22 Weeks

How far along: 22 weeks

Stretch marks?: None appearing on my belly, but some old stretch marks in other places are extending somewhat.  I don't want to talk about it.

Sleep: Right after my last update at 18 weeks my hip bones started to really hurt at night, which was causing awful sleep.  I had this with Noah, too.  Also, because of my PSD (painful pubic bone separation) flipping over in bed is very painful, and it's much worse when I have to maneuver my pillows over top of my body to the other side.  I've been rubbing Traumeel cream (a homeopathic remedy) on my hips on a daily basis and added an extra pillow between my legs, and that has really helped the hip pain (I had 2 between my legs, now I have 3).  It actually also helps with the pubic bone a little bit, I think because my legs are spread further apart and it stops my pubic bone from being able to get incredibly out of alignment while I'm sleeping on my side.  I also arranged a set up so that I don't have to move pillows around at night.  I am using 10 pillows every night to sleep.  That's not 10 normal sized pillows either.  It's 4 king-sized pillows, 1 body pillow, and 5 normal sized pillows.

So the pillow arrangement helps with the pain.  Other than that, I am waking up about 10 times a night, and peeing 3 times.

Movement: I've been feeling it since about 12 weeks, and on the outside since 17 weeks 6 days.  After the 18 week mark the strength of the baby's movements grew by leaps and bounds.  By 20 weeks my belly was visibly dancing and the baby was kicking so hard it would sometimes actually startle me.  I wasn't experiencing that same strength of movement that early with Noah, so it's been fun.  I'm surprised with how much stronger movement feels so early the second time around.  And how I can already push the baby's body parts around in my belly.  I don't remember being able to do that until I was at least a few weeks further along with Noah.

Best moments this week/month: I can't think of one specific thing.  Noah seems to be more restless these days so we've been getting out of the house a lot, which is good for both of us.  We went strawberry picking today, and that was lots of fun for my strawberry-obsessed Noah!  He is also fully potty trained now (at 26 months), except for when he's sleeping, and that is a very welcome recent development in our household!

Food cravings: Jam.  That seems weird, but the past few days I have been craving jam like nobody's business.  But not just any jam, President's Choice Blue Menu Strawberry Jam.  It's the best jam ever - tastes just like the jam my Beppe (Grandma) used to make.

Sex: A baby boy!!

Labor signs?: Lots of braxton hicks and crampiness.  I had many BH all throughout my first pregnancy, too.  I also just checked my cervix recently (out of curiosity, not because I think I'm going into labour anytime soon), and it must be because I'm a second time mom with a previous vaginal delivery, but it is not at all "closed"!  There is more than enough room for 2 fingers in there.  I thought that was weird.

New Symptoms: I haven't been able to exercise much for the past 3 weeks because it just causes so much pain.  I'm starting to feel that I've lost some of the ground I gained when I was exercising daily, in that I get more easily winded.  I guess I decided that I'd rather feel out of shape than have increased pain.

Belly Button: Fully popped.

What I miss the most: I still miss eating whatever I wanted and being skinny, regardless.

What I am looking forward to the most: Right now, at this moment?  Labour and giving birth.  I've been reading a lot of hypnobirthing/Hypnobabies/Ina May Gaskin/homebirthing stuff, and I am starting to get really antsy to get this show on the road.  That sucks, because I am 22 weeks pregnant and have 4 months until my due date!  I am just really looking forward to a home birth this time around, and right now I am not feeling at all patient!

If I'm just picking something closer in the future, I am looking forward to my midwife appointment on Thursday.  Not because they're particularly eventful; just because I like her.  And I'll finally get to find out the results from my 18 week ultrasound (which my midwives still had not received from my RE's office yesterday, so I had to call them and make them fax over the report).  If we're not satisfied with the non-information my clinic is giving us about my subchorionic hematoma, ovarian cysts, and mystery fibroid which I knew nothing about, then I might consent to another ultrasound in my community.  I don't know, though.  My midwife was willing to send me for one two weeks ago but I decided to wait and see.  I haven't decided if I actually want another one.

Milestones: At 22 weeks, I'm more than halfway!

Alright, picture time.  I thought I was starting to look more reasonable for my gestation, but apparently others disagree.  I am frequently involved in conversations with people who just can't believe I'm "only" 22 weeks along.

I am bigger than I was last time.  Just for fun, this is me 23 weeks pregnant with Noah (sorry, I'm facing a different direction in all of my pictures from my first pregnancy, and the pictures are much closer up, which makes the belly appear similar in size, but if you really compare them there is a definite difference):

The second picture is definitely a smaller belly, and I'm 1 week further along in it.

The End.

Feeling it on the Outside... And 18 Week Update

I'm 18 weeks today, and last night I felt the baby kicking from the outside!  It was awesome.  I just checked, and I felt it on the outside at the same time in my pregnancy with Noah.  I thought I felt it a couple of weeks later with him, but apparently not!


K maybe I'll try and do a pregnancy update now, really quickly before Noah wakes up.  He happens to be sleeping in (it's almost 8!).


How far along: 18 weeks

Stretch marks?: Just what I have from Noah.  No new ones.

Sleep: It's not terrible.  My pubic bone is starting to really hurt at night, and I'm waking about about 8 times a night and peeing at least 3 times, but it could be a lot worse.

Movement: For the past month or so the level and strength of movement has remained about the same.  I was waiting for it to become stronger or more frequent (some days it would be more than others, but for the most part I felt movement 10-20 times a day) , but it was taking awhile.  But as of 17 weeks 6 days I can feel it on the outside!  I have to have impeccable timing and hand placement, though.

Best moments this week: Feeling the baby move from the outside.  Last night s/he kept kicking my hand in the same place almost 10 times in a row.  By the time Justin got there, though, s/he had stopped.  Of course.  Also awesome this week was opening the pool and hanging out back there with Noah.  It's going to be a great summer!

Food cravings: Nothing specific.

Sex: We find out in 2 days (Friday)!!

Labor signs?: Lots of braxton hicks.  I had many of them all throughout my first pregnancy, too.  As my uterus gets bigger (it's over an inch above my belly button now at 18 weeks) they become more uncomfortable.

New Symptoms: Nothing new so far.  For the most part I am feeling pretty good.  I am trying to be as active as possible, considering the condition of my pubic bone.  I've been working out almost every day (only doing things that don't irritate it, since going for a walk makes it hurt worse for many days), and eating incredibly well, so I think that's why I'm feeling pretty good.  But I'm finding my body gets sore really easily.  It doesn't take much for my back and pelvis to get sore and prevent me from wanting to move.

Belly Button: Almost fully popped.  It's been popped for a long time already.

What I miss the most: Eating whatever I wanted because I was actually producing a full milk supply and not gaining any weight.

What I am looking forward to the most: Finding out if it's a boy or a girl on Friday!  I'm excited!!

Milestones: In my mind, 18 weeks is a milestone.

This is my most recent belly picture.  It's not that recent though, since I am 16.5 weeks in it.  I'll have to take another one soon.

15 Weeks

I'm 15 weeks now.  Second trimester is well established, and my body can tell.  I'm feeling pretty good.  Of course, I'm comparing this to my first hand knowledge of what pregnancy can really feel like, not to how I feel when I'm not pregnant.  So it's all very relative!

I'm down to just taking two Diclectin at night (which work for the morning) for the nausea, but I'm thinking I might try cutting that down to 1 pretty soon, because I have very little nausea anymore.  Funny, I seem to remember it hanging on longer with Noah.

I've had a belly for long enough now (seriously, I had one already at 4 weeks) that I've adjusted to the fact that my belly gets in the way, and it's just my new normal.  I was really annoyed at already having to deal with a "pregnant body" in my early first trimester, but now it's just normal to me.  I'm over it.

My uterus is at my belly button.  When I wake up in the morning it's actually a good inch above my belly button.  I would love to know why it's so big, but probably never will.

(Can you see that my belly button is partially poking out?  It's been doing that for many many weeks now.)

Bambino is getting fairly active!  I started feeling him/her off and on, very faint and fluttery, around 12 weeks.  But the past week or so (especially yesterday) there has been no doubt.  Yesterday s/he was kicking up a storm, all day long it seemed!  A totally different feeling than it will be 10 weeks from now, but still very obviously the baby.  Today s/he has been calmer, but I have felt and noticed probably about 15-20 soft jabs throughout the day.  It's neat.

The insane hunger has lessened.  Although after my crazy weight gain during the first trimester, I am now seriously watching what I'm eating.  So I am just as hungry, if not hungrier, as my body adjusts to eating pretty much half of what I was eating before.  Because for the past 2 years I've been able to eat whatever I wanted and was still the skinniest my body can even allow me to be (as a nearly 5'10" woman), I had no memory of how much food I really should be taking in.  I'm not saying I pigged out all the time for the past 2 years, but I certainly wasn't concerned about portion sizes or my calorie count for the day.  If I wanted to eat something, I would eat it.  I never gained any weight, so why deprive myself?

Well, I needed a serious reality check, so I downloaded the Lose It app for my iPod.  I have been tracking every bite I eat.  It's amazing how keeping track of everything that goes into your mouth really makes you make yourself eat much healthier choices, and much less food.  I have been eating sooo clean.  Mostly fruit, vegetables, yogurt, and lean meats, with just a couple of slices of bread throughout the day.  I am getting a ton of nutrients, but way less calories.  It's hard though.  I can't wait for my body to adjust to eating less, because I pretty much think about food all day long at this point.

I am also making more of a point to exercise, now that I'm feeling more human.  Before now I would play outside with Noah, take him on walks, and obviously spend tons of time cleaning my house.  But I am making a point of being active everyday now, instead of just when it happens to happen.

To be honest, the largest part of my motivation to eat super healthy and exercise is my desire to avoid any complications that could get in the way of me having a homebirth.  I know that it's not all in my control, but I don't want to get to the end of my pregnancy and wonder if there was something I could have done differently that would have allowed me to have the birth I wanted to have (and didn't get with Noah).  Plus, I was in such excruciating pain when I was pregnant with Noah, I just want to do anything possible to maybe avoid that this time.  I expect to get more uncomfortable as time goes on, but I'm hoping to not be CRIPPLED this time!

I should probably start doing the "pregnancy survey" instead of these random updates.  Sometimes I find them limiting and repetitive, though.  Maybe next time!

Feeling Good

28 weeks

I'm sitting here with my little munchkin trying to push his way through the wall of my abdomen (sorry little guy, that's not the way to get out of there:) and I'm feeling really good. Yes, my back is killing me and my big belly is making me uncomfortable, but in my head I feel good.

I have rowed about 4k everyday for the past 5 days. I've been faithful with my regular squatting and strength training exercises. I've also started my birth preparation exercises about a week ago (kegels, pelvic rocking, and sitting in a squat so deep that my bum is basically touching the floor - this is to stretch my perenium so I hopefully don't tear, since I'm refusing an episiotomy).

Justin and I spent the afternoon at my parent's house after church this morning. My mom and I nailed down a baby shower date of February 20. I also just found out (through my husband) that my mother in law is, in fact, planning a small baby shower for me on February 14th. Since she hadn't mentioned such a thing the whole time I've been pregnant, and we recently found out that Italians "don't do baby showers" I had completely crossed this off my list of things to expect. So this was a pleasant surprise!

I counted the days I have left of work and it's only 47! Technically it's 48, but I'm going to plan my personal day somewhere in there, so I'm saying 47.

I also took another look at our finances, and with the extra training money Justin takes in I actually think I'll be able to stay home full-time after my maternity leave is up in March 2011. It's hard to know for 100% sure, but it's looking good. Better than it looked before. The only expenses his regular salary doesn't cover is any incidentals that come up (like gifts for people, services on the cars, etc). I wish we hadn't bought my car in June... it would have been nice to not have that $400 car payment to cover. Then his salary would be more adequate. But we do have the training money he brings in... he's such a good provider:) Regardless, my maternity leave gives me 60% of my gross income for an entire year.   I am so thankful for where we live, and that I know I can stay home with our baby for a full year without being worried about income. And I'm so thankful that even if I do have to go back to work, I'll only have to go back part time. Maybe I could just privately tutor a couple of students one or two evenings a week and make the extra money that way. That would be ideal, since Justin could take care of the baby during those few hours.

I have a ton of things on my to-do list: cleaning my house, getting Lexie spayed ASAP before she goes into heat again, getting my car serviced since it was due 2000km ago, 3 or 4 appointments after work every week for the next 2 months at least, sending away insurance claims forms, applying for maternity leave, and the list goes on. I am also sore as the dickens, between my back, hips, belly, and shoulder pain.

I'm chosing to ignore those things. I want to stay relaxed, actually take the time to relax, and just deal with things as they come on a day by day basis. Maybe I really am experiencing good endorphins from all the exercise I've been getting! I never believed in those before.

Father-Son Bonding

22 weeks 4 days

Last night Justin was talking to my belly, and everytime Bambino heard his voice he smoked me with a big kick. It was so cute. Over and over again we watched him make my belly bulge everytime Justin started talking.

It really is a very strange feeling.

Bambino Showed Off For Daddy

Last night Justin and I were spending the evening together watching TV, and he saw my tummy move as the baby was kicking! It was so fun to share that with him. It’s just the coolest sight. It’s really amazing for me because I feel it and see it. But Justin was pretty excited that he was seeing my belly move. He also felt Bambino kick a few times, too (which he had already done, but it’s still cool… it never gets old for me, anyway). And we felt his leg lying across the front of my uterus. For a few minutes there was this skinny, long, hard section that came out from where his foot had been kicking me. We’ve felt his head, bum, and back on many occasions, so it was cool to feel his little leg. Although Justin hates when we poke on my belly and feel the baby. He’s afraid we’re going to hurt him.

The baby is getting much stronger. Yesterday was the first day that he was kicking me while I was standing up walking around. Or at least it was the first time I felt him doing it. I could feel it on the inside and the outside, which I found to be pretty impressive, considering all my stomach muscles were engaged as I was walking around.

Today he’s continued on with the kicking me while I’m up moving around. This little guy just loves life. I honestly don’t know when he sleeps.

He was kicking me really hard at one point this morning as I was sitting down and my class was doing art. So I called one of my students over (one I’ve taught for 2 years) and put her hand on my belly. She felt him kick, and seemed pretty awed by it. I’m sure that was the first time she ever felt a baby kick before.

My Tummy Moved

Last night I saw my tummy move for the first time! I was just sitting in bed watching TV and my belly was exposed because the baby had been kicking, so I was feeling him. Suddenly he started kicking me to the left of my belly button over and over and his little foot kept bulging out.

It was soooooo cool. I almost started crying. Unfortunately, Justin was in the garage training a client, so he didn't get to see it:( If th baby had just done it 10 minutes earlier, he would have been there. He and Bambino have horrible timing with each other.

I realized that I could have seen my tummy move a long time ago if I had only looked (instead of just felt). He wasn't even kicking me that hard compared to how he sometimes does, but I saw every little kick. Sometimes he kicks me so hard it actually startles me, so I'm sure if I would have been looking at my tummy during those kicks I definitely would have seen them!

After the kicking I saw some movements going across my belly on a couple of occasions. I didn't think I would see this until way later.

Take THAT, anterior placenta!

Scare

Okay, so I had a freak out this weekend.

First of all, starting on Friday at about 6 pm, my entire abdomen really hurt, but it was concentrated mostly in my uterine area. Everytime I moved or shifted positions I was in major pain. Walking was horrid. I thought it would go away overnight, but it didn't, and at 10pm on Saturday I still had the same pain.

The pain was worrying me a bit, because it was something I'd felt in the past, but only for a couple of hours at a time, never for over 24 hours! But the baby was kicking like crazy, so I wasn't terribly concerned.

However, at about 5 pm on Saturday the baby stopped moving. I waited all evening for him to start again, but nothing. I figured he was just tired or in a weird position. I went to sleep (still in pain).

I woke up many times during the night, as usual, and never felt him. Usually I feel little (or big) kicks throughout the night as I wake up. When I woke up at 3am it really started to worry me, and I couldn't fall back asleep. I laid there awake until 5:30am, and never felt him move the entire time. So I went and ate an apple and some toast and peanut butter. I was starving, but I was also hoping the food would make him move.

It didn't. I stayed awake until 7am, he still didn't move. I fell asleep until 8am. I got up, drank some tea and ate some cookies... nothing. At around 10:30 DH and I had breakfast... still nothing.

At this point it's been 18 hours since I've felt the baby move. I'd eaten multiple meals, I was sitting quietly the whole time, and I was only asleep for a few of those hours. My kid usually moves every hour!

I was totally freaked out, obviously. And then he started kicking again at around noon. Much more softly than normal, but still, he was kicking. I almost cried.

He must be in a weird position, because I'm feeling him move regularly now, but the kicks aren't nearly as strong as they were. Sometimes his kicks startle me, they're so strong. I've actually jumped in my seat before. But now, it's almost like they're punches instead of kicks.

The worries don't really ever end, do they?

Bambino Kicked Daddy

21 weeks 2 days

I've been feeling the baby kicking on the outside of my stomach for weeks. He's a strong little guy apparently. However, for awhile the only reason I would feel him was because I would sit there with a hand on my belly and I was lucky that he would just happen to kick in that spot. He rarely continued to kick there more than two or three times, which wasn't enough time to get my husband to put his hand there to feel something.

Recently, however, Bambino started kicking about 20 times in the same spot, over and over and over again. But never when Justin was around. Only when I was by myself. It was starting to frustrate me, because feeling him kick on the outside is so cool, and I wanted Justin to experience it. Instead, he seemed to be discouraged by his fruitless attempts, and didn't really seem to care to try anymore. Men.

Last night we got to spend a rare evening together watching TV. Justin had no clients to train, and Bambino was awake for a long time last night, moving around, kicking, etc. I felt him on the outside a bunch of times, but once again, he was refusing to kick in the same spot more than twice. I'm pretty positive Justin had his hand there during a couple of kicks that he should have felt, but he said he didn't feel anything. It was driving me nuts.

Finally, WE HAD SUCCESS!! He felt a nice kick right to his hand, and then a bunch of feet squirming around after that. He finally felt the baby's unmistakable movement.

I was so happy.

Little Kicker

Last night the baby kicked my hand!

I was sitting there watching TV after dinner and the baby was squirming around a bunch. I had my hand resting on my lap, which meant my thumb was up against my belly. I felt a nudge on it, and I was like "Hmm... I wonder if that was the baby." So I laid my hand on my stomach and about 20 seconds later the baby gave it a noticeable kick! I was like "AH!! The baby just kicked my hand!"

It was the first time that I knew for sure that what I felt on the outside was an actual kick, and not just a muscle twitch. It was so cool! I started laughing. It was the only way to express how I was feeling.

I have a theory. I've been feeling the baby move for awhile, but it took awhile for it to get any stronger. I think that's because my uterus is so big in comparison to the baby. Normally your uterus just hits your belly button at 20 weeks. Mine hit my belly button at 14 weeks. It's about half an inch above my belly button already now at 17.5 weeks.

However, I'm feeling movement on the outside earlier than one normally would, even though it's still not incredibly strong on the inside. I think that's because my uterus IS so big, and that made the walls thinner than they normally would be at 18 weeks, which makes it easier to feel it on the outside.

I'm an analytical person. I had to come up with some sort of reason tying this all together. ;)

17.5 Weeks

I haven't been posting that much. I just don't have that much I want to talk about. For a little over a week I've been going through a not-so-pleasant time at work with my boss. I could blog about it, but I kind of would rather live in a little fantasy land where he doesn't exist. I haven't talked to him in 8 days, which is a feat when you have a staff of like 11, with only 5 full-timers.

Other than that... I think the baby's movements are finally starting to become more distinct. They're still not really strong though. Everyday I feel a few kicks on several occasions, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, Bambino's busiest times are while I'm at work, so I usually can't sit there and pay attention. I also always feel like the baby is moving around while I'm driving, but that's really hard to distinguish because I'M moving around while I'm driving. The roads are bumpy and the car vibrates. And in my 25 minute drive home, it's most highway driving with few stops. Sometimes at the stops I feel some wiggling. I think the baby likes the car!

I'm going to my pregnant neighbours tonight for tea. I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks. We had some plans that ended up falling through. I'm going over to see all her brand new nursery furniture that just arrived on Monday. I'm worried I'm going to feel jealous. I know she got really nice dark wood stuff, which is what I would have gotten if I wasn't trying to save money. And they apparently also got this really nice glider recliner. I don't even have a glider yet. AND she knows the sex (a little girl) and that makes me so jealous!

I really like her. I just don't like feeling jealous of material things, because I am so happy and blessed to be where I am. I love my little munchkin and I love his/her little room. I'll find out the sex in about 4 weeks (grrr for late ultrasounds). I just have to be patient.

Mystery Movement

I'm sitting here at work (not working... hmmm) and I'm pretty sure I keep feeling the baby move. I keep feeling these movements in my uterus like something is flipping. And there have been a few soft jabs.

I know I'm only 13.5 weeks, and it's early. But there have been a few moments on the past week or so where I wasn't paying attention but then suddenly thought I felt something. By the time I was paying attention I wouldn't feel it anymore.

But the past few minutes I've been feeling something that seems kind of consistent. It's faint though, and hard to really pin down. I guess because it's so early. I'm not 100% sure that it really is the baby. I guess I'll find out soon enough, when the movements because more distinct and I can say "Okay, that was the baby!"

I can't wait until I start feeling distinct movements everyday. That'll be so cool.

On Tuesdays J and I run a "boot camp" for women in our area. I love going because I get compliments on my belly:) Yesterday someone said "You have such an adorable baby belly. It's so perfectly round and compact!" That's like, the nicest thing you can say to a pregnant woman. Especially when you compare it to my mom a couple of weeks ago. She also loves my bump, but one day she said "Turn around, are you pregnant all over??" (looks at me from the back) "Yeah you're pregnant all over."

Ummm, PARDON ME?!? How rude is that?! And then she tried to say "I wasn't criticizing you! Don't take that as an insult!" Yeah right. How is that not an insult?

I think I'm looking pretty flippin good, considering I've gained about 10 pounds from being so nauseous and having to eat horrible carbs every hour and a half for 8 weeks to try and fend off the sickness. What person in their right mind would come right out and tell someone that they "look pregnant all over"???