Weight gain during pregnancy.

In case you were wondering where all of that extra weight accumulates, here are some numbers I found on babycenter.com.

• At birth, a baby weighs about 7.3lbs
• The placenta, which keeps your baby nourished, weighs 1.5lbs.
• The amniotic fluid, which supports and cushions your baby, weighs 1.8lbs.

But what about the other two thirds of extra weight? These can be accounted for by the changes that happen to your body while you're pregnant.

• The muscle layer of your uterus (womb) grows dramatically and weighs an extra 2lbs.
• Your blood volume increases and weighs an extra 2.6lbs.
• You have extra fluid in your body weighing about 2.6lbs.
• Your breasts weigh an extra 0.9lb.
• You'll store fat, about 8.8lbs, to give you energy for breastfeeding. Beastfeeding burns about 300-500 calories a day. Add to that the amount of calories you're giving to your child and not keeping for yourself, plus the sudden busy lifestyle change, and it's often times fairly easy to watch the few extra pounds fall off in the months after child birth.

By the end of pregnancy you should weigh between 27 and 28 pounds more than you weighed pre-pregnancy.

http://www.babycenter.ca/a554810/weight-gain-in-pregnancy-basics#ixzz3n9BfZElY


I'm weighing in at 130lbs now; up a total of 12lbs so far.
It's a little freightening to see the number on the scale rising week after week but I know that it's all part of it. Using my height and starting weight, by now I should be at 127.5lbs -132.5lbs, so being 130lbs is absolutely golden! Given my body mass index, by the end of pregnancy, I should have gained between 25-35lbs.

21ST WEEK BUMPDATE!

Not much has changed this week from last other than sleeping primarily on my left side every night (for optimum blood flow to uterus and baby) has my left hip so sore it's practically numb. Even my left ear hurts! Everything is just sore! I'm hoping that my body will just take time to get use to it and then things will get better..  Time will tell. Thankfully my back doesn't hurt all night long anymore with the my body pillow stuffed in between my legs which supports my right side by keeping my thighs in line with my hips which takes the pressure off of my spine and even my stomach since the ligaments inside are all connected. My back only hurts occasionally upon waking and readjusting but I suppose that's just from laying in basically the same position all night long. The only downside to the body pillow so far, other than it's like having a third person in my tiny queen size bed, is that it gets so HOT at night. I have no where to go!! It's like sleeping in between two warm bodies instead of laying beside just one!
I will say, that at 21 weeks pregnant, if my only complaint so far (for the most part), is a damn pillow and achey-ness when sleeping, I think we're doing alright :)
Cravings this week: oranges, pasta, chicken biscuits from Chikfila

20 WEEKS (w/pics*)

This little bun is half way done!!
What a major milestone checked off the list! I'm so proud of my body, and my baby! While I'm at it, I'm also really proud of my husband. He's been working so hard lately both at work and at home and he does it all while still making sure I'm comfortable and I have everything I need and or want. And doesn't give me "the look" for asking him to get me a second ice cream sandwich.  What a guy!
As far as baby goes, there isn't a whole lot to report. She's just busy getting bigger and stronger at this point. Most the the important things are already complete at this stage or have already been started and are growing more complex.
As for me- My belly is becoming sore and feels much heavier than it really is. My back is also beginning to hurt, mostly at night, and my feet are starting to swell by the end of the day. Sleeping is still relatively easy although rolling over is getting tough as is trying to sleep on my belly, which is really more of a half belly/half side laying position. A body pillow is definitely in my very near future. I'm finding that if I keep a pillow in between my legs at night, my hip doesn't ache as bad in the morning and I don't get those stinging/pinching feelings in my back in the middle of the night. Other than that, I'm really quite impressed with the way my body as handled itself throughout all of this. I've had hardly a single complaint thus far and only minor ones are arising now. My skin, nails, and hair are still in amazing shape as well :)
Worth noting (?) This week I am craving ALL things sweet. Mostly just fruit though.. and chocolate! Also I'm wanting some mellow mushroom pizza (mostly for the crust) and a BLT from Corner Bakery with a side Cesar salad and a Monster Cookie. 
And without further ado: 

The good news and the bad news.

The good news is, all is well with the baby and my new Cardioligist is just as concerned about her health as he is mine. The bad news is, I still have to wait 4 more weeks to find out with is wrong with me!

The back story:
Last Wednesday after the ultrasound, (as mentioned in my last post) I was having a  racing/pounding heart sensation. Thursday it was no better and Friday is was still there only constant instead of intermittent so I took myself to the ER to be evaluated. Five hours later I was sent home with a diagnosis of: Heart Palpitations which are being caused by premature ventricular contractions (PVC's) and Zantac for the lump feeling in my throat (which she said was from heartburn...) The heart issues they said could have been caused by low magnesium so they put me on a magnesium drip before discharging me. Whether by coincidence or reason, the palpitations had stopped by the time I left the ER and I felt fine up until later that night. Saturday and Sunday they continued off and on. Monday night I woke up to chest pain and a pain in my back in between my shoulder blades. This pain too, was off and on, and finally subsided all together about an hour later.That morning while getting ready for work, I felt fine, as though nothing had even happened. However, on my drive in to the office, the palpitations began and this time I felt dizzy too. But only for a few moments.
Today, Tuesday, I've felt pretty good all day other than the occasional palps.
My cardiologist said that the palps can be pretty common especially in pregnancy because my heart is working extra hard right now with the 40% more blood volume to circulate, but that they can also mean something else is going on too, so he wants to proceed with further testing to make sure they are benign. I'm scheduled for an echo cardiogram on Oct 2nd and after that, I'll get  Holter monitor to put on that day to wear for 24 hours since my EKG's keep coming up normal and aren't catching the palps when they happen. As long as the palps are under a certain threshold and I can deal with them, we'll just wait until after delivery when they should go away. But if they are over a certain threshold, that is, happening too often and/or for too long, he will put me on a beta blocker.

So that's the skinny on that.
On the bright side, I'm almost 20 weeks pregnant!

It's a................

GIRL!!!!!

I'd be lying if I said my initial reaction wasn't that of a slight let down and feeling of somewhat disappoinment. It certainly took me about an hour to compose myself and remember all that we've been through and overcome to get to this point. By the time I'd gotten to work and said out loud, "it's a girl" at least a half dozen times, it was beginning to fluently roll off my tongue and it just felt right, like this is the way it's suppose to be. 

When we were first told though, Barry and I were both pretty silent. I think I was more worried about what he was thinking even though he isn't like that.. He couldn't have cared either way, but I know both of our hearts were set on a boy. After we finished, I sat up on the table and turned around to Barry and told him that this Baby was all his. "She's going to be a little Daddy's girl." I think, by the look on his face, those sobering words struck a chord within him and from that moment on he didn't stop smiling. He even texted me way later after the appointment and told me that he was still smiling!

Ever since the appointment I've been feeling this weird lump in the back of my throat that pulsates with the rhythm of my heartbeat and at times I feel slightly dizzy. These feelings have also been accompanied by a constant headache as well.. Not sure what this is all about but hopefully it's the just anxiety and excitement from this morning. 

I still can not believe my little baby bear boy is a Girl. 

"I'm sorry for having called you a boy for the last 19 weeks my sweet baby girl."

18 week update *w/pics

OOPSIE!!! I'm almost a week behind.
I won't fill this post with too much since you'll be getting another one from me in 2 days but I just wanted to give you a small update and some pictures.

Week 18:
I tire easily; like really easily. For example I use to be able to spend 3-4 hours cleaning the house each week and now I'm completely exhausted around the 2 hour mark. Every day between 2-3 I'm ready for bed. Thankfully every day I get a second wind around 5 to carry me through the evenings. My stomach gets incredibly sore when getting up after laying down for an extended amount of time. Or when I get too quickly off the couch. Also, I know I probably have a few more months to go, but I already feel the strain with bending to shave my legs. I've noticed baby bear is becoming more active. I use to only feel him a few hours after meals but now I feel him every 2 hours or less. I can not even begin to express how happy he makes me.
These pictures are from 18 weeks (5 days ago).