My belly at 15 weeks. Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Catching up on the first 14 weeks of pregnancy
Here I am, a little over 14 weeks pregnant and I thought it was about time to start blogging about my experiences with carrying this baby. I'll start from the beginning...
John and I had been trying to conceive for a few months. I had decided to chart my cycles since they were really long and irregular, so I had been charting for the past couple of months. I was expecting my period any day. We decided to take a test the next morning (it was Friday night). I woke up at about 3:00am that morning to use the restroom and decided to go for it. There I was pacing back and forth in our dark house (John fast asleep) waiting for those little lines to show up. To my surprise, it was positive! I went running back into our bedroom and woke John up to let him know. He was of course beyond thrilled. We were up for the next couple of hours, excitedly talking everything over.
I had know for a while that when I did become pregnant, I was interested in exploring the option of having a natural birth. Although many chose this because they don't want their baby exposed to the various drugs used in a medicated birth, that was not my reason. I saw childbirth as a challenge, and knew that it was something I could conquer without an epidural if I put my mind to it. My good friend Lucie had just given birth a few months prior and had all her prenatal care done at a birth center with midwives. She had expressed to me several times how wonderful her experience had been and that she wouldn't have it any other way. We decided to meet with the midwives at Cascade Birth Center in Everett, just a few blocks from the main hospital. John and I showed up literally with a hand written list of questions to ask the midwives. We wanted to be sure that if we were in fact to chose this option for our birth that it was a well educated decision and we felt comfortable, safe, and prepared for what came along with our decision. We walked away from that first appointment feeling completely confident in the birth center and the staff there. We felt safe with the possibility that we may have our baby there.
We had our first ultrasound at 8 weeks. That morning we went in to the birth center for a routine check up and they said we should schedule an ultrasound on our way out. Turns out that the ultrasound center had an opening right then and there, so we headed over to the center. We got to see the baby (which looked more like a blob), and we also got to actually see the little heart beating (as well as hear it). It was such a great feeling to see the little baby in there and know they were safe. John and I just felt so much happiness.
Our next ultrasound was scheduled for week 12 and was a screening for downs syndrome. During this ultrasound, we again got to see the baby which now looked like an actual baby. They had 2 legs, 2 arms, fingers, toes, etc. The ultrasound tech told us the baby had developed all their parts besides the sex organs. John was hoping to be able to determine the sex at this ultrasound, but as I suspected it was too early. I could not stop smiling during the entire ultrasound (which lasted about 20 min or so and we were able to get on DVD). It was such a neat feeling to see the baby moving in there while the tech was measuring all their parts. At one point during the ultrasound, it appeared that the baby was sucking either their finger or thumb. They played with their hands a lot and moved all over. Their head was positioned on the right side of my belly, feet on the left side. Once again, we got to see and hear the heart beat, which was of course fantastic. The ultrasound showed very, very low risk of Downs.
I feel pretty darn blessed so far with my pregnancy. I had about 3 weeks of some fairly moderate nausea, but never got sick (as in vomit sick). During those 3 weeks, food also did not sound good at all. I ate whatever I could choke down. From time to time, my blood pressure (or blood sugar) will fall too low and I feel faint. Its happened twice while I have been scrubbed into surgery and all of a sudden my face will get extremely hot and I feel very weak. The 2nd time it happened, I actually had to drop out of the surgery and go and eat a cracker, sit down, and drink some juice. Within 15 min, I felt better. During the first trimester, I felt extremely fatigued. It was all I could do to make it through my work day and then I would come immediately home and be on the couch the rest of the night, often falling asleep around 8:00 or 8:30. However, once 2nd trimester was here, I had most of my energy back and even have been back at the gym a couple of times a week.
I have been itching to shop for this baby, but its been hard without knowing the sex. About a month ago, however there was a gigantic twin sale out at Bellevue Community college that Katie was a part of and let me know about. It was used baby items of all kinds. John, my mom and I headed out and we scored big time. It was so much fun to shop for the baby with both John and my mom. We bought a swing, little ducky slippers, a baby tent for Hawaii next year, and a front carrier pack that John picked out. Hayley and her mom bought the very first outfit I have received for the baby as a congratulations gift. A nurse at work brought me a small stroller, a book and a toy for the baby. Katie and Todd handed us down a really nice crib, a walker, a baby bath, and some additional supplies.
We've decided to use the office as the nursery. We are slowly getting prepared to make that change over such as moving the computer desk upstairs, purchasing laptops, selling the papasan chair (just today), etc.
I bought my first pairs of maternity pants just last week. They are still too big for me, but my regular clothes are getting uncomfortably tight. I am in between being able to wear my regular clothes and wearing maternity clothes, so most of the time I have been wearing leggings, and am very thankful to get to wear scrubs at work all day. This past Friday was Colin's 30th birthday party and the first time that people noticed my little baby bump. Its very tiny, but its there. It seems to be more present in the evening. My mom has noticed my breast have gotten bigger as well.
John has been a wonderful support so far through everything. I am lucky to have such an involved husband and he is just as excited as I to meet the baby.
More to come!
John and I had been trying to conceive for a few months. I had decided to chart my cycles since they were really long and irregular, so I had been charting for the past couple of months. I was expecting my period any day. We decided to take a test the next morning (it was Friday night). I woke up at about 3:00am that morning to use the restroom and decided to go for it. There I was pacing back and forth in our dark house (John fast asleep) waiting for those little lines to show up. To my surprise, it was positive! I went running back into our bedroom and woke John up to let him know. He was of course beyond thrilled. We were up for the next couple of hours, excitedly talking everything over.
I had know for a while that when I did become pregnant, I was interested in exploring the option of having a natural birth. Although many chose this because they don't want their baby exposed to the various drugs used in a medicated birth, that was not my reason. I saw childbirth as a challenge, and knew that it was something I could conquer without an epidural if I put my mind to it. My good friend Lucie had just given birth a few months prior and had all her prenatal care done at a birth center with midwives. She had expressed to me several times how wonderful her experience had been and that she wouldn't have it any other way. We decided to meet with the midwives at Cascade Birth Center in Everett, just a few blocks from the main hospital. John and I showed up literally with a hand written list of questions to ask the midwives. We wanted to be sure that if we were in fact to chose this option for our birth that it was a well educated decision and we felt comfortable, safe, and prepared for what came along with our decision. We walked away from that first appointment feeling completely confident in the birth center and the staff there. We felt safe with the possibility that we may have our baby there.
We had our first ultrasound at 8 weeks. That morning we went in to the birth center for a routine check up and they said we should schedule an ultrasound on our way out. Turns out that the ultrasound center had an opening right then and there, so we headed over to the center. We got to see the baby (which looked more like a blob), and we also got to actually see the little heart beating (as well as hear it). It was such a great feeling to see the little baby in there and know they were safe. John and I just felt so much happiness.
Our next ultrasound was scheduled for week 12 and was a screening for downs syndrome. During this ultrasound, we again got to see the baby which now looked like an actual baby. They had 2 legs, 2 arms, fingers, toes, etc. The ultrasound tech told us the baby had developed all their parts besides the sex organs. John was hoping to be able to determine the sex at this ultrasound, but as I suspected it was too early. I could not stop smiling during the entire ultrasound (which lasted about 20 min or so and we were able to get on DVD). It was such a neat feeling to see the baby moving in there while the tech was measuring all their parts. At one point during the ultrasound, it appeared that the baby was sucking either their finger or thumb. They played with their hands a lot and moved all over. Their head was positioned on the right side of my belly, feet on the left side. Once again, we got to see and hear the heart beat, which was of course fantastic. The ultrasound showed very, very low risk of Downs.
I feel pretty darn blessed so far with my pregnancy. I had about 3 weeks of some fairly moderate nausea, but never got sick (as in vomit sick). During those 3 weeks, food also did not sound good at all. I ate whatever I could choke down. From time to time, my blood pressure (or blood sugar) will fall too low and I feel faint. Its happened twice while I have been scrubbed into surgery and all of a sudden my face will get extremely hot and I feel very weak. The 2nd time it happened, I actually had to drop out of the surgery and go and eat a cracker, sit down, and drink some juice. Within 15 min, I felt better. During the first trimester, I felt extremely fatigued. It was all I could do to make it through my work day and then I would come immediately home and be on the couch the rest of the night, often falling asleep around 8:00 or 8:30. However, once 2nd trimester was here, I had most of my energy back and even have been back at the gym a couple of times a week.
I have been itching to shop for this baby, but its been hard without knowing the sex. About a month ago, however there was a gigantic twin sale out at Bellevue Community college that Katie was a part of and let me know about. It was used baby items of all kinds. John, my mom and I headed out and we scored big time. It was so much fun to shop for the baby with both John and my mom. We bought a swing, little ducky slippers, a baby tent for Hawaii next year, and a front carrier pack that John picked out. Hayley and her mom bought the very first outfit I have received for the baby as a congratulations gift. A nurse at work brought me a small stroller, a book and a toy for the baby. Katie and Todd handed us down a really nice crib, a walker, a baby bath, and some additional supplies.
We've decided to use the office as the nursery. We are slowly getting prepared to make that change over such as moving the computer desk upstairs, purchasing laptops, selling the papasan chair (just today), etc.
I bought my first pairs of maternity pants just last week. They are still too big for me, but my regular clothes are getting uncomfortably tight. I am in between being able to wear my regular clothes and wearing maternity clothes, so most of the time I have been wearing leggings, and am very thankful to get to wear scrubs at work all day. This past Friday was Colin's 30th birthday party and the first time that people noticed my little baby bump. Its very tiny, but its there. It seems to be more present in the evening. My mom has noticed my breast have gotten bigger as well.
John has been a wonderful support so far through everything. I am lucky to have such an involved husband and he is just as excited as I to meet the baby.
More to come!
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