Storms a Brewin'
15 years ago
Monday, September 28, 2009
Kickin' It
The coolest, coolest thing happened last night! Usually, the baby will kick sporadically, and never in the same place twice, so I haven't tried to get anyone to feel it because it would be pointless. But last night when Aaron and I went to bed, she started kicking, and they were all around the same spot. So I told Aaron that if he put his hand in the right spot, he MAY get to feel the baby move, but I couldn't promise anything. I figured that as soon as I got him to move, she'd stop, but it was worth a chance. But apparently it was our lucky night! After about a minute, there was a really strong kick right under Aaron's hand! He got to feel his first kick! It was amazing........
What to Expect: Week 22
September 28, 2009From now on, our lovely fruit:baby size comparisons (courtesy of thebump.com) are only updated every 4 weeks or so. And there are only 130 days left until my due date (a little over 4 months.) Things are starting to get serious, people!
The baby is now able to hear sounds from outside the womb. My sweet, sweet husband sent me for a massage last weekend (Thank you, honey!) with a friend of ours, Chris. Chris is a masseuse, but he's also getting his degree in Child Development. He told me that they've done studies that show if you read to a baby while it's in the womb, after it's born it will be comforted by the voice that it heard, and specifically if that person is reading the same thing it got used to hear prenatally. This will work with more than one voice, so Aaron can get in on the action, and it doesn't matter what you read, just that you stick to the same thing. Now we just have to decide what we want to read aloud for the next year. I'm thinking that we should both read a Harry Potter book to her - something that we both love. Plus there's enough substance there that we wouldn't have to read the same 10 pages over and over again like we would with a smaller children's book. So the first book was written for 8 year olds? I think it's never too early to start learning about the magic that is Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!Friday, September 25, 2009
Definitely Not in Chicago
The cold I've battled this week has been vicious, largely in part to the fact that I can't take any of the cold medications I usually rely on. (I am a firm believer in the magic of any product with the root "-Quil" in it's name.) I took Tylenol for a day or two to help ease my fever, but I had sworn off cold medicines until things got really bad on Tuesday. I had tried as many home remedies as I could, but to no avail. And I really, really missed breathing. That afternoon, I decided that I would buy some Sudafed and finally relieve my congestion. I've taken Sudafed plenty of times in the past, and it's on the list of approved medications provided by my OBGYN, so I had no qualms about it. And after I took the first dose that afternoon, I could breathe! It was amazing. I took another dose that evening and then again Wednesday morning.
Now, in the meantime, I had noticed that I was having weird heart palpitations once or twice during the day. I had first noticed it on Friday while sitting at work, just a quick jolt that felt like a really strong heartbeat or something. Odd, but it wasn't happening that often, so I didn't give it much thought. Tuesday afternoon, I had them a little more frequently for about two hours. I looked it up online, and read that it was perfectly normal for pregnant women to have heart palpitations because of all of the extra blood their body is filled with. And the palpitations stopped after a few hours, so I didn't think too much about it. However, on Wednesday, I started having heart palpitations probably around 4:00 that afternoon, and by 7:30 that night, they hadn't stopped. At one point, I counted that I had 33 heart palpitations in five minutes. I was worried, so I called Urgent Care, who told me to call my OBGYN (who doesn't have an after-hours on call service - useful information to know in advance.) I called my friend/doula, Leslee, and she and I both felt like I would be okay to wait to go to the doctor the next day, but if I really started freaking out, then I should go to the ER.
The next morning, the palpitations had slowed significantly, but I called my OBGYN to see what she thought. She thought I should go to the ER and have an EKG done just as a precaution. When I arrived, they had to send me to Labor and Delivery Triage first to make sure the baby was okay (which she was - HUGE relief.) After that, I got wheeled over to the ER, where they had separate waiting areas for "well" people and for people with "flu-like symptoms" - cough, congestion, sneezing. Well, I had all of those, but I also knew that I didn't have swine flu, and NO WAY I was exposing my pregnant self to the swine flu people, so I sat on the well side. I spent about two hours sanitizing my hands approximately every two minutes and trying to not look too sick so I wasn't exiled to "Swine Flu Corner."
After my EKG, they sent me to a room in the back, hooked me up to a heart monitor, and did some blood work to make sure I didn't have a potassium deficiency or a problem with my electrolytes or thyroid. By the time I was taken to the back, the palpitations were back to happening every 10 seconds or so. All of my blood work came back clear, so the only apparent reason for the heart palpitations (technically, they were PVCs - Premature Ventricular Contractions) was because I'm pregnant, and it was probably exacerbated by the Sudafed. And the palpitations aren't dangerous - just really, really annoying. I'm still having the palpitations off and on throughout the day, but not as bad as they were on Wednesday and Thurday.
I know this is a really, really long story, but it was a really, really long week, especially Thursday. And I could be really upset about it all - I didn't get to go to Chicago, I've had a miserable cold for over a week, I had scary heart palpitations that caused me to spend all day in the ER. But I'm actually okay - not upset, not dejected, not miserable, and actually pretty darn happy. I'm fine, the baby's fine, and today I've only had to blow my nose 15 times. Things are pretty great!
Now, in the meantime, I had noticed that I was having weird heart palpitations once or twice during the day. I had first noticed it on Friday while sitting at work, just a quick jolt that felt like a really strong heartbeat or something. Odd, but it wasn't happening that often, so I didn't give it much thought. Tuesday afternoon, I had them a little more frequently for about two hours. I looked it up online, and read that it was perfectly normal for pregnant women to have heart palpitations because of all of the extra blood their body is filled with. And the palpitations stopped after a few hours, so I didn't think too much about it. However, on Wednesday, I started having heart palpitations probably around 4:00 that afternoon, and by 7:30 that night, they hadn't stopped. At one point, I counted that I had 33 heart palpitations in five minutes. I was worried, so I called Urgent Care, who told me to call my OBGYN (who doesn't have an after-hours on call service - useful information to know in advance.) I called my friend/doula, Leslee, and she and I both felt like I would be okay to wait to go to the doctor the next day, but if I really started freaking out, then I should go to the ER.
The next morning, the palpitations had slowed significantly, but I called my OBGYN to see what she thought. She thought I should go to the ER and have an EKG done just as a precaution. When I arrived, they had to send me to Labor and Delivery Triage first to make sure the baby was okay (which she was - HUGE relief.) After that, I got wheeled over to the ER, where they had separate waiting areas for "well" people and for people with "flu-like symptoms" - cough, congestion, sneezing. Well, I had all of those, but I also knew that I didn't have swine flu, and NO WAY I was exposing my pregnant self to the swine flu people, so I sat on the well side. I spent about two hours sanitizing my hands approximately every two minutes and trying to not look too sick so I wasn't exiled to "Swine Flu Corner."
After my EKG, they sent me to a room in the back, hooked me up to a heart monitor, and did some blood work to make sure I didn't have a potassium deficiency or a problem with my electrolytes or thyroid. By the time I was taken to the back, the palpitations were back to happening every 10 seconds or so. All of my blood work came back clear, so the only apparent reason for the heart palpitations (technically, they were PVCs - Premature Ventricular Contractions) was because I'm pregnant, and it was probably exacerbated by the Sudafed. And the palpitations aren't dangerous - just really, really annoying. I'm still having the palpitations off and on throughout the day, but not as bad as they were on Wednesday and Thurday.
I know this is a really, really long story, but it was a really, really long week, especially Thursday. And I could be really upset about it all - I didn't get to go to Chicago, I've had a miserable cold for over a week, I had scary heart palpitations that caused me to spend all day in the ER. But I'm actually okay - not upset, not dejected, not miserable, and actually pretty darn happy. I'm fine, the baby's fine, and today I've only had to blow my nose 15 times. Things are pretty great!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kitty Bath
Our first baby, the one and only Ringo, my little sugar lump, giving himself a bath. Tell me this is not one of the cutest things you've ever seen. Just try not to say, "Awwwww." I dare you!
All clean!
Quick Thought about Labor
I'm watching one of those baby shows on TLC where they follow a woman throughout her delivery, and it made me think: when I'm in labor, I really, really want to NOT sound like a dying cow.
Decisions, Decisions
Aaron and I have officially had to make our first tough decision as parents. About two months ago, Fran and Randy offered to take us to Chicago for a long weekend. Of course, we jumped at the idea! We went to Chicago on our honeymoon and had an absolute blast, and with a baby on the way, there was no way we could afford to do something like that ourselves. It was going to be a great trip - spending time with Fran and Randy and Jeannie and "Uncle" Hanzhi, seeing the new Modern wing at the Art Institute, taking the river cruise, eating a TON of good food, visiting Vosges, enjoying the beautiful weather...
About two weeks ago, Aaron and I discussed the whole swine flu issue in regards to our trip (pregnant women are one of the high risk swine flu groups), but decided that things would be fine. I'm on a huge college campus every day, so we felt like the swine flu risk at an airport wasn't that much worse, especially when you consider that they are taking a lot of precautions and preventing sick people from traveling.
So, our trip was on for the 24th (Thursday) throught the 27th (Sunday.) We were excited and ready to go! Then Saturday night, I got a sore throat. All day Sunday, I was in bed with a major head cold and the sore throat continued, plus I had a low grade fever. Yesterday, I went to the doctor, who ruled out strep or a sinus infection or H1N1. But when I mentioned Chicago, she was extremely concerned. Traveling while I was well was one thing, but traveling when I'm getting over a cold with a fever - she felt that was just asking for trouble. (Swine flu complications for pregnant women are intense - they're more likely to be hospitalized, more likely to die, and can have complications like premature delivery and stillbirth.) She felt so strongly about it that she offered to write a letter to the airline saying it was unsafe for me to fly.
I was really upset about it because I was really looking forward to the trip, but I was also really, really concerned about getting sick. When Aaron got home, we discussed it again and decided that staying home was the right thing to do. He called Fran and Randy for me (because I was crying so hard at that point, they wouldn't have been able to understand a word I said. I've been crying over even little things lately, so the disappointment of having to cancel a trip like this when it was affecting so many other people was definitely cause for a major cry-fest. Pregnancy hormones are a BITCH!) And of course they were totally understanding and wonderful about it. Aaron could still have gone on the trip with them, but he didn't want to leave me alone when I'm sick, plus the trip wouldn't be the same if he had to go without me. (His words, not mine!)
So, we will be staying at home this weekend, not reliving our honeymoon in Chicago. But it's the right decision, it's the safe decision, and I feel a lot better knowing that we're not putting the baby in danger. And this morning, when I was sitting straight up in bed after waking myself and Aaron up at 4:30 because I couldn't breathe through my extremely stuffed up nose, I felt the baby move about 1o times in a row - that's way cooler than anything we would have done in Chicago!
About two weeks ago, Aaron and I discussed the whole swine flu issue in regards to our trip (pregnant women are one of the high risk swine flu groups), but decided that things would be fine. I'm on a huge college campus every day, so we felt like the swine flu risk at an airport wasn't that much worse, especially when you consider that they are taking a lot of precautions and preventing sick people from traveling.
So, our trip was on for the 24th (Thursday) throught the 27th (Sunday.) We were excited and ready to go! Then Saturday night, I got a sore throat. All day Sunday, I was in bed with a major head cold and the sore throat continued, plus I had a low grade fever. Yesterday, I went to the doctor, who ruled out strep or a sinus infection or H1N1. But when I mentioned Chicago, she was extremely concerned. Traveling while I was well was one thing, but traveling when I'm getting over a cold with a fever - she felt that was just asking for trouble. (Swine flu complications for pregnant women are intense - they're more likely to be hospitalized, more likely to die, and can have complications like premature delivery and stillbirth.) She felt so strongly about it that she offered to write a letter to the airline saying it was unsafe for me to fly.
I was really upset about it because I was really looking forward to the trip, but I was also really, really concerned about getting sick. When Aaron got home, we discussed it again and decided that staying home was the right thing to do. He called Fran and Randy for me (because I was crying so hard at that point, they wouldn't have been able to understand a word I said. I've been crying over even little things lately, so the disappointment of having to cancel a trip like this when it was affecting so many other people was definitely cause for a major cry-fest. Pregnancy hormones are a BITCH!) And of course they were totally understanding and wonderful about it. Aaron could still have gone on the trip with them, but he didn't want to leave me alone when I'm sick, plus the trip wouldn't be the same if he had to go without me. (His words, not mine!)
So, we will be staying at home this weekend, not reliving our honeymoon in Chicago. But it's the right decision, it's the safe decision, and I feel a lot better knowing that we're not putting the baby in danger. And this morning, when I was sitting straight up in bed after waking myself and Aaron up at 4:30 because I couldn't breathe through my extremely stuffed up nose, I felt the baby move about 1o times in a row - that's way cooler than anything we would have done in Chicago!
Monday, September 21, 2009
What To Expect: Week 21
September 21, 2009By now, the baby actually has functioning taste buds, and she takes little gulps of amniotic fluid throughout the day. This means that she's getting a taste of the foods I eat throughout the day. According to thebump.com, "Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid." Lately the menu has consisted of a lot of egg whites, cheese, grapes and apples. And brownies. (I can't drink alcohol, and I can't eat sushi, sandwich meat, soft cheeses and about a million other things. The brownies stay!!!!! The end.)
My tastes have changed in one tiny area since I got pregnant - I am able to enjoy spicier foods! Now, for me this means that I've been buying Medium salsa instead of Mild, but it's an improvement! Hopefully this means the baby will be more tolerant of spicy foods. But I also hope this tolerance will stop far short of her father's and Uncle Ken's habit of eating as much of a spicy food as they can without vomiting. No trip to a sushi restaurant is complete without those two fools shoving increasingly larger balls of wasabi in their mouths, then crying from the pain they've caused themselves and also crying from the laughter of watching the pain of the other. (They really are soul mates, those boys.)
So far, I've gained 10 pounds, which is right on track, and I should gain about 20 more pounds between now and February. Most of the weight has gone to my stomach, and the rest has gone to the bosom. Shocker. I think the rest of me looks pretty much the same. And Aaron is smart enough to not say anything to the contrary! I had asked Aaron recently if people realize I'm pregnant or if they think I'm just fat. (I don't think he answered that question. Again, he's really, really smart.) On Saturday, I actually had a woman in the grocery store ask me when my baby was due, and then say, "But you're still so little!" It was the perfect confirmation of the baby bump combined with a compliment so I wouldn't feel like she was calling me fat. The lady was good!
Here's what the baby bump is looking like at Week 21:
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