Holding Steady

I had my monthly appointment with my OB today. It was much quicker than the last as things are starting to become routine. Everything is sailing along just fine. All my blood tests and exams have come back perfectly fine and the baby appears to be growing well. My uterus as moved up above the pelvic bone and is now almost belly button level. The babies heart was beating at a strong 144 bpm. Its still so thrilling to hear that sound.

He asked about aches and pains and I mentioned the slight cramping I experienced last weekend. He wasn't concerned and said it was just the ligaments starting to stretch. I have read up about and experienced several bouts of this round ligament pain, usually when getting up to fast or rolling over in bed. The shooting pain can be overwhelming but it just reminds me that I need to slow down and remember there is a little person growing inside me. I no longer need to move at warp speed.

I also brought up the fact that I've developed a small cold, mainly affecting my sinuses and asked if there was anything safe to take for it. He basically said he doesn't suggest taking anything if I can suffer through it, but if it gets to the point where I can't breathe and am just miserable there is a nasal spray I can use, but only for a few days. I'm not really a fan of nasal sprays so I will do my best to hold off and suffer through the cold. Its beginning to get better anyways.

Once again when it came time to weigh in, I still hadn't gained a single pound. At 17 weeks it was beginning to concern me. My doctor said at this point he really isn't that worried. The baby is clearly growing as my belly is expanding week by week and my uterus is also growing at the normal healthy rate. He said that most people have gained about 5 pounds by now, but as long as the baby is growing there is no need to worry. My ultra sound in 2 weeks will also confirm that the baby's growth rate is right on schedule. Doing some research there are some doctors who believe that weight gain during pregnancy is predetermined by your genetics and that no matter what you eat or how much you exercise, you gain what you are meant to gain. That's why some women gain 15 lbs and some gain 50 or more. I think deep down inside most women hope they are closer to the 15 lb mark so that you'll have that much less weight to lose after the baby is born. As long as my little bun is healthy and on track, I'll continue to eat healthy and just enjoy being pregnant without worrying about the number on the scale.

Public Notice

Today I experienced a pregnancy milestone that I think every pregnant woman waits for.... the day when a perfect stranger notices that you're pregnant.

It happened to me while Rob and I were grocery shopping. I had noticed throughout the course of the store that I was getting a few inquisitive looks shot my way, but it wasn't until the check out when someone finally spoke up. Upon impulse, I had thrown a box of smarties onto my conveyor belt and when the cashier noticed, she jokingly remarked "is the baby causing cravings?"..... Little did she know that she made my whole day. I must have looked like a fool, smiling ear to ear as she ran them past the price scanner..... And at the end of the day, the Smarties tasted every bit as good as being pregnant feels.

16 weeks :)

With great thanks to my friend Kelly, who generously handed down her maternity clothes, I know have clothing that actually forms to the baby bump instead of just hanging off it like over-sized clothing. This photo is at just over 16 weeks, getting close to half way!

The Thing I Miss The Most!

I've never been particularly good at falling asleep... sleeping yes, but the act of actually getting to that point, not so much. Ever since I was a teen when I'd decide to go to bed I'd toss and turn for at least 30 mins trying to shut my brain off before I actually get to slumberland. I've heard all the advice and wisdom from everyone who dares to offer it... "well you're just not tired yet so stay up and do something productive".. If I followed that advice I'd likely be up until 2 or 3 or even 4 in the morning every night. No matter of exhausted I get, my brain seems to have to go though this shut down period, where I create the next days to-do list, or reflect upon what happened today, or worry about things I can't control, before it gives up the battle.

The one saving grace for me has always been that I could lie on my tummy, snuggle up with my pillows and just melt into the mattress. I've been a tummy sleeper my whole life, literally (ask my mother). So, imagine my frustration with the fact that the little bun inside of me is no longer allowing this comfortable position. I feel like I'm the princess and the pea. I can't get comfortable. Period. I can't get comfy on my tummy, I can't get comfy on my back, and never having been a side sleeper, that position, either left or right, feels completely awkward and uncomfortable (where are your arms suppose to go?). I've tried the pillows and the blankets and being the big spoon and being the little spoon (cuddle wise with Rob). I've tried flailing about like a star fish, cocooning up into the fetal position, upside-down, right-side up, legs off the bed, feet dangling.... you get the point. Combine the fact that I can't find a comfortable sleeping position with the fact that I still have to get up to pee every 2 hours, and I'm beginning to wonder why they call the second trimester the honeymoon period.. and don't even get my started on the restless legs syndrome!

Yes, I realize its likely going to get worse before it gets better. Then I can trade this problem for the baby waking me up every two hours with its crying, but I must say, so far this has been the most annoying pregnancy symptom of them all. I suppose I should just be happy with the fact that the baby is growing, but man, what I wouldn't give for an uninterrupted 10 hours of sleep on my tummy!

14 weeks and growing

The belly seems to be sitting a little higher than it was in the 12 week photo... baby is moving on up :)

Monthly Check In

I had my monthly check in with the ob today. Everything checked out on track. The results from my ultra sound last week had come back already and he said the baby is growing at a great rate and is healthy. That ultra sound was the first round of IPS screening where they check for down syndrome and neural tube defects. They measure the skin at the back of the baby's neck for thickness. Our measurement came out at 0.9mm and anything under 3mm is considered fantastic. We still have one more round of blood work to complete in 3 weeks before we'll have the official results but everything is looking a-ok.

Finally being into my second trimester he was able to hear the heartbeat via fetal doppler for the first time and I got to listen. That was very exciting. I had seen the heart beat at the ultra sound screens without sound but until your hear it out loud it doesn't seem as real. That made my day.

My favourite thing about this doctor is how prepared he is. I walked out of his office today knowing exactly when my next appointment was, when my next ultra sound was, when I had to go for blood work and with the paperwork to fill out for the hospital pre admitting program. He is always 3 steps ahead which really puts my mind at ease.

I'm really looking forward to the next ultra sound on September 13th as its the day we'll be able to find out the baby's gender. (providing he/she doesn't have its legs crossed) Although we plan on keeping the baby items as gender neutral as possible I feel that finding out the sex will help me with the bonding process.

The one thing I'll be having that most mom's don't get is a fetal echo ultra sound. Its only performed in Kingston and Toronto and its a close up scan of the baby's heart. I had a brother born with a hypo-plastic left heart, which is a rare genetic condition in which the left side of the heart is severely under developed and if not corrected the baby would pass away shortly after birth when the heart chambers close up. This ultra sound is just a safety measure to check and see if he/she possibly has a problem as its much easier to fix if its found before birth. The ultra sound takes place during week 22, so not until the end of September.

Other than that, everything was fairly routine. At this point I haven't gained any weight, although I feel as though I've put on about 10lbs, but the scale says otherwise. Its likely due to the fact that I've completely lost my appetite during the last few weeks but the doctor assures me that's completely normal and that some people in fact lose weight in their first trimester. I'm sure I'll start gaining soon as this little baby is growing so quickly :)