Ultrasound

Baby is healthy and good. Didn't do any flips or anything but was stretching fingers out and clasping hands together and kicking its legs around a bit. It's a pretty stationary baby and was pretty good for the tech except at one point. Placenta is on the front wall which unfortunately means I won't feel kicks for a while since baby has to be strong enough to feel through the placenta and all other things. Heart rate is still normal for its age.

Front of face

 Knees to thighs

 Ankles crossed

 Ankles crossed again

 Feet with toes

 Side shot

 Head

 Head again

 Head shot #3

 Head shot #4. I think baby has its hand by its face in this one

 Left arm

 Right arm

 Left hand up by its face

Dr. appointment stuff

BP was lower than 2 weeks ago... 125/62 instead of 135/something... that's good news. He wants me to rest for 1.5 hours twice a day on my days off and probably also once a day on days I work. Also wants me to drink 3-4 cups of milk or supplement with some extra calcium. I've got to watch swelling in feet and fingers and blurry vision and such in case BP problems arise but all is good. Baby measuring right on track at 18cm fundal height with 148 BPM.

We also got 4 diapers and a play mat for $20 total off CL today. Good finds :)

18 weeks

No differences this week as far as I can tell. I can't tell if baby is kicking yet because for some reason I focus on the little twitches and heart beats (which are always stronger) when I try take some time to pay attention to baby. Oh well. It will happen soon enough!

Ultrasound this friday and a dr. appointment to check my blood pressure on thursday.

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!

Last week

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This week

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Public

That's it. We're out.

Work was this poem:
There's someone tiny growing inside,
Whose presence now we just can't hide!
They'll come to this world in late September,
A date I hope you'll all remember.
GUESS WHO?! :)

I didn't realize it said THEY until someone pointed it out to me... lol oops. No, no twins here. But people started a "not me" list where they wrote their names down if it WASN'T them who was pregnant. I guess it helped them narrow it down a bit. It was really funny.

Telling my student was the highlight of my day! I told him first thing. It started with me telling him to come over to the room I was in because I had to talk to him about something. He double checked that it was good news. I told him yes. When he came in the room I said, "I have a secret to tell you" and he loves secrets. I told him "I'm going to have a baby in September". He started GRINNING. So cute. Then I asked him if he was excited because of course he was grinning like crazy. He told me he was processing. So he was silent for a few seconds and then tells me, "okay! I'm excited!" It was epic-ly awesome. So I mentioned to him that it meant I would be home with the baby in September and asked him if he was curious about what that meant for him. He seemed curious but didn't seem to care enough to go and chat with my boss and see if she had information for him.

At the end of the day another student was standing staring at my belly and he put his hand on his own belly. Lol, his E.A. told him but I hadn't known. It was cute. I told my student that and he told me that a few years ago he wouldn't know why that mattered. He also told me a joke:

A little girl comes home from school and says to her mom, "Mommy I learned how to make babies today." Her mom says, "How do you make babies?" The little girl says, "Change the Y to an I and add E-S"... lmao!

Facebook was this picture:

It got about 5 comments and maybe 10 likes from about 11am to 4pm. When I got home I posted my Baby Gaga update and more comments started coming. I'll go post my 9 week U/S picture tonight probably because there's still plenty of people who haven't commented.

No U/S + Retail Therapy

Well the clinic screwed up and my nightmare came true. I got no ultrasound. With the whole messed up stuff back with my 9 week ultrasound where my doctor asked for it to be scheduled within 7-10 days and they had me scheduled for 8 weeks from then (which was today), they never gave the memo to my dr. that they had cancelled that appointment and just moved me to the 9 week one. The doctor confirmed with me on thursday that I had an u/s appointment today. Such bull.

The lady in the clinic was a cold heartless bitch too. I don't say things like that about people very often but she didn't even react or apologize for the mix up or anything. She told us that they were booked solid until the middle of May. Like that really made me feel better. The paperwork from my dr. was for the first u/s and they had no 45 min slot to give me and even if they had, they wouldn't have taken me because of the paperwork. Even when I started bawling she didn't react. It's the most upset I've been in a LONG LONG time. Oh these hormones are screwing with me.

So DH got on the phone with the doctor's office and explained what was going on. They called the u/s clinic and had the Dr. himself call them. I'm not sure if anything came of that because the clinic has an answering machine 24/7 and they return the calls but the dr. office told me that they would fax in the papers and tell them I needed an u/s within the next 7-10 days. They also confirmed, in nicer words, that the lady in the clinic was always a cold heartless bitch to them as well and always was. Nice of her to be dealing with many pregnant hormonal women while working for a GOVERNMENT run clinic...

So I cried lots and I was so upset. I still am. This mix up totally screwed up my announcement at work tomorrow. I'd been planning on announcing with the picture in the staff room and a "Guess Who" underneath for a LONG LONG time. I'm going to need to find a new way to do it now :(

DH and I went to Thyme Maternity for some retail therapy. It made me feel a lot better. I got a 3 pc pajamas set (in my hands), as well as the purpley pink shirt and the grey lounge pants. I also got to chat with another pregnant woman there (first time I've been further along than the other shopper) and talk to her about her work (in a school) and announcing to work and point out some of my favourite clothing there! She actually bought the shirt I pointed out to her (2nd picture)!

 

Fine...

Ok it doesn't help that the zoom is off quite a bit. I concede. I'm showing a bit...

17 weeks

People are telling me I'm showing. I keep telling them that I'm taking weekly pictures and I can compare 5 weeks to now and there's only a slight difference... oh people. I want to show, trust me, but I'm pretty sure you're confusing my chub for baby right now. Ultrasound tomorrow and then public announcement on wednesday!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling. Wear low-heeled shoes to reduce your risk of taking a tumble; trauma to your abdomen could be dangerous for you and your baby. You'll also want to be sure to buckle up when you're in a car — keep the lap portion of the seat belt under your belly, drawn snugly across your hips, and also use the shoulder harness, which should fit snugly between your breasts.

You may also notice your eyes becoming drier. Using over-the-counter lubricating drops may help. If your contact lenses become uncomfortable, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If you still have discomfort, switch to glasses until after you give birth.

Last week:

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This week:

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Best comebacks for belly grabbers

When someone comes to touch your belly. Squeeze there's right back. They will give you this weird look and simply respond "if you can touch mine why can't I touch yours" This is really great is the person is fat!!

"I might find some cute guys ass a "miracle" but I would not presume to touch it, just cuz I think it is cute!!"

I politely inform them that unwanted touching does constitute sexual harrassment. They quickly remove their hands and move on. It IS my body and not public domain.

I hated when people touched my belly!!! So here's a few things that I tried. Number one question..."when are you due?" Look at them with a shocked face and say "um...I'm not pregnant" and walk away quickly. Or when you see someone walking toward you to touch your belly stare off to the side. If they ask to touch your belly explain that you are losing your site and ask to touch their face...if they say yes be a little rough with their face to they want to get away from you. Lastly if they don't ask and they touch your belly tell then that the slightest amount of pressure on your stomach makes you extremely ill and tell them they may want to back away before you get sick. I was once with a friend who had a woman grab her belly and my friend began to chant a funny sound. When the woman asked what she was doing my friend told her she was helping her baby to absorb the womans soul. You should have seen how fast she walked away. Hope it helps or gave you a laugh.

When I was 8 months pregnant with my daughter, a man I didn't know came up to me in the grocery store and without even saying a word to me, put his hands on my bump! My husband's reaction was PRICELESS! Without saying a word, he reached out to the strange man and "cupped" the man's privates! The man jumped back and said "what do you think you are doing touching me?!?" My husband calmly said, "what do you think it's like for a pregnant woman to be touched by a stranger... anything like what just happened to you?" The man turned to me and apologized and walked away. I didn't know what to say to my husband after the incident, but I have never felt so protected in my whole life!

Say loudly and firmly "Don't touch me". The offender will find that no one will want to be around them, especially people with children.

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My opinions:

• my belly, not yours
• you didn't put baby in there, so don't assume you have full rights to touch
• ask before touching (even family)
• permission to touch does not give full rights to touch anytime you want, just that time
• right now I'm not showing so don't even think about touching

My opinions might change but right now I feel gross and the idea of someone touching my chub freaks me out. We'll see if things change once it's all baby out there.

Dr. appointment update

• Baby was easy to find heartbeat. Nice and strong the Dr. said at 148 bpm
• Weight gain is normal for this point
• My blood pressure is up from about 120ish to about 136ish so I'm going back in 2 weeks to check again and he'll put me on meds if there's any concern at that point.

Hopefully I can put the blood pressure worries out of my head since the Dr. said not to worry anyways. I'll see him in 2 weeks and see the baby next week.

16 weeks

No changes from last week. Nothing interesting to report except that we told all family this week and one week from Wednesday we will be publicly out on facebook and at work. Ultrasound next Tuesday.

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

How your life's changing:

The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.

In the pics below, there seems to be a significant difference in baby's size from last week.

Here's what baby looks like this week vs. last week:

Last week:

This week:

Free diaper

So while messing around on the cloth diaper board on babycenter on friday, someone posted about a giveaway that a WAHM (work at home mom) was running. She took all her diapers she had listed on her hyena cart store and had her son pick one and attached a golden snap to it. The winner would get a FFS (free for shipping) custom diaper.

She doesn't normally ship to Canada but she shipped to me anyways. Today I logged into babycenter and had a message from her telling me that I won. More than 3/4 of the diapers in her shop had been sold and about half of them had been received by the buyers already. She wanted to keep people interested, I guess, so she sent me the picture of her son holding up the diaper he picked so that I could announce it even though my diaper was still in the mail.

So this is the diaper that won :) We will be choosing the fabrics and such tonight and we'll let her know. She will ship the custom to MIL's house in Nevada so that I can get it in the summer.

15 weeks

Not feeling all that much different this week. No seabands in over a week now. Toothbrush caused me to lose my breakfast yesterday morning but no nausea it seems. 

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.

If you're having amniocentesis, it'll most likely happen between now and 18 weeks. This test can identify hundreds of genetic and chromosomal disorders. If you're getting very anxious while waiting for the results, it may help to know that most women who undergo amniocentesis get good news about their babies — bringing welcome relief from their worries.

Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.

Here's what baby looks like this week vs last week:

Week 14:

Week 15: