Fetus Friday: 2013 baby update, week 18

It’s time to play catch up!!!! Here’s the scoop over the last couple of months…

___________________________________________________________

Week of March 25th, a little nauseated when waking up in the middle of the night. Thought it was odd. Ignored it.

March 31- Leaned on the truck seat and got a wet spot on one breast and thought that was really odd since B is only nursing 2x a day and it wasn’t even close to time yet.

April 1 – Decided to test 4 days early. At first, I wasn’t sure. So I went and checked with your daddy. He thought there were 2 lines. Hmm. Need more tests.

April 2-4th- Praying for a healthy, happy, strong baby if pregnancy is confirmed and continues.

April 5- Officially one day late. Re-tested with a different test with 2 windows. Definitely pregnant! Yeah! You’re the size of a poppy seed!

April 10- You know, feeling a bit nauseated this morning. Huh.

April 18- Hmm actual nausea. Tender ‘nursing area’. Tired. Guess it’s official. You are the size of a lentil. You know, for a lentil you’re causing a lot of trouble 😉

April 20 (a Saturday)- Glad I grabbed a container of mints from the store. I think I needed 4 while prepping dinner. Awesome.

April 22-Wow nausea off and on all night, refreshing, good thing I bought some mints in a handy dandy container. Hmm. I seem to be repeating myself, but those things are awesome!

April 25- Pickles, you are my friend. Decided to look for maternity jeans. Lack of appetite means I have lost 3 lbs. Ouch.

April 26- False alarm, all I needed was pizza. Back up 1.5 lbs (after breakfast).. hmm. Today I actually feel a bit rounder. I can’t believe that’s possible, given that you are only the size of a blueberry. Good times.

April 29- I want salsa. Also cheeseball with crackers. Turkey and noodles. Pizza. Anything someone else fixes. For the love of God, Gravy! Yum!

May 1- U/S in one week. Fingers crossed.

May 3- My pants are starting to get tight. That’s never good.

May 4- Some odd pelvic pressure today that relieved with standing. Additional stomach pain that ended up as gas. Root beer busted that up! Urp. Excuse me! This gas thing is for the birds. By the way, if a bird farts, can anyone tell, or is it just carried away by the wind and we’re none the wiser? Ponder for the day.

May 7-I got my first ‘you look tired’ today. That was helpful. Ha!

May 8- PICTURE DAY! We have a HEARTBEAT! We have pictures, and we are so happy! Enough said!

May 13-Wow, belly pop. This is going to be hard to hide!

May 16-Gran was here today. Earlier in the day had some light bleeding, possibly from the chorional hemorrhage they found in the U/S last week. Probably nothing to worry about. Worrying anyway! ps Gran is excited!

May18-May 22 continued to have dark spots but figured all was okay as Dr. was thinking it was okay.

May 23- pink/red spotting. Called dr to get in. Tested bp at walmart early in the day and it was MUCH lower. Yeah!

May 24-We had quite a scare yesterday as I had cramping and spotting all day. This is why my husband is a keeper–he sped home, sped back, and then waited 2 hours while I was ‘fit in’ to the specialists schedule (my Dr’s US tech went home) and kept the kids occupied in their waiting room. Then he cooked dinner and put the kids to bed. Turns out my bleed is VERY low, so any time I bend over, pick something up, etc. I’m going to see something until the bleed reabsorbs. I had an ultrasound, and baby cooperated nicely! I got to see some wiggles and hear the heartbeat for the first time, I didn’t hear it 2 weeks ago with our regular US tech, not sure why. Apparently the bleed is smaller than it was and baby is measuring larger (11 weeks 3 days at 11 weeks) than normal, so that’s good. Anyway–got some more pictures, and instructions to stay hydrated as I was contracting due to lack of water. After drinking 4 big glasses of water last night it seems like everything is a lot better. I chugged one this morning and then regretted that, I kept it down (along with the tylenol for constant headaches)–but just barely.

June 3-Doing well for the most part about keeping hydrated.  Had a bit more issue after being gone repeatedly from home and drinking less than usual, but seems to have eased again. Dr. Appt today!

June 4- Heard the heartbeat yesterday. All clear. 160s which is right about where it needs to be. My blood pressure was up though, nervous, I guess.

June 28- Here’s how the last couple of weeks have gone—pelvic pain, gas pain, round ligament pain, saying ‘oh shit’ way too many times when I move. Then yesterday I had sciatica. Fun when you can’t walk, but have to drag a leg behind you. Other than that, all is quiet. I think maybe that yesterday I felt a couple of ‘popcorn pops’ against my lower belly, but could be nothing. My blood pressure has been up and then down, like a roller coaster. My next appointment is on Monday, so we’ll see how we’re progressing. All I know is that my belly really has seemed to pop out there the last day or 2. No denying a pregnant belly now!

July 1- Heartbeat in the 150s. Keeley was super impressed to hear the heart beat! My blood pressure was good, doctor seems to think my travel will be cut off mid-November (at least AWAY from the hospital). We picked a hospital based on how they treat their mamas (Dr. says if you want  pampered, go there– works for me!) and still need to take a tour. Ultrasound in 4 weeks!

July 3- I can’t believe how good I’ve felt the last 6 weeks or so. It’s hard to believe I’m pregnant if not for the huge lump that hides my feet. I’m sure getting more movement will help.

July 6- Ordered some new maternity clothes. The same 4 shirts are wearing on me already. Added 4 new and 2 pair of ‘capris’ which may as well be pants on me. Something to wear at home, at the very least. Should be able to wear them post partum/in the hospital/bedtime this winter as well.

July 11-Every time I eat sugar, the baby gives me an internal ‘fist bump’. I take this as wholehearted agreement to continue sugar intake on a regular (if limited) basis.

___________________________________________

18 weeks—

Fruit/Veggie Comparison: Baby is the size of a bell pepper. See picture 4 year old took of me holding said type of pepper.

Shape: My belly is the size of Pluto: Not quite its own planet, but close. I can’t see my own feet. Strangely, that makes me happy.

Food: I would be eternally grateful if someone would just drop off food at my house and/or just tell me what to eat. Except for a brief time around the end of April (where everything sounded good), nothing has sounded good. Breakfast and lunch are completely random and sometimes interchangeable. I eat so I don’t get sick.

Least favorite thing: All the random aches and pains.

Most favorite thing: Those ‘popcorn pop’ flutters that let me know baby is saying hello.

Mental state: Disbelief/hope/massive anxiety

Preparation: Right now, I’m preparing to prepare. Making a mental list of items like [postpartum foods, make in October; diapers-sort, repair, buy more, request to review, tie dye?; go through clothes in case we have a boy and make a list of needed items for the next 2 years and make that his/my Christmas list–if girl, discard list and use hand me downs; child care for surgery day and days after; Christmas/birthday list for kids and plans to wrap presents before baby arrives] — In other words, I’m not getting anything done, but I’m thinking about it.