15 Weeks and the Emergence of the Belly

 

As you can see, my belly is definitely starting to protrude.  Although, I have to say, it is definitely not this big in the morning. 

We went to visit our first day care facility today.  I think it was a bit of a shock to both of us.  It looks like a prison hospital ward and had an overall "cold" feeling.  I knew this was going to be hard for me, but it may prove to be harder then I thought.  Most of you who know me know that I have a hard time trusting anyone, which just seems to be getting worse the older I get (funny seeing as when I was younger I trusted  anyone and everyone way too much).  So that will most likely be the first hurdle for me to get over.  I think once we start looking at more places, we will find a place that feels right to both of us.

I had a mini-meltdown this week.  I had a doctor's appointment Monday and found out I have gained 9 pounds since my first appointment.  I know some of you may think I'm being ridiculous about the weight gain and you may be right.  But it's something I never imagined to be as hard as it is.  I have gone up a total of 3 dress sizes so far, although I know much of it is due to the increase in breast size.  I have completely stopped weighing myself at home and limit my weigh-ins only to the doctor's office.  I also do not look at the actual weight on the scale when I'm there and, instead, just ask for my total weight gain.  Now that I'm starting to show, I think it will become much easier.  

Another new development.  I have officially decided that I'd like to go through labor and delivery med-free.  However, I know that the unexpected often happens and will not force myself beyond what I'm comfortable with once I go into labor.  We've decided to take a 12-week course in the Bradley Method, which prepares you and your body, as well as your birth coach (Scott), for a med-free birth.  I think most of my apprehension stems from the fact that I am more nervous for an epidural then the actual delivery and I really hate the idea of being numb through the labor and delivery.  So there's not much else we can do other than be prepared for any situation. 

I think it's about that time to start completing the weekly pregnancy quiz, so I'll end with that...

How Far along: 15 Weeks 2 Days

Weight gain: 9 lbs as of Monday's doctor's appointment

Maternity Clothes?: For the most part.  I only have two pairs of maternity pants that I can wear to work and one pre-pregnancy pair of pants that I can wear with the BeBand.  While I don't necessarily need them, they are SO comfortable.  I don't think I will ever want to go back to regular pants! As far as shirts, I do a mixture, but for the most part wear a tank and cardigan to work.  Pretty soon, I'm going to have to invest in some suits/dresses for when I have to go to court.

Stretch Marks?: Nope.  I have been slathering myself with Palmer's lotion every morning.  I know a lot of people don't believe it works and it could just be in my head.  But if it makes me happy in my head, I guess that's enough.  I have also heard stretch marks are hereditary and my mom never got them, so I have my fingers crossed.

Sleep?: Much better since I bought my Snoogle.  I was sleeping horribly for weeks.  It got a bit uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach, which is what I'm used to.  So I tried to sleep on my side, as recommended for pregnant women, but would constantly rolled on my back.  Scott told me every time I'd roll on my back, I'd begin hyperventilating my sleep, so he'd wake me up to roll over several times throughout the night.  The Snoogle has really helped.  I usually put it behind me to stop me from rolling onto my back. However, I do occasionally wake up on top of the pillow...

Best Moment this week?: Listening to the baby's heartbeat again.

Movement?: Nothing yet.

Food Craving?: Nothing in particular.  Usually, it's more that I'll see someone eating something or someone will bring something up and, all of a sudden, I want it!

Gender?: We'll find out on November 19th at the Anatomy Scan!!

Labor Signs: Way too early for that!

What I miss?: Hearing the comments from people with zero tact.

What I'm looking forward to?: Our next appointment...the Anatomy Scan!  And our first Bradley Method class next Tuesday.

Emotions: It can change in a split second!  I seriously could be angry one minute and hysterical laughing the next...very confusing.

Remember Me?

I know it's been awhile...it's been an busy couple of weeks.  We went out to Indiana to visit my sisters a couple of weeks ago.  The trip was way too short, but I'm glad we got to visit.  I'm hoping to get back out there for at least one more weekend before the baby comes.  

I was also able to spend some time (although not nearly enough) with my two old friends, Rob and Jen, this weekend.  It still amazes me that you can get so busy that you can't find time to see people that live less then 2 hours away! 

These last couple of weeks, I've begun to experience some of the not so glamorous symptoms of pregnancy, including constipation and severe headaches (I'm sure you all wanted to know that). But I've also started feeling more comfortable in general.  My bloat has almost completely disappeared, which feels SO much better!

I also think I'm beginning to feel a little better about my weight gain.  I have had a much more difficult time then I ever would have expected with the pregnancy weight gain.  For those of you who don't know, I used to be much heavier then I am now.  About four a half years ago, I lost about 40 pounds through Weight Watchers.  So, while the doctor says the weight I have gained is right on track for an average pregnancy, seeing those numbers on the scale go up hasn't been the easiest thing to accept.  

This past couple of weeks, I have also started to stock up on some maternity clothes.  I could definitely get away with wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes--using the extenders for many of my pants, etc.--but maternity pants keep the pressure off my belly.  I still switch back and forth between my old and new clothes and, for the most part, still wear my pre-pregnancy clothes outside of work.  

So far, I have found some really good buys at Old Navy, Target, and Kohls.  I also ordered a few things from JCPenney, but most of them are going back as they are HUGE even though they are a size small.  I have been stocking up on a lot of cardigans (maternity and non-maternity) with tanks and camis for underneath.  I figured this was a good way to get some new clothes for work without feeling like I was wasting a ton of money, since I could continue to wear the cardigans post-pregnancy.  A couple purchases I am dreading....a winter coat and a business suit...neither is going to be cheap.

So, now that I've babbled about the time I've been away, here are some long overdue pictures...

 

 13 Weeks 3 days

 

14 weeks

You can definitely see the belly now, although some days it's there and some days it's not, so we'll see how I look next week.  Don't mind my completely disheveled look...I was going on 24 hours with a migraine by this point.

And here's some pictures from our visit to Indiana a couple weeks ago:

 

Love watching the games from the box!

 Allie's Birthday Dinner!

 

Too many saki bombs for Scott!

 

 

Saki Saki Saki BOMB! 

The Big E, 12 Weeks Preggers and First Trimester Screening

We've been busy!  We spent all day Saturday at the Big E to celebrate Scott's birthday.  We enjoyed good friends and beautiful weather (although a bit too hot at times) and ate ourselves stupid.  I am almost ashamed to say everything I put in my belly that day, but keep in mind that I seldom ate anything on my own.  For the most part, Scott and I split everything or I just had a bite or two of someone's food.  Well, here goes nothing (in no particular order)...

• Lobster Roll
• Clam Chowder Bread Bowl
• Loaded Maine Baked Potato
• Corn on the Cob (I chose not to have mine dipped in butter)
• Flat Bread Pizza
• Lobster Ravioli
• Pumpkin Ravioli
• Macaroons
• Apple Cider Donuts
• Corn Dog
• Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream
• Craz-E Burger (I couldn't even fathom having more than a bite of this)
• Apple Slices

Here are a few pictures to go along with that visual...

I actually made it all the way to Monday morning before I started to feel sick from everything I ate that day, but it was so worth it!

On another note...I hit 12 weeks yesterday!  Here is the new belly pic...

Definitely starting to see a little something...although it could still just be bloat.  I was super excited at my appointment last week when the doctor told me I had only gained 4 lbs since my 6 week appointment.  It may not look like it, but it easily feels like an extra 20!

Scott and I also went to my first trimester screening this morning.  Because the baby was being stubborn (big shocker), she/he wouldn't turn the way the technician needed her/him too, so we were able to watch our baby on the ultrasound screen for nearly a hour until the doctor came in and, miraculously, got the baby to turn the right way.  In the meantime, we were able to get some amazing shots!  

As we were trying to get the baby to move to the right position, he/she just 

kicked up a leg, put his/her hands behind his/her head and just laid back (above)!

It's amazing how much the baby moves around when I still can't feel it!  The doctor said everything looks great!  I am still measuring right on for an April 11, 2011 due date and it doesn't look like we have a high risk for down syndrome.  We will be having our anatomy scan (another ultrasound) at about 18-20 weeks to find out the sex...stay tuned!

Almost forgot....Scott gave me my anniversary present early (our first anniversary is on Sunday) and I love it!!!

11 Weeks and Scott's Surprise Party

I hit 11 weeks today!  Don't mind the hot mess...I just got back from the gym...and the shadowing makes  my butt look a lot bigger then it is...I swear!  ALL of the bloating I've been experiencing for the last month or two subsided on Saturday morning and I felt SO skinny again!  Unfortunately, it all came back starting yesterday afternoon. 

On Saturday, I threw a surprise party for Scott's 30th birthday.  Since his birthday isn't until the 25th, he was completely caught off guard!  I threw the party at the house and as a result, unfortunately, had to keep it smaller then I would have liked.  But we had a great time!  Pictures to follow...

I have my monthly appointment tomorrow afternoon and a nurse's appointment right before to discuss our family medical histories.  Then we have our first trimester screening next Tuesday, which means another ultrasound picture to come!

10 weeks and blood tests

Here I am today at 10 weeks 1 day and starting to feel HUGE!  

I know it may not look like it, but one of the biggest symptoms I have been experiencing is bloating.  It's made it so that I pretty much only fit into one pair of my work pants comfortably.  

I bought the BeBand from Target:

It makes it so that I can leave my pants unbuttoned so I can continue to wear my pants awhile longer. I have only worn it with my jeans and it tends to shift around a bit, but at least it's a lot more comfortable then squeezing the button closed on them!  The only problem I can foresee is when I can no longer zipper my jeans...I don't know if this elastic band would continue to keep my pants up and in place once that happens.  

I also haven't been entirely comfortable wearing it with my work pants.  I don't know that it would stay in place against the silkier material.  So I bought this in the hopes it will help me stay in my pre-pregnancy pants awhile longer:

Now I just need to start investing in longer shirts to wear for work to cover the extender.

I finally started working out again today.  I have been so exhausted by the time I get home, I haven't had the energy to go to the gym in a week and a half.  It seems to be a vicious cycle...I oversleep, am exhausted all day, plan to leave work early between 5-530 and get to bed no later then 10, and then I wind up getting a second wind about 830-9, which keeps me up until at least midnight.  

I also just got the results from my prenatal blood tests back today.  Everything looked normal and I do not carry the cystic fibrosis gene (YAY!).  If I did carry the gene, then Scott would have been tested (both parents have to carry the gene for it to be transferred to the baby).  Even if we did both carry it, I think there was only a 25% chance of passing it on.  Luckily, we don't even have to think that far.

My blood tests also showed that I have an 0 positive blood type (I know, I should have known this already).  I took a look at eating for your blood type (http://www.dadamo.com/bloodtype_O.htm).  Very interesting stuff:

"Type O diet, which focuses on lean, organic meats, vegetables and fruits and avoid wheat and dairy which can be triggers for digestive and health issues in Type O. Additionally, he suggests that Type O’s avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can be particularly harmful because of its tendency to raise adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are already high for Type O’s."

Research shows that when Type O's have a poor diet (high in carbs), lack of exercise, or elevated stress levels, they are more vulnerable to negative metabolic effects, including insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid activity, and weight gain. 

It might explain why I've been so unbelievably sluggish lately and gaining weight like crazy so early on in this pregnancy.  I have been eating an excess of carbs over the last month or so to curb my nausea.  I'm going to try to reduce the amount of carbs and increase the protein I've been eating...hopefully that will do the trick!

9 Weeks and Ohio Visit

I know it's been awhile since my last post.  I promise I'll start posting more regularly from now on.  On Labor Day weekend, we went to visit Scott's parents and his brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Nicole.  They just had a beautiful baby boy, named Grayson, almost 7 weeks ago. Here's the cutie:

I swear he's going to be a runner one day...he's always moving!  It was so nice to see everyone...can't wait to head back out for Thanksgiving!

Since we would be out there, we decided it would be the perfect time to tell Scott's family about Grayson's soon-to-be cousin.  We bought Grayson this as a gift to break the news:

And, finally, here's my 9 week picture (well, 9 weeks 2 days), albeit a week late...definitely getting (and feeling) bigger:

8 Weeks!!

I hit the 8 week mark today, so I thought it was about time to start posting weekly belly pics.  There's not much right now, although you might think there is.  I am unbelievably bloated, which is quite uncomfortable.  But from what I hear and read, the bloat will go away in the next few weeks and then my belly will start to grow.  

Other then the bloat, I am getting a lot of other symptoms this week....the exhaustion is almost incapacitating at times.  Yesterday, I had all these plans to get my long list of errands done.  I woke up early, went for an eyebrow wax, got my nails done, took some family pictures for a friend of mine and then came home to check in on Scott and his brother, who were doing some electrical work at the house.  Within 5 minutes, I was passed out on the couch...for the next 3-4 hours!!  I was groggy the rest of the day, until about 9:30pm when I got a second wind.  And then, of course, I kept waking up throughout the night, either to use the bathroom or with a nausea spell.

Next topic to keep a lookout for....road rage...but for now, I leave you with my first belly pics...

First Ultrasound!

We had our first ultrasound today!!  So far, everything looks great.  We're measuring at about 7 weeks, just as we thought.  Counting from my last period, my EDD (Estimated Due Date) is April 12, 2011 and the measurements from the ultrasound put me at an EDD of April 10, 2011. 

Though we didn't hear the heartbeat, Scott was able to see it!  It really put our minds at ease.  

Not much else to report today, so I will just leave you with this...

The round circle all the way to the right is the yolk sac (an early food supply for the baby).  In the middle (the thickest part) is the head and all the way to the left is the baby's little butt!

Starting to tell!!

It's so nice to finally start telling people that we're pregnant!!  Last night, we had dinner with my parents and youngest sister.  She left today to begin college in Indiana, so we gave her a "going away present."  It was an "I Love My Aunt" frame that said "Coming Soon" where the picture goes.  It took her a minute to get it, but the tears started flowing once she did!  I think everyone was in a bit of shock, but VERY excited!  

And I just got the phone call from Indiana...my parents gave my other sister her "gift."  Apparently, she didn't quite get it and her response was "what the hell is this?"  HAHA.  Of course, until my dad put me on the phone to confirm the news.  I do wish my sisters were going to be here through my pregnancy, but I'll keep them updated through pictures and skype.

We are still keeping our news quiet, until after Labor Day weekend when we go out to Ohio to visit Scott's parents and meet our new nephew! I think the only other people we will tell before then is Scott's youngest brother and his wife.  We plan to have dinner with them this weekend.

In other news, we have our first ultrasound tomorrow.  We can't wait!!  We will finally find out exactly how far along I am and our estimated due date! 

First Appointment

We had our first appointment yesterday!  Even though I knew it was a bit too early for an ultrasound, I did think we would be doing more then we did. First, we met with the nurse and gave her all the important information (i.e., the first day of my last period), weight, blood pressure, urine test and went over the basic medical information.  

Once the doctor came in, it was time for the physical exam.  Scott stayed in the room and, even though he is extremely curious, I made him stand up by my head while the doctor performed the exam.  She said it feels like I'm about 6 weeks, but did not give me an estimated due date.  We were told that the ultrasound technician can measure the baby and tell me exactly how far along I am!

We then met with the doctor in her office and went over the basics...things I should stay away from (i.e. cat litter, lunch meat, etc.), what medications I can take, what types of tests are coming up, our upcoming travel plans, etc.  

O, I almost forgot...I feel like I've been abnormally hungry over the last couple weeks and all but one of my work pants are uncomfortable on me now (not good at 6 weeks!).  The doctor said this is normal...some women lose weight their first trimester because they are so nauseous and other women have an increased appetite.  I have been getting mild nausea pretty much every day, but I almost have the triggers figured out (being overly hungry and being overly full).  The doctor said it could ramp up over the next couple weeks and, if it does, my appetite will likely go down.

I have to go to the lab and get some blood tests done over the next week or so and our first ultrasound is scheduled for next Wednesday, August 25...we can't wait!!  I can't wait to hear my baby's heartbeat and see him/her fluttering around in there.  Once the ultrasound has been completed, we will be scheduling our First Trimester Prenatal Screening.  This isn't a required test, but it will tell us if there is an increased chance of having a baby with down syndrome trisomy 18.  This test has to be done at a very specific time in the pregnancy (a span of 2-3 weeks), so we need to wait until we have our EDD (Estimated Due Date) before we can schedule the test.  We have also scheduled our "nurse's appointment," where we review our medical history and the history of our families, and our next check-up with the doctor.  

This is so hard!

As I mentioned in my first post, we have decided to wait until after our first prenatal appointment before telling anyone we are pregnant.  Initially, Scott was adamant that we wait until a full 3 months before telling anyone, but the excitement has won over.  

Unfortunately, this is a very difficult month to keep such exciting news a secret.  Last weekend, we had my youngest sister's high school graduation party.  Yesterday, we saw almost all of my extended family at my cousin's college graduation party.  Next Saturday, we will see a good portion of our closest friends at the annual pig roast and the following weekend, we will see most of Scott's extended family at his cousin's son's first birthday party.  Craziness!

While my entire family pushed me to drink yesterday, Scott was having an increasingly difficult time not telling everyone.  How can you blame him?  We're so excited and we want to share that excitement with the people who mean the most to us!  But in the end, my dad wasn't there yesterday and we still haven't had our first prenatal appointment yet.

We have planned to tell my parents and youngest sister the night before she leaves for college--a week from tomorrow.  Unfortunately, my other sister left to go back to Indiana today and we weren't ready to tell anyone yet, so I will have to come up with an inventive way to tell her over the phone.  

We won't be seeing Scott's parents until Labor Day weekend, when we go out to Ohio to see our new nephew, so telling our extended family and friends will need to wait until after that.  It's getting much more difficult to keep our news a secret.  

Fortunately, we only have 3 more days to wait until our first prenatal appointment.  I think the only reason I am hesitant to tell anyone before then is in the rare event that something goes wrong and we don't find out until our appointment.  I know things can still go wrong even after our first appointment and the chances of miscarriage are highest during the first trimester, but I will feel much more comfortable after the doctor confirms my estimated due date and tells us that, as of right now, everything looks good!

Exercise

My weight has always fluctuated...I've gone from a size 10 to a size 8 when I was doing kickboxing to a size 14 by my second year of law school.  I finally had enough....I quit smoking after 10 years in October 2005 and joined Weight Watchers in March 2006.  It did wonders!  I was down to a size 2/4 in 6 months.  

While I was able to get my eating under control, exercise was a whole other story.  I've always had a hard time working out...I get bored easily or push myself too hard too quick and hurt myself.  Then, in January 2008, I joined Planet Fitness and my friend (now my husband) set me up with a great workout plan.  By March 2008, I really felt the difference in my body and could tell I was getting firmer.  But then life went haywire and got way too busy to make it to the gym every day.  So I've struggled on and off for the last couple of years to get back into that mode...going through spurts of working out for a few months at a time.  

Now that I'm pregnant, I really want to make sure I don't blow up like a balloon!  I've also heard being in shape does wonders for your pregnancy, labor and recovery.  So, I started using the workout room in our development this week...so far I've worked out three days this week.  I'm still a little nervous about pushing myself too hard; at least until I have my first prenatal appointment next week.  As a result, I've been doing 30 minutes of cardio and some light strength training.  Starting next week, I will also be adding one night of yoga and two nights of pilates.  My weekly workout plan will consist of yoga, pilates, and 2-3 days of cardio/strength training.  I really think diversity in my workouts will keep me coming back!

The only problem I've noticed so far is shortness of breath.  I read that shortness of breath can begin very early in a pregnancy, but I never imagined it would be this early!  I almost feel like I'm a smoker again!  I'm hoping that slowly lengthening my cardio workouts will help with that.  

Wish me luck!

I'm pregnant!!

I can't believe it!

Ok...let me back up...

I went off the pill at the end of April, after much discussion about starting to try for kids. We followed the doctor's instructions and used a second form of birth control for a month before we actively started TTC (trying to conceive). After a couple months of actively TTC and our lives getting progressively more busy, we decided to hold off for a little bit.

About a month went by when we discussed it again and decided (last Sunday, August 1) that we would start trying again...that there was never going to be a time in our lives when we wouldn't be busy. It's how we are...we pack our schedules and run ourselves ragged and we thrive on it.

It just so happened that I had one last dollar store pregnancy test left and, for some unknown reason, I decided to take it that night...maybe it was the fact that my skin had started breaking out like never before or the fact that I hadn't started spotting a few days before my period was due like I usually did or maybe it was just me being neurotic (also a usual occurrence).

Anyway, I took the test...and low and behold, there was a VERY faint second line. I called Scott upstairs and asked him to look at it, so that I knew I wasn't crazy and the faint line actually was there. I had never seen that before. All of a sudden, my heart sped up and my mind starting going a mile a minute.

Unfortunately, I decided to take this test at 11:30 on a Sunday night, when I had to be up for work at 5:30 am. Needless to say, we didn't sleep at all! Well, I didn't sleep at all...Scott was able to fall asleep around 3am and I continued to poke him to stop his snoring for the rest of the night.

I made it through the next day at work without sleeping one minute and ran to the first CVS I passed on my drive home, buying two more tests. I took them as soon as I get home and low and behold...

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

By my calculations, I will be 5 weeks tomorrow and am due April 12, 2011. Of course, that could all change after our first prenatal appointment on August 18. Of course, I will keep you all updated!

I still can't believe it! We're going to have a baby!!

Along with this excitement comes a lot of questions, concerns and fears. I currently live in Connecticut and work in New York as an associate for a firm specializing in the defense of insurance agents and brokers. Heavy litigation...not exactly the kind of place that a pregnant woman thrives...so my mind continues to wander...

How will the partners at my firm react? How will my nearly one hour commute (one-way) feel when I'm 8 months pregnant? What happens if I get a nausea spell in the middle of Court? I know this is all natural, but at the same time it's very daunting.

For right now, we're taking one step at a time. We haven't told anyone about our life-changing news yet. We are waiting until after our appointment next week, at which time we will tell our parents and, subsequently, our extended families and friends.

Even with all the uncertainty, I can't help but be giddy! I can't wait to get a big belly and, eventually, hold my child's hand and teach them all about the world.