This was technically supposed to be my 24 week checkup, but I'm almost 2 weeks behind on my checkups because of the holidays. Anyway, I had the dreaded glucose test. I iced up the glucola drink that's been sitting in my fridge for the last four weeks, and drank it as fast as I could on the way to drop off Aidan at school. From there I went straight to my appointment. I was expecting the normal "everything's great" appointment, but I ended up leaving pretty unhappy.
Everything started out OK. I don't really have any complaints, other than the braxton hicks are getting strong and painful. My doctor asked how often I get them and I told him it's constant throughout the day...so many I can't keep track. Not that they're all painful, some of them are, but most of them are just pretty uncomfortable. So he decided to check my cervix just to make sure I'm not headed into preterm labor. Everything looked great, I'm still high and tight, which is fantastic.
Then he asked when I wanted to have my baby. I knew he meant to schedule a c-section, so I told him I really wanted a VBAC. Now, before I go on, let me just explain that I was under the impression I would have to have a consultation with a surgeon who could clear me for a VABC, and then I would have to wait until I went into labor, go to my local hospital and sign a crap ton of waivers and papers that would refuse a c-section. That's pretty much how it was explained to me by the midwife at an earlier appointment. Well, today I saw my doctor and it's the first time he and I discussed it. He said first I need to get the surgical report from my c-section (which took place at the Naval Hospital in GUAM), and then I can see a surgeon for a consult. Then, after that, I'd have to either travel to Savannah or down to Shands in Jacksonville. HUGE bummer because even with Shands being in Jacksonville, it's a much farther trek than going to the local hospital (which is literally 5 minutes from my house). Not to mention I've never set foot in Shands, so I'm clueless about the conditions within the hospital itself. And the kicker is, none of people from my doctor's office (him and two midwives) that have been taking care of me through this whole pregnancy would be there during delivery. I would have to rely on someone (likely a resident as explained by my doctor) I've never met to deliver my child. I think that's the biggest disappointment of all. I've spent so much time with my doctor and his midwives...they've been there through the ordeal of trying to conceive, through my miscarriage, and finally this pregnancy. I have a large amount of trust and faith in all of them...to know they wouldn't be there makes me so nervous.
So, even though I was dead set on a VBAC there's a huge possibility that I won't even get to try. I went to outpatient medical records on base today and they saw nothing in my records from Guam about the c-section, although they do have my OB chart. I filled out a request for the records to be transferred to Kings Bay from Guam, but it's the Navy and I bet any amount of money I'm going to have to be calling Guam myself before that surgical report is even located. And even if I do get my surgical report, I'm not as sure of this decision anymore because I won't be with my doctor or anyone on his staff. Given that there are certain risks during a VBAC, I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing my doctor would be on standby should something happen during labor. Now I feel like I'm right back at square one, unsure of what I want to do, and super frustrated that the decision might be made for me if I can't track down those surgical notes.
Other than that, I'm just waiting on the results of the glucose test. They also tested my blood count, TSH, and gave me an antibody screen so that I can get my rhogam shot on the 15th. All of those results should be in by Friday, so at least I won't be left hanging. Baby girl is looking good as well, her heartbeat was super strong when we listened today and my BP was great. So hopefully all those results come back normal and I won't have anything else to add to my list of worries.
We're also going to have a 4D ultrasound done in the next couple of weeks. I'd like 4D confirmation Abby is still a girl before we start getting rid of all our boy clothes! I'd also like to see how she looks, if she really has Aidan's nose or not and if she's got any hair. I'm really excited for the ultrasound...with Aidan I was only 23 weeks or so, and there wasn't much chub on him. Hopefully at 28 weeks she'll be a little chunky and her facial features will be really defined.
That's about it for the update. My next appointment is on Feb 29th, and after that I'll start going every 2 weeks. Crazy how the time is flying right by! Seems like she'll be here before I know it!
01 February 2012
12 January 2012
Different this time around...
I'm not quite sure if anyone can tell from my brief updates, but this pregnancy is so different than when I had Aidan. I'm not sure if it's because this is shore duty and I'm not stressing over my husband making it back in time. Or maybe it's the lack of testosterone I have in my body. Maybe it's because I know this is our last child. Or perhaps it's different because we've waited so long and tried so hard for this baby. Whatever the reason, I'm loving every minute of this pregnancy. At the risk of inducing some serious eye-rolling from anyone reading, I really am blissfully happy.
It's not that I wasn't happy when I was pregnant with Aidan, I know that I was looking forward to having him. But I think most of it was stress. Being pregnant and going to all the doctor's appointments and ultrasounds alone wasn't what I pictured my first pregnancy to be like. I knew my husband would be gone at some point, but when we decided to try for a baby, we really didn't think we would get pregnant so quick. Not to mention I didn't think he'd be gone for so much of my pregnancy. On top of that, I had pregnancy induced hypertension so I had to pay attention to my blood pressure while my doctors kept a close eye on Aidan's growth and development with frequent ultrasounds. I didn't mind too much because it meant I got to see him more often, even if it was on a black and white screen. I also spotted through most of my pregnancy. Every episode would induce gut wrenching panic, and the first few times it happened I rushed to the ER to make sure my baby was still OK. In the third trimester, that finally stopped, but I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was put on a strict diet and forced to check and record my blood sugar four times per day. And lastly, my husband went out on deployment at the start of my third trimester and wasn't due to come home until my 38 week point. When I started dilating at 36 weeks, there was no trying to relax...I was in a panic worrying I'd be giving birth to my first child half a world away from my family, with my husband MIA. Looking back, it was pretty much just one thing after another, after another.
Besides the stress, I think Aidan's pregnancy was also different because I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was having a baby, and I would love him. But I had no clue how much I would end up loving him. And granted, I was excited, but I didn't have anything specific to look forward to because I'd never been a mom before. Now, it's different. I already love Abby as much as I love Aidan, even though I haven't met her yet. I look forward to the little things that I enjoyed so much with Aidan. The first few days, when they're so tiny, you finally get to experience the things you wondered about for 9 months...the shape of their nose, whether or not they have hair, their tiny baby feet actually being small enough to fit into the socks you thought were impossibly small, and how their crying sounds more like a squeak than anything else. I miss the little yawns and the smiles you only catch when they're sleeping. And I look forward to experiencing the excitement of all the firsts...first smile, first giggle, first steps, and first word. I already know how it felt when we experienced it with Aidan, it makes me even more excited to know I get to do it all over again.
Not only do I already know all of the amazing things I have to look forward to, but this pregnancy has been so easy. Virtually no nausea, no reason to stress, only one episode of spotting that resolved on it's own, and everything with Abby is looking healthy. I have the usual discomforts, like braxton hicks and daily headaches. But even those minor pains can't bring me down, I'm still happy.....really happy and extremely thankful. I absolutely can't wait to meet our little Abigail :)
It's not that I wasn't happy when I was pregnant with Aidan, I know that I was looking forward to having him. But I think most of it was stress. Being pregnant and going to all the doctor's appointments and ultrasounds alone wasn't what I pictured my first pregnancy to be like. I knew my husband would be gone at some point, but when we decided to try for a baby, we really didn't think we would get pregnant so quick. Not to mention I didn't think he'd be gone for so much of my pregnancy. On top of that, I had pregnancy induced hypertension so I had to pay attention to my blood pressure while my doctors kept a close eye on Aidan's growth and development with frequent ultrasounds. I didn't mind too much because it meant I got to see him more often, even if it was on a black and white screen. I also spotted through most of my pregnancy. Every episode would induce gut wrenching panic, and the first few times it happened I rushed to the ER to make sure my baby was still OK. In the third trimester, that finally stopped, but I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was put on a strict diet and forced to check and record my blood sugar four times per day. And lastly, my husband went out on deployment at the start of my third trimester and wasn't due to come home until my 38 week point. When I started dilating at 36 weeks, there was no trying to relax...I was in a panic worrying I'd be giving birth to my first child half a world away from my family, with my husband MIA. Looking back, it was pretty much just one thing after another, after another.
Besides the stress, I think Aidan's pregnancy was also different because I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was having a baby, and I would love him. But I had no clue how much I would end up loving him. And granted, I was excited, but I didn't have anything specific to look forward to because I'd never been a mom before. Now, it's different. I already love Abby as much as I love Aidan, even though I haven't met her yet. I look forward to the little things that I enjoyed so much with Aidan. The first few days, when they're so tiny, you finally get to experience the things you wondered about for 9 months...the shape of their nose, whether or not they have hair, their tiny baby feet actually being small enough to fit into the socks you thought were impossibly small, and how their crying sounds more like a squeak than anything else. I miss the little yawns and the smiles you only catch when they're sleeping. And I look forward to experiencing the excitement of all the firsts...first smile, first giggle, first steps, and first word. I already know how it felt when we experienced it with Aidan, it makes me even more excited to know I get to do it all over again.
Not only do I already know all of the amazing things I have to look forward to, but this pregnancy has been so easy. Virtually no nausea, no reason to stress, only one episode of spotting that resolved on it's own, and everything with Abby is looking healthy. I have the usual discomforts, like braxton hicks and daily headaches. But even those minor pains can't bring me down, I'm still happy.....really happy and extremely thankful. I absolutely can't wait to meet our little Abigail :)
03 January 2012
20 Week Check Up!
I had my 20 week checkup today. First I'd better backtrack because I just realized I never made a blog announcement about the gender of the baby. Most of you (if not all) already know what baby #2 is. But not everyone knows what happened or how it went down, which is an interesting story in my opinion. So I'll share that with you first, and then get down to the appointment.
On December 2, I scheduled an elective ultrasound to find out the baby's gender. I wanted to have one done before Casey left for his two weeks in Virginia (which meant he'd be gone for the growth scan at 20 weeks). My mom flew in that morning, we ate lunch, and killed some time shopping before my appointment at 1:40. Or so I *thought* the appointment was at 1:40. We got to the ultrasound place at 1:40, only to find out that my appointment was scheduled for 1:15 and I was SUPER late. Totally my fault, I don't know why I wrote down 1:40. The problem was she was completely booked and had an appointment for 1:45, so I basically missed my chance. Anyway, she took pity on me (we were all obviously excited for the session) and since I was just getting a 2D gender confirmation scan, she agreed to squeeze me in before her next appointment arrived. So the session, was pretty much rushed.
At first glance, she said she was pretty sure it was a girl. I said no way, I was convinced it was a boy, I was going to need a clear shot to be proven wrong. But baby just kept giving us their backside, so it was difficult to say for sure. She measured the baby, and I was right on track, baby measuring 7 inches long and 5.5 ounces. I saw all the great things you look forward to seeing, like the profile and little hands and feet. We waited for the baby to turn, and sure enough, for a split second we saw two legs with nothing in between. The tech pointed out three lines (which took me FOREVER to see when I played the video my mom took over again) and confirmed we were having a girl! With her next appointment already waiting, we were whisked out of the room (in shock), paid the fee, and left.
It took a while to set in....I was really really really surprised. Casey was completely freaked at the prospect of having to spend money on girl things instead of passing everything down everything Aidan has outgrown. And my mom was over the moon happy. But I was nervous because the shot we had wasn't very clear at all, and I know it's possible for techs to be wrong. Even still, we went ahead and announced what we were having on Facebook, knowing we'd have confirmation at my 20 week growth scan.
Almost two weeks later, I went to my growth scan, completely pretending that I didn't know the gender. Casey, who was in school in VA, was still holding out hope that they'd say "You're having a boy!" and that the penis had just been hidden somewhere in the last ultrasound. Meanwhile, I started to become afraid that they WOULD tell me it was a boy and I'd be so disappointed because I'd become excited about having a little girl. Either way, one of us was going to have to make an adjustment!
So, the growth scan took much longer because she was measuring every little thing. I got to see the heart pumping away, the blood flowing through the cord and the kidneys, little tiny hands again (but that never gets old!)....and then the tech asked, "Do you want to know what you're having?" I said, "Yes please!!!" She froze a shot of the two legs, again void in the middle, and said, "It looks like a girl..." but the baby was yet again in an awkward position. We wanted a clear money shot, so we waited. All of the sudden we were being mooned on the screen and clear as day, you could see we were having a girl! It was official in my mind, there's no place for a little wee wee to be hiding in that picture!! Here's a picture of the shot that sealed the deal:
After seeing that shot, even Casey admitted there was no arguing that one, we were definitely going to have to paint the spare room pink! Needless to say everyone is excited for us. It's been easy to shift my thinking from "he" to "she", and we already call her Abby. She also seems to have her brother's profile (I think they'll look alike), with that cute button nose:
So there it is, we're expecting Abigail Maria-Jane. I'm hoping (and thinking it's possible) I go into labor in late April, so she can have the awesome birthstone of diamond, but we'll see. So far I've been wrong on every aspect when it comes to being pregnant, both times. I swore Aidan was a girl (he is most definitely all boy), I swore I was going to have to be induced after going past my due date (I went into early labor and finally had him at 39 weeks), I swore Abby was going to be a boy...I'm not doing so well on the mommy intuition front.
As far as my check up goes, everything looks great. Abby's HR was in the upper 140s, and my fundal height is right on track. No complaints, other than getting woozy when my braxton hicks come around. But the midwife said it's normal and to make sure I've eaten and keep hydrated. If they come frequently, do the opposite of what I'm already doing (rest if I'm up and moving, get up and move if I'm resting), and to call if I have more than 6 in an hour. My bp is awesome and I gained some weight! I weighed myself the night we got back from Louisiana and saw a 9 lb increase since I had left 2 weeks earlier. But because I lost a few pounds earlier in the pregnancy and again since I got home from Louisiana, I'm only officially up five pounds since the time I got pregnant. It's not much, but it's something! I'm just glad I'm gaining, makes me feel better about Abby's health.
So that is all for now. My next appointment is Feb. 1 and I'll be 26 weeks by then. I can't believe time is flying right by...she'll be here before we know it!!!
On December 2, I scheduled an elective ultrasound to find out the baby's gender. I wanted to have one done before Casey left for his two weeks in Virginia (which meant he'd be gone for the growth scan at 20 weeks). My mom flew in that morning, we ate lunch, and killed some time shopping before my appointment at 1:40. Or so I *thought* the appointment was at 1:40. We got to the ultrasound place at 1:40, only to find out that my appointment was scheduled for 1:15 and I was SUPER late. Totally my fault, I don't know why I wrote down 1:40. The problem was she was completely booked and had an appointment for 1:45, so I basically missed my chance. Anyway, she took pity on me (we were all obviously excited for the session) and since I was just getting a 2D gender confirmation scan, she agreed to squeeze me in before her next appointment arrived. So the session, was pretty much rushed.
At first glance, she said she was pretty sure it was a girl. I said no way, I was convinced it was a boy, I was going to need a clear shot to be proven wrong. But baby just kept giving us their backside, so it was difficult to say for sure. She measured the baby, and I was right on track, baby measuring 7 inches long and 5.5 ounces. I saw all the great things you look forward to seeing, like the profile and little hands and feet. We waited for the baby to turn, and sure enough, for a split second we saw two legs with nothing in between. The tech pointed out three lines (which took me FOREVER to see when I played the video my mom took over again) and confirmed we were having a girl! With her next appointment already waiting, we were whisked out of the room (in shock), paid the fee, and left.
It took a while to set in....I was really really really surprised. Casey was completely freaked at the prospect of having to spend money on girl things instead of passing everything down everything Aidan has outgrown. And my mom was over the moon happy. But I was nervous because the shot we had wasn't very clear at all, and I know it's possible for techs to be wrong. Even still, we went ahead and announced what we were having on Facebook, knowing we'd have confirmation at my 20 week growth scan.
Almost two weeks later, I went to my growth scan, completely pretending that I didn't know the gender. Casey, who was in school in VA, was still holding out hope that they'd say "You're having a boy!" and that the penis had just been hidden somewhere in the last ultrasound. Meanwhile, I started to become afraid that they WOULD tell me it was a boy and I'd be so disappointed because I'd become excited about having a little girl. Either way, one of us was going to have to make an adjustment!
So, the growth scan took much longer because she was measuring every little thing. I got to see the heart pumping away, the blood flowing through the cord and the kidneys, little tiny hands again (but that never gets old!)....and then the tech asked, "Do you want to know what you're having?" I said, "Yes please!!!" She froze a shot of the two legs, again void in the middle, and said, "It looks like a girl..." but the baby was yet again in an awkward position. We wanted a clear money shot, so we waited. All of the sudden we were being mooned on the screen and clear as day, you could see we were having a girl! It was official in my mind, there's no place for a little wee wee to be hiding in that picture!! Here's a picture of the shot that sealed the deal:
After seeing that shot, even Casey admitted there was no arguing that one, we were definitely going to have to paint the spare room pink! Needless to say everyone is excited for us. It's been easy to shift my thinking from "he" to "she", and we already call her Abby. She also seems to have her brother's profile (I think they'll look alike), with that cute button nose:
So there it is, we're expecting Abigail Maria-Jane. I'm hoping (and thinking it's possible) I go into labor in late April, so she can have the awesome birthstone of diamond, but we'll see. So far I've been wrong on every aspect when it comes to being pregnant, both times. I swore Aidan was a girl (he is most definitely all boy), I swore I was going to have to be induced after going past my due date (I went into early labor and finally had him at 39 weeks), I swore Abby was going to be a boy...I'm not doing so well on the mommy intuition front.
As far as my check up goes, everything looks great. Abby's HR was in the upper 140s, and my fundal height is right on track. No complaints, other than getting woozy when my braxton hicks come around. But the midwife said it's normal and to make sure I've eaten and keep hydrated. If they come frequently, do the opposite of what I'm already doing (rest if I'm up and moving, get up and move if I'm resting), and to call if I have more than 6 in an hour. My bp is awesome and I gained some weight! I weighed myself the night we got back from Louisiana and saw a 9 lb increase since I had left 2 weeks earlier. But because I lost a few pounds earlier in the pregnancy and again since I got home from Louisiana, I'm only officially up five pounds since the time I got pregnant. It's not much, but it's something! I'm just glad I'm gaining, makes me feel better about Abby's health.
So that is all for now. My next appointment is Feb. 1 and I'll be 26 weeks by then. I can't believe time is flying right by...she'll be here before we know it!!!
31 December 2011
Goodbye 2011
It's New Year's Eve, and I can't help but remember where we were one year ago. Still fresh from our loss we were looking to start fertility treatments. I was hopeful, thinking January would be it for us. Little did I know that clomid wasn't just an easy answer for us. The first cycle failed, as the dose was not high enough to make me ovulate. We spent the next few months working our way up in 50mg increments, and each failed cycle was like a punch in the gut to me. Although I swore never to take metformin again, desperation made me try a combination of both drugs to try and have a successful cycle. I pretty much spent the entire first half of this year frustrated and depressed that my body was working against me. Then, to find out that on top of PCOS, I also have a thyroid issue....it was enough to make me just want to quit. And I think part of me really did just give up. I took a few months off actively TTCing, putting off clomid treatments until September. I didn't want to take a pill, chart my temp, or pee on another strip...I just wanted to stop thinking about how we kept failing. And I started school again, enrolling in a graduate program, really not believing that I'd be getting pregnant any time soon. I was on a break, and put all of my attention and energy on something not baby related.
I didn't see it coming, but August was literally like a dejavu month for me. I got pregnant in August of 2010, right before I was supposed to start clomid for the very first time. That pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage. This year, when I found out I was pregnant with another May due date, I was shocked, excited, and slightly nervous. I couldn't help but think about how wrong things had progressed with last year's pregnancy. I anxiously held my breath, crossed my fingers, and prayed until our first OB appointment at 9 weeks. When I saw my little jelly bean on the screen, I was relieved and so incredibly happy. Needless to say, this year did not spiral downward as last year had done.
I know I was unhappy and frustrated during most of 2011. But I can't help but feel like it was all worth it. We're having another baby, and I couldn't be happier. I will always look back and remember this year as the year we really understood what being blessed really is. We not only got pregnant, but without fertility meds. And I was reminded that you might not see the sense in the way things play out, and it's easy to get angry that things aren't happening the way you planned them out. But eventually you realize things fall into place just the way they're supposed to, and you begin to understand why your own plan wasn't the right one. Looking back on everything that's happened at the close of 2010 and during all of 2011, I get it. And regardless of the struggles we went through, 2011 will always be amazing because of our little miracle and being able to say we came full circle.
Tonight, I'm saying goodbye to 2011 at home with my husband, my son, and the little gymnast that's rolling around in my belly. There's no big party, no fancy food, and no one else but us. I'm in my PJ's and my hair is a mess. But sitting here, counting all of my blessings, I'm thinking this is one of the best New Year's Eve I could have ever asked for.
So adios to 2011...it's been a crazy and surprising year. I can't wait to see what 2012 is going to bring our way.
I didn't see it coming, but August was literally like a dejavu month for me. I got pregnant in August of 2010, right before I was supposed to start clomid for the very first time. That pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage. This year, when I found out I was pregnant with another May due date, I was shocked, excited, and slightly nervous. I couldn't help but think about how wrong things had progressed with last year's pregnancy. I anxiously held my breath, crossed my fingers, and prayed until our first OB appointment at 9 weeks. When I saw my little jelly bean on the screen, I was relieved and so incredibly happy. Needless to say, this year did not spiral downward as last year had done.
I know I was unhappy and frustrated during most of 2011. But I can't help but feel like it was all worth it. We're having another baby, and I couldn't be happier. I will always look back and remember this year as the year we really understood what being blessed really is. We not only got pregnant, but without fertility meds. And I was reminded that you might not see the sense in the way things play out, and it's easy to get angry that things aren't happening the way you planned them out. But eventually you realize things fall into place just the way they're supposed to, and you begin to understand why your own plan wasn't the right one. Looking back on everything that's happened at the close of 2010 and during all of 2011, I get it. And regardless of the struggles we went through, 2011 will always be amazing because of our little miracle and being able to say we came full circle.
Tonight, I'm saying goodbye to 2011 at home with my husband, my son, and the little gymnast that's rolling around in my belly. There's no big party, no fancy food, and no one else but us. I'm in my PJ's and my hair is a mess. But sitting here, counting all of my blessings, I'm thinking this is one of the best New Year's Eve I could have ever asked for.
So adios to 2011...it's been a crazy and surprising year. I can't wait to see what 2012 is going to bring our way.
30 November 2011
16 Week Checkup
I had my 16 week checkup today. I've been feeling really great recently...I think my TSH levels finally evened out over the last few weeks because I haven't been feeling as crappy as I did last month.
I gained a pound, which puts my total weight change to -3 (wooo hooo)! I was really excited to see that I gained SOMETHING, even if it is just one pound...I just feel paranoid that if I lose weight the entire pregnancy the baby won't be healthy. Crazy I know, but it's the worry-wart of a mommy in me!
They did the quadruple screen and checked my TSH levels to make sure they're still below 3. And, I've been feeling strong braxton hicks contractions for the last few weeks, a couple of times per day. I asked him about feeling them so early on, and he said it's normal, that my uterus actually contracts 3-4 times per HOUR! So it's OK to feel it, just as long as it's not accompanied by blood or weird mucus-y discharge.
Also, little bean's HR was 160 INTERESTINGLY....one of my fellow pregnant mommas passed along a fun site to "predict" the baby's gender (http://www.babybpm.com/)and at 12w 6d with a HR of 130, the baby was predicted a boy. But now it's predicting GIRL, based on 16w 6d with a HR of 160! I know it's just an old wives tale and it's about as accurate as the chinese gender calendar (which all told me Aidan was supposed to be a girl). But, this just makes me even more anxious for Friday when we have our gender confirmation scan. I'm so excited, I probably won't be sleeping from here until then!
Anyway, I scheduled the anatomy scan for Dec. 12 at 2pm, and my next checkup is on Jan 3. I'm so glad everything is going well...no PIH and hopefully no diabetes. Now if I could just have a successful VBAC, I think I can file this pregnancy under "AWESOME"! It's really important to me to have an uneventful, healthy pregnancy. I really want to apply to be a surrogate after I have this baby next year, and I think it'll look great if they see I've recently had a healthy pregnancy.
And randomly, off topic, I'm going to a place I never thought I would ever go before: Cloth Diapering! I know, it sounds silly, but I have a severe aversion to dealing with poopy diapers. I couldn't fathom having to spray off a dirty diaper before washing it, not to mention my OCD tendencies would never let me put a completely filthy diaper into my washing machine....it would be forever soiled in my eyes! But I've asked around and I've been schooled on the cloth diapering ways. So I've been doing research to figure out what brands might suit me and how much cheaper it would be....and I think I'm going to try it out. They make these liners that go over the cloth insert, so when you get a dirty diaper, you just flush the liner and wash the insert, which calms my anxiety about having to get my hands and/or washing machine dirty. I might actually like it, especially since I refused to breast feed before I got pregnant with Aidan and then ended up conceding to try it and in the end loving it! And hey, if it saves us from having to buy spend a ton of money on diapers, I'm willing to give it a shot.
So that's my update. My next update will be about the baby's gender, but it won't be until after we tell Casey's family in person, right before Christmas. And in case you missed it, we finally compromised on a girl's name. Aidan actually picked it out, and since Casey hates my top choices and I hate his, we had to go back to the drawing board. I didn't like it at first, but our choice has been growing on me. So, if it's a girl, she will be Abigail Maria-Jane (calling her Abby for short). And it was never a question as to what boy's name we were going to use...we've had this first name picked out since before we started trying for a second! But we did pick out a middle name we liked, so if it is a boy, he will be Jackson James-Cooper (I imagine calling him Jack, JJ, or JCoop for short lol). So hang tight, only a few more weeks until the world will know if we're on team pink or team blue!
I gained a pound, which puts my total weight change to -3 (wooo hooo)! I was really excited to see that I gained SOMETHING, even if it is just one pound...I just feel paranoid that if I lose weight the entire pregnancy the baby won't be healthy. Crazy I know, but it's the worry-wart of a mommy in me!
They did the quadruple screen and checked my TSH levels to make sure they're still below 3. And, I've been feeling strong braxton hicks contractions for the last few weeks, a couple of times per day. I asked him about feeling them so early on, and he said it's normal, that my uterus actually contracts 3-4 times per HOUR! So it's OK to feel it, just as long as it's not accompanied by blood or weird mucus-y discharge.
Also, little bean's HR was 160 INTERESTINGLY....one of my fellow pregnant mommas passed along a fun site to "predict" the baby's gender (http://www.babybpm.com/)and at 12w 6d with a HR of 130, the baby was predicted a boy. But now it's predicting GIRL, based on 16w 6d with a HR of 160! I know it's just an old wives tale and it's about as accurate as the chinese gender calendar (which all told me Aidan was supposed to be a girl). But, this just makes me even more anxious for Friday when we have our gender confirmation scan. I'm so excited, I probably won't be sleeping from here until then!
Anyway, I scheduled the anatomy scan for Dec. 12 at 2pm, and my next checkup is on Jan 3. I'm so glad everything is going well...no PIH and hopefully no diabetes. Now if I could just have a successful VBAC, I think I can file this pregnancy under "AWESOME"! It's really important to me to have an uneventful, healthy pregnancy. I really want to apply to be a surrogate after I have this baby next year, and I think it'll look great if they see I've recently had a healthy pregnancy.
And randomly, off topic, I'm going to a place I never thought I would ever go before: Cloth Diapering! I know, it sounds silly, but I have a severe aversion to dealing with poopy diapers. I couldn't fathom having to spray off a dirty diaper before washing it, not to mention my OCD tendencies would never let me put a completely filthy diaper into my washing machine....it would be forever soiled in my eyes! But I've asked around and I've been schooled on the cloth diapering ways. So I've been doing research to figure out what brands might suit me and how much cheaper it would be....and I think I'm going to try it out. They make these liners that go over the cloth insert, so when you get a dirty diaper, you just flush the liner and wash the insert, which calms my anxiety about having to get my hands and/or washing machine dirty. I might actually like it, especially since I refused to breast feed before I got pregnant with Aidan and then ended up conceding to try it and in the end loving it! And hey, if it saves us from having to buy spend a ton of money on diapers, I'm willing to give it a shot.
So that's my update. My next update will be about the baby's gender, but it won't be until after we tell Casey's family in person, right before Christmas. And in case you missed it, we finally compromised on a girl's name. Aidan actually picked it out, and since Casey hates my top choices and I hate his, we had to go back to the drawing board. I didn't like it at first, but our choice has been growing on me. So, if it's a girl, she will be Abigail Maria-Jane (calling her Abby for short). And it was never a question as to what boy's name we were going to use...we've had this first name picked out since before we started trying for a second! But we did pick out a middle name we liked, so if it is a boy, he will be Jackson James-Cooper (I imagine calling him Jack, JJ, or JCoop for short lol). So hang tight, only a few more weeks until the world will know if we're on team pink or team blue!
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