4+ inches long!
Total weight gain/loss: No gain or loss so far.
Sleep: Getting a little worse... I wake up with back pain. I need to get one of those body pillow things.
Movement: I think so! Just some little flutters :) Can't wait for more!
Food cravings/aversions: I've been really into bread this week. So much so that I made a loaf of French bread last night at 10pm. And then ate half of it... :)
Pregnancy symptoms: I've been getting headaches this week, which is unusual for me. I hardly ever get headaches. I really have to watch that I'm drinking enough water otherwise the headache kicks in and it's hard to get rid of. Also, I've had a couple of almost leg cramps... so far I've been able to catch them right before they happen and stretch out my calf.
What I miss: Sushi, and the occasional glass of wine.
What I'm looking forward to: More baby movement!
Milestones: I just think that baby is getting so big! 4+ inches seems huge to me... haha... I know he/she will get much bigger, but right now 4 inches sounds really big :)
Best moment of this week: I had my 15-week appointment and got to hear the baby's heartbeat again! It was really loud and strong (150bpm) this time, and the nurse picked it up as soon as she put the Doppler machine on my stomach. Last time I was only 11 weeks and it was a little harder to find. The baby is so much higher up now... no wonder I'm starting to get a little baby bump!
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Now that I'm feeling little baby flutters, Thomas is determined to feel them too... he keeps trying, but I think it's going to be a while before baby is strong enough to kick through my stomach! He was poking my stomach last night trying to get baby to kick back. Haha :)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
13 weeks & 14 weeks
I'm a little behind, as usual. I can't believe how time is flying!
How far along: 13 weeks (on August 16th) & 14 weeks (on August 23rd)
Baby size: 13 weeks - a peach, 14 weeks - a lemon.
Total weight gain/loss: No gain or loss... finally got a scale at home.
Sleep: Sleeping pretty well.
Movement: Not quite yet...
Food cravings/aversions: I've had major cravings for Panera Bread broccoli-cheddar soup with a tomato-basil-mozzarella panini... I actually went and got it two nights in a row once. And I usually pick up a cherry pastry at the same time :) Also, their fresh-squeezed lemonade is amazing. I've been craving more carbs these days... I guess baby needs more energy for all the growing he/she is doing now.
Pregnancy symptoms: I'm feeling generally pretty good, just tired.
What I miss: Nothing much...
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if baby is a boy or a girl! We're trying to figure out if/how much our insurance is going to cover the ultrasound... ugh. I could go on forever about how messed up and expensive medical insurance is these days (but we'll save that for another time...). Also, looking forward to feeling baby move :)
Milestones: Baby's little face can smile and squint and grimace :) Also, HELLO 2ND TRIMESTER! Yay :)
Best moment of this week: Just in general... thinking more about the baby and getting excited :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Thomas keeps trying to see if he can hear the baby's heartbeat through my belly... haha... don't think he's going to have much luck without a stethoscope or something :)
How far along: 13 weeks (on August 16th) & 14 weeks (on August 23rd)
Baby size: 13 weeks - a peach, 14 weeks - a lemon.
Total weight gain/loss: No gain or loss... finally got a scale at home.
Sleep: Sleeping pretty well.
Movement: Not quite yet...
Food cravings/aversions: I've had major cravings for Panera Bread broccoli-cheddar soup with a tomato-basil-mozzarella panini... I actually went and got it two nights in a row once. And I usually pick up a cherry pastry at the same time :) Also, their fresh-squeezed lemonade is amazing. I've been craving more carbs these days... I guess baby needs more energy for all the growing he/she is doing now.
Pregnancy symptoms: I'm feeling generally pretty good, just tired.
What I miss: Nothing much...
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if baby is a boy or a girl! We're trying to figure out if/how much our insurance is going to cover the ultrasound... ugh. I could go on forever about how messed up and expensive medical insurance is these days (but we'll save that for another time...). Also, looking forward to feeling baby move :)
Milestones: Baby's little face can smile and squint and grimace :) Also, HELLO 2ND TRIMESTER! Yay :)
Best moment of this week: Just in general... thinking more about the baby and getting excited :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Thomas keeps trying to see if he can hear the baby's heartbeat through my belly... haha... don't think he's going to have much luck without a stethoscope or something :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
12 weeks
How far along: 12 weeks (on August 9th)
Baby size: Baby is the size of a large plum - over 2 inches!
Total weight gain/loss: According to my doctor's office, no gain or loss... I need to get a scale at home to keep track.
Sleep: Sleeping really well.
Movement: It'll be a while before that happens.
Food cravings/aversions: Craving salty, sour, and spicy foods still. LOVING Pinkberry frozen yogurt... I got a huge take-home container with my favorite flavors (mango and pomegranate) the other night so I don't have to keep going back! For some reason, I've been wanting eggplant parmigiana all week... but I'm kind of scared to eat it since I've read that it's one of those foods that you eat to induce labor. And I don't really want to go into labor right now, that would be bad. I should ask my doctor. And pasta... pasta pasta pasta... I want pasta! Fettuccini modo mio sounds soooooo good right now.
Pregnancy symptoms: I'm feeling generally pretty good, just tired.
What I miss: Nothing much...
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if Baby Appleseed is a boy or a girl! I do not have the patience to wait until he/she pops out in February!
Milestones: Baby's facial features are becoming more defined, and he has little tiny fingernails! Baby is also developing reflexes this week, so if I poke my belly, he will wriggle in response (even though I won't be able to feel it quite yet).
Best moment of this week: We had told our families and a few other people about the baby already, but this week we told the rest of the world, and it was super fun! :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Normally when we were watching something at night, Thomas would fall asleep before it was over. Now it's me who can't keep my eyes open. Thomas was always the one to go to bed first as well, but I'm usually fast asleep before him. I think it's funny... he just thinks I'm weird because some nights I can't even wake up enough to move from the couch to the bed!
Monday, August 8, 2011
10 weeks & 11 weeks
Time is getting a little blurred with all the travelling going on... but we're finally back in Dallas, and tomorrow I will actually be 12 weeks pregnant!
So it's time for a little catch-up on 10 and 11 weeks...
How far along: 10 weeks (on July 26th) and 11 weeks (on August 2nd)
Baby size: 10 weeks - a prune, 11 weeks - a lime.
Total weight gain/loss: No weight gain or loss so far! But I think I see the tiny beginnings of a baby bump...
Sleep: Sleeping really well... but with all the travelling across time zones I have been completely exhausted and sleeping around 12 hours a day!
Movement: It'll be a while before that happens.
Food cravings/aversions: Craving salty, sour, and spicy foods still... really loving my homemade salsa at the moment, with lots of lime juice and jalapeno peppers! I also had a random craving for salmon the other night, so I got some at Central Market and it was SO good.
Pregnancy symptoms: I'm feeling generally pretty good. Tired all the time, but I'm blaming that mostly on the travelling.
What I miss: Nothing much...
What I'm looking forward to: Announcing the pregnancy to the world, which we are going to do any day now!
Milestones: At 11 weeks, most of Baby Appleseed's organs and systems are fully formed! They will continue to mature and grow for the next 28 weeks! It's hard to believe that there is a tiny, 2-inch long, fully-formed baby inside of me right now.
Best moment of this week: Hearing the baby's heartbeat at our doctor's appointment last Friday! It was SO COOL! I took a video of it on my phone, but I haven't quite figured out how to put it into a blog post yet.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Telling his brothers together last weekend was super fun! Also, we were sitting in church the other weekend flipping through the bible index and picking out hilarious names for Baby Appleseed :)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
8 weeks & 9 weeks
I'm going to squish these two updates together, because I'm 9 weeks pregnant today and I still haven't done an 8 week update.
How far along: 8 weeks (on July 12th) and 9 weeks (July 19th)
Baby size: 8 weeks - raspberry, 9 weeks - green olive.
Total weight gain/loss: Nothing's changed so far.
Sleep: I sleep pretty well with the Unisom, but it's hard to wake up in the mornings.
Movement: It'll be a while before that happens.
Food cravings/aversions: Salty, sour, and spicy foods. I had a MAJOR craving for Pinkberry (a frozen yogurt place in Dallas) when I woke up one morning. I've also been craving tomatoes... I eat at least three big tomatoes every day, sliced with freshly ground salt and pepper. Yummy. My husband is back in Dallas already, and he's been going to all my favorite places to eat and telling me about it... and of course, then I start wanting what he had. He went to Olive Garden and got the steak gorgonzola alfredo pasta, which is my all time favorite... and he also went to Pinkberry. And In N Out Burger. I hate him. But not really.
Pregnancy symptoms: I'm feeling generally pretty good... if I let myself get too hungry, or if I eat a big heavy meal then my stomach gets uncomfortable... but other than that, the Unisom and vitamin B-6 take good care of me :) I'm still pretty tired all the time. And I got a few headaches last week... one that lasted ALL night and I couldn't get rid of it. I think I hadn't had enough water to drink.
What I miss: Nothing much... maybe being able to eat more than one piece of pizza at a time or eat greasy things like fish 'n chips without feeling gross afterwards.
What I'm looking forward to: The end of the first trimester... I can't wait to tell the world about Baby Appleseed! We're going to a reunion for the hubby's side of the family at the beginning of August, and we're going to tell Baby Appleseed's uncles (all FIVE of them!). The hubby's parents know already, but his brothers don't. I'm also looking forward to seeing my hubby again after three weeks away from him!
Milestones: At 9 weeks, Baby Appleseed has graduated from being an embryo to a fetus! He has lost his little embryonic tail and looks a little more like a real baby. He's a whole inch long!
Best moment of this week: I think I found a name for Baby Appleseed! If he's a boy, anyways :) Which I'm pretty sure he is. I still need to put it past the hubby... but it's one that he's already said he likes.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: Well he's in Dallas and I'm in England at the moment... so he does cute things like saying goodnight to Baby Appleseed when we chat, and sends kisses to him/her. Baby Appleseed talks to his daddy in a * little tiny squeaky voice * and says goodnight too :)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
7 weeks
When I wrote the last post, the 6 week update, I was apparently only in my 5th week. We had an ultrasound on June 29th and the doctor put me at 6 weeks 1 day... which I can't really make sense of, because I was pretty sure of the dates when I could have gotten pregnant... and being only 6 weeks on June 29th doesn't calculate with those. But anyways, we'll go with the doctor's prediction for now - because it's so early on, it might change. My estimated due date is now February 21st, 2012 (I had thought it was more like February 11th).
Two days after my ultrasound, halfway through week 6, the hubby and I flew to England. We had been planning this trip to see my family long before we knew we were pregnant, but being pregnant made it more exciting. I was nervous to travel because I didn't know how I would feel, but I ended up being just fine. I was just a little bit uncomfortable on the flight, but that's not unusual. My doctor prescribed me Zofran and Reglan (anti-nausea meds) to take with me to England just in case morning sickness got really bad. I'm in England for a month, so I didn't want to be stranded here without any remedies if it got bad. But so far, I've been all right. I get queasy at night and in the mornings, but I take vitamin B-6 every day, and I take Unisom (a mild OTC sleeping medicine [doxylamine succinate] that helps with morning sickness) at night. The combination of those two make it very manageable to get out and about and enjoy my time with my family. I don't want to take the Zofran or the Reglan unless I absolutely have to, and so far I've only taken Zofran one time. During the car ride from Heathrow Airport back to Clevedon where we're staying, I was sitting in the back and started feeling really nauseous. We hadn't told my family I was pregnant yet, so I couldn't really say anything... so I popped a Zofran in my mouth and it worked instantly.
We arrived in England on the 2nd of July, and had a fun time telling my family. I recorded the whole thing on my smartphone, so I'll upload the video when we tell the whole world about the pregnancy. The hubby went back to the U.S. for work on the 10th, but I'm here with my family until the 29th.
Today I am actually 8 weeks pregnant, but I thought I'd do a quick update on the 7th week to catch up. Most of my 7th week was very busy sightseeing around England and going to visit family members. I'm not really sure how to count the weeks - does week 6 through 7 count as the 7th week, or does week 7 through 8 count as the 7th week? Hmmm. I'll just do the posts when I "change" weeks.
How far along: 7 weeks (on last Tuesday, July 5th)
Baby size: A blueberry :)
Total weight gain/loss: Nothing's changed so far.
Sleep: I seem to get queasy and uncomfortable at night, so sleep hasn't been that great recently. But the Unisom really helps.
Movement: It'll be a while before that happens.
Food cravings/aversions: I've been craving anything salty (salt and vinegar chips nom nom nom), and sour things like sour candy, and spicy things as well. I wouldn't say it's an aversion, but I've been kind of "off" sweet things like desserts and ice cream. But I still like chocolate. [Phewsh]
Pregnancy symptoms: Queasiness at night and in the morning and general fatigue. I take lots of naps. And I get queasy in the car as well... I've never had carsickness before. If I sit in the front I'm generally all right.
What I miss: Nothing much... maybe just feeling "normal"... haha, but that isn't going to happen for another 7 months or so.
What I'm looking forward to: The end of the first trimester... it hasn't been all that bad, but I'm still ready for it to be over! And I want to be able to tell everyone that I'm pregnant.
Milestones: Little tiny arms and legs are starting to develop.
Best moment of this week: Technically it was still during the sixth week, but telling my family that we were pregnant was awesome.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: He was just very thoughtful of me the whole week, especially when we were travelling... flying or driving somewhere. He made sure I was all right and took good care of me. I was sad when he had to go back to the U.S. for work, but I still have my family to look after me.
Two days after my ultrasound, halfway through week 6, the hubby and I flew to England. We had been planning this trip to see my family long before we knew we were pregnant, but being pregnant made it more exciting. I was nervous to travel because I didn't know how I would feel, but I ended up being just fine. I was just a little bit uncomfortable on the flight, but that's not unusual. My doctor prescribed me Zofran and Reglan (anti-nausea meds) to take with me to England just in case morning sickness got really bad. I'm in England for a month, so I didn't want to be stranded here without any remedies if it got bad. But so far, I've been all right. I get queasy at night and in the mornings, but I take vitamin B-6 every day, and I take Unisom (a mild OTC sleeping medicine [doxylamine succinate] that helps with morning sickness) at night. The combination of those two make it very manageable to get out and about and enjoy my time with my family. I don't want to take the Zofran or the Reglan unless I absolutely have to, and so far I've only taken Zofran one time. During the car ride from Heathrow Airport back to Clevedon where we're staying, I was sitting in the back and started feeling really nauseous. We hadn't told my family I was pregnant yet, so I couldn't really say anything... so I popped a Zofran in my mouth and it worked instantly.
We arrived in England on the 2nd of July, and had a fun time telling my family. I recorded the whole thing on my smartphone, so I'll upload the video when we tell the whole world about the pregnancy. The hubby went back to the U.S. for work on the 10th, but I'm here with my family until the 29th.
Today I am actually 8 weeks pregnant, but I thought I'd do a quick update on the 7th week to catch up. Most of my 7th week was very busy sightseeing around England and going to visit family members. I'm not really sure how to count the weeks - does week 6 through 7 count as the 7th week, or does week 7 through 8 count as the 7th week? Hmmm. I'll just do the posts when I "change" weeks.
How far along: 7 weeks (on last Tuesday, July 5th)
Baby size: A blueberry :)
Total weight gain/loss: Nothing's changed so far.
Sleep: I seem to get queasy and uncomfortable at night, so sleep hasn't been that great recently. But the Unisom really helps.
Movement: It'll be a while before that happens.
Food cravings/aversions: I've been craving anything salty (salt and vinegar chips nom nom nom), and sour things like sour candy, and spicy things as well. I wouldn't say it's an aversion, but I've been kind of "off" sweet things like desserts and ice cream. But I still like chocolate. [Phewsh]
Pregnancy symptoms: Queasiness at night and in the morning and general fatigue. I take lots of naps. And I get queasy in the car as well... I've never had carsickness before. If I sit in the front I'm generally all right.
What I miss: Nothing much... maybe just feeling "normal"... haha, but that isn't going to happen for another 7 months or so.
What I'm looking forward to: The end of the first trimester... it hasn't been all that bad, but I'm still ready for it to be over! And I want to be able to tell everyone that I'm pregnant.
Milestones: Little tiny arms and legs are starting to develop.
Best moment of this week: Technically it was still during the sixth week, but telling my family that we were pregnant was awesome.
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: He was just very thoughtful of me the whole week, especially when we were travelling... flying or driving somewhere. He made sure I was all right and took good care of me. I was sad when he had to go back to the U.S. for work, but I still have my family to look after me.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
6 weeks {I think}
How far along: Around 6 weeks! Will have a better idea next week at our ultrasound appointment.
Baby size: A sweet pea :)
Total weight gain/loss: I don't think anything has changed so far.
Sleep: I sleep like the dead... SO tired.
Movement: Nope... that won't come for another couple of months.
Food cravings/aversions: For some reason, I don't like butter anymore. Ewww. I tried eating a piece of toast with butter on it and it was just gross. I've been craving spicy and salty things... I make my own fresh salsa and I put a lot of jalapeno peppers in it this time! Apparently craving spicy and salty things means I'm having a boy. [Craving sweet things = girl].
Pregnancy symptoms: The usual first trimester stuff... I'm tired all the time, I have to pee all the time, I have very sore *certain parts of my anatomy in the chest area* [The hubby gets all uncomfortable when I use the word "boobs", hahaha, so I really have to come up with a code word... hmmm]. I've had some mild queasiness every so often and I'm hoping that's as bad as it's going to get!
What I miss: Nothing much right now.
What I'm looking forward to: Our first ultrasound next week! I can't wait to see Baby Appleseed, and maybe even hear his/her heartbeat.
Milestones: Baby Appleseed's tiny little heart started pumping blood this week!
Best moment of this week: Just waking up every morning and my heart jumping with happiness when I remember that I'm pregnant :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: I'm just loving explaining pregnancy and baby stuff to TAC... he's pretty clueless :) But it's also really cute when he goes and looks stuff up. I told him this morning that I'm feeling more tired than usual these days, and he said "apparently that's pretty normal for the first trimester"... so cute!
Baby size: A sweet pea :)
Total weight gain/loss: I don't think anything has changed so far.
Sleep: I sleep like the dead... SO tired.
Movement: Nope... that won't come for another couple of months.
Food cravings/aversions: For some reason, I don't like butter anymore. Ewww. I tried eating a piece of toast with butter on it and it was just gross. I've been craving spicy and salty things... I make my own fresh salsa and I put a lot of jalapeno peppers in it this time! Apparently craving spicy and salty things means I'm having a boy. [Craving sweet things = girl].
Pregnancy symptoms: The usual first trimester stuff... I'm tired all the time, I have to pee all the time, I have very sore *certain parts of my anatomy in the chest area* [The hubby gets all uncomfortable when I use the word "boobs", hahaha, so I really have to come up with a code word... hmmm]. I've had some mild queasiness every so often and I'm hoping that's as bad as it's going to get!
What I miss: Nothing much right now.
What I'm looking forward to: Our first ultrasound next week! I can't wait to see Baby Appleseed, and maybe even hear his/her heartbeat.
Milestones: Baby Appleseed's tiny little heart started pumping blood this week!
Best moment of this week: Just waking up every morning and my heart jumping with happiness when I remember that I'm pregnant :)
Pregnancy moments with the hubby: I'm just loving explaining pregnancy and baby stuff to TAC... he's pretty clueless :) But it's also really cute when he goes and looks stuff up. I told him this morning that I'm feeling more tired than usual these days, and he said "apparently that's pretty normal for the first trimester"... so cute!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The story of how we found out.
Before I forget, I want to write down the story of how we found out about Baby Appleseed... you know, for posterity. In case posterity is interested.
It was a blisteringly hot late Sunday afternoon (the 12th of June) and the hubby and I decided to go for a run around the 2-mile loop near our apartment. The temperature was at least 100 F and humidity was so high I had a hard time breathing - I felt like I was sucking in water instead of air. I have no idea why we thought it was a good idea to go running when it was so ridiculously hot. But off we went... we walked the first little bit to warm up, then start jogging. I barely made it half a mile before I had to stop. I felt SO overheated. The sun was beating down and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath, it was just too hot. We ended up walking most of the rest of the way, jogging occasionally when we came to a shady area where it felt slightly less unbearably hot. The hubby could have run more, but I was just too tired.
I was so exhausted when we got home - my feet felt like they were boiling in my shoes and the rest of me was just radiating heat. We both just sprawled out on the living room floor with the air-conditioning blasting, trying to cool off. Once I was decently cooled off, I decided to take a cold shower. Before I got in the shower, however, something made me pull out a pregnancy test and take it.
Here's a little back story: I have very irregular cycles, so I keep a little stockpile of pregnancy tests so I can test to make sure I'm not pregnant. Also, for the two weeks before this fateful Sunday the 12th of June, certain parts of my anatomy in the chest area *ahem* *cough, cough* had been very tender (but that's also not uncommon with my irregular cycles). So it was a combination of that, and the fact that I just felt unusually exhausted after this run/walk, that made me take a test. I was FULLY expecting it to be completely negative, like every test I'd ever taken before.
After I took the test I set it down and walked out of the bathroom to grab my towel. I returned only a few seconds later, and there staring back up at me were TWO PINK LINES. * cue panic attack * When I got my voice back, I yelled for the hubby to come see, just to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. They weren't.
The rest of the evening was spent in a daze. I think we watched some TV, ate some dinner, and just sat on the couch trying to wrap our minds around the idea that I was pregnant.
Oh Baby Appleseed, how you have turned our lives upside down! In a good way, of course.
It was a blisteringly hot late Sunday afternoon (the 12th of June) and the hubby and I decided to go for a run around the 2-mile loop near our apartment. The temperature was at least 100 F and humidity was so high I had a hard time breathing - I felt like I was sucking in water instead of air. I have no idea why we thought it was a good idea to go running when it was so ridiculously hot. But off we went... we walked the first little bit to warm up, then start jogging. I barely made it half a mile before I had to stop. I felt SO overheated. The sun was beating down and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath, it was just too hot. We ended up walking most of the rest of the way, jogging occasionally when we came to a shady area where it felt slightly less unbearably hot. The hubby could have run more, but I was just too tired.
I was so exhausted when we got home - my feet felt like they were boiling in my shoes and the rest of me was just radiating heat. We both just sprawled out on the living room floor with the air-conditioning blasting, trying to cool off. Once I was decently cooled off, I decided to take a cold shower. Before I got in the shower, however, something made me pull out a pregnancy test and take it.
Here's a little back story: I have very irregular cycles, so I keep a little stockpile of pregnancy tests so I can test to make sure I'm not pregnant. Also, for the two weeks before this fateful Sunday the 12th of June, certain parts of my anatomy in the chest area *ahem* *cough, cough* had been very tender (but that's also not uncommon with my irregular cycles). So it was a combination of that, and the fact that I just felt unusually exhausted after this run/walk, that made me take a test. I was FULLY expecting it to be completely negative, like every test I'd ever taken before.
After I took the test I set it down and walked out of the bathroom to grab my towel. I returned only a few seconds later, and there staring back up at me were TWO PINK LINES. * cue panic attack * When I got my voice back, I yelled for the hubby to come see, just to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. They weren't.
Here's the picture again.
The rest of the evening was spent in a daze. I think we watched some TV, ate some dinner, and just sat on the couch trying to wrap our minds around the idea that I was pregnant.
Oh Baby Appleseed, how you have turned our lives upside down! In a good way, of course.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Father's Day!
I just wanted to do a quick post in honor of my hubby, the new father-to-be. I'm pretty sure I got the best guy out there, and he is going to be an amazing father. While we are both currently overwhelmed by the surprise that we're having a baby, he has been my rock during my pregnant/hormonal/emotional breakdowns. I'm sure he feels every bit as scared as I do, but he stays strong for me. He works hard to make sure we will be well provided for, and I never doubt that he will take care of our new little family whatever comes our way. I'm loving every moment of this new journey with him. We have times where we just get so excited about Baby Appleseed, and other times where we feel completely out of our league... but we are always together, and that's what matters. Our relationship has reached new depths in the past week since we found out we were pregnant.
I love you, TAC! And so does Baby Appleseed :)
I love you, TAC! And so does Baby Appleseed :)
Saturday, June 18, 2011
I'm really am pregnant.
Those pee-on-a-stick pregnancy tests are obviously very accurate, but nothing compares to the doctor's office calling to give you the results of your blood tests, which resoundingly say I'm pregnant.
I had my first blood test on Tuesday. Blood tests are fairly traumatic for me... I've had bad experiences with them since I was a little girl. I've fainted twice and I come close to fainting every time. I was nervous because my husband couldn't come with me and I would have to drive myself home afterwards. I ate lunch just before I went to keep my blood sugar up, and I drank LOTS of water all day long to keep my blood volume up. Both of these tactics worked... and I told the technician I would need to lie down for the test because I'm a fainter. The blood test was over in about 5 seconds. I stayed lying down for a couple of minutes just in case and got up slowly and I was fine. I got a fairly bad bruise at the site of the blood test, though.
On Wednesday the doctor's office called and told me my progesterone level was 18.5, which was very good. Apparently they want it to be at least 11. My HCG (or beta) level was 253. I asked if this gave them an idea of how far along I was, and the nurse who called said if she had to guess she would put me around 5 weeks, which is what I was thinking.
I had another blood test on Thursday to make sure my HCG levels were going up. The nurse told me they like to see them about double every 48 hours. This blood test was worse, for some reason. The technician put the rubber band/tourniquet around my arm, then got a phone call and left for a few minutes. By the time she got back, my arm was throbbing. She did the test on my left arm, since the first blood test had bruised my right arm, and she did it on the outer part of my elbow crease because apparently that's less prone to bruising. This time around I could feel the needle going in and coming out, and it took longer (maybe my blood volume wasn't as high as the first time?). Whatever the case, I felt pretty shaky when it was over and had to stay lying down for a while and then get up really slowly.
Ah, the trials I am already going through for you, Baby Appleseed! I am fully aware that there are much scarier things (ummm, LABOR!?) to come, but we'll take it step by step.
The doctors office called yesterday (Friday) and told me that my HCG/beta level had gone up to 668. It more than doubled, and the nurse said that was very good. We set my first ultrasound appointment for the 29th of June. I can't wait to see Baby Appleseed and hear his/her heartbeat!
I had my first blood test on Tuesday. Blood tests are fairly traumatic for me... I've had bad experiences with them since I was a little girl. I've fainted twice and I come close to fainting every time. I was nervous because my husband couldn't come with me and I would have to drive myself home afterwards. I ate lunch just before I went to keep my blood sugar up, and I drank LOTS of water all day long to keep my blood volume up. Both of these tactics worked... and I told the technician I would need to lie down for the test because I'm a fainter. The blood test was over in about 5 seconds. I stayed lying down for a couple of minutes just in case and got up slowly and I was fine. I got a fairly bad bruise at the site of the blood test, though.
On Wednesday the doctor's office called and told me my progesterone level was 18.5, which was very good. Apparently they want it to be at least 11. My HCG (or beta) level was 253. I asked if this gave them an idea of how far along I was, and the nurse who called said if she had to guess she would put me around 5 weeks, which is what I was thinking.
I had another blood test on Thursday to make sure my HCG levels were going up. The nurse told me they like to see them about double every 48 hours. This blood test was worse, for some reason. The technician put the rubber band/tourniquet around my arm, then got a phone call and left for a few minutes. By the time she got back, my arm was throbbing. She did the test on my left arm, since the first blood test had bruised my right arm, and she did it on the outer part of my elbow crease because apparently that's less prone to bruising. This time around I could feel the needle going in and coming out, and it took longer (maybe my blood volume wasn't as high as the first time?). Whatever the case, I felt pretty shaky when it was over and had to stay lying down for a while and then get up really slowly.
Ah, the trials I am already going through for you, Baby Appleseed! I am fully aware that there are much scarier things (ummm, LABOR!?) to come, but we'll take it step by step.
Blood test battle wounds. Bruise on my right arm, bandaid on my left.
The doctors office called yesterday (Friday) and told me that my HCG/beta level had gone up to 668. It more than doubled, and the nurse said that was very good. We set my first ultrasound appointment for the 29th of June. I can't wait to see Baby Appleseed and hear his/her heartbeat!
Little outfits that the hubby and I got to take pictures with :)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
I can hardly believe it.
Honestly, it still has not sunk in that I'm pregnant. Apart from the constant need to pee, and the occasional twinge of queasiness [yup, that started yesterday... oh joy], I have to keep repeating to myself over and over "I'm pregnant"... "I'm having a baby"... "There's a baby inside me right now" and so on.
Having a baby was just so far from our thoughts and plans right now that I think it will take a while to register that, oh my goodness, in less the 9 months we will actually HAVE a baby. It's incredible to me how two tiny cells (the sperm and the egg, for those of you who didn't pay attention in biology) can meet and then within 40 weeks grow to a fully formed, complex human baby. My baby is only the size of an appleseed this week, but even that is amazing... in the span of maybe three weeks, two microscopic cells collided and developed into a tiny appleseed baby that is already developing major organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, and the nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems.
My mind is constantly racing, jumping from one thought to another... one minute I'll be thinking up fun ways to tell people we're pregnant, and the next I'll be worrying about where we're going to live, then I'll be dreaming up cute outfits and wondering if Baby Appleseed will be a boy or a girl, and then I'll be wondering what the next 8 months of pregnancy are going to be like. It's a miracle that I ever manage to fall asleep. But then again, I am so tired that falling asleep is not really a problem.
* Yawn * speaking of sleeping...
Having a baby was just so far from our thoughts and plans right now that I think it will take a while to register that, oh my goodness, in less the 9 months we will actually HAVE a baby. It's incredible to me how two tiny cells (the sperm and the egg, for those of you who didn't pay attention in biology) can meet and then within 40 weeks grow to a fully formed, complex human baby. My baby is only the size of an appleseed this week, but even that is amazing... in the span of maybe three weeks, two microscopic cells collided and developed into a tiny appleseed baby that is already developing major organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, and the nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems.
My mind is constantly racing, jumping from one thought to another... one minute I'll be thinking up fun ways to tell people we're pregnant, and the next I'll be worrying about where we're going to live, then I'll be dreaming up cute outfits and wondering if Baby Appleseed will be a boy or a girl, and then I'll be wondering what the next 8 months of pregnancy are going to be like. It's a miracle that I ever manage to fall asleep. But then again, I am so tired that falling asleep is not really a problem.
* Yawn * speaking of sleeping...
Monday, June 13, 2011
Surprise!
Last night the hubby and I had the biggest shock of our lives...
Two pink lines!
We were not trying to get pregnant, and we are not quite sure how it happened (well... obviously we know how it happened... but still).
This morning I took another test just to be sure... and sure enough...
Pregnant!
I've named the little peanut Baby Appleseed, because apparently the baby is currently the size of an appleseed (according to my rough calculations I am about 5 weeks pregnant), and I thought that was a cute little name.
I'll be keeping this blog anonymous until the end of the 1st trimester, because we are not planning on announcing the pregnancy until after 12 weeks. But I wanted to keep a record of my thoughts and symptoms and, of course, the ever growing baby bump while we wait to tell people.
So far, my only symptoms are slight crampy feelings, sore boobs, and constantly having to pee (sorry if that's TMI... but this is my blog, and that's just what you're gonna get). And I think I'm more tired than usual. Oh, and talk about VIVID dreams... I dreamed last night that cockroaches were crawling up our bedroom wall and it was SO real and freaky. Keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed and sending up lots of prayers that it doesn't get much worse than this... I'm kind of terrified of morning sickness.
Hubs and I are equal parts in shock, nervous, excited, terrified, and happy. This baby was not in our "best laid plans" and we will have to work hard to be financially ready for it. We have lots of decisions to make... if we should move closer to family (which is complicated because both of our families live mostly overseas), what kind of saving we should be doing and how to better manage our finances, if we should look at buying a house, if I should continue looking for a job or find a way to work from home... I don't even know how to go about picking an OB-GYN. We are overwhelmed, but still thankful... a baby is always a blessing.
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