19 weeks and counting. For being about half way through this thing I thought I would be a lot bigger. It really is more fun to tell people you are pregnant when you actually look it. Fun fact: Sam has lost ALMOST double the weight that I have gained since finding out we were pregnant. He says he wants to be in shape so he makes a good first impression with our child.
I asked Sam if he had to describe first trimester in one word what it would be. He said, "schlaf". German for SLEEP. It's true, I slept an absurd amount. I was tired all of the time. Not tired; utterly exhausted. I would wake up, get ready for work and be ready to go back to sleep. One time I nodded off standing up in line at the grocery store. Poor, poor Sam, he had to make dinner for himself sometimes! He was a trooper, really. I have a sweet husband who takes care of me. I think he is happy to have his wife back (though not completely).
I think I've had almost every symptom in the book that can possibly go along with pregnancy.
Some minor surprises; contact lenses no longer "work", dry eyes, itchy skin, head aches, hearing my heartbeat in my ears ALL THE TIME, sensitive skin, excessive salivating, food aversions (I suddenly hated most anything salty), cravings (can't get enough Ramen noodles?) and random leg cramps.
The most problematic include an ear infection, outrageous heart burn, needing to pee literally every 30 minutes, a generally miserable sensation in my gut (first trimester) and most recently...anemia and kidney stones. This girl needs to start eating red meat again. For kidney stones, luckily percocet is okay to take during pregnancy. After my 4th bout with stones, child birth should be a piece of cake. This is what I've heard, at least.
I don't mean to just complain. I wake up with a smile on my face every morning remembering the gift the Lord has given us. I have so much pride in my baby bump. Seeing the ultra sounds and just listening to the heartbeat is like nothing else on earth. As of one week ago I started feeling the little "flutters" of my baby moving around in there! I do not take it for granted. Babies are miracles. From conception to birth and for a lifetime. Miracles. Thank God.
Registering for baby is fun. Who knew there were so many different brands of cloth diapers? Not me. Or how expensive breast pumps were? I have done an extensive amount of nannying but I have never had to buy these things. Thankful for my sister planning a baby shower for me!
I am participating in a new-moms-to-be study at Penn which means extra appointments and extra ultra sounds - good deal for me! We have not found a caregiver we really click with yet. The OB at HUP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) said, and I quote, "I'm not going to be around during labor. I don't have the patience for pushing. I will be there when it is time to catch the baby". Great, moving on...we met with a midwife at HUP who was...okay. The only thing is at HUP there are only midwives available during business hours. Having a midwife is important to us considering we are planning for a natural birth. I won't know until 3rd trimester if I am even able to have an epidural due to my back problems (slipped vertebrae). So for our next appointment we are meeting with a midwife at Pennsylvania Hospital (different than HUP). If we deliver here we can tell our child they were born at the first hospital in the nation!
It has been hard to be so far away from the people we love during this most wonderful time. Good thing dear old dad has an iphone and gets regular belly bump picture updates :) Facebook has never been so useful than it is as an expecting mother. Advice from friends all over the world on my computer screen. I'll be heading to MN at the end of June and cannot wait to see as much family and as many friends as possible!
Next appointment is Tuesday AM. Hopefully another ultra sound to share. Stay tuned.
And of course, the latest baby bump...
