Alright kids, it's time for the cold, hard truth. Depending on what source you check, this week may or may not mark the end of the first trimester for me. If you go by developmental stages of the little one, the the first trimester marks the transition from embryo to fetus and ends at week 12. If you go by the gestational method of calculating... 40 weeks divided by 3 is whatever, whatever so the second trimester begins at 13 weeks 3 days. Blah, blah, blah. So, it's either this week or next week. I don't think this stuff is going to change by then.
The joys of pregnancy. I've done quite a bit of reading and have talked to quite a few preggies. None of them have really shared this stuff with me. But I'm ready to get down and dirty. Since my BFP (big fat positive! for those not in the know when it comes to the trying to conceive lingo), here are the wonderous symptoms that I have experienced.
~Hunger. This should be pretty obvious. I have been *extremely* lucky and have not experienced any morning sickness (or afternoon or evening sickness either). You may or may not have the same luck. I have had some increased hunger and have dealt with it by having more frequent, preferably healthy, but not always, snacks.
~Cravings/Aversions. There may be things that you have always loved that you now can't stand the sight/smell/taste of (oatmeal, protein shakes). This will (probably) pass. You may crave unusual things. I'm not talking pickles and ice cream. I have had cravings for cold things. Salad. Ice cream. Smoothies. Fresh berries. I dunno. Just go with it. Everything in moderation.
~Acne/Bacne. Your hormones are raging. You may or may not experience breakouts like you've never seen before or haven't seen since high school. I have, yay! You'll want to consider what you're using to treat the breakouts though. I've been using a sulphur-based spot treatment.
~Dry skin/rashes. On the flip side. Where your skin isn't covered in pimples, it may be itchy. Dry. So dry you wake up scratching yourself at night. Find a nice lotion. Preferable one that's unscented and as chemical free as possible because you'll probably be using it A LOT.
~Road rage. Speaking of hormones... I've heard that some women have increased arguments or tantrums or whatever you want to call them with their partners and/or family. I haven't had this, but I have had an increase in road rage. In fact, I flipped somebody off for the first time recently. And f-bombs are FAR more frequent in the car than they are anywhere else. Oops.
~Giggle fits. On the flip side, I believe I have been far more likely to laugh with my husband than is normal. This is a good thing. Thinking about such a dramatic life change can be just a wee bit stressful, so any amount of giggling is more than welcome in my opinion.
~Potty trips. Even before my BFP!, my trips to the bathroom became more frequent. This has eased off a bit now, but I hear that it will return again in the third trimester.
~Constipation. Well, at least I've been using the toilet for something because it sure hasn't been for the old number two. Hey, I warned you this was going to be the dirty truth. Apparently all those hormones slow down your digestive system too. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
~Exhaustion. You may or not experience complete exhaustion. I have. And continue to. I'm talking about the kind of tired that requires a post-work nap, dinner served to you, a post-dinner nap, followed by dessert and then, finally, dragging yourself to bed. And your body won't know it's the weekend, so don't expect to keep living the crazy life anymore.
~Constant stuffy nose. "Pregnancy rhinitis." Supposedly this is also due to those lovely hormones. Congestion. Sneezing. Sinus headaches. And you can't really take anything for it. Buy a neti pot.
Finally, to go all the way to dirty...let's talk about...
~Cervical mucus. Whoa boy! Do not be surprised or think there is something wrong with you if you notice things are a bit more... productive... down there.
~Sensitivity. Eep! Your boobies (which are probably swollen and may be somewhat painful) and... other parts... are likely more sensitive than normal thanks to increased blood flow. True.
~Sex. These last two points would lead me to recommend that, if you're feeling up to it, "Just Do It." And that's all I'm going to say about that.
Final words of wisdom: Get a belly band of some type to help you wear your normal pants unbuttoned for awhile. I haven't worn any maternity clothes yet. This majorly varies from person to person depending on how much weight you gain and also how you're carrying.
In my case:
Weight gain to this point: about 3 1/2 pounds
Inches gained at waist to this point: 4!; yowza! But my pants still fit (for now, although probably for not much longer) with the belly band.
So there you have it. The first trimester. Honestly, despite all these little things, it's been totally worth it to see and hear that little heart beating away.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Week 12.
Dear lime,
mygoodness! I was certain that after last week things would calm down a bit. Turns out this week was just about as exciting as last week, except we didn't get to see you! :)
Let's see... I think Monday was the only uneventful day so far. It was your great-Opa's birthday though. We were supposed to celebrate with him on Sunday, but we ended up canceling because of the Fifth's Disease/parvovirus scare. So we called him and said we'd see him soon.
On Tuesday I got an email from my new potential boss asking when I could interview. That was arranged for Wednesday morning. And on Tuesday night I called another one of my best friends, who lives out near D.C., to share the good news with her. We didn't know it at the time, but our now very pregnant Champaign girlfriend was on her way to the hospital to have her baby girl at pretty much that exact moment! D.C. friend was very excited and curious as to what produces "the itch" to have a baby. For a long time, I wasn't so sure about having kids either. I don't know exactly when it happened, but something sure changed! I really think that your cousin Tyler has been a major factor here. He is such a cool kid, great personality. I know that he will be several years older than you, but I sure hope that you're friends.
Wednesday morning I had my interview. It went extremely well and this new potential boss not only knows about you, but is excited about it! I wanted to tell him so that there wouldn't be any surprises when I needed to take time off in a few months. Legally, I didn't have to tell him of course, but it was the right thing to do. He knows that my plans for post-you are up in the air at this point and it completely understanding about that as well. How could I be this lucky?! Later in the afternoon, I finally got word that baby Bailey Lynne had joined the world. Amazing! I am over the moon for my friend and her husband. Finally, when I got home, there was a message waiting for me from the doctor. My blood test for Fifth's Disease revealed that I was positive, which means that I had it myself as a child and am therefore immune from further infections. Which means you're safe too! Yay!!! Your Aunt tested negative this time so she has to go back in another two weeks. She is already 7 months pregnant though and is at much lower risk because of that. So fingers crossed!
Today was mostly quiet and a big relief. I'm exhausted from all the excitement! This weekend we'll reach another milestone though. Sunday will be the beginning of Week 13, marking the end of the first trimester! You're 1/3 of the way here!!!!
Keep growing, baby!
mygoodness! I was certain that after last week things would calm down a bit. Turns out this week was just about as exciting as last week, except we didn't get to see you! :)
Let's see... I think Monday was the only uneventful day so far. It was your great-Opa's birthday though. We were supposed to celebrate with him on Sunday, but we ended up canceling because of the Fifth's Disease/parvovirus scare. So we called him and said we'd see him soon.
On Tuesday I got an email from my new potential boss asking when I could interview. That was arranged for Wednesday morning. And on Tuesday night I called another one of my best friends, who lives out near D.C., to share the good news with her. We didn't know it at the time, but our now very pregnant Champaign girlfriend was on her way to the hospital to have her baby girl at pretty much that exact moment! D.C. friend was very excited and curious as to what produces "the itch" to have a baby. For a long time, I wasn't so sure about having kids either. I don't know exactly when it happened, but something sure changed! I really think that your cousin Tyler has been a major factor here. He is such a cool kid, great personality. I know that he will be several years older than you, but I sure hope that you're friends.
Wednesday morning I had my interview. It went extremely well and this new potential boss not only knows about you, but is excited about it! I wanted to tell him so that there wouldn't be any surprises when I needed to take time off in a few months. Legally, I didn't have to tell him of course, but it was the right thing to do. He knows that my plans for post-you are up in the air at this point and it completely understanding about that as well. How could I be this lucky?! Later in the afternoon, I finally got word that baby Bailey Lynne had joined the world. Amazing! I am over the moon for my friend and her husband. Finally, when I got home, there was a message waiting for me from the doctor. My blood test for Fifth's Disease revealed that I was positive, which means that I had it myself as a child and am therefore immune from further infections. Which means you're safe too! Yay!!! Your Aunt tested negative this time so she has to go back in another two weeks. She is already 7 months pregnant though and is at much lower risk because of that. So fingers crossed!
Today was mostly quiet and a big relief. I'm exhausted from all the excitement! This weekend we'll reach another milestone though. Sunday will be the beginning of Week 13, marking the end of the first trimester! You're 1/3 of the way here!!!!
Keep growing, baby!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Week 11.
Dear fig,
last week you were kumquat-size, which sounds SO much cuter than fig... But this has been a huge week for all of us.
Sunday was Mother's Day. We had celebrated with your Grandma Henningsen the night before by going to 1964, the Beatles tribute. On Sunday we went to brunch with my parents (I'm not sure yet if they want to be called Oma and Opa...), Great-Grandma Holthusen, Great-Uncle Bill and your Uncle Konrad and his girlfriend (maybe your future Aunt?!?!), Johanna. We had a very nice time.
On Monday we visited the doctor again and this time we heard your heartbeat for the first time. It was so, so amazing. We also had dinner with a couple locally that we are good friends with and finally got to share the news. It was so fun to wait for them to ask "So, how are you guys?!" and just get to respond "Pregnant." and watch their jaws drop. Their reaction was even more positive than I expected. Your dad and I will be going to their wedding in about a month and it is going to be a blast!
On Tuesday, you went to your first metal concert! Rammstein!!! The tickets were a birthday gift for your dad. We didn't know about you when I bought them. It was awfully loud, but your dad says that metal is in your blood. :)
Wednesday was your dad's 32nd birthday. We slept in a little and then made our way out to Skokie, near Old Orchard Mall, where we had our NT scan. That means that we got to see you again! The technician took some measurements. You just held still long enough for that, then we saw you do a flip and even wave! So exciting! We got a picture of you. They took some blood from me. Then your dad and I went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. We even went into a children's store after lunch to look at some toys and strollers for the first time. We didn't buy anything though. Not this time anyway.
On Thursday, things started progressing as far as my job goes. My boss is leaving for New York. The secret finally came out today within the department and I can start looking at my options. Hopefully, I'll be staying right where I am, just changing labs. It was been very stressful, nonetheless. And then we had dog class with your Lita! She is doing just awesome. Our trainer told us that we can start training her with a babydoll to get her ready for your arrival.
Today, I got a call from your Aunt Cassie. She told me that your cousin Tyler has been sick with a virus, called Parvovirus B19. It's not serious, it causes a rash, mild flu symptoms and is commonly called "Fifth's Disease". It can, however, be serious to little ones in utero, i.e. you! Your Aunt is also pregnant right now, so she got her blood tested to see if she has gotten it. She called me since we have seen Tyler recently and I'll be calling my own doctor tomorrow to see about getting tested. Always something around here!
It has been a very long and tiring week and I'm so excited about being lazy and relaxing this weekend a bit! We are still awaiting the arrival of one of my best friend's little girl as well. She is due to arrive next Saturday, but it could be any day now! So exciting these days.
Keep growing, baby.
last week you were kumquat-size, which sounds SO much cuter than fig... But this has been a huge week for all of us.
Sunday was Mother's Day. We had celebrated with your Grandma Henningsen the night before by going to 1964, the Beatles tribute. On Sunday we went to brunch with my parents (I'm not sure yet if they want to be called Oma and Opa...), Great-Grandma Holthusen, Great-Uncle Bill and your Uncle Konrad and his girlfriend (maybe your future Aunt?!?!), Johanna. We had a very nice time.
On Monday we visited the doctor again and this time we heard your heartbeat for the first time. It was so, so amazing. We also had dinner with a couple locally that we are good friends with and finally got to share the news. It was so fun to wait for them to ask "So, how are you guys?!" and just get to respond "Pregnant." and watch their jaws drop. Their reaction was even more positive than I expected. Your dad and I will be going to their wedding in about a month and it is going to be a blast!
On Tuesday, you went to your first metal concert! Rammstein!!! The tickets were a birthday gift for your dad. We didn't know about you when I bought them. It was awfully loud, but your dad says that metal is in your blood. :)
Wednesday was your dad's 32nd birthday. We slept in a little and then made our way out to Skokie, near Old Orchard Mall, where we had our NT scan. That means that we got to see you again! The technician took some measurements. You just held still long enough for that, then we saw you do a flip and even wave! So exciting! We got a picture of you. They took some blood from me. Then your dad and I went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. We even went into a children's store after lunch to look at some toys and strollers for the first time. We didn't buy anything though. Not this time anyway.
On Thursday, things started progressing as far as my job goes. My boss is leaving for New York. The secret finally came out today within the department and I can start looking at my options. Hopefully, I'll be staying right where I am, just changing labs. It was been very stressful, nonetheless. And then we had dog class with your Lita! She is doing just awesome. Our trainer told us that we can start training her with a babydoll to get her ready for your arrival.
Today, I got a call from your Aunt Cassie. She told me that your cousin Tyler has been sick with a virus, called Parvovirus B19. It's not serious, it causes a rash, mild flu symptoms and is commonly called "Fifth's Disease". It can, however, be serious to little ones in utero, i.e. you! Your Aunt is also pregnant right now, so she got her blood tested to see if she has gotten it. She called me since we have seen Tyler recently and I'll be calling my own doctor tomorrow to see about getting tested. Always something around here!
It has been a very long and tiring week and I'm so excited about being lazy and relaxing this weekend a bit! We are still awaiting the arrival of one of my best friend's little girl as well. She is due to arrive next Saturday, but it could be any day now! So exciting these days.
Keep growing, baby.
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