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.