time is flying! i can't believe i'm 15 1/2 weeks already. i am feeling much more like myself in terms of energy level, appetite, and my rear end (whew!), but my body has started to rebel in other ways. weird, weird ways. some of which i expected, like increased body hair. which is still just gross. and on my belly it's dark, which is even grosser. my belly button is slowly turning into an "outie," and i can't get over being able to see the recesses that have been hidden away all my life. i can also see the scar in there from my laparoscopy, which is kind of cool. my most boggling recent development is what they call "rhinitis of pregnancy:" basically, nasal congestion for no other reason but that i'm pregnant. i had no idea this was a thing. apparently the increased blood flow to pregnant ladies' mucus membranes can just end up producing a lot more mucus. lovely. a woman i work with had it her whole second trimester, so i'm gearing up for a long and sniffly road.
but really, i feel pretty good, all things considered. so i try not to complain too much.
i went to the perinatologist yesterday for my regular two-week check-up. the baby looks great... still pretty active but not quite as nutso as last time. the hubby went with me so he got to see the little acrobat in action, which was nice. everything looks fine in terms of development, size, heart rate, etc. they did the last round of bloodwork for the genetic disorder screening but it seems like everyone is assuming based on baby's development that we should get normal results on that, too. i should get those results the next time i go.
as always they checked my cervix, which looked perfect this time (no more weird contractions like last visit, post-pap smear) and checked out the placenta and the uterus. the placenta is still partially covering the cervix. she said it seems like things are still adjusting as they should be so we're still hopeful it won't continue to be a problem. but the other thing they noticed is what they thought was a blood clot in my uterus near the cervix is actually a blood vessel that's lying lower than it should be. this could be related to the placenta previa, since the placenta is attached to the uterus via a lot of blood vessels and it's also a lot lower than it should be. the doctor said i still should not have intercourse because of the blood vessel and the potential for it to rupture. i wish i'd asked more questions when i was there but i never really process the information until later and now i'm wondering... if it doesn't move, won't i have to worry about it rupturing throughout the pregnancy? and especially during labor? and how serious would that be, exactly? they are never alarmist about anything -- at least they don't ACT that way -- so they didn't make a big deal of it other than saying NO SEX. (still!!!) so i will try not to think about it any more than necessary.
even though it stresses me out a little, i'm just so thankful to have all of this information... so many women don't know these details about the placenta and blood vessels so early on and end up bleeding and freaking out in the ER. if not worse. so while i'm a little concerned in the back of my mind, i'd rather have something KNOWN to worry about than to sit around imagining all of the things that i DON'T know. besides, my gut says this baby is going to be just fine. i'm already wishing it was time for my next ultrasound so i could see the little peanut again!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
13 weeks, 4 days
time is just rolling along! i've been so busy at work and with some special extracurricular activities that i feel like i've hardly stopped to breathe the past couple of weeks. luckily, i took today off to visit both doctors, so i have some down time and a three-day weekend by default. i definitely need it.
physically, i'm doing pretty well. the nausea is mostly gone. i still have occasional morning bouts, but that's about it. i've started taking my prenatal vitamin before bed so i just make sure to stuff some crackers in my face when i wake up early in the morning and that change seems to have helped. my constipation is much, much better... but this week i developed a couple of hemorrhoids. the doctor said there's a chance they may have been inside during the Age of Constipation and now they've worked their way out as everything is... working more smoothly. it is definitely one of the most uncomfortable things i've experienced. i'm using the treatment cream and hoping to get a reprieve for part of the second trimester. i realize they will probably return in the end, and make delivery all the more thrilling.
my belly has reached a point where it's becoming almost impossible to hide unless i'm wearing a coat. or carrying something in front of it, which is still a strategy i use at work. i'm not quite sure why i'm still so self-conscious about it. i've announced the pregnancy at work and everyone is thrilled, of course, and i get frequent comments on how "cute" my belly is... but i'm still not used to this changing body. i'm exclusively in maternity clothes (maternity pants = amazing) other than a few really loose-fitting tops, sweatpants, and a couple pairs of hip-hugging pants. i am so much more comfortable than when i was trying to fit into my regular clothes. the belly doesn't seem to be growing at a speedy pace, either. even though it popped out weeks ago i'm not as huge as i feared i might be by the start of the second trimester. i know it's growing... mostly because i've started experiencing what they call round ligament pain from the growing and stretching of my uterus (mostly sudden shooting pain in my groin). and still, thankfully, it's really just my belly that is growing. i've officially gained two pounds, but aside from the belly the rest of me is still... me. i like that, a lot.
oh -- here's a weird thing! all of a sudden this week i started having urges to hug a stuffed animal. i haven't had one in years. maybe it's because i'm sleeping on my side now and don't know what to do with my arms. and with the hemorrhoids my couch time has also transitioned to side-laying because my ass hurts. after two nights of longing i finally went out yesterday afternoon and bought myself a stuffed elephant. i slept hugging it all night.
today i had an appointment with both my regular OB and the perinatologist. at the regular OB's office we just listened to the baby's heartbeat ("nice and strong") and she did a pap smear. i have to assume that she would have done an ultrasound by now if i wasn't having them done at the other doctor's, but she doesn't seem to feel the need to do them... yet? ever? like i said, she is very laid-back and hands-off, which i appreciate only as a total contrast to my other doctor.
after that appointment i went to see the high-risk folks. at first they were a little concerned because my cervix seemed to be contracting, but once i told them i had just had a pap smear they assumed that was probably the cause. my cervix still looks fine, and the blood clot is still there, but small, and --sadly-- the placenta is still partially covering the cervix... so our ban on intercourse continues. but in general, things looked fine.
we were hoping to get some good pics of the baby today since it officially has all of its parts, but it was jumping around like crazy in there! the ultrasound technician and the doctor both had some giggles over how active the baby was. from what they managed to see (the heart, spine, fingers and toes and arms and legs) everything looked just great, but mostly the little thing was doing handstands. backwards. i couldn't believe how much it was dancing around. i'm sure it's going to be even weirder when i can feel its acrobatics. but even though i was sad not to get a good look at its cute little face, i was just happy to see it doing its thing in there and to know things are still progressing as they should be.
and after the second appointment i went and got a pedicure. cause a pregnant lady's gotta pamper herself, right? pampering will be much easier once i'm done working for a couple months and on summer vacation. i have eternal respect for ladies who work all the way through their pregnancies. i'm barely into mine and i already can barely keep it together during the work week. i'm so tired, and crabby, and sore. weekends are glorious, though, so i'm not thinking about any of that right now. it's sunny and lovely outside and i think it's time for a nap.
physically, i'm doing pretty well. the nausea is mostly gone. i still have occasional morning bouts, but that's about it. i've started taking my prenatal vitamin before bed so i just make sure to stuff some crackers in my face when i wake up early in the morning and that change seems to have helped. my constipation is much, much better... but this week i developed a couple of hemorrhoids. the doctor said there's a chance they may have been inside during the Age of Constipation and now they've worked their way out as everything is... working more smoothly. it is definitely one of the most uncomfortable things i've experienced. i'm using the treatment cream and hoping to get a reprieve for part of the second trimester. i realize they will probably return in the end, and make delivery all the more thrilling.
my belly has reached a point where it's becoming almost impossible to hide unless i'm wearing a coat. or carrying something in front of it, which is still a strategy i use at work. i'm not quite sure why i'm still so self-conscious about it. i've announced the pregnancy at work and everyone is thrilled, of course, and i get frequent comments on how "cute" my belly is... but i'm still not used to this changing body. i'm exclusively in maternity clothes (maternity pants = amazing) other than a few really loose-fitting tops, sweatpants, and a couple pairs of hip-hugging pants. i am so much more comfortable than when i was trying to fit into my regular clothes. the belly doesn't seem to be growing at a speedy pace, either. even though it popped out weeks ago i'm not as huge as i feared i might be by the start of the second trimester. i know it's growing... mostly because i've started experiencing what they call round ligament pain from the growing and stretching of my uterus (mostly sudden shooting pain in my groin). and still, thankfully, it's really just my belly that is growing. i've officially gained two pounds, but aside from the belly the rest of me is still... me. i like that, a lot.
oh -- here's a weird thing! all of a sudden this week i started having urges to hug a stuffed animal. i haven't had one in years. maybe it's because i'm sleeping on my side now and don't know what to do with my arms. and with the hemorrhoids my couch time has also transitioned to side-laying because my ass hurts. after two nights of longing i finally went out yesterday afternoon and bought myself a stuffed elephant. i slept hugging it all night.
today i had an appointment with both my regular OB and the perinatologist. at the regular OB's office we just listened to the baby's heartbeat ("nice and strong") and she did a pap smear. i have to assume that she would have done an ultrasound by now if i wasn't having them done at the other doctor's, but she doesn't seem to feel the need to do them... yet? ever? like i said, she is very laid-back and hands-off, which i appreciate only as a total contrast to my other doctor.
after that appointment i went to see the high-risk folks. at first they were a little concerned because my cervix seemed to be contracting, but once i told them i had just had a pap smear they assumed that was probably the cause. my cervix still looks fine, and the blood clot is still there, but small, and --sadly-- the placenta is still partially covering the cervix... so our ban on intercourse continues. but in general, things looked fine.
we were hoping to get some good pics of the baby today since it officially has all of its parts, but it was jumping around like crazy in there! the ultrasound technician and the doctor both had some giggles over how active the baby was. from what they managed to see (the heart, spine, fingers and toes and arms and legs) everything looked just great, but mostly the little thing was doing handstands. backwards. i couldn't believe how much it was dancing around. i'm sure it's going to be even weirder when i can feel its acrobatics. but even though i was sad not to get a good look at its cute little face, i was just happy to see it doing its thing in there and to know things are still progressing as they should be.
and after the second appointment i went and got a pedicure. cause a pregnant lady's gotta pamper herself, right? pampering will be much easier once i'm done working for a couple months and on summer vacation. i have eternal respect for ladies who work all the way through their pregnancies. i'm barely into mine and i already can barely keep it together during the work week. i'm so tired, and crabby, and sore. weekends are glorious, though, so i'm not thinking about any of that right now. it's sunny and lovely outside and i think it's time for a nap.
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