I’ve been holding out on y’all.

You might know that I had an ultrasound last week, and I haven’t publicly announced the baby’s gender yet.  We haven’t known ahead of time with any of our living children, so I felt like I had to do something special.  I couldn’t just say it.  I had to be creative, and funny, and say it in some special way.  I didn’t know how I should say it, but I knew it would be anticlimactic to just come out and say it.  Right?  So I waited, and thought about it.

And waited.  And thought.

And waited.  And the longer I waited, the more special I knew it had to be, so I had to think even longer – and that meant more waiting.

Tomorrow will be a week since we found out, and I’m just now getting around to telling. And unless you have a better idea, I’m just going to say it.

Do you have a better idea?

Oh – I should mention that I did post an update to an older post in which I announced the baby’s gender.  It’s in a very logical place, so you could probably find it if you looked.

But I’ve given up on the idea of being cute or creative. I’m just going to tell the story straight. I’ll tell you about the ultrasound, with everything we learned there as I remember it.  We’re hard at work on household improvement projects again this week, but I’ll publish this now and then publish updates as I am able add to the post.

Ultrasound

I was plagued by the little voice in the back of my head, whispering about the possibility of twins.  The thought of twins wasn’t a plague – I would be thrilled.  But the endless wondering was driving me mad.  My midwife assured me she saw no real reason to think I might be carrying twins, and I believed her, but still the voice nagged at me.

Suddenly, I realized there might be a way to find out without shelling out the cash for an unnecessary ultrasound.  A friend who used to volunteer at a local crisis pregnancy center had told me years ago that she thought they sometimes did scans for non-crisis mothers as a thank-you for donations.  I immediately messaged a young lady at our church who had been volunteering at the same center and asked if she knew whether they would do it for me.  I told her that my midwife did not suspect twins but I couldn’t get the thought out of my head.  She called the center to ask on my behalf, and it sounded like a sure thing.  They had a new nurse in training who was delighted at the merest chance of scanning twins.

After some initial excitement, I learned that they usually practiced on mothers in their first and very early second trimester.  They weren’t entirely convinced that I would be useful for their training.  After a few hours of uncertainty, I received a call back.  We had an appointment for the following day: Tuesday, July 3.  I was ecstatic.

I was still ambivalent about learning the baby’s gender, but I couldn’t wait to have a look at the little person inside me.  We talked about different ways to handle the gender question: just learn outright (would we tell everyone? anyone?), have the nurse seal the results in an envelope (how and when would we open it? one at time, secretly, or all at once?), ask them not to tell us but try to spot the gender with our own untrained eyes…

When I arrived, I learned that it was against the center’s policy to tell expecting mothers the gender of their child.  Of course we were hardly a typical crisis case since we were there as models, to aid in training.  Those rules could be stretched a bit for us, but we did need to be aware of the limitations.  The nurse could help us figure out what we were looking at, but she could not write and seal the results in an envelope for us.  As it turned out, when Perry was finally admitted his earlier ambivalence had dissipated.  He wanted to know, and I was more than happy to follow along – assuming the baby cooperated.

 cont’d here

I am huge.  Maybe you disagree, and maybe you don’t – but for me, this is huge.  Go ahead, scroll down and peek at the pic.  I’m consistently measuring 3 cm bigger than my weeks, and I’m sure of my dates.  3 cm might not sound like much, but I typically measure right on for my date or just a little on the small side.  This may be within the realm of normal, but it’s not my normal.

Because of this and many other reasons, I’m finding it very difficult to let go of the idea that I might be having twins this time.  Want more reasons?  Here ya go:

1. I’m an older grand multipara.  Because of my age and number of previous pregnancies, my chances of twins are significantly higher than average.
2. Twins run in the family: my mom, her sister, and my cousin all had twins.
3. I’ve been much more tired this time than ever before – even in the 2nd trimester, when I’m supposed to feel pretty good.
4. Thanks to a doppler loaned by a friend, we can listen to the baby’s heartbeat to our hearts’ content.  I know it’s perfectly normal to hear a single heartbeat echoed in different parts of the uterus, but I can’t shake my suspicions when I hear it everywhere so often.  Today I could *almost* swear I heard two separate heartbeats, each too fast to be my own.  Probably not, but maybe…
5. In spite of the fact that this baby has SO MUCH ROOM, it’s always in exactly the same place.  Why doesn’t it wander about?  If you had that much room, would you spend all your time right up front and just to the right of the belly button?  Only if somebody else was hogging up the cool, comfy space in back.

But on the other hand, there is this: since 15 weeks, my midwife has been able to feel the baby with ease – just one baby, with water all around.  Lots of empty space.  She has heard nothing suspicious in the way of heartbeats.  In her experience, measuring 3 cm bigger than average is well within the norm, especially for an experienced mom like me.  She recognizes the possibility that twins can hide and she could be wrong, but she just doesn’t think there is good reason to suspect it this time – unless something has changed at my next appointment on July 4th.

So here’s the big question:

Should I do it?  Should I schedule an ultrasound?

Too late.  I just talked to a friend who works at the local crisis pregnancy center, and she said they’re happy to do a scan for me just to gain experience for their new nurse.  They haven’t seen twins yet and are delighted at the possibility, slim though it may be.

Update: I called the center and learned that I might be too far along to be helpful in training.  I’m waiting for a call back to hear if they want to schedule me for a free scan.  

So let’s take a vote: who goes with mother’s intuition, and who sides with medical training and experience?  You won’t hurt my feelings if you choose my midwife.  I’m on her side.  I just want that little voice in the back of my head to believe her, too.  :)

Belly pics

Here I am in the belly dress, as my 4yo calls it.  Please ignore the wet stringy hair.  I just got out of the shower.

And here’s my regular outfit for the day.  Ignore the chubby ankles.  There’s a reason I cropped the belly dress photo just below my knees.

And in this one I’m looking down at my belly in genuine shock.  ”Wow. Not even third trimester yet?  That IS big!”

Baby at 25 weeks

• Baby is around 13.5 inches in length and weighs 1 and half pounds.
• Bones are becoming solid, hands are now fully developed.
• The brain is growing rapidly, the brain cells are starting to mature.
• more

The uterus is now about the size of a soccer ball and mom looks pregnant.

Exercise

I’m walking again.  Last week I only did 2.5 miles, but it was a busy week, blistering hot, and my hip was bothering me.  The week before, I walked 12.5 miles.  Maybe that’s why my hip was bothering me.  I’d like to aim for at least 10 miles/week, and am trying to get my speed up to 3.5 mph.  I’m close, but not quite there.  When I reach that goal, I might add some weights to tone my arms while I walk.

I’m wimping out and skipping the brutal hill that leads up to my house.  It leaves me exhausted at the end of every walk, so I always end on a bad note.  Instead, I drive down the hill and park in a nice flat area (as flat as it gets in the hill country, which isn’t as flat as you expect in Texas).  Then when I’m done walking, I reward myself with a nice blast of air conditioning as I drive back up the hill to my house.  Can you tell I like the way this current plan is working?

Your turn

What’s new in your belly or on your mind?  How far along are you now?  How does this pregnancy compare/contrast with previous pregnancies?  How are you feeling?    Do you have a belly pic to share?

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}
• 23 weeks: Just swell {pregnancy update}
• 24 weeks: I’m not fat for a pregnant lady {pregnancy update}

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}
• 22 weeks: I am big and lazy {pregnancy update}

Twenty three weeks down, seventeen to go!  I can’t believe we’re here already.  Not that this week is any kind of particular milestone, but I’m amazed every time I think about how fast this pregnancy is going.  Of course I was more amazed when I lost track and thought I was at 24 weeks, but we won’t talk about that.

I’m sleeping better – not sure if exercise and the accompanying increase in Vitamin D are helping, or if it’s the cooler nights or something else entirely.  At any rate, I feel better than I have in months.  I’m not quite my usual self, but my mind is clearer and I’m more energetic, and I’m feeling better instead of worse.

I do have one problem, and I would love your input: swelling.  It’s noticeable in my hands and feet, but I think I’m carrying some extra water everywhere.  I’ve had a bit of swelling off and on with other pregnancies, but it’s never started this early.  It’s not severe, but with most of the summer and just over half the pregnancy still in front of me, I expect it to get much worse if I don’t figure out what’s causing it.  I haven’t gained an unusual amount of weight so far, but I think most of it is attributable to excess water weight.  It is bad enough that one item on today’s To Do List is to soak my left hand in ice water and try to get the ring off my middle finger.  I’m hoping I won’t have to take off my wedding/engagement rings even though they’re already feeling snug, because, well… that would make me feel a little awkward in my third trimester.  :)

One reason it concerns me a little is because I think I also have much more amniotic fluid than usual.  That can be a symptom of gestational diabetes, so of course I’ll be talking to my midwife at my next visit.

My midwife asks about swelling at every checkup, so of course I’ll have her input in a couple of weeks.  I’m thinking about calling her before that, but in the meantime, I would love to glean some helpful ideas from your experience.  Have you had swelling?  Do you know what caused it in your case?  What helped?

ETA: Thanks for all the suggestions so far! For those who asked, my bp is always a bit on the low side, and is still there as far as I know. Also, I’m drinking at least 2-3 quarts of water daily, but plan to increase it to a gallon to see if it helps. I do eat plenty of protein, and not too much sugar or salt.

Exercise

I’m trying to get back to exercising.  Perry gently encouraged me a couple of weeks ago, mentioning that I had put on some weight all over – not totally typical for me at this point.  I thought about being offended because my weight gain so far is well within normal guidelines even if it’s not typical for me.  Then he went on to remind me that I had complained in another pregnancy because he didn’t warn me that I was putting on more weight than usual.  What can I say?  I’m blessed to have a guy who takes me at my word.  :)

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve walked 2 or 2.5 miles every morning that I was home, about 4 days/week.  Some days I drive down the hill and park somewhere convenient so I can enjoy a walk on gentle rolling hills; other days I tackle the brutal hill that starts at the bottom of our stairs and continues for 1/4 mile.  Ugh.  It’s already getting easier, and I’m looking forward to increasing my speed and distance, but trying to do it gradually so I don’t get burned out and start dreading it.

Belly pics

Yes, I regret not taking a picture in The Dress last week, and I knew I would.  I just really didn’t feel like doing it.  The weather this week is much nicer – we’re staying the in the low 90′s – so I’m less whiny.  There’s even a nice breeze.  See the crazy windblown hair?

Wearing my goin’ to town clothes.  I’m heading out to pay the second half of our property tax.  Did you know there’s a strong movement to abolish property tax in Texas?

Actually I dress like that nearly every day of the week, minus the shoes.  My goin’ to town clothes are shoes.  When I put on shoes, the kids all ask where-are-you-going-and-can-I-go?

Baby at 23 weeks

• The baby is over 11 inches tall, weighs about a pound.
• The eyebrows are visible.
• The child can successfully suck.
•  The baby is now proportioned like a newborn except it is a thinner version of a newborn baby since its baby fat has not developed much yet.
• If born now, your baby would have a 20% chance of survival, the odds going up with each passing day.
• more

Your turn!  What’s new in your pregnancy this week?

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}
• 21 weeks: I did the Drano gender test {pregnancy update}

Wow.  I feel amazed again at how much bigger I am just a week later.  I did a little googling and found that babies often experience a growth spurt from 16-20 weeks, so maybe we’re at the tail end of that.  Then again, maybe gravity has been unkind because I had several very long days last week when Perry, Deanna and I attended the Texas Republican Convention as delegates.

You know those tiny gold toned baby feet pins you can get from pro-life organizations?   I spent 3 days with mine pinned to the belly of my shirt and everyone who noticed loved it.   It also helped cover my belly button, which is beginning to pop out and will stay there for the next several months.

I can’t believe the third trimester is creeping up on me – or am I creeping up on it?  It seems like this pregnancy has gone very quickly so far.  I think there are several reasons:

1. I didn’t spend the first 3 months counting the days until I stopped puking.
2. We’ve been uncharacteristically busy – though I’ve been saying that for a long time.  Eventually I may have to accept this pace as the new normal for us.
3. The end of my childbearing years is getting closer.  I may have 10 years or more, but I don’t know.  Each pregnancy is more likely to be my last, so I find myself savoring the experience more each time and less anxious to be done.  I can’t wait to meet my baby and every milestone is exciting, but every day is precious too.

Baby at 22 weeks

• Baby is about 11 inches long and weighs in at about 1 pound.
• Baby reacts to loud sounds.
• Baby starts having a regular sleeping and waking rhythm.
• The mother’s movements can wake her baby.
• Taste buds are forming on baby’s tongue.
• more

Your turn: How are you this week?  Leave your update in the comments or link to it!

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}
• 19 weeks: I am mean to my friends {pregnancy update}
• 20 weeks: I decide to suck in my belly {pregnancy update}

I had a prenatal checkup last Thursday, and Jennifer asked if I was sure about my dates.  She asked because I’m still measuring 3 cm. big, just like last time.  Neither of us said the T[win] word, probably because neither of us thinks that’s why.  I assume it has more to do with the fact that my uterus knows exactly how big it’s going to get over the next 5 months and just wants to be proactive in the process.  Apparently my uterus is not a procrastinator like the rest of my body, although that begs the question “why are my babies born late?”  Somebody needs to have a talk with my uterus.

In other news, we went to a baby shower over the weekend – not for our own baby, but for a newlywed at church who is expecting a honeymoon baby!  I think our baby celebrated his/her first shower by getting the hiccups.  I don’t think it’s the first time, but it’s the first time it was distinct and rhythmic enough to be reasonably sure.

One of the games we played at the shower required us to fill in the last few words in a line from a nursery rhyme.  One stumped everyone because we all remembered different versions, and we ended up guessing wildly: Rub-a-dub-dub, 3 men in a tub, how do you think ____  ____  ____.

they all fit?

they managed to wash?

they got there?

But Megan’s guess brought down the house: how do you think their wives felt?

What’s your best answer?

Drano gender test

OK, I did it: the Drano gender test.  It’s generally categorized with old wives’ tales, but my midwife chuckled a little before telling me that it’s the only one with enough credibility to make it into the midwifery texts.  If I remember correctly, she said that the chemical reaction has to do with hormones produced in part by the baby.  That means that while there can be a lot of variation, it does seem to have a better than 50/50 accuracy level – if you can figure out whose instructions to follow and how to interpret the results.  She also backed up what another friend’s midwife told her: Until 20 years ago, it was considered somewhat accurate in the midwifery community. In her words: “It’s the best and most accurate of the just-for-fun tests.”  Since then the Drano formula has changed, and now you have to use the crystals to get anything better than 50/50.

Of course you could be a stick-in-the-mud and point out that anecdotal evidence is meaningless because people will remember the times it worked and forget the times it failed, but who likes a stick-in-the-mud?  I did a lot of googling, and here’s what seems to give the best results:

How to do the Drano baby gender test:

1. Wait until at least 20 weeks gestation (some sources say 16 weeks).
2. Save some of your first morning urine in a canning jar.  Laugh at all the people who think this test is dangerous because they imagine you peeing into a jar that is already filled with Drano.
3. Take it outside and add some Crystal Drano (must be crystals, not liquid. I found it at WalMart).  Laugh at the people who thought you had to actually pee outside to do this test.
4. Stand back – this will generate heat and toxic fumes.  Laugh at the people who think this is dangerous because you might hover over the jar sniffing your own fizzy pee fumes.
5. Wait until the chemical reaction has finished and check the color of the resulting liquid: brownish or blackish indicates a boy, greenish, bluish, or no change indicates a girl.
6. Take it with a grain of salt.  :)  The results, that is.  Not the urine/Drano mixture.  Please dispose of that carefully and safely.

Belly pics

Update 1: I did the test again, this time in several different proportions. Every time, the results were unquestionably brownish. Of course we still don’t know if the results are correct in our case or if we’re even interpreting it correctly, but it’s definitely consistent for me.

Update 2: On July 3, I had an ultrasound. Boy! In this case – my first time to try the Drano gender test – it was right!

We’re past the halfway point now, and I’m pretty sure the baby has entered a growth spurt.  Well, one of us has, and I’m hoping the it’s the baby.  Now I wake up looking like I did at bedtime last week: remember the Lumpy Sleeping Bag effects of gravity?  I haven’t googled to see if this is a typical time for a growth spurt, because if it’s not then I don’t want to know.

The dress is lying for me, like any good friend would.  I’m WAY bigger than this in real life.  I’m big enough that a total stranger asked me when I was due, and she didn’t even see me from the side.

Baby at 21 weeks:

• Length is now measured crown to heel: baby has grown to 10.5 inches (27 cm) – 12.7 ounces (360 grams)!
• The small intestine is starting to absorb sugar from the amniotic fluid.
• Bone marrow has started making blood cells.
• more

I would LOVE to hear from anyone who does (or already did) the Drano test as described  above – especially if you already know what you’re having so you can tell us if it worked or failed for you!  If you did it differently, please let us know that too.  Who thinks it’s complete poppycock?  Who thinks there might be something to it?

Did anybody else make it through the entire day yesterday under the false impression that it was Monday?  Long weekends do that to me every time.  When the weekend ends and hubby goes back to work, it’s supposed to be Monday.  That’s just the way it is.  Therefore today is Tuesday, and I am not a day late on my pregnancy update.  Are you buying this?

Anyway, baby and I are now halfway to d-day!

I’m still very tired.  Nothing new there.  I’ve always been a light sleeper, but I’ve never before had such trouble getting enough sleep.  Our evenings start and end late because Perry has a long commute, so early bedtime is impractical and nearly impossible.  I find it difficult to sleep late in the morning, and when I try to nap in the afternoon it’s very difficult to turn my brain off.  I’m ready to resign myself to living tired.  Sleep is for the dead.  I’ll sleep then.

Other than sleep, I’m feeling great.  I get stiff and achy if I stay in bed too long (another problem with trying to catch up on sleep), but am able to do what I need to do.  Last week, Kaitlyn, Lydia and I cleaned a neighbor’s house for cash.  My back was hurting so I just planned to supervise, but ended up doing a full share of the work.  I was aching when I was done, but I was aching when I started and it didn’t get any worse.  It was fun to work together, and we’re looking forward to doing this every 2 weeks!

In a move that I promise was not motivated by vanity, I have decided to try to suck in my belly for a while.  Out of habit, my abdominal muscles tend to sign out as soon as a pregnancy is announced, and I think that may contribute toward an aching back sooner than necessary.  I am finding that it’s not hard to straighten my spine and hold my belly in, and it takes some pressure off my lower back.  On the downside, when I remember to suck it in, it almost takes me back to that stage where I look like I just need to spend more time at the gym, but that’s proof that it isn’t about vanity, right?

Belly pics

Over the weekend, I tried on my favorite pair of shorts and was inordinately thrilled to find that they still fit.  Well, everywhere but the waist, and I was able to use a safety pin instead of the button.  Yesterday I added a button to the very edge and now they really do fit perfectly!  Of course it won’t last long, but it was a fun discovery.

Please ignore the goofy look on my face and the fact that I look like I had 3 hours of sleep, unless noticing makes you feel better about goofy/unflattering photos of yourself.

This pic was taken in the evening, so you can see the full effects of gravity.  I wake up every morning cute and thin with an adorable baby bump, and fall into bed every night looking like a lumpy sleeping bag.  At least, that’s how it feels.

Baby at 20 weeks:

• Baby now weighes about 11 ounces and is roughly 7 inches long.
  
• Baby can hear and recognize the mother’s voice.
• Nerve cells serving each of the 5 senses are now developing into their specialized area of the brain.
• more

What’s new in your pregnancy?

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}
• 18 weeks: almost halfway {pregnancy update}

I’m 19 weeks now, and to celebrate I did something mean.  I’m just kidding:  It was totally an accident, but it was still mean.

Last week I ran into a friend who hadn’t heard our news yet.  As we hugged in greeting Sheila exclaimed, “Oh, you have a tummy!”  Have I ever told you I’m hard of hearing?  It’s not bad, but I do have a lot of trouble filtering background noise – and there was a lot of background noise just then.  I gave my friend a puzzled look and she repeated her comment.  I missed it the second time as well.  The third time I saw a look of apprehension and embarrassment cross her face.  ”Oh no – did I…?”  Luckily Perry was there, and he chose that awkward moment to fill me in. Ten seconds earlier would have been nice, but I was grateful nonetheless, and I think Sheila was too.

It was nice to be on the other side of that dilemma, since I did nearly the same thing to an acquaintance a couple of weeks ago.  As with Sheila, I ran into her in the middle of a big noisy crowd.  They have a big family like ours, and as we were exchanging news and updates I told her I was due in October.  She congratulated me and said something about “I…in October too!”  When you’re hard of hearing, you rely heavily on context and piece together the words you catch.  She had already told me that her youngest was over a year old, so without hesitating to think about the possible consequences, my brain filled in the missing words something like this: “I’m due in October too!”  I think you can figure out the rest.  My friend was gracious, and laughed about her tummy – which had played absolutely no part in my mistaken assumption – and Perry laughed at me, thankful that it was a fellow mom who had made the blunder rather than himself.

Obligatory preggo pics

One in my everyday outfit: sleeveless polo, soft stretchy skirt that goes from 0-9 months effortlessly, hair in a flexi clip, and bare feet:

And one in The Dress.  Please ignore the bad hair day.  I asked Lydia to just snap several photos quickly since I always slouch and make weird faces in photos.  Her reply?  ”I know…”

Baby at 19 weeks

• Weighs about 9 oz.
• Scalp hair has sprouted and continues to grow.
• Gender is clearly visible.
• Legs are becoming proportional.
• more

I guess this is the time many people would learn the gender of their baby, but we’re among the shrinking minority that waits until Christmas to unwrap that particular gift.  ;)  Don’t be offended; I’m just ribbing those who like to find out ahead, including my own husband.  I used to think I would want to find out but didn’t want to foot the bill for an unnecessary ultrasound, but with my last pregnancy I realized that I love the surprise at the end of labor – not just meeting the baby I’ve carried for 9 months, but finally learning the baby’s gender as well.  If I needed an ultrasound for some reason I’m sure I couldn’t resist finding out, but I’m thankful that I’ve been surprised each time so far, and I no longer wish for an excuse to learn ahead of time.

Just for fun, I want to take a poll.  Of course I would love to hear more about how you feel in the comments!

 Loading ...

Exercise

Er…was that a rabbit over there?!

Updates!  What’s new in your pregnancy?  Bonus points if you share a pic.  

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}
• 17 weeks: Another milestone {pregnancy update}

I was afraid that weekly updates would prove a challenge, and this week it feels that way.  My belly got bigger, I took my vitamins, I slept in late a couple of times, and now I’m 18 weeks along instead of 17.  What’s to tell?  My next appointment is still over a week away, and the halfway mark in 2 weeks seems like the next milestone to look forward to.  In the meantime, I’m thankful to be feeling well and enjoying the small but frequent movements I can feel.

I’m beginning to have a bit of swelling in my feet and ankles if I don’t remember to put them up during the course of the day.  This is a problem I never had to deal with until my 8th pregnancy, and now it seems to come a little earlier each time.  Any tips on preventing it would be welcome, especially since I’ll be spending a lot of time on my feet during the Texas Republican Convention in a few weeks.

Belly pic

Baby bump is definitely growing.  I think I may be cute already.  I feel cute, but I’m not sure if I can stand 5 months of cuteness.  Even puppies and kittens outgrow cute faster than that.  Of course The Dress helps.  In my regular clothes, I have more of a baby lump, not nearly so cute.

Oh, but speaking of clothes, here is my pregnancy excitement of the week: after spending a lot of fruitless time searching the Goodwill and other thrift stores for maternity tops, I visited a baby consignment shop and learned that I’ve been doing it all wrong!  I found maternity tops for the same price as the tops at the Goodwill, but here instead of hunting for a needle in a haystack every item of women’s clothes was maternity!  I had assumed that prices would be sky high but they were very reasonable, and I came home with about 5 maternity tshirts in my favorite colors plus a couple of dressier tops, a skirt, and my first Bella Band.  One had the ruched sides that I’ve been longing for, and the others were more plain, but a little 1/8″ elastic stretch-stitched into the side seams created that ruched look and now I have an almost entirely new wardrobe!  Now I’m thinking of pretty-ing them up even more with Kaitlyn’s ruffle-neck tutorial.

Baby at 18 weeks:

• Can hear, and may be startled by loud noises (my poor child!)
• Is about 6″ from crown to rump, and weighs 7 oz.
• Goes through the motions of crying.
• more

Exercise

I walked 5 miles over the last 7 days.  Also, I finally did some informal online research and learned that there is probably no reason I shouldn’t do pushups and kettlebell swings as I was doing before I got pregnant.  I thought that they worked the abdominal muscles too much, but found no such warnings.  On the downside, I can barely do 10 pushups now instead of the 40-50 I was doing a few short months ago.  I can’t blame extra weight, because I only gained 3 or 4 lbs. so far – although it does seem obvious that I’ve gained far more than that in my belly.  Maybe my pushup muscles migrated to my midriff.  :)

Getting ready to leave for a walk.  Mrs. R, these pics are for you.  [wink, wink]

How far along are you now?  Pics?  What’s new?

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}
• 16 weeks: The twin question {pregnancy update}

Baby and I are now at 4 months!  Maybe it’s a small milestone, but everything is exciting during pregnancy.  I’m pretty sure my belly is really popping out now.  The reason I’m sure is because at least 4 people have looked at me over the past week and said things that start with “Wow!”  Things like, “Wow!  You’re really starting to show,” or “Wow! I guess I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks!”

Want more evidence?  I tried to measure my belly and came up with 20 cm, which is roughly equivalent to 20 weeks.  See?  I’m big.  In fact, I’m 3 cm. big if I trust my measuring skills.  That would almost put me in the running for twins, if I were the suspicious sort, but I’m not so let’s just forget I said it.  Well, let’s make a note of it just in case I do have twins, and then forget it for now.

I’ve gained a couple of pounds now, and nausea is almost completely gone, though I’m prone to heartburn already.  Do you ever get it this early?  I don’t usually get heartburn until the baby is big enough to put pressure on my stomach, but now it feels like the nausea has just morphed into heartburn instead.  I can hardly complain since I have never before made it through my first trimester without throwing up a single time.  In fact, I’ve never made it through my first trimester without throwing up hundreds of times!  What’s a little heartburn?

My biggest complaint now: heat.  Normally I’m that person who is perfectly comfortable when others are fanning themselves with sheets of paper, and I’ve always loudly proclaimed that being pregnant in the summer didn’t make a bit of difference to me.  Now, suddenly, I’m a can’t-hack-it-pantywaist.  The temperature hits 90, and I sound like a 2yo who missed her nap.  ”I’m hot!  I’m all sweaty!  I want a/c.  Waaaaah!”  This could be a long summer.  We have acclimated to our climate, and the rest of the family finally agrees with what I’ve been telling them: it’s not that bad.  But after years of telling my family it’s not so bad, I’m afraid they might enjoy my suffering this summer.  Nah, they wouldn’t do that, but I would deserve it if they did.  :)  [Deanna read this and affirms that she will, indeed, enjoy my suffering.]

Belly pics

Not happening today.  It’s raining nonstop, and the OCD in me wants this week’s pic to match every other week so far.  That means it needs to be taken outside on the west end of the deck, which means it’s not happening right now unless you want to see me looking like a wet rat.  Well, do you want to see me looking like a wet rat?

update: I asked on Facebook, and apparently you DO want to see me looking like a wet rat.  I’m sorry to say the rain had almost stopped by the time I got up the gumption to go out.  Here’s my rainy day pic:

Baby at 17 weeks: 

• Baby is about 5″ from crown to rump, or 9″ from head to toe.
• Baby weighs just over 5 oz.
• Fat stores begin to develop under your baby’s skin this week.
• Cartilage in bones is beginning to calcify.
• more

I can’t believe the baby is already that big.  Nine inches?!  It’s like a real, living doll!  My belly is growing, but doesn’t feel big enough to have a whole little person in there!  I know there’s been a person in there for 4 months now, but this person would fill the entire palm of my hand now, and still you might not know I was pregnant by a casual glance.  Isn’t hard to wrap your mind around a miracle like that?

Exercise

I remembered!  I did it!  Besides last week’s zoo trip – which I will conservatively estimate at 2 miles, and in which I pushed a heavily loaded double stroller up and down a LOT of hills, I also took a 3.1 mile “trash walk” with 3 of the kids.  That’s at least 5 miles of walking in the last 7 days.  We took 3 large kitchen bags and completely filled them with trash from the roadside, then drove around and picked them up when we were done.  It was fun and responsible, and the kids can’t wait to do it again!  We will do it again, because there was plenty of trash left.

Are you pregnant?  I would love to hear your update again this week.  It’s fun to compare notes, and think about where I’ll be in a few weeks, or how far away 17 weeks seemed just a little while ago.  Where are you in this journey, and what’s on your mind or heart?

Previous updates:

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}
• 15 weeks: Now I’m *really* pregnant {pregnancy update}

Last Friday, I had another prenatal checkup.  I always look forward to checkups, but this time I couldn’t wait.  Our whole house has had a sneaking suspicion that this pregnancy might be twins, even though I did my best to convince them that there was no real reason to think so.

Nonetheless, the idea wouldn’t die.  Supporting factors:

1. I really wanted to have twins this time.  It worked the first time I decided I really wanted a boy, so why not again?
2. Twins run in the family, strongly.
3. I’m nearly 40.
4. I have been much more tired than usual.
5. Half of the kids have dreamed that this baby is a boy, and half dreamed of a girl.  Laugh if you must – hubby does, and I sometimes do – but premonitory dreams also run in the family very strongly.
6. I felt movement at 14 weeks, much earlier than I normally do.
7. I heard a heartbeat on the left, and on the right, with nothing in the middle.  I know it can echo like that, but I also know that twins have 2 hearts.  :)

There were also several convincing reasons to believe that I was not having twins this time:

1. I had less morning sickness than usual.  With twins, it’s common to get a double dose.
2. I was not bigger than usual.  I confirmed this by measuring myself at 15.5 weeks, and came up with 17 weeks.  With twins, it’s normal to measure at least 4 weeks bigger than normal, so this put me  comfortably inside the normal range, especially for someone who has earned the title grand multipara.  You could even call me a great-grand multipara.
3. The dueling heartbeats could easily be an echo.  I kept telling myself this, but it wasn’t working.

So at my checkup, I beat around the bush.  I asked about prenatal vitamin recommendations, assured Jennifer that I was eating plenty even though I haven’t gained any weight yet, and agreed to add dandelion root to my daily routine since I had traces of nitrates.  When she glanced over my paperwork and noted that twins ran in the family, I tried not to look too excited or speak too quickly as I listed off the occurrences.

Lydia was watching and listening impatiently, and our eyes met across the room.  Finally I burst out, “OK.  I already know the answer to this, but I need to hear you say it.  I heard a heartbeat on the far left, and a heartbeat on the far right.  They can echo like that with a doppler, right?  It doesn’t mean twins, right?  I keep telling the kids that, but they don’t believe me.”  What I really meant is, I keep telling myself that but I’m not convinced.

Jennifer smiled, and quickly assured me that yes, it’s all sound waves and it’s very common to hear an echo like that.  She also reminded me that with twins it’s common to have more morning sickness, not less.  Still, I think she recognized my eagerness to know.  We proceeded quickly to the part where we hear the baby’s heartbeat.

When she felt my belly, she commented that I looked like about 17 weeks (with no tape measure – she’s good!), and that was perfectly normal.  No reason to suspect twins.

She also commented right away that she could feel the baby’s back, lying along the right side of my abdomen.  Even after so many pregnancies, I had no idea it was possible to feel a baby from the outside so early.  This tickled me for some reason.  It somehow made it more real, like feeling the baby kick.

Then we listened to the heartbeat.  It was in the 140′s.  She took her time, checking all over, then told me what I already knew.  Just one baby.

After that long, rambling account, maybe you were hoping for a different ending.  Sorry.  So was I, at least a part of me.  But another part of me is breathing a sigh of relief for now.  One baby is plenty to fill our home with a new burst of noise and joy and life, and that’s more than we deserve.  And sometimes surprises happen, too.

Belly pics:

Here’s the weekly pic in my favorite dress.

And here’s one not in my favorite dress.  I’m only posting this because I said last week that I would be sharing a photo in one of my everyday outfits.  Now you can see once again why I choose to post photos of myself in the dress above.  If you say something kind and affirming about the pic below, I will never believe another word you say.  Be forewarned.

Baby at 16 weeks:

• Baby is nearly 5″ from crown to rump and weighs about 3.5 oz.
• Fat begins to form underneath skin.
• Baby hears external voices.
• Baby sleeps and dreams.
• Baby’s developing facial muscles make facial expressions possible.
• more

Exercise

Remember last week when I said all I did was walk 2 miles, but I would take it as a starting point and try to do better this week?  Well, I didn’t remember.  Why didn’t you remind me?

I forgot all about this thing called exercise until Saturday, and then I was busy so I had to procrastinate until Monday.  On Monday, I took 5yo Perry and 7yo Rachael on a walk, determined to cover something more than 2 miles.  We had a great time and ended up walking a leisurely 3.3 miles, talking nonstop (well, some of us) and gathering dozens of varieties of wildflowers along the way.  Now we have plans for regular wildflower walks, alternating with trash walks.  Perry and Rachael were disgusted by the litter along the roadside, so we decided to bring grocery sacks next time and gather trash instead of flowers.  Whoever wants to go with us will have to bring and fill at least one sack.

Do you have a pregnancy update for this week?

Link up with other expecting moms at My Joy-Filled Life.

Previous updates:

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}
• 14 weeks: Kicks?! {pregnancy update}

Remember when I said that I expected to grow quickly over the next few weeks?  I think this week was it.  Maybe I’m fooling myself, but last week I felt like I was still at the stage where a casual observer would assume that I just had some “mummy tummy” – that leftover belly because you’ve been pregnant in the past.

This week, I noticed strangers eyeing my belly.  I got the maternal smile from other women.  You know the one, right?  It’s the same smile they give your cute little baby in the infant seat, but the baby is still under cover, so they smile at your belly instead.  It’s roughly the same look I would expect if I was wearing a t-shirt with a cute puppy on the front.

This week I also left the house one morning (when my belly tends to protrude less) and didn’t come until late in the evening (when it looks like I just ate a whole watermelon without sharing).  Instead of hugs and smiles, I was met by jaws agape.  ”WOW, Mom.  You look really pregnant!  Or did you just eat A LOT at dinner?”  Thank you, darlings.

Here’s a good look at my 15 week baby bump.  I’m kinda letting it hang out here.  :)  This is how I tend to look at the end of the day, when my abs have given up and are ready for bed.

And here’s a more casual stance, which is probably how I look normally – except the dress still provides some camouflage.  Next week I’ll include a photo with one of my everyday outfits for comparison.

I’ve also caught myself doing the pregnant waddle already.  What’s up with that?!  I tried to explain to my laughing daughters why it bothered me so much, and it came down to two reasons:

1. I feel like a phony.  I may be pregnant, but I’m just not big enough to justify The Pregnant Walk yet.  I feel like I’m advertising: Look at me!  Pregnant lady over here!  It just feels a little dishonest, like the sort of exaggeration that borders on lying.
2. I feel like I’m being lazy.  It takes a little more effort, but I am still perfectly capable of a normal walk.  The Pregnant Walk says, I am big.  I am awkward.  Walking in my condition is hard work.  And while that is very true in the 3rd trimester, it’s really not the case right now.  When I catch myself doing it, I feel like a little kid complaining about carrying a grocery bag that contains nothing but a loaf of bread.  ”This is too heavy!  I’m tired!”  I’m carrying 2 lbs. of extra weight.  This is not heavy.  Not yet.

I’m feeling some distinct movement, though not a lot of it.  Just once or twice a day, which is still a lot more than I’ve felt at this stage in most of my recent pregnancies.  So excited to be feeling movement already!

I didn’t use the doppler at all this week, but will hear the heartbeat at my checkup this Thursday.

Baby at 15 weeks:

• is over 4″ long (crown to rump length) and weighs about 2.5 oz.
• has taste buds
• tiny bones in ears are beginning to calcify
• more

Exercise:

Ha.

I walked 2 miles.  Does that count?  Let’s call it a starting point, and I’ll try to beat it next week.

How about you?  Any updates or photos to share?  Feel free to leave a link in the comments if you posted a pregnancy update on your blog!

Previous updates:

• 10 weeks: it’s all about the nausea {Pregnancy update}
• 11 weeks: feeling better! {pregnancy update}
• 12 weeks: I heard the heartbeat! {pregnancy update}
• 13 weeks: A new trimester! {pregnancy update}

I’m still not convinced that I’ll have something new to say every single week, but I’ll keep up the weekly updates until I don’t.  :)

Baby and I are at 14 weeks today, and this time we have a recording of the heartbeat to share!  I get different results depending on whether I try to calculate the rate based on 6 seconds or 10 seconds.  What do you think?

heartbeat @ 14 weeks

For those concerned about possible side effects of doppler use, I’m only using it once/week or less, and will probably use it less when I start feeling a lot of kicks.

And speaking of kicks, when do you first start feeling movement?  I think I used to feel movement around 14-15 weeks, but with the last several pregnancies I haven’t felt distinct movement until much later – often 18 weeks or more.  My placenta always seems to plant itself right in front – it’s there again this time – and I think I have a little more padding and a lot more stretch on my tummy than I used to, so I’m just less sensitive to tiny legs poking around.  BUT I felt something that was very much like a tiny leg poking my belly from the inside on Saturday evening, and again on Sunday.  What do you think?  Compared to your first, do you tend to feel movement earlier or later with subsequent pregnancies?

Exercise

I’m a quitter.  I did squats for about 3 days, then my back got very stiff and achy.  I’m not sure if it was caused by the squats or by spending a full day in heels carrying toddlers and larger children, but I was hurting.  I didn’t do any more squats after that, though I still intend to.  Did anyone else do them?  Did you make your goal?  Go ahead, make me look bad.  It will serve as motivation for me.  :)

I did walk a mile yesterday on some very steep hills.  While 7yo Rachael trotted happily alongside me, I puffed and blew and struggled to put one foot in front of the other.  Maybe “trotted” is misleading.  We were barely crawling by the time we reached the top of the first hill.  I may not have gained weight yet, but I’ve definitely lost muscle in some key areas.  I had 2 thoughts when it was all over:

1. I need exercise.
2. I hate exercise.

What next?  I’m not about to make any commitments to walk that mile again soon, but there’s another route with much kinder hills.  Maybe, just maybe.  Whatever I do, I have to increase my activity level, and I probably shouldn’t wait until 5 weeks before my duedate like I did last time.  How do you get motivated to exercise?  If you’re one of those sick people who enjoy exercise, just sit on your hands and keep away from the keyboard.  ;)

Belly pic

I’ve never done regular belly pics before, but I’ve enjoyed posting pics for several weeks now and I think it will be really fun to be able to look back at how Baby and I grew week by week.

I’m finally looking obviously pregnant, especially at the end of the day.  I wake up feeling relatively slim, but over the course of the day my back and abs tire, and by afternoon my belly feels huge – for 14 weeks, at least.  I know in a few weeks I’ll be out to here, but for now I’m enjoying the moderate rate of growth.  The kids were desperately hoping for twins this time but I keep telling them that I’m just not big enough.   Maybe I actually managed to regain some abdominal tone after the last pregnancy.  I don’t think I’m even as big as I usually am at this point, although that can change over the course of a few days!

I have to confess again that this dress is uber flattering.  If you think I don’t really look pregnant, you know why I like this dress so much.  I feel graceful and slim in it, even with a thickening waist and growing belly.  I plan to take all my weekly belly pics in this dress as long as I can fit into it because

a. It makes me feel pretty, and

b. I want a constant frame of reference.  If I switch to “regular” clothes for next week’s pic, we’ll all think I forgot to take pics for 6 or 8 weeks.

At 14 weeks:

• Baby is 3.5″ long and weighs about 1.5 oz.
• Baby has functioning kidneys.
• Hair, eyebrows and languo develop.
• Baby makes breathing movements.
• more

What’s new in your pregnancy?  Did you show me up on my own challenge to exercise regularly over the last week?

I love milestones, and 13 weeks is definitely a milestone!  It’s refreshing to know that I’m starting a new trimester.  I’m hopeful that morning sickness will continue to fade, and can’t wait to see my belly – and the baby – begin to grow in earnest.

I haven’t felt that way with every pregnancy; sometimes I’m reluctant to lose my waistline (yet again), but knowing that every time is ever more likely to be the last makes me look at it differently.  Children are always a blessing, but somehow I find it easier to keep that in mind as I near the end of my childbearing years.

While I’m excited at beginning a new trimester, I’m quietly terrified of the thought of labor in a mere 27 weeks.  My last labor was exciting but relatively fast, especially for my first posterior baby.  Nonetheless I’m SO not ready to think about labor again.  My solution: I don’t think about it.  I know from experience that I’ll be ready when the time comes, so in the meantime I live in denial.  To paraphrase Matthew 6:31 roughly,

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘How shall we get through labor again?’…

No, fretting and worrying will not subtract one hour from labor.  There are better things to focus on.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about [27 weeks from now], for [October 17] will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ~Matthew 6:33-34

So I walk around in a curious mixture of bliss and nausea, waiting to feel the first flutterings, oblivious to the fact that in 6 months I’ll be wondering what was I thinking?  I can’t do this!!!

Over the past week, I logged everything I ate for 5 days for my midwife.  It was a good chance to take a real look at my diet.  I’m probably not eating quite enough because of the nausea but I’m maintaining my starting weight, which is very good for me since I usually lose about 10 lbs. in my first trimester.  I’m no health nut, but I think my diet is generally healthy and balanced.  I’m curious to see if my midwife agrees next time I see her.  :)

I’m also not doing much exercise yet because of the nausea.  Wait – who am I fooling?  I’m not doing any exercise, unless you count staring mournfully into the fridge and walking away because the sight and smell of all that food is more nauseating than an empty stomach.  However, I am trying to remember to do 100 squats/day because I can do them in small sets without getting sick and I hear they are wonderful for a variety of reasons, some of which apply to everyone and some of which apply specifically to pregnant women.  I have yet to remember to do more than 30, but I’m full of good intentions.  I just need someone to remind me.

Does anyone want to join me in 100 squats/day?  I could use some accountability!

The biggest excitement this week: a friend unexpectedly loaned me a fetal doppler!  We can listen to the baby’s heartbeat at home any time we want!  How cool is that?  We tried to make a  recording, but baby wasn’t very cooperative.  I only found the baby’s heartbeat once today, and it was competing with my own.  We could hear it easily, but it was difficult to separate the two on our recording.  Maybe we’ll have a recording next week!

At 13 weeks:

• Baby is about 3″ long and weighs 1 oz.
• Baby can suck thumb, kick, and flex arms.
• Bone is beginning to replace cartilage and the ribs are appearing.
• Baby’s unique fingerprints are already in place.
• more

Updates?  I love hearing updates from others!  And I’m serious: does anyone want to do 100 squats/day for the rest of April?  Or the next 30 days?  Or 27 weeks?

At 12 weeks, I’m already wondering if it will be practical to keep posting weekly updates.  Does anyone really want to hear about this every single week?  Will I have something new to say every single week?  Maybe I’m just feeling a little bleh because in spite of the fact that I was feeling so much better last week, this week I feel like my morning sickness has stabilized.  I’m not complaining – it’s mild and manageable, but it’s still ever-present.

Actually, I should just shut up now, because it’s mild enough that I was filled with relief to hear the baby’s heartbeat at my first prenatal appointment.  It took a long 5 minutes to find with the doppler, since baby wasn’t cooperating.  I have had 2 early miscarriages in the past, and both were preceded by a stark and startling absence of morning sickness, so I’m reassured by a little nausea – even if I do tend to complain about it.

And although I feel like a complainer, my family insists that I don’t complain.  I just have a tendency to look…somber.  Then they know that it’s time to bring me food and pressure me to eat it even though it doesn’t sound good and I’m not really hungry.  We all know that I’ll feel better in 10 seconds if I obey.  That’s how my morning sickness works this time, and when I’m not being somber I am sensible enough to realize how incredibly blessed I am not to be puking my guts out 20 times/day.

That’s what I’m up to.  Here is what the baby is doing at 12 weeks:

• The baby is now about 2.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 0.7 ounce (20 g).
• The feet are almost half an inch (1cm) long.
• The baby starts moving spontaneously.
• The baby now has a chin and a nose and a facial profile.
• Vocal chords are complete, and the baby can and does sometimes cry silently.
• Fingernails and toenails appear.
• The baby can suck his thumb, and get hiccups.

I know I said I wanted to post a pic every week in my new favorite dress, but I’m on my way out the door right now and that’s not what I’m wearing.  No time to change: here’s the real me:

Um…never mind what I just said.  There’s always time to change into your favorite dress!

See?  Much more belly this week than last week.  You should see me sitting down with relaxed abs and slouchy back.

What’s changed in your pregnancy over the last week?  Bonus points if you share a pic!

I can hardly believe it, but my nausea is almost gone already.  I have just enough background queasiness to keep me from worrying about the baby.  I’m still very tired and prone to nausea if I’m on my feet too long, but am so thankful to be feeling better this soon!

I’m really curious about what has made the difference this time.  I can think of a long list of possibilities, and you can probably add to the list.  The problem is figuring out which ones really belong on the list so I can repeat the experience if I have any more babies!

• Decreasing levels of hormones due to increasing age – obviously there’s still enough to support pregnancy, but maybe not the excess I had in my younger days.
• Plenty of soluble fiber in my diet thanks to beans and veggies.
• Very little sugar.  When I do eat it, I feel better right away, but almost invariably feel worse later.  I know blood sugar dips make me sick, so eating less sugar is probably keeping me more stable, reducing that particular cause of nausea.
• Maybe it’s a boy?  I was less sick with my boys, but also less sick with my later pregnancies.  Not sure if the difference is gender, my own age, or a combination.
• Eating frequent small meals with protein and something acidic.  Of course it never worked for me in the past, but it seems to help me digest this time.
• Keeping my stomach never empty and never full.  If I strike the right balance, I can almost entirely avoid nausea or that heavy I-ate-too-much feeling.
• Breakfast in bed.  I don’t feel sick in the morning, and it’s so nice to lounge about a little longer before I get up and the nausea sets in.
• Adrenal supplements.  I’ve heard they can help with morning sickness, especially if your body truly needs the help.

At any rate, I’m feeling better and happy about it!

My belly is growing, of course.  I still think I just look thicker around the middle rather than pregnant, but I’m ready to start posting prego pics because I can definitely see a change.  Half my skirts are getting too snug – the half without elastic waistbands –  and I expect to start growing pretty quickly over the next few weeks.  I think I’m getting close to that overnight transformation when everyone suddenly stares at me and says, “Oh, wow!  When are you due?”

If you think I don’t look I look pregnant at all yet, then you understand why I chose this particular dress.  It’s my new favorite because it makes me feel slim.  Trust me, there’s some extra belly in there!

Some fun and interesting facts about baby development at 11 weeks:

• The crown to rump length of your growing baby is about 1.5 inches (35mm) and baby is the size of a small plum.
• The fingers and toes have completely separated.
• The wrists and ankles have formed and the fingers and toes are clearly visible.
• Baby has tooth buds, the beginning of the complete set of 20 milk teeth.
• Baby can swallow and stick out his or her tongue.
• Whole body except tongue is sensitive to touch.
• The heart is almost completely developed and very much resembles that of a newborn baby

My first prenatal checkup is Thursday at 1:00.  I’m not telling you because I think you really care what time it is.  I’m telling you because in spite of how excited I am, I know I’ll probably forget until Thursday at 12:45, then I’ll have to call my midwife and tell her I’ll be late.  And then she’ll laugh and tell me that it’s fine, and I’ll be forced to suspect that she actually wrote 1:30 in her book instead of 1:00 because she knows me from my last pregnancy.

Who wants to share an update?  What has changed in your pregnancy over the past week?

I was 10 weeks pregnant yesterday and this is my first update so far on the blog.  Call it pregnancy brain.  I’m forgetting a lot, spending most of my time focusing on two little words: don’t puke.

So far, it’s actually working well.  I have never before made it past 7 or 8 weeks without throwing up, and I typically throw up a lot starting right at 5 weeks.  10-20 times/day for the first 4-5 months is normal for me…so I am thrilled to say that I have not hung my head over the toilet once!

On a scale of 1-10, where 1 is “I didn’t notice until you asked” and 10 is waiting for the last heave so you can wipe your mouth and stand up, my nausea has hovered mostly between 3 and 4.  It’s just enough to sap my motivation and make bed the most comfortable place, but not enough to give me grounds for complaining.  I’ve had brief spikes toward 6 or 8, but that goes away quickly if I’m careful to eat beans and lots of protein and veggies, and stop before I’m full.  Never empty, never full – that’s where my stomach is happiest right now.

I don’t crave pickles, but I’m beginning to understand where the stereotype comes from.  My food settles better if I eat something acidic with every meal and snack, and sometimes pickles are just the easiest and most obvious choice.

This is a first for me, but I’m very sensitive to smell.  Dirty diapers are a no-brainer – somebody else has to do them right now or the baby will need a bath after I ralph on him –  but I can’t even stand to look in the fridge because the smell of food when I’m already nauseated is the least appealing thing in the world.  Perry and the girls have learned to recognize my whiny “I’m sick” face even before I complain and just bring me a small snack.  I’m so thankful for that!

I’m beginning to show, just a little.  It’s not enough that a stranger would know or even suspect that I am pregnant, but I am definitely getting thicker around the middle, and I can feel my uterus growing.  I read that it should be a little larger than a grapefruit at this point, which is exactly how it feels.

Of course, the baby is growing too.  I’m not in this alone.  At this point, the baby should be a little over an inch long.  Click the image to see more photos and details on development at 10 weeks.  Precious!

I need to call my midwife and schedule my first checkup.  She says she likes to start around 10 weeks and – oops!  That’s right now!  There’s no hurry (many midwives start later with experienced moms) but at this point she should be able to find the heartbeat, and I can’t wait for that!

Can I see a show of hands?  Who else is expecting?  How far along are you?