37 weeks

3 weeks to go!  I'm really in the home stretch now.  I had my Group B Strep test last week (negative, thank goodness) and did an internal exam since I was already undressed.  I'm a fingertip dilated and 50% effaced!  There's not much going on down there, I'm only having BH contractions a few times a day, a little bit of cramping and pressure, but I think he'll stay put for at least another 2 weeks.  I'm having non-stress tests at my weekly OB appointment but they have been fine so far.  I'm still frantically trying to get my work done, I'll feel much better once I wrap everything up.  Unfortunately I've had some angry and complaining clients over the last few weeks but I'm doing my best and realize I can't please everyone.  I'll update again next week.  Fingers crossed that he comes a little early!

35 weeks

Still hanging in here at 35 weeks!  Just a few weeks till October 12.  I'm hoping I'll go a little early this time.  It's more difficult at this stage for me than it was with Baby S.  The baby's head is really low, and when he moves it around it feels really uncomfortable against my cervix and also like I might pee my pants!  I'm as big now as I was when S was born, I can't even imagine how I'll be in 5 weeks.  I'm running out of maternity clothes that fit.  I'm still working a lot (though I have blocked out some "work at home" days so that I can rest).  The Bunny is helping me more with S and around the house, it's getting too hard to wrangle our very energetic 2 year old.  We're pretty much ready for the arrival of (as yet nameless) baby brother, I brought up the infant clothes, bassinet, etc. and made some cute curtains for his room.  A friend will lend us her crib when her toddler is done with it, until then he'll sleep in the bassinet or rock n' play.  S is still in his crib, we're keeping him in it till he's ready to go to his "big boy" bed, which is currently in baby brother's room.  I'll try to update more often from here on out!

21 weeks

All is going well with the pregnancy!  I had my 20 week ultrasound this morning and baby is looking great.  Funnily enough, my 20 week ultrasound was supposed to be two weeks ago, they canceled it the morning of!  I was super disappointed but made them tell me the gender, I was dying to know.  We're having another BOY!  He looks great (as the MFM doc put it - he's "disgustingly healthy.")  This pregnancy is going easier than the last one.  I'm a lot bigger than I was at this stage last time, but the heartburn and rib pain isn't as severe as it was last time.  I've been feeling lots of movement since about 14 weeks.  I'm talking to S about the new baby, and he likes to say "baby brudder" but I don't think he will understand until we bring the baby home.  We're headed to Kansas City tomorrow for a week - our first vacation in a long time!  And probably the last before new baby comes.  I'll try to update a little more often, but can't make any guarantees.  Happy summer!

Thanks and another update

Thank you guys for your nice comments, they mean a lot.  I did a lot of googling last night and you know how that goes - lots of bad and good stories.  I read a few scientific studies about the yolk sac and the newest ones show mixed results for a viable pregnancy, just as the doctor said. I made a lot of calls this morning and won't be able to get into MFM till late next week at the soonest.  MFM only schedules patients with a referral from the OB. I just switched OBs and they can't order MFM tests until they have seen me, they moved my appointment up from the 17th to the 13th. My RE can't send me to MFM because they are not considered to be OBs. (damned insurance companies) All the doctors agree I should get that newfangled "cell free" DNA testing done, where they take fetal DNA from the mother's blood and test it for chromosomal issues and gender. Neither my RE nor my OB does it, so I'll do it through a private lab and pay out of pocket. That way, if the results come up normal I can opt out of CVS.  If they're abnormal, I'll have time to do the CVS or other testing. It will be done around 10 weeks, then I'll go from there. I have an ultrasound next Wednesday to see what's going on with the yolk sac.  I'm going to try and put it out of my mind until then.

A complication

I had an ultrasound today there's a potential issue with the pregnancy. Good news: baby is measuring perfect for 8 weeks and the heartbeat is good. Bad news: I have a pretty big sub-chorionic hematoma which wasn't there 2 weeks ago and my yolk sac is abnormally large (measuring 8, anything above a 6 is abnormal). However, I'm not bleeding or spotting. My usually very chill RE called me TWICE today (left a voicemail, then called an hour later and spoke to me) to tell me that I may want to get to a maternal fetal medicine doc ASAP. He didn't say anything about the SCH, but says the enlarged yolk sac could be a sign of chromosomal abnormalities. He says it may be nothing, but I may need to get CVS testing to rule out any chromosomal issues. Ugh, not what I was expecting at all. I'm going to be a bundle of nerves until I can see a specialist, I'm going to try and get in ASAP.  

Overdue update

Oops, sorry I've been so neglectful of the blog!  I'm on so many buddy groups and forums that I keep forgetting to update here.  So, I'm 7 weeks 3 days pregnant as of today.  I had an ultrasound about a week ago and saw the little heartbeat!  It was such a relief.  Everything is measuring fine and looking good.  I had a blood draw today and will have an ultrasound next week.  They are still doing betas, believe it or not, today I'm up to 65,002.  I'm feeling pretty good.  I've had some bad bouts of nausea, but I've felt fine over the last week.  I've really "popped" this week (already!!??) and had to break out the maternity pants.  I've told some people, but I'll wait until 12 weeks to tell the extended family.

I tried to make an appointment with my old OB (from the last pregnancy), but was put on hold for over 5 minutes (15 minutes, the first time) each time I tried to call.  I was treated rudely when I tried to speak to someone, so I decided to switch OBs.  I really loved the doctor who delivered S (see birth story), so I decided to go with his practice, even though it's about 30 minutes from my house.  I'm a little worried about the distance, but I guess it will be worth it if it's a great practice. 

Ultrasound

My first ultrasound was this afternoon, I'm 5w2d today.  Just one sac (thank goodness!  No offense to my dear moms of multiples).  HCG shot up from 1211 to 3297 in 48 hours.  They couldn't see the yolk sac but hopefully next time.  I'm still not feeling many symptoms other than being extra tired and not wanting to drink coffee (that makes it easier to give up the caffeine, I'm a bit of a coffee addict).  I'm still not fully excited about this pregnancy, I need to see the heartbeat to be a little reassured.

Still nothing!

Still nothing happening.  Due date is tomorrow!  I saw the doc yesterday and I'm still completely closed, partially effaced.  I'll start having non-stress tests twice a week, starting on Monday or Tuesday.  I thought I was starting labor on Wednesday (I was having a lot of BH contractions and lower back pain that I hadn't had before).  I rushed home from work, ate lunch, and it all stopped.  Doc says when I'm actually in labor the contractions will hurt like hell and I'll be able to tell when they start and stop, so at least I know a little more what to look for.  I'm drinking raspberry leaf tea literally by the gallon and sitting on the exercise ball as much as possible.  Send labor vibes my way, please!  I may have to resort to this:

In the clear

Just a quick post from vacation to let you know that the ultrasound on Friday revealed that the umbilical cord has moved out of the way!  He is head down and everything looks fine.  So, sigh of relief on that front.  No more ultrasounds, now it's just waiting for the big arrival.

32 weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain:  As of last week, I've gained 22 lb so far.  I'm sure I'm up to at least 25 by now, I've gained more in the last few weeks than in the first 2 trimesters combined.

Maternity Clothes:  All the time!  A few things that fit well earlier on are getting tight.

Stretch marks:  Still none, but I'm starting to get a linea negra!

Sleep:  So - so.  I get about 7-8 hrs a night, but it's hit or miss.  I can only sleep on my left at this point.  If I sleep on my right, I get the rib pain which has been the bane of my existence for the last 2 months.

Movement:   All I can say is "oof!"  I'm really getting some strong jabs at this point, as he runs out of room.

Cravings/Aversions:  I've been eating more lately, especially since the heartburn has gotten under control via Zantac 2x a day.  Lots of pasta and rice.

Gender:  Still a boy!

Symptoms:  Not to complain, but I'm getting into the "dog days"!  More back and rib pain.  I can't sit comfortably in any chair, no matter how comfy, for more than about 20 minutes.  Long drives are starting to really get hard (and I drive frequently for work between 3 offices in 3 counties).  I have frequent BH contractions, especially when I go from sitting to standing.  It's getting harder to bend or crouch down.  On the positive side, the heartburn is well controlled and my hair is so thick and luxurious!  I will miss it when it inevitably falls out!

What I miss:  Being able to sit comfortably! 

What I look forward to:  The next ultrasound (which is Friday June 8) so I can see what's going on with the baby's cord.  We'll probably get a better idea about bedrest / c-section at that time. 

Moods:  Also so-so.  Trying to be cheerful as possible but getting a little snippy at work!

Milestones: None this week, but every week that goes by he's more ready to be born! 

Medical concerns:  Just the issue with the cord placement, we'll see about that on June 8.

Misc:  My shower is in 3 weeks and can't come soon enough.  I'm feeling pretty nest-y and not very prepared for his arrival.  We did just get his crib and dresser, but no mattress or sheets yet.  We have very few clothes, a few hand me down diapers, his carseat and stroller, that's about it!  Still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that we'll (God willing) have our baby at home in about 8 weeks.

25 weeks

I know I sound like a broken record, but sorry I haven't kept up very much with the blog.  To be honest, I've felt a little funny about posting about my pregnancy on this blog, which I started to talk about my infertility.  There's been a lot of controversy online lately about the recent creation of the "Parenting After Infertility / Loss" (PAIL) subsection of the infertility community, because some believe that you don't really "belong" in the community after you are pregnant or parenting.  JW Moxie has posted some great articles about this issue - go read them.  Anyway, when I first announced my pregnancy, several bloggers I used to read posted about how sad / disappointed they were about recent pregnancy announcements on several infertility blogs they read (including mine, I imagine).  Anyway, I'm sure I lost a lot of readers when I announced my pregnancy, but I'll continue to post at least until the baby is born.  I'm really trying to move on from infertililty and leave that chapter of my life behind, at least until we inevitably are unable to conceive our second child.  I hope a few of you are still interested to see what is going on with me!


Anyway, on with the update!

Total Weight Loss/Gain:  I've gained about 13 lbs so far.  I'm surprised I haven't gained more, but I imagine the last trimester is when I'll really start to gain more quickly.  People comment how "small" I am considering I'm past the 6-month mark at this point.  I'm quite surprised, because I'm 5'2" and always thought I'd blow up like a balloon, but I think I'm carrying him more "internally."  Here's a belly shot taken last week if you're interest. 

Maternity Clothes:  Pretty much all the time now!  I have 1 or 2 pre-pregnancy tops that still fit though.

Stretch marks:  Still none!

Sleep:  This week it has been good.  It really varies from one week to the next.  There was a period of time where I was waking up for 1-2 hours in the middle of the night (I think it was more stress related than anything, it was right when we were closing on our new house).  Now I'm back to sleeping through the night, only getting up once to pee, amazingly.

Movement:  Lots of movement, all day!  It's great!  I can see it on the outside sometimes.  I am starting to feel him higher up into my rib cage.

Cravings/Aversions:  Still eating lots of fruit and yogurt.  Craving sugar and sweets (unfortunately I'm succumbing to the cravings). 

Gender:  Still a boy

Symptoms:  I'm having heartburn daily, especially in the afternoon and evening.  Tums, enzyme pills and Granny Smith apples help usually.  I can no longer take a very deep breath. 

What I miss:  Alcohol and sushi!

What I look forward to:  My shower (which will be in mid-June) and getting the nursery set up.

Moods:  Pretty good.  I was in a crappy mood after getting back from vacation, but I feel better this week.

Milestones: I hit the 6-month mark last week!

Medical concerns:  I still have a low-lying placenta and marginal insertion of the umbilical cord.  I had an ultrasound last Monday and both issues seem to be resolving themselves.  The doc is not concerned at all.  I'll have my next ultrasound in mid-May.

Misc:  Lots going on!  Our vacation was great and it was hard to come home to a busy office and all the work related to moving to a new house.  We closed on our house in late May and will move at the end of this month.  We're still trying to sell our house, so we're going to be stretched a little thin financially once we start paying both mortgages next month.  Work is crazy as usual and it will only get worse in the weeks leading up to my due date, as I try to get all my cases taken care of before I go on leave.  Thanks to those who are still reading, I'll try to update more often!

21 weeks

Sorry for the lack of updates!  I've been working night and day over the last 2 weeks, so I haven't had time for much else!

Total Weight Loss/Gain:  Not keeping very close track, but I think I'm up about 10 lb.

Maternity Clothes:  Pretty much all maternity clothes at this point.  I have some tops I can still wear, but very few.  A friend gave me a big bin filled with her maternity clothes last weekend - bonus!  It's mostly winter clothes, but I definitely found some good stuff!  I bought a maternity bathing suit last weekend for our upcoming cruise, but I don't plan to buy any more maternity stuff if I can help it.  Once the weather warms up it will be all skirts and dresses, all the time!

Stretch marks:  None yet (thank goodness).  The belly still isn't huge, though.  I'm still at the phase where people don't really notice I'm pregnant, I could just have a big gut!

Sleep:  So - so.  Some nights I sleep great, other nights I'm up with heartburn.  I found a natural heartburn treatment made with cider vinegar that works pretty well, also these papaya enzyme pills work pretty well.  I'm trying to keep it natural, but I will pop a Zan.tac 75 if nothing else works.  Amazingly, I'm back to getting up only once a night to pee.

Movement:    Feeling him moving around every day!  Some days more  than others, but he's definitely getting bigger in there.

Cravings/Aversions:  Nothing new since last time

Gender:  Still a boy!

Symptoms:  See above re: heartburn.  I'm starting to have more lower back pain and I get sciatica pain when I get out of bed in the morning.  Other than that, feeling totally fine!

What I miss:  Drinking alcohol and eating sushi.

What I look forward to:  Bunny being able to feel the kicks from the outside.  My next ultrasound.

Moods:  Feeling great!  I've been much more energetic and more productive at work.

Milestones:  None this week.

Medical concerns:  I have partial placenta previa, which will hopefully resolve itself as the pregnancy continues.  I also have "marginal insertion" of the umbilical cord (see last post for explanation) but it's not a major concern either.

Today I had a fetal echocardiogram, which they recommend for all IVF pregnancies.  The baby's heart looked fine, except for a very minor defect (called a VSD) in one of the ventricles which is quite common at this stage of development.  It should close up before the baby is born.  The doc didn't even see it on the regular ultrasound, he had to use the really fancy equipment to see it.  He's not worried about it.  As a bonus, the doc gave me some 3D pics of the baby's face!  Click here if you want to see one.

Misc:  Lots going on in the upcoming weeks.  Next week we close on our new house!  We were supposed to close in January, but it has been delayed due to some repairs on the part of the seller.  It worked out fine for us, though, because our house is still on the market and shows no sign of selling anytime soon.  We'll move in mid-April.  We are also getting ready to go on our cruise at the end of the month!   Can't wait for that!!

Anatomy scan results

The scan went pretty well - it's a boy!!  He's measuring totally normal and all his parts look fine.  My mom, husband and MIL were in attendance and were excited to see their grandson.  Two minor issues were discovered, however - my placenta is very close to the cervix, so I may have partial placenta previa at this point.  But, this can resolve itself as the uterus grows.  The other issue is that the umbilical cord is attached at the very edge of the placenta (it's usually right around the middle) and is also quite close to the cervix.  Again, it won't cause any issues now, but could cause complications later in the pregnancy.  My next ultrasound is in 30 days, on April 2nd.  I'll have a fetal echocardiogram next Friday (this was only recommended due to the fact that I  had IVF, they don't think there's any issues with the baby's heart.



I'm not going to post any more sonogram pictures directly on the blog, out of sensitivity to my infertile friends, click here and here if you'd like to see some pics.

Anatomy scan is tomorrow...

I'm unbelievably excited.  Stay tuned...

So, so pissed off!!

I thought I'd be posting the baby's gender and 20 week ultrasound pics this morning, but there was no ultrasound! The doctor's office never put in the order with maternal-fetal medicine for my 20 week ultrasound, so I showed up there this morning looking like an idiot with no ultrasound scheduled. I just had a regular OB appt. Meanwhile, both my mom and MIL came (both from out of state) to see the ultrasound. I embarrassed myself by breaking down in tears in front of the whole office when I found out they screwed up. Apparently, I'm just supposed to "know" that I should have gotten a call from MFM to schedule the u/s, the OB doesn't take care of all of it for me. I don't even know when they will be able to do it. I've been waiting for this day for weeks! I'm SO PISSED OFF!!!

17 weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain:  According to my home scale, I've gained about 6 lb so far.

Maternity Clothes:  I have 1 pair of pre-pregnancy work pants left that I can still wear, other than that it's all maternity!  I can still wear most of my non-maternity tops, though they're starting to be a little short and snug.  I'm still not super obviously pregnant, but the belly is growing for sure.

Stretch marks:  None that I have seen yet!

Sleep:  Sleeping like a log.  I bought this side sleeper pillow on a whim recently and love it.  Getting up about 2x a night to pee, but no problem getting back to sleep.  I'm sleeping later on weekends and having a hard time getting up for work.

Movement:   This is exciting - I just started feeling some little flutters this week!  I wasn't sure if it was gas or something else, but it has gotten more consistent over the last few days. 

Cravings/Aversions:  Still eating well and no real aversions.  I'm eating a lot of fruit and dairy products.  I went through a dried apricot phase over the last few weeks.

Gender:  Still don't know for sure!

Symptoms: I'm starting to get more lower back pain over the last few days.  Trying to exercise to reduce it and strengthen my back.  Still only going #2 about once every three days.  Other than that, I'm feeling pretty good.

What I miss:  Drinking! 

What I look forward to:  Feeling the baby kicking more and knowing the gender.   The anatomy scan is in less than 2 weeks.

Moods:  Good spirits, both at work and at home.  Let's hope it continues.

Milestones: It was nice to reach the "4 month" marker last week.

Medical concerns:  None

Misc:  We're still in a holding pattern about our move.  It's looking like we won't be closing on the new place until mid-March, and not moving until early April.  We just booked our "babymoon" today - a Caribbean cruise!  We've never been on a cruise before so we're excited.  They only let you on the boat prior to 24 weeks, so we'll just make the cutoff when we travel the last week of March.  It will be our last trip before the baby is born.  Still not quite believing this is all real!

14 weeks!

I decided to start doing these updates.  Some of the other bloggers do them and I love to read them.  So, here goes the first one!

Total Weight Loss/Gain:  I've gained about 4 lb since the transfer.  I gained 1 lb since my last OB appt about a month ago.  Still not obviously showing.

Maternity Clothes:  I still fit into about half my non-maternity pants (the larger / stretchier ones) and pretty much all my regular shirts.  I can wear my jeans with a bella band.  I have bought three pairs of maternity work pants and one pair of maternity jeans (which I wore once or twice and don't like - they are these ones and they feel like they're falling down).  I'm going to buy a full-panel pair from the Gap.  I also bought this dress, which I love and can't wait to wear.  I'll probably start wearing the maternity stuff more in the coming weeks. 

Stretch marks:  None visible so far! 

Sleep:  Sleeping OK.  Getting up twice a night to pee, but usually able to get right back to sleep.

Movement:  Thought I felt a little something the other day, but it's still early.

Cravings/Aversions:  No real aversions but a lot of cravings.  Eating a lot of apples and oranges.  I've also had a craving for candy - the really bad, corn syrupy kind.  I've only given in a few times, I know that's really bad for me and the baby.  I would eat Indian food every day if I could.

Gender:  Possibly a boy, won't know for sure until the end of February at the anatomy scan

Symptoms:  Boobs are still big and sore, starting to get heartburn every day!

What I miss: Drinking alcohol!! 

What I look forward to:  A bigger belly and feeling the baby move

Moods:  So, so.  I can get cranky at work.

Milestones: None this week (but I had an OB checkup and heard the heartbeat today!)

Medical concerns:  None

Misc:  We were supposed to move houses in the coming week, but the closing has been postponed for one month because the new house needs to be re-stucco'ed.  Better for us, as we just put our place on the market and are hoping it will sell very soon.  We've worked our butts off getting the house presentable (not easy with 3 cats).  We'll have a lot of changes in the coming months!

12 weeks

Sorry for the absence, I keep meaning to post an update but then I get sidetracked by work/house/chores/sofa.  We're in the process of putting our house on the market and moving, so things have been pretty hectic.

I had my 12 week ultrasound and first trimester screening yesterday.  The baby looks great and is still a week ahead of schedule.  They moved my due date back 1 week to July 16.  The nuchal translucency looked normal, the bloodwork will come back in about 1 week.  Best of all, I don't have to take Crinone or Estrace anymore!  Yay!  I've been released from the RE to my regular OB.  I will definitely miss the frequent ultrasounds, but I'm happy and grateful that now I'll be considered a "normal" patient!  Here are some pics.

10 weeks

Gosh, I can't believe I'm already 10 weeks.  Things continue to go well.  I had an ultrasound this week and the baby is growing very rapidly.  S/he is already measuring 11 weeks, 2 days, a full week ahead (I'm 10 weeks, 3 days today).  You can see a big difference in the ultrasound compared to last week.  In the top left picture, the baby's head is to the left and its hands are in front of its face!  Due to the quick growth, they wanted to push up my NT scan from January 9 to sometime next week, however the fertility doc has no openings next week.  So, I may see if my regular OB can do it.  My NT scan will be my last appt with the RE!  I'll see my regular OB for the first time on Thursday.  I still can't believe this is real.

 

As far as symptoms go, I'm feeling pretty good.  I've had passing nausea, but nowhere near the point of vomiting.  I've been very lucky.  I'm not showing yet and am still in regular clothes, though they are getting a bit tighter.  I bought a belly band yesterday, as well as a new bra from the maternity store.  It was weird to buy a nursing bra!  I'm glad I did, though, as it's a better fit and very supportive.  

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and wishing you all the best for the New Year.  I really, really appreciate all your support, cheerleading and good wishes!

 

It's a baby!

 We've officially graduated from "blob" to "baby" status!