Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Week Seven

This morning sickness stuff is not fun. I've found that, if I wake up feeling pretty good, I'm going to feel really bad by about 2 hours later. That happened today, and I almost thought I was going to have to leave work. The sickness generally isn't as bad if I start the day sick. So I've found a reason to be thankful for waking up sick. Go figure.

There are a lot of foods that gross me out right now just thinking about them. And I can't think of dinner at all until late in the afternoon or it'll make me queasy. If a food advertisement comes on TV, I have to look away and think of something else. Saltines are starting to get boring, but they're the only thing I can count on to ease my stomach.

I've talked to a few different women in different pregnancy forums, and they all say that every pregnancy is different. One said that she had three pregnancies, one where she was sick 24/7 throughout the pregnancy, one where she was never sick at all, and one where she was fine unless she smelled shampoo. Isn't that odd? It makes me wonder if morning sickness has more to do with the individual fetus than with the mother.

Other than that, I think the only change is that I may have gained one or two pounds.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Week Six

Well, morning sickness has started to kick in. I'm not throwing up yet, but I feel pretty close. And it's lasting all day instead of just in the morning. Saltines help a bit. I read that some women are helped by sour candy, but that doesn't seem to help me. I've also read that ginger helps (even ginger ale, if it has real ginger in it), but I haven't gotten around to buying any yet. My mom has said in the past that peppermint helps her when she's feeling sick to her stomach, so I think I'll try peppermint candies, too.

I really want to eat healthy and get some housecleaning done, but I don't feel like I can do either of those things right now. My body wants to be in bed, asleep, and eat nothing but dry bread and crackers with the occasional piece of fruit. I think I can continue to handle a reasonable diet, for the time being, as long as everything is really bland.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Week Five!

I just got back from the doctor's office, and I have a lot to do today, but I want to get this all recorded first.

Pregnancies are generally expected to be 40 weeks long counting from the first day of the woman's last period. As such, my due date is January 14, 2008, give or take 2 weeks.

I can continue to drink decaf Chai tea (yea!). I need to avoid lunch meats because of Nitrites, though they're actually a bigger worry for the baby once it's born. I need to avoid open-water fish because of mercury levels. I need to avoid cheese, or really any dairy stuff, that hasn't been pasteurized. I don't need to worry about weight gain at this point because my doctor says that weight gain in the second semester is the best indicator of a healthy pregnancy. I can even lose weight now (moderately, of course), and it wouldn't be a big deal.

Most exercise that's good for a normal person is also good for a pregnant person. If it begins to hurt or feel uncomfortable, stop. Oh, and don't do obviously dangerous stuff like skydiving, horseriding, and water skiing.

I should continue to take calcium supplements daily and iron supplements every other day. I can continue to take Claritin daily, but I should only take pseudoephedrine when I really need it. My asthma medication is totally safe.

She gave me a bunch of stuff to read, so I'll let you know if I glean anything new from that. She also had me do a TB test and a full battery of blood tests. I go back in four weeks to get the results on the blood tests and to get a full exam. There's a small possibility that I'll be able to hear the baby's heart beat by then. I'm not going to get my hopes up, but that would be so awesome.

Oh, and I found out I'm at 5 weeks and 3 days.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Week Four?

I have my first OB appointment on Thursday. I'm pretty excited. I'll actually be seeing a doctor that I've seen for years, and I think she's great. There are a lot of things I need to remember to ask about:
  • What should I eat and what should I not eat? In connection with this, how much of each food group should I eat every day?
  • Is it safe to keep lifting freeweights?
  • I know I should start walking, but how many times per week, for how long each time, and do I need to stroll or do I need to increase my heart rate?
  • Since I'm on prescribed prenatals, would it be harmful or good to continue taking calcium and iron supplements?
  • How much weight should I gain, and at what point in the pregnancy?
  • Do I need to avoid lifting heavy things?
  • Is there anything I can do about the tenderness in my breasts?
  • What is my estimated due date?
  • Where do we go from here?
I think that's it. I'll post the answers here as well after the appointment (perhaps in next week's entry).

In regards to how I'm feeling, the queasiness is gone. I get a little shaky sometimes, like my blood sugar may be a little low, but it's not bad. My breasts are swollen and painful, though. I bought a couple of sports bras to keep them in check when I'm in pajamas or working out, and that seems to help with the pain. But if I jog or even walk fast in a normal bra, ouch.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Week Three?

I'm so excited! On Sunday, I realized that I was on the 28th day of my cycle and that I was queasy. My cycle is generally around 24 days long, so I knew I was several days late. I was queasy again yesterday and decided to buy a pregnancy test. I took the test last night, and it says I'm pregnant! Now, of course, it's not a 100% sure thing. Tomorrow, I'm going to call my doctor and arrange a blood test to make sure. Oh my gosh.

I'm going to try to keep this a secret for the first three months. A lot of pregnancies don't survive the first three months, so I want to make sure that this is "real" before I go spreading the news to people who know me. My husband knows, of course, but that's it. Oh, and whoever happens to be reading this, though I bet that's no more than one person (psst...if Alex happens to be reading this, let's keep this between you and me, ok?).

Oh, and I've found a good alternative to coffee. I hope it's ok to continue with it. See, I'm not addicted to caffeine. I like coffee because it's hot and, the way I make it, creamy. I find it comforting and relaxing to have a cup in the morning. The alternative I've found is "naturally" decaffeinated Chai tea from Celestial Seasonings. I add a bit of milk and a bit of sugar, and it's pretty tasty and just about as comforting as coffee. I really wish I could afford an espresso machine, though, because I'd be very happy with a steamed milk every morning.

Alright, so I'm feeling a little queasy again today. It's not bad (yet). It's similar to how I feel if I eat greasy food. Actually, it's not even quite that bad. I also have light cramps, but again, it's not bad.