Friday, April 29, 2011

30 Weeks Pregnant

So today marks 30 weeks pregnant. If she comes on her due date that would mean we are 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy.

Its been a rough week for me. As I have mentioned before I have continued to be plagued with morning sickness. This week it was on high. I seemed to feel ok while at work but as soon as I got home for the night I would fall apart. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were hard on my body and I could barely get up off the couch. My hips were killing me, my stomach hurt, and I felt nauseous. I threw up after dinner both nights. I got to the point on Thursday where I finally broke down and called my dr office to ask for something to help. They gave me a prescription for Zofran but I have to go see them to make sure everything is ok. So I have a surprise dr visit today. Of course, when I got home last night I felt ok enough (without taking the pill). My stomach feels very distended. I also realized (and I know this is TMI) that I havent pooped in quite a few days. I think that is due to not drinking enough (or hardly any water). That is directly linked to feeling nauseous and needing coke to make that feel better. UGH!

Eric did agree to go to the dr visit with me and then we are going to grab some lunch before I go back to work. He never goes to dr visits with me (too much waiting for him). We do have an apt next week also (which includes and ultrasound) so he will be going to that visit too!

We did find a daycare center we both really liked. I have to finish all the registration paperwork, and take it over with a deposit on Monday. I would take it today but with the dr apt I cant spare anymore time out of my schedule.

But here is the baby update:
Baby’s crown to rump length is around 28 cm (11 inches). Your baby weighs about 1500-1600 grams ( 3.3-3.5 pounds). Your baby is sleeping most of the time and has a period of REM sleep. You may notice a pattern of when your baby likes to sleep and when she likes to play. Her survival rate is now over 90% if she were to be born this week.

If REM is where dreams occur, what do you think fetuses dream about? Its something to ponder. I do notice she definitely has awake and asleep times. When I get home from work and want to relax, she throws kicks/jabs/elbows/head butts. She likes to sucker punch my bladder. She is a very active wiggle worm. Even at my sickest this week, she is a happy little bugger!

Last night, I found a good deal on craigslist for a huge bag of clothes, including lots of socks, shoes, some outfits, girly bibs, a blanket, a sling, a swaddler and a tummy time mat. It was a great deal. Sarah is going to go over my stash in 2 weeks and help me figure out what we are missing and what I should be focusing on getting. Plus we will have a good idea of what is needed post-baby shower.

No new pic this week. I should be getting some more shots via my sister this weekend so expect an update next week.

Friday, April 22, 2011

29 Weeks!

So today I am 29 weeks into my pregnancy.

Baby: Baby's head is in proportion with body now. She appears more like a newborn each and every day! Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*. Baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures. Her eyes can move in their sockets. Soon she will be able to follow a blinking light. Baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! Various studies show that baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage. She is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, she will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if he is performing somersaults for a circus act! Her length is now approximately 15.2 inches (38.6cm) and weight is 2.54 pounds (1153gm)

Well... I had my check up yesterday. No weight gain (which means I am still at +11 for the pregnancy)! Dr said they could give me something for morning sickness but it would likely make me constipated (which is already a normal thing for me!) so she would also want me to take colace too. That starts to sound like too much, I will just follow the few remedies I have and try to keep it under control (and just continue to have my bad days). She said all the pain down in my baby area is being cause by the baby's head. Baby S has turned head down. So I am not just imagining that battering ram feeling on my bladder sometimes. I had my glucose testing. I will know by Monday if I passed or not. I am praying for a pass! (If I fail I have to go have the same test as a do-over but it is now 3 hours long instead of 1.)

I am doing my best to eat healthy. The morning sickness still comes and goes. But it is getting easier. I am working on drinking more water. Right now I am averaging about 4 cups a day (which is up from none but down from the 10+ I was downing prior to being pregnant). I have also been making sure I get my 5 fruits and veggies a day (during the day more than at night). I am still finding that I need a nap between 7 and 8pm and I generally nap until like 11pm when Eric gets home. At that point I move myself from the couch to the bed, and he will come lay/cuddle with me for a little bit.

Last night Eric did something super sweet that I havent seen him do before. We were laying in bed just talking (we havent had much time together this week due to his work schedule). I had mentioned that someone else said their husband would put their head on the stomach where the baby was and they could hear the baby moving. He decided to try it. He put his head up and she elbowed him a few times in the head. It was cute, but he kept his head down there and was just seeing if he could hear her (and he was talking to her at the same time). But then he was going to get up to have something to eat. He said "I love you" to me, and then he leaned down and kissed the baby and said "I love you" to her too. It was really a touching thing!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Pregnancy Photo Shoot

I will do a weekend update tomorrow (since I have a cute story about Seth).

My sister did my first maternity photo shoot. I was excited but I dont really like having my photo taken. I dont know many people who do. I just see myself as heavy and with the growing belly, my self-image is only getting worse. I am the one who cant see her feet anymore.

But I wanted to help my sister build her portfolio. We spent just over an hour at 2 locations (2 parks she picked out around her house). I wore 4 different shirts and my jeans. 1 set of shots I was barefoot and the rest I wore a set of heels I brought.

The shots came out AMAZING! I finally saw in the shots why Eric says I am beautiful. The shots are so awesome! She did her magic and got 24 really good shots out of the 400 she took (I dont know if she is supplying more or not).

Complete showing of the shots: http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/hkystar/28%20Weeks%20Photo%20Shoot/

Here are my fave shots:






Friday, April 15, 2011

28 weeks pregnant!

Week 28

•How far along: 28 weeks

•Baby Development: Baby’s crown to rump length is around 26 cm (10.2 inches) - total length is around 15.75 inches (http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=12941 - as long as this chicken dog toy!). Your baby weighs about 1100-1250 grams (2.4-2.75 pounds) - think of holding 500 pennies! Your baby's brain continues to develop and is now forming the folds and grooves of a fully developed brain. The amount of tissues within the brain also continues to increase in large amounts. The hair that covers your baby's scalp is also getting longer. Your baby is picking up body fat and filling out. Your baby is now large enough for presentation to be determined and your doctor might be able to find out if your baby is at risk for being breech. If your baby is breech, don't panic. There is still time for the baby to rotate.

•Total Weight Gain/Loss: I did not gain any weight this week! So I am still +12 pounds so far.

•Maternity Clothes: sometimes... I wear maternity pants but I have tons of clothes from 50 lbs heavier Maureen. So they fit over my belly. But the flip side is I just look fat and not pregnant. If I wear maternity shirts (which is about 50% of the time), I look pregnant. I feel like I am not as large as other women on my message board who are at the same place I am (or even a few weeks behind me). •Gender: Female (i hope its still a Baby S and not a Baby D). This is a big fear of mine!

•Movement: All the time when I sit or lay down. She is like a Mexican jumping bean! Its all over the place. Sometimes I feel her up high, over times down low, and sometimes I even feel it in my back/side. As soon as I stand up she seems to stop moving.

•Sleep: Its rough now. I am relying on the body pillow more and more. I was always a stomach sleeper, and I still find myself in that position. The pillow lets me do that and gives Baby S some padding. She doesn't kick or squirm as much with the pillow. I don't enjoy getting up to pee 3-4 times a night. I don't enjoy waking up feeling sick cause I haven't eaten/had anything to drink in awhile. I guess its all preparation for like post baby.

•What I miss: Sleeping through the night! Oh and being able to look down and see my feet.

•Cravings: Nothing really special... Coke has been a staple this week but that is more to counteract the nausea.

•Symptoms: Nausea and vomiting, I think I started getting braxton hicks contractions. I am having some not so pleasant cramps and tightening down in the baby producing area.

•Best Moment this week: Watching Eric's face light up when I put his hand on my belly and she kicks him. I think its easy for him to forget she is a living organism, and its an amazing feeling to me to see him get to feel some of her attention! I also had a great moment of accomplishment when I crossed the finish line on Sunday. It felt great but not my best idea (I hurt for 3-4 days post race).

•Next up: Next week is a lovely dr check up. It includes the wonderful GTT (gestational diabetes) test. So I get to fast for like 12 hours (not looking forward to this given that I get sick when I don't eat), and then go drink this craptastic liquid. An hour later I get my blood drawn. In the middle I will see the dr.

This weeks photo: No photo update today! I am getting my first maternity photo shoot from my sister (http://photos.beansproutphotography.com/). I will be getting a photo shoot every time I go visit (or she comes to see me) from now till Baby S comes! She is also doing our delivery room photos and Baby S's first photos too! But back to my weekly photo thing... I will make a post early next week with the shots that I like best!

Monday, April 11, 2011

We are now 1/2 marathoners!


So Sunday, Baby Susan and I completed our first 1/2 marathon. I registered back in late October, and got the first positive home pregnancy test the next day. I ran my 10K (my first race that I had run - not counting all the 5Ks I walk for fun). I figured I had already spent the money on the race, why not go.


I peed twice in the 45 mins before the race even started, and right off the starting line I felt like I had to pee again. I ran on and off for the first 3 miles till I got to the first water spot and port-a-potties. I hit the potty, got out a cereal bar, and was back on the road.


I ran on/off for the next 2 miles before Susan had shifted herself into a really bad spot, which made my lower baby area start hurting. So I just walked for awhile. I made sure to pee at stop mile 6. I had a pb&j sandwich there. That sandwich was the best sandwich I had EVER had! It was seriously AMAZING!


I was able to run some more on/off till I hit mile marker 9. I peed again and had another sandwich. I had some beautiful views of the Wright brother's memorial. I was really enjoying things and felt very good about myself that I was gonna do this!


Mile 10 started the hardest part of the walk. I could no longer run post mile 9. Everything just started to hurt. My knees were hurting, my ankles started killing me, my shins, my shoulders. I mean EVERYTHING was hurting. And mentally I was wearing out. I had to really just tell myself to keep going. I was so close to finishing it was a matter of pride. I could do it. I could finish. The water stop at mile 11 was nice. They were cheering me on, and told me not to go into labor. I just had to keep going.


Right after I hit mile 12 I realized I only had 1 mile left. I HAD to finish. It also became a trail to run on as opposed to roads. At that point I tried to run again and that was easier on my body than walking. So I took to running again. I was so happy to cross the finish line. As soon as I crossed and stopped moving, I felt everything just starting to hurt BAD. I did hear the announcer say that there were still 108 people on the trail. I had one watch really tracking my pace, and while racing I took 10 mins worth of potty breaks. So I would have finished closer to a 15 min mile if I had not needed to pee so much (I blame Susan for all the pee breaks).


Susan won the 27 week fetus age bracket! We did get passed by a woman who was 7 months pregnant but also weighed close to 50 pounds less than me. I am hoping that I can continue to set an example that fitness/health is important. I worry because my parents always stressed sports but it was never really about being healthy/staying fit. I want her to see that health is important. I plan to run most 1/2 marathons post baby and maybe even a full marathon (just one in my life). I want her to cheer me on and see the value of this kind of stuff.


I really feel like if I could mentally handle mile 10-12 then I can handle labor. It was all about keeping moving, keeping going and not quitting. I CAN DO THIS!

Friday, April 8, 2011

27 Weeks today

So today marks week 27 of my pregnancy. It is also April 8th... that is exactly 3 months till Baby Susan's due date. So I am now in the 3rd trimester! I had a startling realization today. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I oculdnt see my feet (or my weight for that matter). Its a digital scale though, so I just stepped off to see my weight. I am now +11 from 9/28 till now. All of that gain seems to have happened in the last 2 months. Its almost all baby (although some has settled on my thighs and also under my chin). I am still happily wearing a smaller size (in maternity clothes) than I did a year ago. My XL shirt for the race on Sunday fits with some room to spare. I just worry that with 13 weeks to go, and a gain of 1-2 lbs a week I potentially could be looking at gaining up to 26 more pounds. As I noted last week, Baby Susan could survive (with the help of machines) now and her chances get better with each day. Baby's lungs and immune system are maturing this week as baby prepares for his grand entrance. If he were born today he would have an 85 percent chance of surviving as his lungs are capable of breathing air (with medical assistance, of course). Other exciting developments:Baby's done a lot of growing over the past few months. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! And that's not the only thing growing—baby's brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby. Your baby’s sense of hearing is developing. She may be able to recognize your voice when you talk to her. If your baby is a boy, his testes are descending now. Your baby started opening her eyes last week. This week her retina is formed and she may be able to detect light and dark. Its quite amazing when I look at pictures of baby's born at 27 weeks. On the one hand they look so tiny. ~14.5 inches long (from top of the head to toes) which is about from the tip of my middle finger to my elbow. thats so tiny (think about how big that is if the baby is curled up). Its so tiny! Combine that with the fact that she weighs over 2 lbs, that is a huge thing in my stomach! Its such conflicting thoughts. But she is still very active. It felt like she was sticking a foot out my back one night this week. I think she is using my bladder as a trampoline. I am starting to pee at least once an hour.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Hiccups!

So baby had her first bout of hiccups today! Well, she may have had them before, they can start as early as 20 weeks for an unborn baby. We are in the 26th week and maybe she has had them before this. but I am 100% positive she had them this morning. I was sitting at my desk and the little vibrations just started. It was pretty regular intervals but not very forceful. they were too well timed to be kicks/jabs/movement. It sorta felt like I was hiccuping (in a VERY soft way) but it was happening around my waist. It felt weird but also VERY cool! I am so excited about it.