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!"
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