Week #12

12 weeks down, 28 to go! 

This is the time that most women finally come out of the pregnancy closet and annouce to everyone that they're expecting.  Having kept this a secret for several weeks now, it feels funny to just email someone up and say, "by the way, I'm 12 weeks pregnant"; but to leave most friends and family in the dark is not very nice either.  Sure, they could hear from other friends, but maybe the other friends assume that they knew too or they don't have someone to tell them.  So, I'm going to post this blog link on my Facebook profile. 

Now on to the baby!

The baby is now 5.4 cm and 14 grams (nearly 1/2 an ounce).  I was lucky enough to hear the heart rate yesterday (with a doppler - the recording is on the previous post), but if the baby is sitting funny - e.g. placenta lying across its tummy - it won't be possible.  The baby's skeleton is hardening into bone now, with the fingers and toes separating and growing nails.  Hair is even starting to grow on the body.  The digestive system is developing nicely and the baby's pituitary gland has started producing hormones.  By the end of this week, my uterus will be too big for my pelvis and I should be able to feel it above my pubic bone (AKA pubic symphysis).  I'm really hoping this will be the end of morning sickness; 6 weeks was enough, thank you very much.  A pigment change that I may or may not experience is the linea nigra, which is a dark line from the navel downwards.

How am I feeling?  Today?  Pretty good.  Yesterday I had the worst case of morning sickness that I've ever had and I just felt gross all day.  I find that when I'm moving around, I get really warm and my face will even turn red - and it's especially bad when I dance.  I felt super lazy all week so I only went to one class out of 4 (bad!) so I'm hoping next week I'll be more motivated to go.

Any weird food cravings?  No, I'm really hoping that I never get any weird ones either.  Since we're creeping up on Halloween, I've been having sugar cravings, but I'm almost thinking my morning sickness yesterday was caused by eating too much sugar the night before.  Lesson learned.

Mood swings?  Nope.

Any body changes?  My belly is bigger.  I'm thinking of buying a tape measure just to mark on the tape how big I was and where in the pregnancy I was at the time.  Then that way when I look back, I can see how huge I actually was!

Any baby purchases?  We bought a couple small items (a bib and wash cloths) the other day but since we don't know the sex yet it makes it difficult to really buy anything.  Most items are more obviously masculine or feminine with the unisex stuff looking kind of boring in comparison.

What about the nursery?  I went and bought some reflective stars the other day, which I think will look really cute in there, but again, without knowing the sex it makes it difficult to decorate.  Not that anything has been moved or anything.

Next Doctor's Appointment: November 4
Ultrasound Appointment: November 30

Doctor Appointment #4 & Fetal Heart Rate #1

I heard the heart beat today. *loves!*  According to Dr. Fredeen, the average speed was 155 beats per minute and he even said that he could hear the baby moving around.   Also, according to this website, I'm having a girl based on the heart rate!  LOL!  Anyone want to change their guesses for the baby pool?  ;)  I'm getting my 18 week ultrasound done on November 30 (which would actually put me at nearly 20 weeks. /lame) but we've requested gender identification.  Actually, having it done a little later might mean that it'll be easier to tell - unless the kid squirms a lot, lol.

I nearly had to do another round of blood testing, since the lab didn't send the clinic my results.  I would have been really upset if I had to go back, considering how much it hurt last time.  Luckily, the receptionist was able to find it all.  The results of the blood work were that everything was normal; I'm HIV negative (no real doubt, but it's always nice to know for sure!) and I'm producing tons of rubella antigens, which is good since I was vaccinated against them when I was younger.

(Oh, and PS - I asked the Dr how fast the heart rate is, but it was very faint in the video, so that's what the 155 is when he answers).

All around, excellent day, except for the horrible bout of morning sickness this morning. :(

Week #11

I'm sooo excited!  If I'm lucky, first trimester annoyances (fatigue, morning sickness - all that fun stuff) should go away around the 12th week.  If I'm not lucky...well, we'll just hope for the best.

By the end of this week, baby will be 4.1 cm in length and weigh 7 grams!  And the baby will be around the size of a large lime.  Ho-lee.  I did not think it was that big already!  Explains the bulge though....

Over the next 3 weeks, the baby will double in length and its external genitalia will become distinguishable.  This week the iris will develop and over the next couple days the eyelids will meet and fuse closed (which is only temporary).  My baby now has a head that is half its length - so...2ish cm? - and its brain is the same structure that it will have at birth.  The reflexes are developing and apparently if its face is touched, it will open its mouth.  Honestly? That sounds adorable!  Some nearly completed organs include the pancreas, gall bladder and thyroid, with the small intestines moving from the stomach into the umbilical cord.  This week carbs are my friend!  Which is good since that's what I've been eating: bagels, bread and pasta.

How am I feeling?  Actually, pretty good!  I still get tired during the day and still feel a little nauseous at night, but for the most part, this is the best I've felt in a long time.  It could also be due to the fact that I'm not working and can therefore gets heaps of sleep.

Any weird food cravings?  No, still the usual stuff.  I've found that staying at home has really limited the cravings since I can't smell anything cooking.  Case in point: last night I went for a walk with a friend and I smelled jam (she could too - it wasn't just me!) and I wanted a scone with jam on it.  So I'm really thinking that smell plays a huge role in the cravings of a pregnant woman.  Another culprit?  The imagination. 

Mood swings? Nope!  Like I said, I've been feeling really good lately, so if anything I've been a little bored, but my cats keep me occupied.  I swear they're training me to be a mom already....

Any body changes? Bigger belly!  Last week I just thought it was bigger and this week I know that it is.  Under clothes it could look like just fat, but when I look at my stomach I know that its my baby who caused it.  And seriously?  If the kid is the size of a lime its no wonder!  It's funny though, I always assumed that women didn't start showing until later in their pregnancy - but it must just be that they don't start looking pregnant until later.  Before then it just looks like a big tummy. :-S

Any baby purchases?  I've already mentioned the stroller, but shortly after I found out I was pregnant, I went and bought some receiving blankets - it's my understanding that I'll need them in abundance so gradually buying them isn't such a hardship.  My mom has also given me a soft yellow-green blanket as well.  And the other day my mom called and said that Extra Foods was having a huge sale on diapers, so she bought me some!  I hadn't even started to think about diapers yet!  I'm starting to think that I'll get a huge shipment of clothes, diapers and blankets when this kid is born, lol!

What about the nursery? Our nursery will be where our office is, for those of you who know our house.  Before I even became pregnant, we installed new windows and Kevin had bought new blinds and drapes for the room.  Well, he bought them for our room too, but bought extra for the nursery.  We (I) plan on painting it teal with fantasy-themed decor.  I want the silhouette of a castle on the wall, with maybe some figurines or decals to match.  I found some fantastic patterns the other day for cross-stitch, but since they're so time-consuming, I hope it'll get done before the baby makes an appearance.  "Or turns 18." <--- So says Kim.  As of yet, we haven't bought paint and haven't moved anything around, but I still have 29 weeks to go.  That's plenty of time...right?

Oh!  Next Dr's appointment is on the 7th and we'll get to hear the heartbeat!  I'm hoping that I'll remember to bring a camera or use my phone to capture the moment and if possible, I'm going to upload it on here.  :)

Week #10

I spotted again Wednesday night, but because it stopped that night I didn't call the doctor's office this time.  I'll mention it at my next prenatal appointment though.

By the end of this week, my baby will be 3.1 cm long and 4 grams and will have graduated from embryo to fetus.  Its head will be double the size of its body, so think of Brain:

only with a rounder head.  The body will also start to straighten out as it grows.  Fingernails, toe nails and hair follicles will start to develop and grow, and the baby's eyelids now completely cover its eyes (or very nearly).  The tongue will be fully formed in the middle of the week.  Weight gain should be steady (I know I have lost weight lately, due to stress).  Interesting pregnancy symptom: melasma, AKA pregnancy mask.  Usually found in women with darker skin, it is a skin discolouration due to the progesterone to estrogen levels found in the body.

How am I feeling?  Exhausted.  All the time.  I'm feeling nauseous at night more often than not, which I suppose is a good thing.

Any weird cravings?  Nothing too crazy, but once I get it in my head, I like to satisfy that craving.  For example, a few days ago I craved chocolate covered strawberries, so I hit up DQ for a chocolate covered strawberry waffle bowl.  It was awesome!

Mood swings?  Not really.  I nearly cried a few times the other day.  I was at the Cafe and one of my (ex?) staff members pulled all the staff out and announced that I was leaving.  And one of the others said that he thought I was a really good boss.  It's my understanding that mood swings hit harder after the first trimester.

Any body changes?  I've lost the war against my belt, having to buckle it one hole looser than before.  Which is funny because I know I've lost weight since becoming pregnant!  But, that might be in my legs (which look awesome, btw) and not in my tummy area.

We bought a stroller today!  Our first big purchase for our baby, its a blue and grey stroller & infant car seat in one.  We got it from Sears and it was on sale ($120 off!).  Considering how most of the combo stroller/car seats were over $200, and we bought this one for $250, we figured we were getting a deal!

Week #9 & Doctor Appointment #3

So, I know I'm a day late posting this, but I had a really good reason.  Having said that, I'll go over the reason after I'm done talking about the development.

This week the baby has doubled in weight from 1 gram to 2 grams and has grown to 2.3 cm (about the size of a medium green olive).  The flippers look like arms now, complete with long fingers that nearly touch over the waist.  The legs and toes are still developing and the neck is more erect.  External ears are developed and the eyelids are almost finished forming.  The baby has even started moving around now!  Another bonus?  It even looks more human than last week.

My uterus is about the size of a grapefruit, which explains why I can't sit forward as well as I used to.  And my weight gain should be increasing.  I already think I have a little bump, but that could just be mainly me, lol.  As it is, my waist line will be going up along with the numbers on the scale.

Vitamin C is very important and aids in tissue development, iron absorption and may prevent pre-eclampsia (with eclampsia being seizures and convulsions).  In other words, vitamin C is good, but only as long as you don't exceed the 85 mg daily dosage.

How am I feeling?  Right now?  Better than yesterday.  However, work has been so stressful for me lately, and between dancing and work I barely have time to eat.  I'm exhausted more often than not (I even fell asleep twice on a 3 hour car ride!) and I find it uncomfortable to sit upright or even leaning forward.

Any weird cravings?  I'd say cookies, but that isn't weird for me!  I find that I get very spontaneous cravings and I nearly obsess about it until it is satisfied.  Luckily for me, I'm able to get it myself since I'm usually out and about.  And if not that day, then the next.

Mood swings?  Still weepy, but that could be caused by stress too.

Any body changes?  I do feel like I have a little bump, since it is firmer than it was a couple weeks ago (unfortunately!).  However, I do think that it's my own ponch forced outwards by my growing uterus.

Now on to the news.  On Thursday night before I went to bed I noticed blood on my underwear - and immediately burst into tears.  I did read in my Mother of All Pregnancy Books book that bleeding, coupled with cramping, could be a symptom of miscarriage.  Which is why I freaked out.  However, it did also say that it could just be bleeding, so the next morning I called the clinic and made an appointment for that morning.  I was fortunate that Kevin was also able to take some time off and support me through this.  I called in sick and let my friend know (who also knew I was pregnant) that I wasn't going to be coming in that morning.

At the clinic the doctor did a cervical exam and noted that the blood was coming from my cervix; however, the cervix, while slightly open, wasn't completely open, which is another sign of miscarriage.  Her suggestion was to move on to the next step, which was tracking the pregnancy hormone Bhcg through blood work.  If I was still pregnant, the hormone should double daily.  Since it was Friday, we did the blood work then and will do it again on Monday, with the results discussed on Tuesday. 

I am optimistic though; I was only ever spotting, I didn't pass any tissues and the bleeding has since stopped.  Plus, the cramping never occurred, so I'm hoping that it was just first trimester bleeding.

This was definitely the scariest moment of my entire pregnancy and made me realize how much I wanted the baby to survive.  There have been times when I didn't think I could handle it and that maybe it would be best to miscarry so we could have more time for this or that, but now I'm convinced that I want this baby.  I've also decided to step down as manager of my Cafe - even though I took the job so I could have the baby!  I think I need to put myself first and a pay cut with 1/4 the stress is so worth it.  I've already told the previous manager that I'm ready and she's fine with stepping up now instead of April.  I just need to tell my own boss! 

Even since I found out I was pregnant I've been ready to move on and I'm convinced that the stress that I've been under for the past month and a half has not been beneficial to my growing baby.  I need time for myself, and I especially need time to relax!  I plan to find another job and work part-time, which would free me up for online schooling. 

I also want to thank my fabulous friends for being so supportive!  You're awesome!

Week #8 & Doctor Appointment #2

My baby looks like Barney.  W. T. H.?

By the end of this week my baby will be around 1.6 cm and weigh around 1 gram.  By now my baby has eyelid folds, nerve cells and will just start to develop the retina.  The nose is starting to poke out and both the internal and external parts of the ears are growing.  And the arms have elbows!

How am I feeling?  It depends on the day, but severe morning sickness seems to make an appearance about every other day, it seems.  I'm not sure if it helps to eat a lot at night, but that happened last night and I've felt fine all day.  I've also been under a lot of stress lately, so I don't know if that made it worse.  For example, yesterday I didn't sleep well, plus I had to do the baking shift; maybe I would've been fine with one or the other, but both?

Any weird cravings?  Greasy food, like nachos and burgers.  Mmmm.  And still the spicy food.  Apparently the healthy food cravings only lasted a couple weeks.  However, due to my lack of time to eat properly, it could be simply my body needing food fast and not caring how it gets it.

Mood swings?  Still the same as before.

Any body changes?  Still the same: bigger breasts, bigger uterus. 

Oh and I had my second doctor's appointment today: so I had a breast exam, pap test and thyroid exam.  Everything checked out fine, but I guess I'll know if there's anything unusual next week.  Apparently, at 12 weeks we'll be able to hear the heartbeat, so we're aiming for that in the next visit!! :D

Week #7

Oh, look!  My baby looks more like a salamander than a hairless rat!

Ho-lee!  During this week my baby will nearly triple in size from 4-5 mm to 11-13 mm and will weigh as much as an eyelash!  The armbuds are visible but haven't yet developed in to arm and hand sections.  An ultrasound will make it possible to hear the beating heart, which has already developed in to right and left chambers.  Lung and brain development are moving along, and certain internal organs are bulging in to the umbilical cord.  This week its important to increase my calcium uptake to 1200 mg daily; however, coffee, tea, salt, protein and unleavened bread can interfere with the calcium.

How am I feeling?  Well, I learned that morning sickness can be alleviated by eating.  Imagine that!  It still feels nasty, though I've been fortunate enough to not throw up.

Any weird cravings?  I really like spicy food right now.  I still don't care for the looks (or smells!) of some food, but I think my eating habits are getting back to normal.

Mood swings?  I had a really stressful week at work last week and this week started out ok.  I'm still highly likely to get teary-eyed at sweet moments, but this week seems ok.

Any body changes?  Here's a funny one: while I'm still not too sure of my baseline for my body, my breasts have grown 2-3 inches!  I still think I've lost a little weight and am definitely going to end up more toned once I start dancing.

In case you wonder where I get my info about my week-to-week pregnancy changes, click here!

Week #6

Did you see the widgit I added to the sidebar?!  How cool is that?!  Now you can see what my baby looks like as it grows!

So, I'm in Week 6 now, which means quite a lot in terms of brain development and the circulatory system of my baby.  The heart will start beating this week and the baby's tongue, nasal pits and "flippers" (future arms)will even start to develop!  To help brain development, it's recommended that I make sure Omega 3 and folic acid are in my diet.  Oh, and my baby is between 2-4 mm from head to bum.

How am I feeling?  Well, morning sickness hit with a vengence today.  I felt like death and, in all honesty, if the fate of the world rested on me popping out babies, we'd be screwed.  I'm sure it'll get better, but right now I feel like I can barely eat - ever! - and I'm still near the beginning.  Since morning sickness is apparently supposed to last from week 6 to 12, I've got 6 weeks to go.  Yay?

Any weird cravings?  I dislike sweet foods now; the thought of eating chocolate grosses me out.  I've tried eating cereal in the mornings and dairy disagrees with me.  I had a pop the other day (7 Up) and it tasted like club soda.  I find I really like mild cheese, fruits (specifically apples!) and veggies.  So, really, the food that I should be eating.  I've never been fond of apples, but I find them satisfying and easy to eat at work. 

Mood swings?  Oh yes.  I cry easily now.  If it's sweet, I'll cry.  In moments of annoyance I'll feel frustrated and it'll make me cry. 

That's all I can think of to say for right now.  I actually think I've lost a little weight (due to my distaste for most foods now) and my breasts are sore all the time.  I think I'll need to wear a sports bra to bed!  My libido (not that you care) is nil and I feel bad for Kevin because of it!!  Well, hopefully it'll come back in the next trimester!