Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Halfway There

Monday marked the official 20-week half-way point in my pregnancy. Today we had an ultrasound and the baby cooperated for measuring lots of the important stuff, but not so much for pretty face shots. It's also a good thing we weren't trying to find out if it was a boy or girl because this baby was facing my back and not giving anything away! The heartbeat was 150 and everything checked out great, so I'm feeling quite relieved.

We took Ryan along and he looked at the screen a little bit, thinking that he saw the baby's face (which was probably some internal organs) and announcing that he saw the baby's teeth (spine), but mostly was happy playing with a school bus on the floor.

The technician did comment that the baby seemed to be "Tebowing" in the only profile shot we got.

Here's a little FAQ for anyone who's interested (and a cue to skip for those who aren't).

Q) When are you due again? 
A) Dec. 17. The baby was measuring a few days ahead (yay!) but they're still keeping my due date on Monday, Dec. 17.

Q) Are you going to find out if it's a boy or girl? 
A) Nope

Q) Have you picked out names?
A) We've discussed a lot and keep coming back to a few, but are still open to ideas. We aren't going to tell the name before the baby is born, though.

Q) Can you feel the baby move?
A) Yes! I started recognizing movement at about 18 weeks and it's fun at this stage since it's more hiccups and butterflies than kicks and jabs.

Q) Are you showing?
A) Uh...yeah. I've not had to wear maternity shirts too much yet and most of my pants are just a size-up, not full-out maternity, but this day is coming soon. My wardrobe is definitely a lot more limited and I'll need to do some more shopping soon. I think it's obvious in some outfits that it's a baby bump but in polo shirts I think it's a little freshman-15ish. I've gained about 13 lbs. and am on about the same curve as my first pregnancy. Looks like I'm heading to the full 35 again. :P

Q) How are you feeling?
A) I think I can check off almost every non-medically-threatening-just-generally-uncomfortable pregnancy symptom there is. Here's a quick run-down, not to complain, but because I found it really helpful to look back at my blog from my first pregnancy to remember what happened/ended when.
  • Morning Sickness: I feel nauseated every day, but it comes and goes. I'm down to throwing up only a few times per week and it's still worst when I'm hungry.  I am hoping this continues to fade.
  • Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really every sounds great, but I'm always hungry and once I start, I don't seem to have a problem stuffing it in.  Just like last time, I mostly crave spicy Mexican food, comfort food like hamburger-based casseroles, peanut butter, milk and ice cream.  Things that are hard to eat--pizza sometimes (this is somewhat of a problem, given my line of work), fruit other than apples or peaches (it makes me feel immediately bloated and full but then gives me an empty pit feeling) and juice.
  • Heartburn: Terrible. I know my diet is not exactly a prescription for prevention, but it seems to be cause by everything--even just brushing my teeth!. I can actually feel the acid in my throat, especially when I lay down. I have to be propped up at night just to prevent it from pouring into my throat. Dis-gusting. I'm taking medicine for it but had it all the way through my first pregnancy.
  • Backache: ...and hips and joints, etc. I'm going to the chiropractor consistently to try to ward off the sciatica I had 3 years ago, but my back is still sore.
  • Swelling: No feet swelling yet, but I can tell that fluid is being retained. I actually feel it worst in my forearms. I had terrible carpal tunnel pain when I was pregnant with Ryan (combo of computer work and swelling).
  • Stuffiness: Yup--not so much that I can't breathe, but instant pressure if I look down or tilt my head.
  • Headaches: Also come and go and only a few have been severe. Some of it is due to eye strain from staring at monitors for many many hours/day.
  • Insomnia: It is very hard to get to sleep at night and it's not just Olympic coverage. This leads to...
  • Tiredness:  It's a struggle to wake up in the morning and I really could use a 2-hour nap every day. It just doesn't happen.
  • Pain: The round ligament stretching is definitely noticable and quick movements can cause instant pain.
  • Leg cramps: Only a few times and oddly, I actually get foot/toe cramps more than calves.

I am excited to be halfway through and thankful for the health of the baby continuing to be looking great. It's going to be a very busy fall so I hope it goes fast! For now, we're enjoying our time with Ryan and the continuous nights of sleep!

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