Week 22: Writers Block

Quick Recap: I'm an eating machine. Up 3 inches on both my boobs and butt. Waist (around belly button) is about 34 inches (pre-pregnancy was about 27) Weighing in at 141lbs. Back pain continues. Haven't gotten a new pimple all week!!

Peanut's Progression: Weighs 1 whole pound! 11 inches long. Can sense touch now.

Writer's Block and Too Much Attention

I don't know if it was the craziness of the holidays this week or perhaps a self induced sugar coma from all the cookies and chocolate but I'm having a hard time writing an entry for this week.

Nothing really major happened this week. No weight gain like last week. No bad news from doctors. The only thing even worth mentioning is my coping with the added attention from family dinners.

For the majority of my family (and Steve's) this was the first time they have seen me since I announced we were expecting. Of course, they are incredibly excited and made a lot of comments about my shape. I am so grateful that we have a supportive family and group of friends but it can become a bit overwhelming at times when people are consumed by your belly, especially when you are still a bit self conscious of it.

It's a very odd sensation for me to feel awkward with all the attention. As an only child, and a major extrovert, I've always craved attention and now I tend to shy away from it. Just another hormonal shift I'm sure.


Post Pregnancy Project:

OK, this scares me but I also think its a great thing to share to help all women post pregnancy. As of this moment I am committed to sharing my physical transformation from pre baby, pregnant and post baby. 

My plan is to show photo progression of my stomach. I will take a photo daily after I give birth for the first week and then every couple of days to show how the body really recovers post birth. I think its an important thing for women to be able to see how REAL Mom's and NOT celebs recover and gain their body back. I will also include all my exercise and diet habits.

Likely I will continue to post on a weekly basis because let's be real, I will not have the time or energy to post daily and you don't need a daily update on my stomach!


Hmmm that didn't turn out so bad for having a mental block :)

Week 21 - Unsettling Ultrasound Results

Quick Recap: Up 17 lbs, not really sure where it's hiding though. Fighting off a cold without meds. Coping much better being the DD. Back pain.

Peanut's Progression: 10.5 inches long, a banana. 12.7 ounces. Sleeps 12 - 14 hours a day. Swallows amniotic fluid and can taste differences in diet. Lots of wiggle room still.

Ultrasound Results Are In! 

Well the good news is everything with our baby is normal. All of the organs look good and there are no problems. The bad news is I have a large placental lake. Before today I had never heard of this so, naturally, after my doctors appointment I took to Google.

Here's a basic description for you: Placental lakes are enlarged spaces in the placenta filled with maternal blood. Think of the placenta like a hunk of swiss cheese and the holes are filled with blood.


So what does that mean for me and the baby? Thankfully nothing serious. Small placental lakes are quite normal to find on ultrasounds and do not pose a risk to mom or baby. There is no associated risk of hemorrhage or growth concerns. In my case, the lake is quite big. Measuring 8cm long by 2cm deep (can't remember how wide). There is a possibility that my baby could experience some slight growth issues but as of now everything is on schedule and he/she is measuring normally. 

Where do we go from here? My ultrasound is being sent to a specialist and they will be meeting with me directly to consult on my case specifically. We will likely have a few more ultrasounds to monitor the lake and ensure no complications.

For more information: I found this blog entry helpful CLICK HERE

Big Butts and Back Pain

This week has been a big one for weight gain. I've put on about 5 lbs just this week alone. My total weight gain is now 17lbs and slightly above the normal range for where I am in my pregnancy. That being said I never would have guessed by looking at my figure that I'm up that much. I'm still all belly and the rest of my body is pretty similar. If I had to guess I'd say my butt has gained a few pounds, although it nicely balances out my belly LOL.

With my expanding midsection I've started to experience some back pain. From what I can self diagnose, it is posterior pelvic pain. It hovers around my sacrum and spreads into either side of my butt. Pretty much everything you do daily can aggravate it. Climbing stairs, walking/jogging, rolling in bed, sitting too long, etc etc. I'm pretty sure I brought it on myself during a yoga class. I remember hugging my knees to my chest on my back and being able to roll on a sore spot, ever since then it has been irritated. My plan of action is to avoid doing that from now on. 

Week 20 - Half Way!

Quick Recap: Officially half way through. LOTS of kicking. More mood swings. Skin continues to clear.

Peanut's Progression: 6.5 inches long. 10 ounces. Starting digestion. Covered in vernix to protect the skin.

Our Ultrasound

Easily the most amazing moment so far. Almost an hour of watching our baby move and wiggle. We won't get confirmation from our doctor until next week that everything looks as it should but as far as I'm concerned our baby is perfect!

Some of my favourite moments were:
- watching the heart pump and seeing the little arms flail around
- seeing the perfect outline of the feet. Just so cool to see these tiny feet with cute little toes!
- looking at the profile and seeing the baby practice sucking, swallowing bits of amniotic fluid.

We went to MedRay in Coquitlam and they were just excellent! Our tech, Victoria, was so lovely. Very kind and appreciative of how special the moment is for us. The clinic itself is clean and nicely modeled. Even the reception staff are very nice. They also provide a few photos for free :)

Mood Swings

I'd rather not re-live me losing my mind this week but I must admit I lost all control of my emotions. A completely out of character freak out. I won’t divulge the details but it involved some serious yelling and hysterical crying.  Hopefully I got it out of my system because in the days since that freak out I have been happy go lucky normal me!

We are now officially closer to the end than the beginning... so crazy!

Week 19 - A New Big Girl Bra!

Quick Recap: Fastest week yet! Tired (mostly from working too much). Belly button now flat. Strongest kicks yet.

Peanut's Progression: 6 inches long. 9 ounces in weight. Starting to swallow amniotic fluid. Kidneys continue to make urine. Hair on the scalp is sprouting.  If it's a baby girl, she already has roughly six million eggs in her ovaries.

Holy Cleavage Batman!

For any male readers kindly sit on your hands while I discuss my new big girl boobies. Pre-pregnancy I was usually around a 32B depending on where I was in my cycle that bra could be tight or loose. Small lil ladies that fit my small frame. Now that the hormones are flying around like cottonwood in Spring I've graduated to a big girl's 36B (and there isn't much room left)! Never, did I think I could toss on an unpadded bra of that size and fill it out let alone have cleavage.

My favourite game is putting on a slightly too small bra and reveling in my new found cleavage. I mean those suckers touch without any effort on my part! 

Belly Button Obsession

It's not lost on me that this is weird but it's tame compared to some of the topics I've discussed. I am obsessed with touching my belly button. IT'S SO SOFT! Yep, I'm officially a total weirdo. But I just can't help it. My belly button has started to pop out (just at the very top) and the rest of it is flush with my belly. I was never a belly button fondler before but now that its all out in everyone's business its hard not too. And let's review the logic of the softness... the belly button has spent its whole life tucked away in darkness away from any stimulation. No rubbing fabric, no scratches or cuts. So naturally its like the softest skin EVER! The ironic part of all of this... I really dislike outies. Pregnancy is probably the only exception to that rule.

The Source of True Happiness

Every little kick, punch or wiggle is an instant smile on my face. Last week, perhaps because of the baby's position, I didn't feel as much movement. But the past 3 days the kicking and moving has really ramped up. The other night Steve and I tried something new. We used his stethoscope to listen to the baby's kicks. It was the neatest thing! You could hear all the tummy grumbles and then these little thumps. So fun! The kicks are pretty visible now too.

I've been trying to figure out my fundus height (how far up my uterus reaches) and after staring at my stomach move for quite a while we saw a strong kick right at my belly button. As per Baby Center, that is right where it should be!


Ultrasound next week!!!

Must Have Maternity Items

I tried to put off wearing maternity clothes for quite a while before finally giving in and realizing they are the best clothes ever!!! It can be pricey to fully outfit a new wardrobe to accommodate your new shape but a few basics will really extend your existing clothing.

Old Navy is my favourite place to purchase maternity clothing. They have mastered the basic. Also, as a slim person I can find clothing small enough for me. Destination Maternity was my least favourite store. It's pricey and mostly has medium and large sizes, even the smalls are too large.

In my opinion, must have maternity items include:

Jeans

I have a pair of both "full panel" and "under belly" jeans. Both are comfortable, on cold days I would probably opt for the full panel. I think its good to have a boot cut jean and a skinny. I am pregnant during fall/winter/spring and love boots so the skinny works best for me, but later on the boot cut will be good with sandals or flats.

Leggings/Tights

Just because regular leggings are stretchy does not mean they will be comfortable once you pop. I thought for sure my yoga pants would stretch enough and after a long yoga class I quickly realized they were just too tight on my tummy. Maternity leggings and tights are cut specifically to allow room for your belly, regular leggings may work for a while but eventually that waistband will dig in and give you an unslightly double tummy.

Tanks/T-shirts

These are essential for extending your current wardrobe. I have lots of cardigans and hoodies that I just wear unbuttoned/unzipped and a good maternity tank or tee gives you a nice fitting layer for underneath. When you get too warm for your sweater you'll want to have something cute that fits nice underneath. I happen to LOVE the shirts that are "shirred" or "gathered" at the sides, makes for a more flattering fit although depending how they are made they can sometimes be itchy.

Fancy Outfit

It may be tough to spend the money on a dress or outfit you will only wear a handful of times but don't forget how much better you will feel when you get ready for that special event and you have something beautiful that fits you well to put on.

My Purchases 

I've been very lucky to have Steve and my Mom/Dad buy me the majority of my maternity items. The total spent is probably near $400 for the following:


5 tank tops (Old Navy)
1 t-shirt (Old Navy)
2 long sleeve tees (Old Navy)
2 sweaters (Old Navy)
2 jeans (Old Navy and Thyme)
2 dresses (Thyme and Motherhood)
1 belly band (unknown)
2 leggings (Old Navy)
3 fancy tops (Destination Maternity & Thyme)

The great thing is that the more expensive items will work after baby too because they aren't obviously maternity items.