Posts Tagged ‘pregnancy week by week’

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Week 27 Sonogram

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Whew! What a week! I’m already completely drained and we’ve got four days to go before the next one starts.

I mentioned in my week 27 OB update that we’d be having a sonogram next week. Well, that moved, to yesterday.

It seems I haven’t exactly been the best advocate for myself and fortunately for me/us, someone else was watching over our shoulder. Dr. T, our fertility doctor, caught word via “M,” our IVF nurse/sanity manager, that my bleeding had continued… was continuing. Remember, we dealt with this for the first six or eight weeks of the pregnancy with him. Tuesday evening I received a call from him wanting to know what was going on and expressing his concern. He encouraged me to move up the sonogram.

So yesterday I called radiology and they obliged, moving me from a Monday appointment to an afternoon appointment yesterday. No doubt I was thrilled to be able to peek inside and see how much this baby had grown in the eight weeks since our last sonogram; more so, I just want to know what is going on.

As of now we have not yet heard back on the radiology report. However, what Shelton and I saw yesterday was the most perfect, healthy baby with her mama’s nose! Every picture showed a strong, healthy baby. And the ripples that waved across my stomach and the fact that the sono tech had to basically chase her down showed us that she’s very active and very much spending every single day growing. She’s currently at two pounds five ounces and all of her measurements hit the 50 percentile dead-on. Her size matched her gestational age to the date. In other words, she’s perfect. She’s textbook.

Today I’m just waiting to hear back from Dr. W, my OB, to make sure this bleeding/spotting/whatever really is just some bizarre anomaly that none of us can account for.

I did take my sono pics over to Dr. T yesterday afternoon. In no way at all trying to undermine or step on the toes of Dr. W, but I felt like if I had a second doctor this interested in helping us, two minds can surely be more helpful than one, right? It’s like going to a salon and suddenly asking a different stylist to do your hair instead of the one who did it before. Awk-Ward.

It was such a treat to steal some of Dr. T and “M’s” very valuable time and not only talk about the health of our pregnancy, but kind of catch-up in general. Dr. T strongly urged me to take the next five weeks seriously in regards to our pregnancy and just focus on relaxing, not stressing and keep this baby inside. He reminded that every day she’s inside buys us more weight, more health.

I was also encouraged that if anything changes – cramping, bleeding, etc. – that I need to be checked out immediately. So the hypochondriac in me is trying to stay in hiding; reasonably, I need to just listen to my body and recognize when something isn’t quite right.

I’ll of course update once I hear back on the sono report.

In the meantime, go ahead and swoon over this adorably squishy-cute baby face! That’s her nose, lips and chin.

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Week 27 Doctor’s Appointment

Monday, January 25th, 2010

I had my monthly doctor’s appointment today. When Dr. W walked in he asked if there was anything new with the Web site. And I kind of froze. Ommagod… he knows about my Web site! He admitted that he’d never visited, but that a resident of his did and that this person mentioned it sometimes, even noting that I call him Dr. W. SO, if he stops by, or to the mystery resident, HELLO!!!

This visit included my glucose test, which I was dreading. My sister had told me horrible horror stories so I was of course fearing the worst. I did get to have breakfast this morning and then showed up at the lab where they handed me a bottle of my choice of fruit punch flavored glucose. And it tasted like my red Powerade. Yum! I sucked it down and then ten minutes later felt like I was hit by a truck. I don’t eat a terrible amount of sugar, very little in fact. So I had a feeling shocking my body with that concentrated sugar would hurt, and boy did it! After the appointment and throughout the day I felt like I had just crashed hard, fighting to stay awake, headache… very similar to an adrenaline rush crash. I expected the baby to go nuts, but I think she was in a sugar-shocked coma because she didn’t move all day. Finally during yoga tonight I got a couple kicks, so we’re back to normal. They drew my blood but I did not get the results. I’d like to think there will be nothing to report.

During my appointment, Dr. W mentioned that I’d called a few times this past month regarding spotting. Oh yes, it’s back! But really, did it ever go away? Hardly. He was mildly concerned, only in that sense that there’s no explanation for it. We’ve ruled out every logical answer. He even asked if I was sure it was vaginal and I was like, umm, yes doc, I know my orifices. So just to make sure we haven’t missed anything, or that nothing new has developed, I get to have a sonogram on the first. Yay!! I’m thrilled to have another sono, for whatever the reason is. Look at your medical stuff… SHOW ME MY BABY! She’s going to be so big and I cannot wait to see how she’s grown in the eight weeks since we last saw her.

We talked about the upcoming delivery. Because, in case you haven’t heard, that’s going to happen. He told me that week 34 is kind of the safety circle, so if we can just get there and she happened to come early there wouldn’t be a whole lot of reason for concern. In fact, if I went in to labor that early he wouldn’t stop it. I then asked how far he’d let me got on the other end, if I cruised passed my due date. And this is why I love him – he just shrugged and said something to the effect of not seeing any reason to do so. I told him I am due on a Monday and he responded that he induces on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So at the latest, we’ll have this baby by 4/28! Do you know how much Type A Personalities LOVE to hear definitive dates they can put on their color-coded calendars?! LIKE SO MUCH!

I also talked to him about my crazy fast heart rate. In the past week or two, I can be sitting perfectly still, we’re talking working/sleeping/watching TV, and my heart rate is at or above 100 bpm. I feel like I’m in the middle of a cardio workout and I’m not even moving. I have to stop and catch my breath. It’s insane. He told me it can be normal due to the increased blood volume moving through my body. And also told me not a whole lot to do about it and since it only lasts 10 or 15 minutes I shouldn’t be too concerned. And I responded that, oh no sir, 10 minutes would be great, this lasts HOURS! And he was like, huh what?! Told me there was a pill he could give me, in the hospital, and it would basically stop my heart. And I was like, umm, motionless cardio works for me. He said if it continues that I can go to the L&D floor at the hospital and they’ll do a heart monitor and see what’s going on. SVT rhythms is what he called it… more mental note for me than anything else.

Finally, I got to go to yoga tonight. I only bring this up because of what happened in the moments before I left. I love this little yoga class I’ve found. As the weeks tick by the class gets smaller and new faces show up… because the other women have reached their due dates. One woman who have sat next to for most of the classes was a real sweetheart. She was older, just 49, and cute as a button as she’d waddle in carrying her twin girls. She was just teeny tiny petite and perfect round with two little girls tucked inside. During our conversations I learned that she’d done the IVF cycle prior to mine. So of course I’m like SOUL MATES! I learned a few days after Christmas that she’d delivered the girls and I was thrilled for her. Then tonight, as I was putting on my shoes, I learned that she passed away a few days ago. I’m so unbelievably shocked and saddened by this news. I just can’t wrap my brain around it. All I can think about is that she wanted those babies so badly, she was so healthy and she worked so hard to have a good pregnancy. And now those little girls won’t get to know their adorable mom and her husband is left without her. What an unbelievably crushing time for that family and my thoughts and prayers are with them. I hope she’s got a front row seat to watch those sweet babies grow-up.

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Pregnancy Week 26

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

As I started to write this I was like, “Oh no! What did I do? I lost a week!” I saw that last week I posted week 25, knew that today was 27 and couldn’t figure out how I’d overlooked week 26. But alas, I write for the preceding week and nothing is lost. Good lord!

Today is week 27 and that means we begin our third and final trimester. Golly gee it just doesn’t even seem possible that I’ve been pregnant for nearly seven months. That’s a long time! I woke up pretty excited this morning, that we’ve reached yet another milestone without incident. It just keeps creeping so much closer and the anxiety and anticipation are fighting it out between both Shelton and I.

I am so enjoying being pregnant. I love it, I absolutely love it. At the same time, I’m like, it’s a means to an end and the end will be here soon and life will go back to normal. Well, a new normal. Never again will we know our normal. I love my bump. It’s perfect. It’s the exact baby bump I’ve always wanted. I’ve gained about 30 pounds and yet you’d never know it by looking at me. Another thing I’m so grateful for. So far I’m growing very similarly to how my younger sister did last summer and I’m excited about that, because if we look similar pregnant, dear God let me lose the weight and get back in shape in the timely fashion she has.

This past week, number 26, was actually pretty decent. The charlie horse that wrecked my leg and will live on in the Smithsonian of leg cramps was really both the high and low for the week. I’m very pleased to report that I had little to no issue with my back this past week, it didn’t seem to bother me much at all. Even the heartburn seemed to have dissipated.

However, I think I’m turning in to an insomniac. I crave sleep more than I do Doritos and pizza (and chocolate cake… and tacos….). I know I’ve mentioned to you several times that I’m a wicked sleeper. I like to get as much of it as I can and sleep as late as possible (which most days is 8am). I’ve been this way my entire life. I think this is just my body’s way of preparing me for the inevitable insomnia that awaits when the monster gets here, and in that regard, I can kiiiiiiind of appreciate the sentiment. But otherwise, this is for the mother effing birds and I’m over it! I’ve been waking up at 3am for a while now. Wide awake, not like the half-conscious stumble to the bathroom at 1. No, I’m awake. Making lists, thinking about work, planning errands, re-working conversations… all in my head… in the middle of the night. Some days, it’s too much to fight, I just get up. Last night, I managed to lie there awake and coax myself to sleep an hour later. I’m one of these people though that when I’m up, I’m up. There’s no middle ground. During the week, by noon or one I’m physically forcing my eyelids to stay open and by 5 I’m pretty much a vegetable the rest of the night. Bed time comes around 9, much to Shelton’s dismay, but I’m usually asleep quickly and he can continue reading his Google Reader to his heart’s content. I’ve done hot baths, heating pads, changed the temperature of the room, slept in different kinds of PJs and taken Tylenol PM—all moot efforts.

Additionally, I believe the nesting bug has settled in for sure. This morning, my “adorable” husband wrote this on his Twitter:

Third trimester starts today. Nesting mode is in full effect and comes with the “there’s only one way and yours isn’t it” hormone.

Seriously?! We’ve been together for nine years. If he hasn’t learned to fold laundry, put away dishes, wash the dog, etc. the way I’ve gently encouraged him to do, it’s not my fault. He’s not a slow learner, but when it comes to domestic issues, Shelton come on!

In all fairness, as I mentioned last week I believe, my pregnancy hasn’t turned me into a mushy crying sap pile, I’ve become a bitch. I know this is true because I have days where I don’t even want to be around myself and I can’t believe the things I’m doing and saying. I feel like I don’t have any real control over it, yet I know I do, and so I try my damndest to just be nice. Being nice, it’s like the simplest concept we humans have to grasp. Nevertheless, I’m nesting. I want everything clean. But not clean like that, clean like this. I want everything reorganized. But not like that, like this. That banister that we’ve NEV-ER dusted, why don’t we hit that with a Swiffer and some Pledge. And we need more lists. There aren’t enough lists. Everything should be on a list. I’m a neurotic mess that really just needs a beer. A very tall, very cold, very frothy, fresh from the tap Blue Moon… or Bass… Oooooo or Samuel Adams Summertime.

Sorry, tangent. I joke about the Doritos and pizza cravings, but I really haven’t had any cravings during my pregnancy, except beer. Every time I’m around someone drinking a beer I just want to crawl on their lap and smell their breath. So many people have said, Oh, you can have just one. No I can’t. For two reasons… 1) That’s like giving someone ONE potato chip. Give me a freaking break. 2) Hi, I paid TWENTY GRAND for my baby. If she’s born without one of her toenails or her earlobes are growing on top instead of on bottom, I’ll forever feel guilt ridden about having had just that one beer because look what it did to her!

No for now, I’ll just get my kicks by picking on Shelton, eating pizza and creating a new blueprint for the pantry.

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Pregnancy Week 25

Monday, January 18th, 2010

So we just wrapped week 25. I need to make little notes to myself throughout the week because by the time I sit down to write this I’m like, “Well, I know some stuff happened…”.

Blame it on the pregnancy brain. This is something I always chocked up to being a pregnancy myth, but my God is it so very real! I’m a total space cadet some days, just staring without a clue what I should be doing.

On the other hand, I think that nesting bug might be starting to show itself as when I’m not spacing I can’t seem to get enough done. Yesterday, for instance, I took on Sam’s, the grocery store, Target, and then took down and packed up all the Christmas decorations. I keep getting this overwhelming since that WE ARE NOT READY! I mean, we only have a crib, five pairs of socks and a sippy cup she can’t use until Halloween. I want to go to Babies R Us and Target and stock up on anything and everything we do and could possibly need and start stacking it up. But that makes no sense. I have an incredible group of family and friends who are collectively throwing three showers this spring… so I need to wait. The likelihood of getting five diaper genies is probably inevitable, and I certainly won’t need the sixth that I purchase myself.

Last week I took an afternoon off work and treated myself to an hour-long pre-natal massage (compliments of said work). I can’t even express how much I needed this. My back is shot, and currently this is my greatest and most legitimate complaint. If I’m standing “straight,” my back looks like the capital letter C. My yoga helps and I’m trying to get up and move as much as I can during the day. Shelton’s great about trying to work out the kinks too. I’m just carrying so much extra weight up front that I feel like my back is screaming MAYDAY and waving a white flag. That or the baby has actually wrapped herself around my spine and is riding it like a fireman’s pole.

Duh, Duh, Duhhhhh…. the spotting is back. Oh is it back. I think today is like 11 days straight. I waited a week this time to call the doctor and the response was the same as usual – this is normal for you, as long as it doesn’t dramatically change, baby is moving normally, etc. etc. then you’re fine. I don’t panic about it like I did in the early days, it’s just annoying and certainly offers a little sense of unease.

But moving normally she is! My goodness, this kid is a mover and a shaker. (Dear God, please don’t let it be her father’s ADD!! Amen and thank you.) She’s active throughout the day and then gives us one final show as we climb in to bed and I don’t hear anything out of her again until breakfast. Sometimes during one of my 37 nightly trips to the bathrooms she’ll say hey, but otherwise I’m either numb to it or she’s just a good night sleeper, and we really, REALLY hope that continues when she gets here.

We had the opportunity to have dinner with some dear friends who were in town this past week. They are due exactly two weeks before us with a little girl and we told one another we were pregnant on the same day. It’s so exciting to be sharing this with them! Over dinner the Mister of the couple commented on how it seems I have every pregnancy symptom you could. I laughed and agreed. The Missus of the couple seems to be having the most uneventful, effortless pregnancy (good for her!). He asked if I were at least enjoying it and I realized, maybe I complain about the aches, pains and symptoms too much. I can’t even describe how much I’m enjoying being pregnant. It’s positively amazing and has exceeded every expectation I had. I think Shelton would echo that.

It’s going to be very bittersweet when our little girl gets here. This is the only time I’m going to be pregnant, and I think I’m going to be very sad to let it go. But I’m sure the joy from having our daughter in our arms will make up for it!

Last week we finally got confirmation on where we will be delivering. It’s not my choice hospital, but, I’m hearing a lot of good things and we’re going to make the most of it.

So now we’re starting the last week of this second trimester and OH DEAR GOD SOMEONE HOLD ME we’re on the homeward stretch. Woohoo!

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Pregnancy Week 24

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Seriously, those weekly numbers might look like they’re getting bigger, but really they’re get smaller. SO MUCH SMALLER!!! Currently I’m in my 25th week and that means we’re 15 short weeks of meeting this little cutie. Someone hold me. And rub my gums with vodka… or cranberry juice… or both.

All kidding aside we’re both balls of nerves right now as we realize how close we are. We’re two weeks shy of the third trimester and I don’t feel any more prepared than I did two trimesters ago. Hold that thought, we have five pairs of newborn baby socks and a package of infant forks and spoons. I think we’re good! We’re so anxious to meet her and hold her and get this journey started with her, yet, I don’t think either of us has any idea what lies ahead of us. And I’m a super anal planner/organizer/etc. So my neurosis is kicking in as I try to wrap my brain around taking on the biggest event of both of our lives with little more than the knowledge that for girls you have to wipe front to back.

Week 24 was a very, very busy one. The beginning of the year is always an insane amount of work over there at my day job DietsInReview.com. Tuesday’s Biggest Loser premiere meant I worked a 16 hour day (straight… I stopped for 30 minutes to eat dinner). No, that’s not my norm, and for good reason, I was an achy, crabby, sore, tired mush ball the next day. But sometimes it’s got to get done. The end of the week meant a house full of family and friends for our belated Christmas celebration. Four whole days of house guests, hosted meals and other shenanigans that was incredibly memorable, very fun and left me wiped out.

By Friday morning I woke up to find that I was spotting… again! I don’t even stress about this anymore. My nurse explained that it’s just the way my pregnancy is going. I’ve learned that it only happens when I’ve pushed too hard and my body is stressed and strained. It’s a literal red flag that I need to stop and/or slow down. And so I do. As much as I can. Because I’m a busy body and I’m incapable of letting the world pass by without me actively being a part of it. On Sunday we had a load of housework to do and the third of four hosted meals to prep for, and as I slowly shuffled around do this and doing that, Shelton basically told me to stop. He was amazing and stepped up to take care of the very long list I had in my head that day. I was a complete stress ball as I sat idly by watching and instructing, trying my hardest to just be still and relax. I did manage to have them “let me” snap green beans from the living room chair.

Other recent symptoms include the endless back pain. I got a huge yoga ball for Christmas and have converted this to a chair when necessary, and let me tell you, it’s a God send! It relieves so much pressure in my back, hips and even legs. Plus, I can get in a little exercise while I hang out on here, too! I still have bloody noses. Not sure if I mentioned this previously. I’ve been waking up with these for about a month now. Doc said it’s normal w/ pregnancy, not to mention the dry, cold winter air. We’ve cranked the humidifier in the house and I’m otherwise dealing. This is odd but I’ve also noticed that my fingers get pruney very quickly in the shower. As in, by the time I finish washing my hair (usually my first bathing task) my fingers are wrinkled. Not sure what that’s about.

Every few weeks I’ll look down or walk past a mirror and go “whoa! that belly is big!”, and this week was one of those. I swear it just happens over night. I look down the other day and this belly is bigger, rounder and firmer. I think the firmness is coming from the baby mostly, just the way she positions herself and moves I got these “walls” under my skin that can be somewhat uncomfortable. She found my bladder and has no qualms kicking it. It’s almost like that funny bone sensation in that it’s kind of indescribable and hurts but not really. It’s strange, and it makes me pee more!

Other than that everything is hunky dory and normal.

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Pregnancy Week 23 and OB Visit Week 23

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

Oh what a week! Not as bad as the past few have been, yet still not the starfish kisses that everyone promised second trimester would be. I liked week 23.

I had my monthly visit with my OB. And as much as I like going every four weeks and having him reassure me that there is in fact still a baby inside of my uterus, I’m going to be perfectly honest… these appointments are pointless. I’m learning that short of having a foot hanging out of my vagina, no one is going to react to anything. NO ONE WILL REACT! Which is disappointing for a person like me who, well, likes it when people react to things I say and do. He measured my belly and that was the only “test” he did. Apparently it was fine. I at least took a long list of questions with me to make it worth my while for going down there.

Whether I’m more sensitive to it or it’s just trending, I’ve been hearing a lot about pre-term deliveries lately. This completely freaks me out. And Dr. W was reassuring in telling me that they have no idea what actually causes pre-term and he can’t tell what to do or not to do to avoid it. Awesome.

I asked about the bloody noses that I wake up with every morning. He told me I’m pregnant. Awesome.

I asked about the heartburn I have that would make a dragon cry and “radiates in my knee caps,” according to Juno. Ah ha! A solution. Prevacid or Pepcid.

We spent the weekend of Christmas in Oklahoma City with Shelton’s family. We got to catch-up with friends over a very long lunch and it was as if the past two years hadn’t lapsed at all. It was one of those four-hour lunches where we left with cheeks hurting from laughing so hard. They cooed over my belly and I soaked it up! There was confusion over our baby name and they thought it was Petunia. It is definitely NOT Petunia! We also got to spend two whole days with our nieces and nephew. I absolutely am in love with those babies. My nephew, Stone, is one of these boys who charges you when he wants to hug. It’s adorable, and I’ve indulged this behavior for nearly four years, scooping him in to my arms with each charge. We both had to learn that pregnant people can’t pick-up charging 3.5-year-olds… and 3.5-year-old boys can’t charge pregnant aunts.

One of the highlights of the week was, of course, continuing to feel the baby moving. I will seriously sit here and laugh out loud (that’s normal English for “LOL”) when she gets on a roll. Each week her kicks and punches get stronger and the sessions last longer. This past week, they got so strong that I didn’t even have to touch my belly to feel her, my stomach just moved. It’s insane! Feeling her moving, rolling, punching and kicking is absolutely the highlight of my pregnancy and I think it is this that I will miss most when she’s resting in my arms.

We did two road trips this past week – one to OKC and one to Topeka to celebrate the new year. I swore off planes a few weeks ago and I’m not too far off from swearing off car trips longer than 20 minutes. We have to stop all the time for me to pee, eat something or get up and walk. There is absolutely not one comfortable position in those seats. Driving helps some, but I hate driving and Shelton hates when I drive.

Our New Year’s Eve celebration was fantastic. It not only marks the start of a new year (clearly!) but also the anniversary of when Shelton and I started dating. At midnight of 01/01/01 we kissed and we’ve been doing so every new year since. Maybe one or two other times during the year. 01/01/10 marked nine years… which means we’ve actually known each other for more than ten, and that’s astonishing to me. We spend each Eve with some of our best friends in Topeka for a stay-at-home party that is always themed. This year I was fat and when someone suggested PJ Party I said yes! So we all sported jammies and had a comfy, cozy celebration. I actually made it all the way to 12:45am… even though around 8:30pm my eyes were doing that rapid-blink thing struggling to stay open. I also had a martini glass filled with “pregnancy sangria” all night long, and while I jealously watched everyone sip bubbly at midnight, at least it wasn’t water.

As if my cousin’s long-john style PJs with the butt flap weren’t entertainment enough, my pregnant boobs took center-stage and were the topic of conversation throughout the night. Apparently I’m supposed to change the name of the site to Baby AND Bust. I’ve known they’ve gotten bigger. I mean come on, I’d have to be blind and paralyzed from the neck down not to realize the expansion project taking place in the middle of my chest. But it’s one of those things that you don’t quite realize just how big they’ve gotten until someone points it out. And people pointed, literally. It was all in good humor and I’m glad that I was able to provide such robust entertainment for the evening.

Finally, we finished the week by registering. Yay!!! I’ve been waiting to get through the holidays to do so. The next few weeks are pretty insane for us and my first shower is the end of February, so I thought we should just get it done. Shelton was really stressed about it. He thought we needed a plan or a strategy. And I was like, we’re going to scan baby wipes, what kind of strategy do we need? We went to Babies R Us and quickly realized that ALL OF THE PREGNANT PEOPLE IN WICHITA go there to register on Saturday afternoons. The BRU staff has clearly done this before and they got us set-up with a gun and on our way in a matter of minutes. It helped that I had registered online so we didn’t have to go through all of that in the store. I started crying when they handed me the gun. Just another one of those moments that I thought would never be ours. So many times I’ve walked in to BRU to buy gifts for friends and walked out of their crying each and every time. And here I was crying inside the store because I finally got to be there for us, and it felt so good! I think we did pretty well, considering we have no idea what we’re doing. When faced with 400 different varieties of baby bottles, strollers, diapers and other ESSENTIAL baby items, we typically opted for the brands we commonly see friends or family using. That was our on-the-spot research method. We were actually pretty reasonable about the whole thing, so we think, only scanning items we really needed and straying from the over-hyped plethora of YOUR BABY WILL NEVER LEARN TO WALK WITHOUT THIS SUPER TRENDY VERY EXPENSIVE HOUSEHOLD CLEANER WITH A PICTURE OF A BABY ON THE FRONT type items. Then we went to Target where my back and feet finally gave out and we spent one more hour scanning a few items. We’re just that much closer to getting her here!!!

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