Monday, September 28, 2009

15 weeks!

So I am officially in the 2nd trimester. Supposedly this is the calm before the storm and after the storm of the 1st trimester. I still get nauseous, but it has become more of a "mind over matter" concept. I have to stop myself from gagging, because even something is starting to come back up when I have the most innocent of gagging episodes.

The test results from the NT scan were great, next ultrasound will be on Oct. 26th. This is when we will find out if we're having a boy or girl (if baby cooperates of course).

I am not yet to the phase where I have cravings...the thought of food can still make me sick, but I was so pleased to actually enjoy a salad the other day. For the nearly the last ten weeks, healthy food has made me (among other things of course) want to hurl. I'm sure "little one" is in for a treat on the nutritional side.

My biggest problem (now that nausea is diminishing) is sleeping at night. I'm not carrying any obvious weight in the front, but I do experience some discomfort if I end up sleeping on my stomach. I try to sleep on my side, but I toss and turn so much trying to get into a good position. I am holding out on making a purchase of the various pillows because there are three different types, and I want to be sure to get the right one and not "throw" money away.

I am also holding out on purchasing maternity clothes. I'm good on the t-shirt front, and actually, my jeans are falling off of me. I think because they slide off my stomach and end up being "low rise" jeans...

I'm probably crazy, but I think I felt a flutter last week...but it could have just been gas. I'll keep you updated on that...


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Close call pacified

I'm trying to be good about posting about what is going on, but it is crazy when you work full time, are "in school" part time, and growing a baby (another full time job if you ask me).

The only big things that have been going on, besides a looming feeling that I am going to be conquering morning sickness soon, have been scary.

On Friday, while at work I was noticing that I was not feeling 100%...not even 80%. And to avoid TMI, I felt like I was about to start my period...even that "did I just start and not be as prepared as I could be". Finally get to go to lunch and go to the bathroom. I was spotting like on my first day of my period. Trying to remain calm, but obviously panicked I try to call my doctor (but of course it was 5:30pm, they were closed for the LONG weekend) and I got the answering service where they get your information and send that to an OB on call. I get my callback and the doctor tells me to go home and get my feet up and relax. My work day get cuts short...I'm definitely not going to complain. Get home, get some rest.

TMI alert: (read next paragraph). The next morning, I wake up and go to the bathroom where I find a nice big blood clot...of course I examine it looking for any baby parts or tissue...just a clot.

I call the doctor with my latest development (after consulting with my mom) early early in the morning. It was the same doctor from the day before and she sounded like crap, she had a long night and was trying to get some sleep. She reassures me that what I found was normal and an indicator that I was doing exactly what she asked of me, for which I jokingly chastised her for not giving me any warning. She wants me to stay in from work on Saturday (funny, because I've been wanting a Saturday off for quite some time, but of course, not like that).

Bleeding ceases, and my worries fade somewhat - especially after throwing up a couple of times on Monday (my only peace of mind that I just might still be pregnant) and fast forward to Tuesday's appointment.

Everything looks great! We got a "peace of mind" sonogram from our scare over the weekend and got to be "mean" parents for the first time: Technician checked for heartbeat and we listened to it again, but baby would not move...baby was sleeping. So we tap at my lower abdomen trying to wake up the little bean (more like the size of a peach now) and it slowly comes to and we saw its little arms moving in front of its face as to say "Leave me alone!" and it did a couple of somersaults and turned away from view a couple of times. I'm afraid this baby is going to be a grouchy sleeper like its father. If Christopher is sleeping, and you try to wake him up...maybe because he fell asleep on the couch and you're trying to get him to get up and go to bed...he gets all sorts of grumpy.

Tomorrow we will have a level 2 sonogram to complete the Nuchal Translucency screening. It will be a more detailed sonogram at a different facility and they will do some early screening to test a couple of things, i.e. the size of the baby's neck which can indicate the chance of baby having Downs, spina bifida, any neural tube defects, or other early developmental problems. Hopefully baby will be a little more active tomorrow, but not too active to where they can't get any good measurements. Send good thoughts our way! :)

Chris scanned today's sonogram, so I will try posting that on here too.


Tuesday, September 1, 2009

11 weeks, 2 days

To follow up from my last post, I did finally get a hold of someone at my doctor's office. They were of course concerned so they prescribed me some anti-nausea medicine and to get the fluids in me, otherwise they were going to admit me to the hospital the next morning. After taking the first pill, it was an amazing difference. I can even take my prenatal vitamins without throwing up - before I would skip every other day and not take one of them because of the smell.

I still get small waves of nausea, but I am now taking the medicine as needed. I finally moved from just crackers, to crackers/cheese, and now can eat a package of Lunchables. Exhaustion is the other thing I'm battling...but when the baby is about the size of a lime and my body hasn't quite adjusted, it is expected.

Online class is not quite kicking my butt, but I'm catching up on my two days off (today and tomorrow). I need post a response for this week and then I should probably crack open the book for Economics...

Other than that, I'm going to try to eat some homemade vegetable soup tonight...Please send good thoughts that I can eat it and keep it down!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

See-Through Diet a No Go

Since I was so sick yesterday, my mom suggested that I stick to a "see-through" diet...if I can't see through it, it's not being eaten. Christopher bought chicken soups (torture, because I can't eat the noodles or chicken), 7-Up, and Jell-O last night. The remainder of the night I completed one of my assignments for the online sociology class and started reading the first chapter. I soon conked out...

This morning I tried to eat some more chicken broth, and not even five minutes later it found its way out. I was in the middle of getting ready for work so I attempted to call in. Called the Manager-On-Duty phone, no answer, so I left a message. I even typed up and sent an email. I fall back asleep (the only time I don't feel sick). Fifty minutes later the phone rings "Melissa, where are you, you were supposed to be here ten minutes ago!" Of course, no one checked the voicemail or the email...I even tried to call the other line to the store, but since we don't open until 8am, either no one answers it b/c they think it's a customer, or it doesn't physically start ringing until 8. I mention what's going on (without giving too much information about the pregnancy) and they're okay (I think).

My newest situation...how can I still be sick if I haven't even eaten anything? This is what is scaring me the most right now. I tried to call my OB, but they sent me to her nurse's line where I left a voicemail...and that was over an hour ago. The allergist yesterday mentioned there might be something they can prescribe to combat this beast of nausea.

I hope I can keep my "sessions" down to a small number, I'm already at 2 for the day :(

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Getting Worse Before it Gets Better?

This is what the doctor warned me about...and I thought I was sick at six weeks...10 1/2 takes it to the bank.

Couple that with headaches, and the other things going on in my life (namely, trying to get an interview for a new position at the store and starting two online classes which one will likely kick my butt), and you have not only "morning sickness" (which doesn't happen only in the morning), but life sickness.

I haven't told my store manager yet, in fact the only member of management that knows is the one that is most in tune with her employees, because she noticed I was "off color" a couple of weeks ago and was concerned but of course, now excited.

Today I had two appointments: One for an allergist because of my freak reaction to some peanut butter sandwich cookies three weeks ago and the other was a follow-up for my first root canal that I had in February. Both the appointments ran short. The allergist said that my reaction is from a chemical reaction and went into telling me that my pregnant self would have different reactions to things and that it was best to avoid additives and keep hydrated as much as possible. When I went to see the endo, the assistant was getting me ready to take x-rays when I mentioned my "situation" She left the room to consult with the doctor, then came back and told me I was good to go because I wasn't having any complications. We got there at 1:50 and left at 2:10....very quick day, I wish I had called and mentioned it and probably would not have used the gas to get there. I would have also been spared the bumpy roads to get there, which didn't help with my (so far) two dates with the porcelain god today. No wonder my head is hurting...

...I am so looking forward to the second trimester, they say it goes away...I so want to believe them...