Eleven Weeks, 2 Days - The Twelth Week

My Symptoms
I feel much better this week. I have hardly any nausea, although I'm still being picky about what I eat. Speaking of eating, I'm hungry! All the time. I eat every two to three hours, but still not everything sounds that great. Unless it's potatos. Mashed, french fries, chips, I don't care. I thought fatigue was getting better, but this weekend really wiped me out. Maybe I haven't been as tired because I've been going to bed early and napping whenever I get the chance. The waistline is also expanding. I'm still seriously considering wearing maternity tomorrow. Nothing too obvious, but my regular clothes are just too tight. If only I had a real belly instead of just looking fat. I promise to do another belly picture soon. What else, oh yes. The heartbeat. I love the sound. I listen twice a day. The baby must move around alot too. It's never in the same place and there are some weird sounds that just might be movement. I can't wait until I get to feel it. Ok, here's what the resources say will happen this week.

The Baby
Your baby weighs between 0.3 and 0.5 ounce (8 to 14g), and crown-to-rump length is almost 2.5 inches. The baby's size has almost doubled in the past 3 weeks. Length of the baby is a better measure at this time than fetal weight. Few, if any, stuctures in the baby are formed after this week in pregnancy. However, the structures already formed continue to grow and develop. At your 12-week visit (or close to that time), you'll probably be able to hear your baby's heartbeat! The skeletal system now has center of bone formation in most bones. Fingers and toes have separate, and nails are growing. Scattered rudiments of hair appear on the body. External genitalia are beginning to show distinct signs of male or female sex characteristics. The fetal nervous system has developed further. Your baby is moving inside your uterus, but you won't feel it for a while yet.

The fetus’s urinary tract is on line, and the fingernails are growing. A big portion of the amniotic fluid from this point on will be baby urine. Your fetus is looking like a baby and has advanced to the stage that its brain can transmit messages. Vocal chords are complete, and the child can and does sometimes cry (silently). The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. The fetus may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.

Your baby's hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce. Her face is beginning to look more human. Her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, have moved closer together on her face, and her ears are near their final positions on the sides of her head. Your baby's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into her abdominal cavity about now. Her kidneys are secreting urine into her bladder. Her nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. Your baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and she'll even squirm if you prod your abdomen, though you still won't be able to feel her movement for several weeks.

While your baby's brain is not the same size it will be at birth, it does have the same structure. Bile is being secreted by this time. S/he weighs about 14 grams and is approximately 3.54 inches in total length.Your baby has its reflexes and also practice movements in the digestive tract. All of this in preparation for extrauterine life. If your practitioner uses a doppler, you may be able to hear your baby's heart beat at this office visit. It will sound very fast. Some say that they hear clicking or the sounds of horse hooves. Either way it is a joyous sound to hear! Your risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced once you hear this sound.

The Mom
By the end of 12 weeks, your uterus is too large to remain completely in your pelvis. You may feel it above your pubic bone. The uterus has a remarkable ability to grow while you're pregnant. Before pregnancy, your uterus is almost solid. It hold about 0.3 ounce or less. The uterus changes during pregnancy into a comparatively thin-walled, muscular container big enougth to hold the fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid. When your baby is born, your uterus weighs almost 40 ounces comapred to only 2.5 ounces before pregnancy. You are probably starting to feel better than you have for most of your pregnancy. At this point, morning sickness often begins to improve. You aren't extremely big and are probably still quite comfortable. If it's your first pregnancy, you may still be wearing regular clothes. If you've had other pregnancies, you may start to show earlier and feel more comfortable in looser clothing, such as maternity clothes.

You are right on schedule if you've gained 3-10 pounds. Now is a good time to record your growth in your pregnancy journal. Your uterus now rises above your pubic bone. YOU can tell you’re pregnant -- can anybody else? Heartburn and indigestion are common side effects of pregnancy. Try eating small meals more often, avoiding greasy and fatty foods, and sleeping with your top half elevated. Tums (all calcium) are fine -- and have the added advantage of giving you some of the calcium your body needs!

Your uterus is rising above your pelvic bones, and your practitioner can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen. Though you probably won't need maternity clothes for several more weeks yet, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in looser, less restrictive clothing. You may also start getting heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. It's caused by both hormonal and physical changes in your body — and can take the pleasure out of eating a meal or sleeping. Eating small meals and avoiding foods that make the problem worse, such as fried, spicy, or fatty foods, can help.

You may actually start feeling better from your extreme tiredness and nausea this week. Others will hang on to it for awhile longer. Your abdomen may start expanding, especially if this is not your first pregnancy. Your placenta will take over the production of hormones around this time. If you have suffered from corpus luteum cysts they may begin to dissolve now. Your risk of miscarriage is reduced even further.

Heartbeat

They sent the cord! Here is the heartbeat recorded at 10 weeks 5 days. I'll add a link to the sidebar soon.

Accident

So, today's drama.

Our office closed early today for the Memorial Day Weekend holiday. I was leaving the parking garage at about 12:30 p.m. Now I should preface this by saying this parking garage is a little crazy. Some of the ramps are two way and people go around corners pretty quickly.

Anyway, I was coming around the last corner on the way down to the exit. And a guy driving an Infiniti SUV was coming around the corner on the way up. I usually do a pretty good job staying in my lane, so I'm pretty sure I was on my side, but he swung around the corner pretty quickly and hit my car. I saw him coming and almost stopped, but there wasn't really much I could do. The front of his car (left bumper area) hit my drivers side rear door and crunched it up pretty good. It also damaged the back quarter-panel where the wheel well is.

We had a very polite professional exchange of information. He didn't have his wallet with insurance information on him, so he had to call his Dad to bring it down. Apparently he works in the building in his father's law firm. There were two people standing in the area who we took names as witnesses, but I didn't ask them what they saw. I figure we'll let the insurance companies sort it out. He certainly wasn't admitting fault, but I gotta figure, even if I was slightly on his side (which I don't think I was) he should have been driving slow enough that he could have stopped before running into the side of my car.

I called Eric when we were done. He freaked out a bit and told me I should go to the hospital, etc. He was worried about the baby. I compromised and told him I would call my doctor and tell them what happened. If they thought I should come in or go to the hospital I would. Otherwise, I was fine. He agreed. I called and talked to the nurse. Being that it was a low speed impact (under 20 mph), the airbag didn't deploy, and I didn't hit anything (steering wheel, etc.) She said I should be fine. There isn't much she can do. She said if I started cramping or bleeding, to go to the ER, and if I was a little sore, I could take Tylenol or use ice or heat packs. I may be a little sore, but I think we're fine. I took some time for heartbeat searching this afternoon and the little one is still there beating away.

Now to just get my car fixed. Grrrr. I made a claim with my insurance company and have to take my car to the adjuster on Wednesday. Hopefully, they'll agree it was the other guy's fault and get him to cover my deductible. One more thing to do next week. At least no one was hurt.

The Doctor's Appointment

I'm sorry about the delay. I am a few posts behind. I know we'll have two for today, maybe even three if I take some belly pictures this evening. So, anyway, about my appoinment.

My appointment was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. We got there about 5 minutes early and then waited for a long time. The other negative was they made me pay a copay again. They said last time was just an ultrasound visit and since it wasn't my "first appointment", I still owed the copay for that. I didn't really agree, but whatever, even if this baby costs $40 in doctor's fees, I'm still getting a deal. I didn't end up seeing the doctor until about 3:15 p.m. When they took me back I had to leave a urine sample, get weighed, and blood pressure taken. Apparently all seems fine there. Then the nurse asked me to undress from the waist down and wait on the table for Dr. D.

The doctor came in and asked how we were doing. Briefly went over my history to be sure nothing had changed, (i.e., was I satisfied with my negative HIV test from August and didn't need to be tested again, etc.) Then she did a quick Pap. After all that stuff, we got to the interesting part, another ultrasound.

As soon, as we saw the baby I immediately noticed how much bigger it was than last time. They do the measurements in milimeters and the first time it was 13, now it is 36.5. To translate for those of us who aren't that great with metric. Before it was about a 1/2 inch. Now it is about 1 1/2 inches. It's tripled in size in the last three weeks. Before we even started looking for the heartbeat, the baby moved it's head! It was so cool. It wasn't movement like it was floating around, but like it jerked it's head. It was the best part. Then she showed us the heartbeating again. She didn't let us linger and look too long. She printed us two pictures and that was it. On a sidenote, I need to work on getting the pictures to post. We tried scanning them at the neighbor's last night, but they kept getting distorted.

After the exam and ultrasound, she asked if we had any questions. Eric had none, but I asked the important ones. 1. Can I get my hair colored? Answer: Yes. 2. Can I eat blue cheese? Especially, dressing on my chicken wings? Answer: Yes. She wants to see me again in 5 weeks. She mentioned that at that appointment we'll be able to hear the baby. Eric, then brought up that we rented a Doppler and heard it at home. She didn't seem upset, but said she was surprised we heard it. She asked if we were sure it was the baby. She said, she has trouble finding it that early. I'm pretty sure it was the baby. I found my heart rate too, and the baby's was much faster and completely different. Although, sometimes it takes me 10-15 minutes to find it, so I can see why she wouldn't try.

I'm scheduled again for July 1st. My main goal at that appointment will be to convice her to do a 20 week ultrasound at the end of July, to let us know the sex. I think I'll tell her that I'm going to have one done and if she won't do it, I'll go somewhere else and pay out of pocket. I'd rather her do it and have it in my medical records, but if she won't do it until 32 weeks...I just don't want to wait that long.

Also, I've moved my due date to 12/18/04. My estimate based on estimated ovulation was 12/17, the first ultrasound measurements showed 12/18, this ultrasound lost another day and showed 12/19. I'll pick the middle one, and say 12/18, which means I'll be 11 weeks officially tomorrow. I'll do the updates for the upcoming 12th week on Monday after we get back in town. Now, please read my next post about today's drama.

I Broke!

I know that everyone made me promise not to play with the Doppler until after my appointment today, but… It’s Eric’s fault! Actually, I wasn’t going to tell anyone, but the story is kind of cool, so I’m confessing.

I was expecting two packages when I got home from work. The Doppler was tucked inside the front door. My package from Erica was missing from the porch. I glanced next door and saw a package on the neighbors porch marked “Fragile.” I told Eric it was probably my box from Erica. He told me I couldn’t retrieve it until the neighbor came home. Apparently he didn’t want other neighbors to think I stole packages from doorsteps. So, the only one to open was the Doppler.

I only wanted to read the instructions, but the Doppler was right there on top. I picked it up and tried it out on my chest. My heartbeat started coming out of the speaker. Then Eric said, “Try me now!” We put it on his chest and had some difficulty hearing his heartbeat. Obviously, it was beating, so then we decided to use the gel it came with. That helped the transmission out and we could hear his heart beating. Then Eric said, “Now try the baby!” I said, let’s wait. At least let me go change out of my work clothes. He said, “No, try it now. Try it now!” So, we tried.

At first we couldn’t hear anything, but as I moved the probe around, I got a very strong signal. It was definitely a pulse. Eric and I both looked at each other like, “Is this it?” Then I realized it wasn’t especially fast. The baby’s heart-rate should be around 120-180 beat per minute. An adult heart rate is 60-90 beats per minute. This was definitely slower. Then I realized the probe was probably positioned right over one of the major arteries headed through the groin region on the way to my leg. I was hearing my heart-rate again.

Then we decided to listen to the CD of sounds and actually read the instructions. The CD gave samples of fetal blood flow, a 10 week heart-rate, a 16 week heart-rate, a 30 week heart-rate, placenta sounds, and mother sounds. I definitely hadn’t heard the baby. Eric went to play games and I went to make dinner. One of the tips was that a full bladder might help. By the time dinner was ready I was feeling “full” so I laid on the couch and tried again. Still nothing. I decided not to be concerned, after all the doctor said it might be too early. Only one more day until the appointment.

After I ate, I had to take some stuff upstairs and decided to take the Doppler and try one more time. On the way up the stairs I said a little prayer. “God, I’m not really worried, but it would be so great if you would let me hear my baby.” I took the CD with me and just listened to the part with the 10 week heart beat so I would have an idea of the speed I was listening for. I laid on the bed. This time…jackpot! It was the right speed and right in the middle, no chance of picking up a vein. (Thanks, God!) I went and got Eric and told him I thought I found it. He agreed! I even moved over, found my artery and then back to the baby. They were definitely two different rates. I ended up getting a good recording. I’ll try to figure out the downloading part in the next day or so.

I know everyone told me not to do it early. But, I have no regrets. I’m even more excited about today’s appointment. I am 100% sure that everything is fine and the doctor will have no nasty surprises for me today! I just hope we get to do an ultrasound now and see the little peanut! Although, even if we only get to listen, it’s a sound I’ll never get tired of. Hearing it on my own didn’t make it any less special. If anything, I know that I was the first person to ever hear my child’s heartbeat. Eric was close behind, but we got to share that ourselves, before the doctor is involved. Now she can do the medical part and tell us the rate, etc. etc. I’m on top of the world today. Come on 2:30 p.m. I’m ready for you!

Changing My Mind

The bad thing about writing in a journal is that when you change your mind, everyone knows. You may have noticed that I've been trying to decide on if/when to rent a Doppler to listen to the baby's heartbeat at home. First, I decided I wanted to order one after we heard the heartbeat at the doctor for the first time. Then, in case that doesn't happen this week, I thought maybe I'd order it anyway after Thursday's appointment. Now I started thinking that I'm going to see most of our family this weekend. Saturday we're having a get together with my brother-in-law and family, and my mother-in-law, Sunday we're going to my Grandparents house and my parents and brother will be there. Wouldn't it be cool if I already had the doppler and they could hear the heartbeat too? Of course it would!

So I ordered it today. Here's the link. For a mere $32 per month. I rented one that allows you to record the heartbeat so it should be fairly easy to download to the computer and thus, link to this webpage. If all goes according to my plan, I'll only have it for 2 months. I think by the end of the second month I have it, I should be feeling the baby move. I'll be willing to give it up if I can have the reassurance of the baby kicking.

So here is the real question. I ordered today before 6 p.m., so it will be shipped today. And, "Units shipped within the United States are guaranteed to arrive within 2-3 business days from date of shipment." That means it will be here on Wednesday or Thursday. If it comes on Wednesday, do I try it out before my appointment on Thursday? I'd like to say no. Maybe I'll just read the instructions and listen to the CD about the different sounds you could hear. Ideally, it'll show up Thursday and I can bring it in and try it out after my perfect appointment with the doctor. Do we wanna take bets? Do I have enough willpower?

10 Weeks, 2 Days - The 11th Week

It's that time of week again, I've decided to add a section to my normal format for what I'm feeling. Here we go.

My Symptoms/Feelings
I've had a pretty good week. Not as much nausea and it seems like the fatigue let up a bit. Most of the time it makes me happy, but other times nerves creep in a little. I'm really glad I have an appointment this week that should help calm the nerves and have me relax again. I also think I've gotten rid of the constipation problem. Maybe eating the cereal daily helps? Today was bad. Last night I went to bed with a headache that was still there when I woke up. I took Tylenol twice, but oh how I miss the Imitrex. It made me really nauseous too, but it let up a bit around 1:00 p.m. My chest seems more sensitive this week and I think it may have had a growth spurt. I went bra shopping on Saturday and seem to be in between a C and D cup. I also feel like my belly's "popped" a bit. I had someone notice at work on Friday that I seem to be getting close to "showing." I'm really going to try to hold off at least one more week before I switch clothes though. I plan on doing pictures and measurements again on Thursday or Friday. That's about it. Here's the rest of what's going on.

The Baby
By this week, the crown-to-rump length of your baby is 1.75 to 2.4 inches. Fetal weight is about .3 ounces (8g). Your baby is about the size of a large lime. Fetal growth is rapid now. The crown-to-rump length of your baby doubles in the next 3 weeks. The head is almost half of the baby's entire length. As the head extends, the chin rises from the chest, and the neck develops and lengthens. Fingernails appear. External genitalia are beginning to show distinguishing features. Development of teh fetus into a male or female is complete in another 3 weeks.

Your fig-sized baby is now fully formed — measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing in at a quarter of an ounce. His skin is still transparent, allowing many of his blood vessels to show through. Some of his bones are beginning to harden, and tiny toothbuds are starting to appear under his gums. His fingers and toes have separated, and he may soon be able to open and close his fists. He's already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. These movements will increase as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. As his diaphragm develops, your tiny tenant may also start to get the hiccups. Because he's still so small, though, you won't feel any of his workouts or intrauterine gulps until sometime between weeks 16 and 20.

It’s the size of a softball in there! Can you feel it? The little guy (or gal) is about 2.5 inches long, and weighs about 14 grams. All major organs have been formed. After the end of this week, the risk of congenital abnormalities goes down. That doesn’t mean drinking and smoking are okay!

If you have seen pictures of babies at this stage you will notice that the head is about 1/2 of the body size. This will change as the baby grows. The iris will begin to develop this week and finger nails appear! Your baby weighs about 7 grams.

The Mom
While big changes are occurring in your baby, changes are probably happening more slowly in you. You are almost at the end of your first trimester; your uterus has been growing along with the fetus inside it. It is almost big enough to fill your pelvis and may be felt in your lower abdomen, above teh middle of your pubic bone. You won't be able to feel your baby moving yet. If you think you feel your baby move at this time, you either have gas or are farther along in your pregnancy than you thought. Some women notice changes in their hair, fingernails or toenails during pregnancy. This doesn't happen to everyone, but if it happens to you, don't worry about it. Some fortunate women notice an increase in hair and nail growth during pregnancy. Others find they lose some hair during this time.

Don't worry if nausea has made it impossible for you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if you haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain between two and five pounds during the first trimester). Your appetite will likely return soon and you'll start to gain about a pound a week.

Feeling extra flushed? Light-complexioned women may actually become quite pink during pregnancy. That’s because of the added volume of blood in your body. And speaking of blood, watch your iron count. Are you taking your prenatal vitamins?

Weight gain is a concern of a lot of women during pregnancy. By this stage of pregnancy most women have gained very little weight. Generally we say that you will gain about 1-2 lbs. a month in the first trimester. Some women will actually lose weight and be perfectly fine, particularly if they were ill. Some will gain no weight whatsoever. While yet others will gain 10+ pounds. The key is a healthy diet. However, your focus should be on nutrition rather than weight. Despite folk lore, you are not eating for two, but you should make everything you eat count. You will only need about 300-500 calories extra a day while you are pregnant. Avoid junk foods, and try to ensure that you are getting a variety of fruits and vegetables and protein. One word about protein, even in pregnancy it does not have to come from meat. There are a lot of successful vegetarian pregnancies.

Test Over!

I just wanted to post because I took my 2nd CPCU test this morning. I was not as prepared as I should have been and I think a big part of my grouchiness the past week or two was due to the fact that I needed to be studying and didn't want to! It was so boring. I cracked the books last night around 6:30 p.m. and studied until 10:30 p.m. I was really not enjoying it, but I think I soaked up enough to pass the test (I hope!). The center said I'll get the results in 6 weeks, but last time I got them via e-mail after about a week.

At least I can sit and do nothing without guilt now! Although, I have questions for tomorrow's Sunday School class I haven't completed...

10 Weeks

I don’t know why I have no desire to work on Fridays. Today I really just want to go back to bed and now that I think about it, I’m ravenously hungry too. Ok, I’m back from Starbucks. Just picked up a bagel with cream cheese and hot chocolate. They didn’t have cinnamon raisin bagels though, so I’m a bit disappointed.

Today is 10 weeks. I’ve had a pretty good week. The nausea doesn’t seem as bad as last week. And even the fatigue has been more manageable. I still feel pregnant though, so I’m not really concerned about symptoms getting better. I feel like baby and I have had another growth spurt. I think bra shopping should be done soon. I also feel like my belly is growing a bit. I’ll do pictures next week after my doctor’s appointment. I’m not sure when I’ll switch to maternity. I can still button my pants right now (although, some are definitely uncomfortable). Some people suggest rubberbands, etc. to help prolong your time in regular clothes, but I think by then, I’ll just switch. The weird part now, is that I don’t look “pregnant” even though clothes aren’t fitting right, I think I’d feel silly in maternity clothes.

The other thing I can’t stop thinking about is my appointment in 6 days. I’m afraid this will be the longest week in history. I’m mostly excited and just a tiny bit scared. I keep telling myself things are completely different this time. Remember last time I had no symptoms? Also, I’ve already seen the baby larger than last time. I just think it freaks me out a bit that this is again my first appointment with my doctor. I’m sure it’ll be fine and if we get to do another ultrasound…The baby should be much easier to make out parts. We should be able to see arms and legs, probably even facial features. There should be lots of movement and definitely a strong heartbeat. It’ll be great. Even if we only get to “hear” the heartbeat, that sound is magical. I was reading someone else’s blog with a sound file attached and the sound of that baby’s heartbeat almost made me cry. The plus side if we hear the heartbeat is that maybe then, I’ll rent my own monitor. I think I’d like to rent a monitor until I can feel the baby move, but I want the first time I hear the heartbeat to be at the doctors office. Meaning, if we hear it next week, I can order the monitor, if not, I’ll wait another month.

Ok, I don’t really have much more to say. I suppose I should attempt to be somewhat productive at work. I’m just hoping next week goes by quickly. I have the doctor on Thursday, and then we’re spending the weekend with family. Friday night and Saturday with my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces, and mother-in-law, and then Sunday with Mom & Dad, Jeremy, and Grandma and Grandpa. It’ll be so cool to see them, hopefully, with new pictures! Also, in summer clothes, I’ll probably be wearing maternity. My non-pregnant shorts definitely don’t fit. Ok, really, back to work.

Pregnancy Brain

Yesterday, my pregnancy affected my brain. Here are two instances.

1. This wasn’t a big deal, but I finally couldn’t take the wondering and broke down and called the nurse line at the doctor’s office. I’m sure they write down every call, so I’m so glad that this one made me file, but anyway, I didn’t want to wait until my appointment to figure out what they would do. I asked the nurse if they would be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat at my next appointment since I’d be almost 11 weeks along. Her answer was maybe. She said 11 weeks is borderline on whether they can hear it. Based on factors like body composition (meaning layers of fat), position of the baby, etc. She said the next appointment for sure. However, she said that she thinks Dr. D will do another ultrasound. I’m so excited! Thinking more logically, that makes sense. If I followed the office’s “normal” schedule, I would have had my first appointment with ultrasound at 9-11 weeks. My next appointment 1 month later, they would definitely hear a heartbeat at 13-15 weeks. Since, however, I had an ultrasound at 8 weeks, and another appt. 3 weeks later, I may get a second ultrasound. There is no way they’ll do my appointment and let me leave without some “sign of life” be it a heartbeat heard via Doppler or seen via ultrasound. No matter what, I should have some contact with the baby’s heart next week. That makes me happy.

2. This was STUPID. I went to the grocery store after work. I successfully shopped. I loaded my trunk, I returned the cart to the rack, I got my keys, and I drove home. When I arrived home, I reached for my purse to head inside. It was gone. What I mean is, I LEFT IT IN THE CART IN THE PARKING LOT! I immediately drove (slightly above the speed limit) back to the grocery store. I said many prayers asking for forgiveness for my carelessness and asking for a break. One thing that really concerned me was that I’d taken my ultrasound pictures to work for Tammy to see, so they were still in my purse. Credit cards and checks can be cancelled, but pictures… I got back to the store, nothing was in the parking lot. I headed inside and luckily, a very nice man had turned in my purse (with all contents intact.) The girl behind the counter told me she had just called my house and told my husband that they had my purse. That was my next worry. I left my purse at the ballet on the way out less than two weeks ago and he had to go back and get it. He saw I was upset enough though, and luckily didn’t try to make me feel any worse. It worked out in the end, but I’ve got to get my act together!

The Weekend

In case you are interested here is my weekend update.

Friday
Of course, I went to work. I had some motivation problems, but managed to stick it out all day. Eric called and did my grocery shopping for me. When I got home, I did a little picking up and prepared for our Neighbor cookout. At 6:30 p.m. our new neighbors from across the street (Chris & Erica) and April and Martin came over to grill out. We had a pretty good visit. Eric grilled me a steak, which I managed to eat most of (yeah! Meat!), I also made homemade mac & cheese, and the neighbors brought over cheese dip. We had a pretty good visit and seemed to like the new neighbors pretty well. They said next time, they can host. Chris and Erica left around 10:00 p.m. and then we played Phase 10 with April and Martin. Personally, I was ready for bed, but Eric wasn’t ready to let the night die at 10:00 p.m. I ended up losing badly, but considered it a victory when I got to go to bed.

Saturday
I slept in for a bit. Then I really was in the mood to go shopping. I convinced Eric to go with me with the promise of X-Box Live. We first went to the mall and stopped at Sears on the way in. I found a couple of things that seemed cute, and bought them. Then we went to Motherhood Maternity. We went a bit crazy. Eric was so cute, picking out clothes for me to try on. After I tried stuff on, I started the decision process of what I want versus what I will buy. Eric was of the mind, that I’d need it eventually, so if I wanted it, buy it. I should take him shopping more often! After handing over the credit card, we then stopped at JC Penney, just to “see” what they had. All maternity was 50% off, so I bought 4 more shirts. I ended up spending close to $300 on clothes, but bought 2 pair of jean shorts, 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of work pants, 11 shirts, and 2 tank tops. I should be set through the summer though. I’ll need more clothes when I outgrow the pants I bought and when it starts getting cold. After my shopping spree we headed to Best Buy for X-Box Live. Now the starter kit with a 1 year subscription is only $70. However, we then had to buy a router to split the DSL to go to the computer and X-Box, and a Wireless adapter, so we didn’t have to run a cable from the upstairs computer room, to the basement. I also let him buy another game, so $250 later…we headed home. Shopping wore me out, so I took a nap and then around 5:00 started helping Eric try to set up the routers. There were problems, but finally around 10 p.m. we had it up and running. That made it about my bed time, so after trying on all of my maternity clothes one more time, I headed for bed.

Sunday
We had church in the morning. Right after I got up, I had a call from work that one of my client’s had a fire, but there wasn’t much we could do on Sunday morning, so I knew that would be waiting on me this morning. After church, again I napped and then we went to a church picnic from 4 to 7 p.m. I should have spent the evening studying for my CPCU exam that is in less than a week, but I just watched TV.

9 Weeks, 2 Days - The Tenth Week

Here's my update for this week. I've already discussed most of how I'm feeling. Not really much has changed except that I now feel like I'm starting to expand (see previous post). I'm really looking forward to another doctor appointment in a week and a half, but feel like things must still be progressing, because I feel pretty yucky. Ok, so here is the what is happening inside post.

The Baby
By the 10th week of pregnancy, the crown-to-rump length of your growing baby is about 1.25 to 1.68 inches. At this time, we can start measuring how much the baby weighs. Before this week, the weight was too small to measure weekly differences. Now that the baby is starting to put on a little weight, weight is included in this section. The baby weighs close to 0.18 ounce (5g) and is the size of a small plum. The end of week 10 is the end of the embryonic period. At this time, the fetal period begins. It is characterized by rapid growth of the fetus when the three germ layers are established. During the embryonic period, the embryo was most susceptible to things that could interfere with its development. Most congenital malformations occur before the end of week 10. It is encouraging to know that a critical part of your baby's development is safely behind you. By the end of week 10, development of organ systems and the body are well under way. Your baby is beginning to look more human.

Your baby is no longer an embryo! Though she's barely the size of a kumquat — just an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, she now has completed the most critical portion of her development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in her body rapidly grow and mature. Her vital organs — the liver, kidney, intestines, brain, and lungs — are now in place and starting to function (although they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy). Her liver continues to make blood cells, and the yolk sac, which previously supplied these cells, is no longer needed and begins to disappear. During the next three weeks, your baby's length will more than double to nearly 3 inches. Her head is proportionately smaller now than it was a few weeks ago, but it's still almost half the length of her entire body. Her forehead temporarily bulges with her developing brain and sits high on her head; it will later recede to give her a more human appearance. Each day, more minute details — including tiny fingernails, toenails, and peach-fuzz hair — start to appear on her body. Her fingers are now completely separated; her arms bend at the elbow and curve slightly; her hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over her heart; her legs are lengthening; and her feet may be long enough to meet in front of her body. She is busily swallowing amniotic fluid and kicking her legs. If you could take a peek at your baby this week, you'd be able to clearly see the outline of her spine through her parchment-thin skin. Spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from her spinal cord.

Boy or Girl? The external genitalia are becoming clearly defined. The embryo is moving but can’t yet be felt.

The baby now enters it's fetal period. The average size is approximately 27-35 mm crown to rump length (CRL), or 1.06-1.38 inches. S/he weighs in at 4 grams, or 4 paper clips. Tiny toes have formed. The eyes are largely open, but the eyelids are beginning to fuse, and will stay that way until 25-27 weeks. External genitalia is beginning to differentiate. External ears are completely formed, as well as the upper lip. The biggest accomplishment this week is the disappearance of the tail!

The Mom
Changes are gradual, and you still may not show much. You may be thinking about and looking at maternity clothes, but you probably don't need them just yet.

Your uterus has doubled in size by now. Before you got pregnant, it was the size of a small pear. By this week, it's grown to the size of a grapefruit. At your next prenatal visit, you may be able to hear your baby's rapid heartbeat with the help of a Doppler, a hand-held soundwave stethoscope that your practitioner will pass over your belly. Many women say that the beating of their baby's tiny heart sounds like the thunder of galloping horses and hearing it for the first time is one of the greatest joys of the first trimester.

Is somebody a little MOODY? Wild highs and truly horrendous lows, sudden mood swings, and "crazy" behavior are typical during pregnancy. Some of this is due to hormones, and some of it is because this is, truly, a VERY emotional time! Take time for some light and funny reading. Fatigued? Many pregnant women spend the first few months so exhausted they can barely hold their heads up. Try to take naps, go to bed early, and delegate as much work as you can to others. Remember that you’re working incredibly hard. Your body is growing another human being! Gaining weight? And what about those breasts? Time to support yourself! Get a bigger, more bountiful bra. Budget a little extra money -- you’ll be needing a still BIGGER one after baby is born!

You are still tired, and nauseated, hang on only a few more weeks for most of you! Your abdomen may begin to pooch out, but it will be more from bowel distension than the uterus. Your waistline is slowly disappearing! Remember to measure your waist and belly now! Comparing later can be a lot of fun!

New Format

Ok, so I joined the group and changed my template. I think everythings working now. The only downside, is I lost all of my old comments, but I think the new ones will work better. Let me know if there's anything I should adjust.

My How I've Grown!

I should probably start doing this at the same time as my belly pictures, but tonight I felt the need to compare my measurements to my "before" measurements. The good news, I've only grown in appropriate areas. I may find a place to post this on the side, but here are my current stats at 9 weeks 1 day compared to 1 week before conception.

Before = (B) Current =(C)

Weight - 150.5 (B), 149.5 (C) = -1 pound
Bicep - 11 3/4 (B), 11 3/4 (C) = No change
Chest - 35 1/2 (B), 37 (C) = +1 1/2 inches
Waist (at smallest point) - 30 (B), 31 1/2 (C) = +1 1/2 inches
Waist (at belly button) - 32 1/2 (B), 34 1/2 (C) = +2 inches
Hips - 38 (B), 38 (C) = No change
Thigh - 23 (B), 22 1/2 (C) = - 1/2 inch
Calf - 14 (B), 14 (C) = No change

Like I said, I'm ok with that. I new my chest had grown. I guess this also proves that my waistline is expanding. The plus side is that I haven't gained any weight so far and also haven't gained in my hips and thighs. Now, I know that this will change, but for the first trimester, I can handle this.

Nine Weeks

I’m nine weeks today! I had a dream last night/this morning that when I went to the bathroom there was blood. It was just a dream. I was a little nervous on my first trip to the bathroom this morning, but everything’s still fine. My doctor was hanging out at my house in the dream too, so that’s a bit weird. I still feel like crap today, so I think the baby’s in there stirring up trouble. This has been a tough week. I’ve been complaining a lot and don’t really know how to deal with my total lack of energy. I guess a lot has been going on in there. The baby has almost doubled in size in the last week. I’m just ready for this trimester to get over so I can wake up and have energy and be able to eat whatever I want!

My Anniversary

Yesterday was my three year anniversary. Eric was great. I wasn’t as great. Tuesday night he came home and had a present (already wrapped) and card. He also told me that he had made dinner plans, so not to worry about it. Remember, this is the day before the anniversary. I hadn’t done anything. So yesterday morning, he let me open my card and gift before work. The card was cute and the gift was a musical picture frame. It had the Corinthians love passage in it, “Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious, …” We had used that verse on bookmarks we made as favors for our wedding. It was sweet but not too expensive, so it took a lot of the pressure off since I hadn’t got him anything yet. I planned to go to the mall during lunch, but my need to find something I could eat won out. I ended up stopping at the convenience store in our building at work and buying a card on my way home. Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice card. We had dinner reservations at 7:30 p.m. Eric didn’t tell me where. We ended up going to the Melting Pot. It was very nice. When they took us to our table there was a vase of three roses with three balloons tied to it. It was very sweet. I don’t have problems eating cheese or apples or bread, so the cheese fondue was good. I also could eat the salad. I couldn’t eat as much of the meat. I don’t know why any meat product is unappetizing, but I just eat what I can. Dessert was good too, but I was just a little too full to eat much. When they brought out the dessert, the waiter also brought a Polaroid camera and took our picture. Then he gave us a little Melting Pot frame to put it in. I just thought it was so sweet that he thought ahead. It was a very nice anniversary. I felt a little bad I didn’t get Eric a gift, but he didn’t seem to mind. Although, he did mention Xbox Live again. I may have to break down. If you didn’t know, I bought Eric Xbox Live for Christmas. I thought it was perfect and he’d love it. He made me take it back. He said he didn’t have any desire to play with people he didn’t know. However, about two months ago, our neighbor got Xbox Live and now Eric thinks it’s the greatest thing in the world. I’m sure he’ll get it (again) sooner or later.

My Symptoms

I've been told that I need to provide more information about what I'm experiencing rather than just the textbook type updates. So here's a post about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the third month of pregnancy (barely!).

The Good
- I'm pregnant!
- No period.
- I've lost 2 to 3 pounds.
- Up a bra size.
- My fingernails are growing at an incredible rate.

The Bad
- Morning Sickness. While I still have not actually vomited, I still feel nauseous most days. I'm learning a pattern though. Mornings are worse, usually between 8 and 11. The key is to eat in the morning before I start to feel bad and then keep eating all day before I get hungry. If I start to get hungry, I get nauseous and lose my appetite.
- Food Aversions or Cravings. Nothing in particular, but I've been wanting more complex carbs and less protein. I've also had a bit of a craving for milk. I've also cut a back a bit on the apples. Now I'm doing applesauce.
- Breast Tenderness. This is actually pretty tolerable. I get uncomfortable sleeping on my stomach sometimes, but I don't notice pain on a daily basis.
- Excess Gas. This has manifested in a variety of forms from lots of belching, to...other forms of gas release.
- Constipation. I never was really sure what this really meant, but think I'm getting it now. It hasn't been bad enough to try any type of remedies, but things have definately slowed down.
- Fatigue. This has actually been tolerable too. I get tired, especially after lunch and right around 5p.m. Sometimes I come home and take a nap, but then I have trouble going to sleep at bedtime.
- Emotional Instability - I am definately more sensitive. I'm more irritable and get sad easily. I cried twice Sunday. Once because I felt sick and once because I was overcome by love for my baby. I think Eric is a bit frightened.

The Ugly
- Acne. I feel like a teenager again. Luckily, I've never had "bad" skin, so my breakouts now are just one or two blemishes, but it's annoying. They are also in places other than my face, like chest, arms, and back.
- Take a look at my first belly picture. It looks like I'm growing a belly. Unfortunately I think some of it was already there and the rest is probably a result of that gas and constipation I mentioned before. I'm making an area to post all pictures on the side. See also my before picture, this one was taken about a week before I conceived. I actually weigh about the same or even a little less than my before picture.

Ok, hopefully, that's some good information for now. I'll try to do better on my symptom updates. Hopefully, the next one will be a "real" belly or the disappearance of the morning sickness. Things will start getting interesting in another month or two.

Weekend Update

I should be getting back to work, but thought I’d try to do a quick weekend update.

Friday
After work we went home, had some dinner (I ate a box of Mac&Cheese, my diet is seriously weird now). Then we went to the ballet at 8 p.m. It was actually pretty good. There wasn’t a story like when we went to see Dracula, but they did three distinct types of music and dance and it was really entertaining. After the ballet we came home and watched Runaway Jury. It was really good, so I’m glad we watched it before returning as it was 2 days late already.

Saturday
I wanted to sleep in a little since I knew I wouldn’t get a nap. I got up about 10:00 a.m. , ate some cereal (a good choice because I wasn’t nauseous that morning) and then left to do some errands. I had to go to the mall to pick up a gift certificate for Samara (I knew what I was getting her, just was tardy about actually going to get it), I also picked up a gift for my Mother-In-Law for Mother’s Day and got a new (larger) strapless bra for me. I also picked up Eric a new pair of pants and shirt, as he refuses to go shopping and some of the things he leaves the house in are almost embarrassing. Then I took the movie back and stopped by the bank to get some cash for the weekend. I made it home around noon and got ready for the graduation. We picked Will up and drove up to Ashland to watch Samara graduate. The graduation was outside and it was a beautiful day (maybe a bit warm, but I’m not complaining). She got her Masters and then we headed back to their place for a cookout. It was fun. There was good food and I got to meet or spend some time with some of Samara’s other friends and family and it was really nice. We left around 10 p.m. and headed home. I was wiped out, so I went to bed around 11 p.m.

Sunday
I got up around 9 a.m. and cooked Eric Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast. It didn’t sound appetizing for me, so I didn’t eat, which I paid for by feeling very sick around 10:30 a.m. We left at a little after 10 to go to the pharmacy to pick up my vitamin refill and when I got back to the car, I felt awful. I started crying and Eric was a bit freaked out by my pregnancy mood swing. He was extremely nice though, and offered to stop anywhere I wanted on the chance there was something I could buy that would make me feel normal again. I actually bought some fruit snacks and after eating them felt better and was able to eat a nutria-grain bar. The moral to the story, eat as soon as I get up, even if I feel fine and am not that hungry. Anyway, we drove down to Cincinnati. We had plans to go a Reds game and meet my Mother-In-Law, Brother-In-Law, Sister-In-Law, and 2 nieces. We made it around 12:15, but they got stuck in traffic, so we didn’t go in until almost 1:00 p.m. We had great seats though, but they were in the sun and I’m sporting a nice sunburn now as proof. We had fun at the game and a good visit, so after the game we headed back home. I tried calling my Mom on the way home, but she was out boating, but Grandma was there visiting so I got to talk to her a bit. After we got home, I showered and threw on my comfy clothes. I got to talk to Mom for about 10 minutes and then we had to get off the phone so we could both watch the Survivor Finale. We, of course, went next door and watched the three hours of coverage. I love Survivor. After that, we headed home and again, I collapsed.

It was a very busy weekend. Now today I’ll have to catch up on my “weekend” chores. Laundry, grocery, etc.

8 Weeks 2 Days - The Ninth Week

Before I head to bed, here is the development update for this week. I'll try to do a weekend update tomorrow.

The Baby
The crown-to-rump length of the embryo is .9 inch to 1.2 inches (22 to 30 mm). This is close to the size of a medium green olive. If you could look inside your uterus, you'd see many changes in your baby. Your baby's arms and legs are longer. Hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over the heart area. They continue to extend in front of the body. Fingers are longer, and the tips are slightly enlarged where touch pads are developing. The feet are approaching the midline of the body and may be long enough to meet in front of the torso. The head is more erect, and the neck is more developed. The eyelids almost cover the eyes. Up to this time, the eyes have been uncovered. External ears are evident and well formed. Your baby now moves its body and limbs. This movemembet may be seen during an ultrasound exam. The baby looks mor recognizable as a human being, although it is still extremely small. It is probably impossible to distinguish a male from a female. External organs of the male and female appear very similar and will not be distinguishable for another few weeks.

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — barely the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce, but he's poised for rapid weight gain now that his basic physical structure is in place. He's also starting to look more and more human. His embryonic "tail" is now completely gone and his body parts — including organs, muscles, and nerves — are kicking into gear. His eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. He has earlobes, and by week's end, the inner workings of his ears will be complete. His upper lip is fully formed, too, and his mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The tips of his fingers are slightly enlarged where his touch pads are developing. All major joints — his shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles — are working, enabling your baby to move his limbs. As for his heart, it has divided into four chambers now, and the valves have started to develop. External sex organs are there, but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.

Help! What's that dull cramping? As the uterus begins to stretch, you may feel a dull aching and cramping. You may even find a slight brownish or reddish discharge. So long as the cramping is not severe, and the spotting is not bright red, you are probably just fine. Your uterus is beginning to grow, and the sensation you feel is the "round" ligaments beginning to stretch. This should lessen in the second and third trimester.

We have elbows! Your baby is now approximately 13-17 mm crown to rump length, or about 0.51 - 0.66 inches. S/he also weighs in at 1 gram! Toe rays are present as the toes begin to form. Gonads have become testes (for boys) or ovaries (for girls). Baby will move away if touched through the uterine wall, and can spontaneously move as well. Ossification (hardening) of the bones may begin.

The Mom
Each week your uterus grows larger with the baby growing inside it. You may begin to see your waistline growing thicker by this time. A pelvic exam will detect a uterus a little bigger than a grapefruit.

You still may not look pregnant (although your belly will probably pop earlier if you've been pregnant before), but emotionally you may feel like you're on a roller coaster ride. Mood swings are common now; it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. This feeling can persist throughout your pregnancy and well after your baby's born. Try to cut yourself some slack. Almost all expectant parents worry about how a new baby will change their lives, but the vast majority later say that becoming a parent was one of the best things they've ever done. You may be feeling extra gassy or bloated now, too. That's primarily because the major doses of progesterone your body produces early in pregnancy relax smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, and that includes your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation slows your digestive processes, which can cause more gas, bloating, burping, flatulence, and generally miserable sensations in your gut, especially after a big meal.

Pregnancy does odd things to your skin. It's all those hormones! Some women break out as though each little pore were Mount Vesuvius. "Kablooey! Thar she blows!" For other, more fortunate women, bumpy complexions smooth to the softness of a rose. (Don't gloat... pregnancy has its share of inconveniences for everyone.) As your pregnancy progresses, your complexion may even out, though some women need to wait until after the baby is born before having nice skin again. Later in pregnancy, some women develop a "mask" of dark pigment around their eyes, on their noses, and cheeks. This is called the chloasma and will slowly fade once you are a mom.

You may find yourself with a stuffy nose. Nasal congestion and nose bleeds are fairly common during pregnancy. Try using a vaporizer or humidifier to help lessen the symptoms. You continue to feel tired, nauseated, and possibly dizzy. Making a baby is hard work!

Pictures

I think I've had too many hits to my site today, so my picture site is locked up. As an alternate, I've downloaded the pictures to Yahoo Photos. I'll probably add them back via Ripway later, but for now, here's how to see my ultrasound photos. Please click on My Photos on the right. I'm having trouble zooming up on them though, so we may just have to be patient until Ripway unlocks. Here are those links.

Picture 1 - This is the best view. The plus sign is where the heart was beating. The black dot on the right is the frontal lobe of the brain. See picture 2 (identical) to see where the eyes are. You can also make out arm and leg buds.
Picture 2 - This is the same as picture one, but the plus signs are where the eyes are. The baby kind of has it's chin on it's chest which is why the head looks so large.
Picture 3 - This just shows the crown to rump measurements.
Picture 4 - Another measurement picture from the abdomen ultrasound. You can see the edge of the amniotic sac below the baby.
Picture 5 - Very similar to picture 4.

It's Official!

Sorry for my delay in posting, but this mama needed her nap!

We had our first ultrasound today and it was good.

I left work just before 11:00 to head to Eric's office to pick him up. I got there at 11:15, 15 minutes before we'd planned to leave. He got tied up doing some stuff and we didn't leave until 11:40 a.m. I was getting a bit anxious because my paperwork said to be there 30 minutes early and my appointment was at 12:15 p.m. Shouldn't have been too concerned though, because we had to wait anyway.

I, of course, had to pee, but was trying to hold off, so I could provide a "sample." Finally, at 12:25 p.m., I asked if I could go ahead and do my sample, so I wouldn't have to wait. When I came out of the bathroom, the nurse was waiting and told me they were ready. I went back to the waiting room to get Eric and they took us back to an exam room. It was a different room than last time. The nurse told me that all we were doing was the ultrasound to make sure everything was ok, and that we'd wait on the bloodwork, my pelvic exam, etc, for when I came back to see Dr. D. She said the Dr. A was one room away, and would be in shortly.

I got situated under the paper sheet and waited. And waited. And waited a little more. Poor Eric was starting to get a little steamed. I think he was more nervous than I was. Finally, at 12:50 p.m. Dr. A came in. Eric got up to shake his hand, I decided to stay on the table. He introduced himself and said that we were just doing the ultrasound to make sure "the baby is alive and looks good." He then said that Dr. D really wanted to be there for my first appointment, so we'd save the rest for her later. He said, that they just knew I was probably going crazy and didn't want me to have to wait on the ultrasound. That was the first time I realized that they had made sure they still got me in this week because of my previous situation. They could have just pushed my appointment back, but knew that I must have been holding my breath and didn't want to make it harder on me.

He asked me for my LMP (date of last menstural period). I told him March 9th, but said that I think I ovulated closer to Day 17 or 18. He asked if I'd been charting my BBT. I told him this month we stopped temping, but that I still paid attention to my cervical fluid. He said, "you get pretty good at that after I while." I explained that day 17 was my last "fertile" day of fluid and that my breast tenderness started on cycle day 20, so I figured ovulation was somewhere in that range. He didn't ask to see my charts or anything, but didn't seem to think I was a freak for knowing that either.

He started by trying the ultrasound on my belly. He said that the picture wouldn't be as good, but he'd try this way first. He did see the baby and said he was looking for a heartbeat, very quickly he found it. It wasn't quite as obvious as I thought it would be, but when he pointed to the spot, you could see it flickering. We couldn't see much though, so we decided to go ahead and do the tranvaginal ultrasound. Again, he zeroed on the baby and showed us where the heart was beating. He took some measurements and the baby measured at 7 weeks 5 days. My estimate was 7 weeks 6 days, so I say close enough and it looks like it's right on track.

He showed us where he could see eye sockets (although, I never could really make it out) and I think we can distinguish possible arm and leg buds on a picture. He zoomed in to make it bigger, but a little more blurry, and we could really see the heart flickering away. It was a good feeling. I looked at Eric and he had an ear to ear grin. The doctor also said that once they see an established heart beat, that the chance of loss is reduced almost to zero. I'm not sure I entirely believe that, but he's the doctor, so we'll go with that. He printed us off 5 pictures which I will post, hopefully, later tonight. He also printed off one for my doctor to leave in the file. I'm sort of hoping, she'll want a better view and do another ultrasound next time, but we'll see.

After we were done, we had to stop and make another appointment. The nurse I usually talk to, was very excited to hear that everything was good and I was right on schedule. They are scheduling me for a "New OB" time slot, because we have to do everything else. I asked if that meant we'd do another ultrasound. The schedule lady didn't know, and then a nurse said that insurance doesn't usually pay for a second one. I mentioned that my insurance will pay for anything, so we'll see if they take the bite and let me do another one. I'm just getting greedy. My new appoinment is May 27th, so I'll be almost 11 weeks by then.

When I came home today, I did a little research and found out that you can hear the baby heartbeat via doppler anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks. I'm hopeful that 11 weeks, the baby will cooperate and I can get to hear the heartbeat if I don't get another ultrasound. Oh, it was a good day. Thank you everyone for your prayers. Keep up the good work!

New Appointment

Today was kind of a weird day at work. They are doing a software upgrade to get us all on Windows XP, so they have to take each computer for 4-6 hours. Today was my day. My laptop was gone when I got in, so I did what I could work wise and then went to a client to discuss some things, so I didn't have acess to e-mail or the Internet all day long. Anyway, I left the client at about 4:30 p.m. and called into my work voice-mail. The first message was from my OB/GYN office.

Apparently, my doctor has some kind of family emergency and has to cancel her appointments all week. This freaked me out a bit as I've been looking forward to this appointment for some reassurance. As you may remember, Eric has two weeks of jury duty starting Monday and I really want him to be there for my first ultrasound. So I called the office back. They are able to have another doctor see me this week for a "quick" appointment to confirm the pregnancy and dates, and then they said they'd schedule me an appointment with my doctor next week for a more in depth appointment. I asked if during this "quick" appointment we'd do an ultrasound, again because I want Eric to be there and I don't want to wait another two to three weeks. An ultrasound will be included and my new appointment is Thursday at 12:15 p.m with Dr. "A.". So now, I get to do this a whole day sooner. When I got home, I looked at my list of doctors in the practice and Dr. "A's" first name is Joseph. This will be my first male gynocologist. Even though it's a quick appointment, the ultrasound is transvaginal, so it is a bit more personal than visits to my regular male doctor.

I've really got mixed feeling about my new appointment. First of all, I'm excited that it will be sooner, but on the other hand I've had Friday so ingrained in my conciousness, that I'm a little afraid I won't be "prepared." Not that I can do much to prepare. I just think it's really hitting me. When my appointment was a couple weeks away, I could look at it as a date in the future when I could be relieved. Now that's it's only two days away, I'm just really scared that it's a date where all my dreams could come crashing down...again. I'm really trying to have faith. I keep remembering that things are very different this time. I've got tons of "good" symptoms. I was still nauseous this morning and before lunch. I needed a nap when I got home from work today. I think I'm also in a better place mentally/spiritually. Not that I felt out of place last time, but this time, I'm just so much more focused on what kind of parent I want to be. I'm thinking so much more about the baby instead of me.

I just need to repeat my prayer. God is in control. My worrying doesn't help anything. No matter what happens, I will survive and grow stronger. I'm just hopeful that God's will matches mine in this situation. Two more days.

E-Mails

I got an e-mail from an old friend this morning and it prompted me to check my e-mail linked to this web-site. It was kind of exciting. I had 4 e-mails relating to my blog. One was from the friend. One was from my Great Uncle and Aunt who reached my blog through my Mom’s website. Two were from total strangers. One was a woman who found my site through a post I had left on Fertility Friend right after I found out I was pregnant. I tried to e-mail her, but it was returned. The other was from a 15 year old girl. I’m not sure how she found my site, but she thought it was very informative about what it was like to be pregnant. I’m not sure if this girl is or isn’t pregnant now, but either way I hope I’m giving good information. It’s kind of exciting to realize that other people than my friends and family read my site. I know I can’t get enough of other people’s blogs so it’s cool to think that strangers may be following my life too.

That settles it, tonight I’m definitely adding the links of my favorite blogs that I read. I’m thinking I’ll do a category for TTC or Infertility, a category for Currently Pregnant, and a category of new Moms.

Seven Weeks, Two Days - The Eighth Week

Time for the weekly update. Important thing happening this week is my doctor's appointment complete with ultrasound. At this point I think I'm more excited than nervous, but will definately relax once we know everything looks o.k. Only five more days.

The Baby
By your 8th week of pregnancy, the crown-to-rump length of your baby is 0.56 to 0.8 inch (14 to 20 mm). This is about the size of a pinto bean. Your baby is continuing to grow and to change rapidly during these early weeks. Eyelid folds are forming on the face. The tip of the nose is present. Ears are forming, internally and externally. In the heart, the aortic and pulmonary valves are present and distinct. Tubes leading from the throat to the functioning part of the lungs are branched, like the branches of a tree. The body's trunk area is getting longer and straightening out. Elbows are present, and the arms and leggs extend forward. Arms have grown longer. They bend at the elbows and curve slightly over the heart. The digital rays, which become fingers, are notched. Toe rays are present on the feet.

Your embryo is about 8mm long, and an ultrasound done now would detect the tiny thumping of the heart. Although all her major organs have formed, they are not fully developed or functional.

Your baby is constantly moving and shifting, although you won't be able to feel it for many more weeks. The arms now bend at the elbow and curve slightly; the hands are now flexed at the wrist and meet over the heart area. The legs are lengthening, and the feet may be long enough to meet in front of the body. It's still impossible to tell whether you're having a boy or a girl.

Your baby will be about 8-11 mm CR by the end of the week. The baby's hind brain is clearly visible. This week the baby's gonads will become either testes or ovaries. And spontaneous movement begins! There are a lot of things that we do know about life before birth. Bones and joints this week have many things going on. Elbows appear and the process of ossification (hardening of the bones) begins. Toe rays become present, almost ready for you to count!


The Mom
Your uterus is getting bigger, but it probably still isn't big enough for you to be showing, especially if this is your first pregnancy. You will notice a gradual change in your waistline and the fit of your clothes. Your healthcare provider will see that your uterus is enlarged if you have a pelvic exam. Before pregnancy, your uterus was about the size of your fist. After 6 weeks of growth, it is about the size of a grapefruit. As the uterus grows, you may feel cramping or even pain in your lower abdomen or your sides. Some women feel tightening or contractions of the uterus.

Your waistline may begin growing this week, though you're probably not showing. If you press your abdomen, you may feel your enlarged uterus -- it's about the size of a softball.

Though you haven't gained much weight yet, parts of you are certainly growing — like your breasts. Less obvious is the increase in blood volume; by the end of pregnancy, you'll have 45 to 50 percent more blood running through your veins to meet the demands of your baby. Take your prenatal vitamins to make sure you're getting the extra iron you need.

You have probably scheduled the first office visit by now. Some practitioners do not want to see you for your first visit until after you've missed two periods. This will decrease the numbers of false pregnancies and miscarriages. Many things will take place at the first visit:

Urine Sampled (protein, hCG, etc.)
Blood Pressure (baseline)
Weight (baseline)
Pelvic Exam (size of uterus, cysts, coloring of cervix)
Pap Smear (some practitioners do this now, others wait)
Blood (Rh factor, iron levels, immunities, specifically rubella)
Family History (complications that may be predictable)

Every practitioner has a different schedule and each visit will not be as lengthy as this initial visit. This is a good time to ask any questions that have come up or to go over the list of questions for choosing a care provider.