I hope you all had a great holiday season so far! Here at the end of week 15 I'm back on the Zofran AGAIN! Yet another attempt to stop it because I thought the vom days were over, has failed. I'm having SUCH a hard time sleeping and just getting things done because of the stuffy/runny nose I've been battling recently. I'm not sure if it's the stuffy head that's causing it, but I get so tired and dizzy after doing little chores or if I've been standing for a period of time. So, needless to say, I guess I'm not at that energetic feel-good stage of my pregnancy just yet. The morning sickness has dramatically decreased since the beginning though and at least I'm getting my appetite back. So, I'm happy about that. I'm also excitedly waiting my next ultrasound. We definitely want to know if it's a boy or a girl. I'm in desperate need of some retail therapy, but I refuse to buy anything baby until we find out the sex. Hopefully though I'll be able to get out and feel good long enough to buy a nice comfy couple of maternity bras and a snuggly snoogle. I think a humidifier might help my mucousy self too. Even though I'd prefer to buy mostly organic cotton items for the baby, I love the stuff from Janie and Jack and right now they're having such a great sale. Last year around this time I bought 2 sets of layette gift sets from them on clearance and they're so cute. I got colors that could go either way of course. I also have a bunch of neutral items from Old Navy and the Gap that I've collected from clearance racks over the past year or so. So, I have a little stash of the basics.
I was inspired the other day though by a post I saw on a message board about pillow case dresses for little girls. A mom posted pics of her little one in dresses she had made for her. They were SO CUTE and looked really simple to make. So, I looked through this pile of baby clothes sewing patterns I have and noticed that I have patterns for everything; booties, sleep sacs, diaper covers, blankets, onesies etc. I think I'm going to buy some material and attempt to make some of the items once we find out the sex. My mom doesn't sew now, but she made me these gorgeous little dresses when I was a toddler. We've moved so many times over the past few years that even if we have them still somewhere in her garage I doubt we could find them. Remembering those little dresses though made me want to give sewing baby clothes a try. If I do actually make an attempt or two I'll definitely post the pics.
In the meantime I'll count down the days until the ultrasound, stock up on lotion tissue, and save my Joanne's crafts coupons to buy some cute vintage-ey fabric.
~Jessy
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Weeks 13-15
Definitely a belated update, I know. My 15th week isn't quite over, but I'm just 2 days away. So, with Christmas around the corner I figured I'd better update you while I can. My main plague so far during this pregnancy has been morning sickness. Today was the first day I passed on my Zofran in a long time. I just want to get off of it already. My doctor said I could take it as long as I needed too. I'm just not a medicine person. Despite the fact that I worked so long in a pharmacy, I'm the kind of person who likes to just wait out sickness. Pregnancy has been different though. It's one thing to have indigestion or nausea and vomiting or constipation or dizziness and fatigue alone. To have it all at the same time, for me at least, has been a good reason to medicate. But, hopefully, the nausea is gone and I can just try to grin and bear the rest.
This past week my husband and I made the 8 hour drive up to Idaho to visit his family and finally share our news. We had planned to tell them much earlier, but his work schedule is so unpredictable it's hard to make plans stick and this was our first opportunity. We definitely wanted to tell everyone in person though. I was a little worried about the long road trip and then how I would feel during the whole trip. It went extremely well though. My biggest complaint had to be fatigue. I was just really tired a lot of the time. Compared to morning sickness though, I can totally deal. I was a little excited during a family get together Tuesday night when I finally started to get my appetite back. I even had 2 servings of this cheesy potato stuff my sister-in-law made. The next day I almost ate all of the burger and fries I'd gotten from this little (best ever!) burger place in my husband's hometown. Besides all that though I am being careful to keep my meals small and frequent.
My main physical symptoms right now are nasal congestion and dryness (I've been using nasal saline to help with this), fatigue, trouble sleeping (just general discomfort when trying to sleep on my side) and the burps (I get really burpy during and after meals).
Emotionally I'm relieved the nausea seems to have passed. I'm also excited about finding out if it's a boy or a girl on the 15th of January. My family really wants a girl (it'll be the first grandchild on our side) and we already have 6 nephews on my husband's side (no girls yet) and all his friends have sons. So, I think it'd be great to find out we're having a little princess. If not, then our handsome guy will have plenty of buddies and cousins to wrestle around with. :o)
I know it's really really early, but I swear I've felt the baby twice. Once the day after my birthday and once last night. :o)))
~Jessy
This past week my husband and I made the 8 hour drive up to Idaho to visit his family and finally share our news. We had planned to tell them much earlier, but his work schedule is so unpredictable it's hard to make plans stick and this was our first opportunity. We definitely wanted to tell everyone in person though. I was a little worried about the long road trip and then how I would feel during the whole trip. It went extremely well though. My biggest complaint had to be fatigue. I was just really tired a lot of the time. Compared to morning sickness though, I can totally deal. I was a little excited during a family get together Tuesday night when I finally started to get my appetite back. I even had 2 servings of this cheesy potato stuff my sister-in-law made. The next day I almost ate all of the burger and fries I'd gotten from this little (best ever!) burger place in my husband's hometown. Besides all that though I am being careful to keep my meals small and frequent.
My main physical symptoms right now are nasal congestion and dryness (I've been using nasal saline to help with this), fatigue, trouble sleeping (just general discomfort when trying to sleep on my side) and the burps (I get really burpy during and after meals).
Emotionally I'm relieved the nausea seems to have passed. I'm also excited about finding out if it's a boy or a girl on the 15th of January. My family really wants a girl (it'll be the first grandchild on our side) and we already have 6 nephews on my husband's side (no girls yet) and all his friends have sons. So, I think it'd be great to find out we're having a little princess. If not, then our handsome guy will have plenty of buddies and cousins to wrestle around with. :o)
I know it's really really early, but I swear I've felt the baby twice. Once the day after my birthday and once last night. :o)))
~Jessy
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Prenatal Visit 2
Today was my second prenatal visit. This was the easiest OB/GYN visit for me ever! I got to the office and signed in and they let me back to do my urine sample. Then, I waited in the waiting room for a few minutes. Once I was called in I was weighed (no weight gain yet). Then the nurse took me to a room and took my blood pressure (normal). Next, she very briefly let me hear the babies heartbeat (156 bpm = normal). She asked me about any symptoms or concerns I was having and said the doctor would be in in a minute. I was thinking "no stripping down? no stirrups? yay!" Then my Dr. came in and briefly went over my bloodwork results and asked if I had any questions. I told him I was a little worried because I was having issues trying to eat meat and vegetables. He said not to worry about that at this point. Over the next few weeks the nausea should go away (I know this isn't the case for everyone) and I should start feeling a lot better. He said as I start feeling better I can slowly start trying to eat healthier then, but that eating the healthiest doesn't have to be my main concern at the moment. He said that some people just crave or can only get down comfort foods during their first trimester and that that's ok. :o) So, I'm actually doing better than I thought. He also let me know that the initial results from my nuchal scan show no increased risks for the baby. Another yay! He told me to go ahead and schedule my next ultrasound for 6 weeks out before I leave. And that was it! I scheduled the ultrasound and left the office. So nice. I hope everyone's second visit is this nice.
~Jessy
~Jessy
Weeks 11 & 12 I see the light!
My belly is already pooching out! At first I was like: "Great, my weigh-in during my second prenatal appointment is going to be like 10 lbs heavier!", but I haven't gained any weight since my first prenatal appointment. Surprisingly. I think the morning sickness took it's toll and my chest and belly growth made up for the weight I lost.
Week 11
Not pretty. The nausea let up quite a bit. So, I stopped taking Zofran about 3 days before Thanksgiving. I was sick first thing Thanksgiving morning, but I decided to just tough it out and head over to my folks house. I brought a pillow and blanky to chill on their couch with everyone one else while the parents got things ready. I felt a little useless because I usually help my mom with everything and bring homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, and my granny's sweet potato casserole. This time I just brought veggies for a salad I knew I wouldn't be able to eat and chopped them up on site. Lame. The turkey smell I usually cherish was almost overwhelming this time. I made it through the day though and ate a small plate of food and piece of pie. Definately a dwarfed version of my usual Thanksgiving indulgence, but yummy still. Plus, best of all, I was out of the house and surrounded by people who I love. So, it was nice. Unfortunately, about 12 hours later, I woke up before the sun with an unpleasantly familiar feeling. I was SO SICK the day after Thanksgiving. So, needless to say, I am back on the Zofran. I re-established my position on the living room couch for a few days afterwards and just took things easy on myself and my stomach for the rest of the week.
Week 12
This week has been the best one so far! I'm probably jinxing myself. I've started to be able to get a wider variety of healthy foods down. I can do some fruit (bananas, oranges, berries and anything in a smoothie). I've added raisin bran and Yo-Plus yogurt (has fiber in it) to my diet to help with constipation. Not a majorly terrible problem for me so far, but it's there. I can also eat nuts now. I like these salt and pepper pistachios I get from my grocery store. I just wish the $4 box was a little bigger. Another new addition is V8 Peach Mango juice that has a serving of fruits & vegetables in each glass. It's pretty yummy.
Besides being able to eat more and better, the constant nausea I usually experience is pretty much gone. Now, if I do get sick, its more of a sudden wave that hits me. A little scary in a way. At least, before, I always felt sick and expected to be sick. Now, I'm totally fine all day and all of a sudden I'm running to the bathroom. But don't get me wrong, I'm totally grateful for the change. It's a step in the right direction. I can actually get more done around the house.
I had my 12 week ultrasound with nuchal scan yesterday and my second prenatal appointment today. Both really good visits. They'll be described seperately from this though.
Overall, I'm feeling much better and therefore more excited about my pregnancy. The ultrasound and prenatal visit helped to let me know I'm doing everything fine and that the baby is doing great. I think during pregnancy and parenthood that's something you really cherish; having someone who's opinion matters to you telling you that you are doing a great job. So, yesterday when the ultrasound tech kept saying "perfect" and "just what we like to see" and today when my OB said "everything looks wonderful, keep up the good work," I was so relieved.
~Jessy
Week 11
Not pretty. The nausea let up quite a bit. So, I stopped taking Zofran about 3 days before Thanksgiving. I was sick first thing Thanksgiving morning, but I decided to just tough it out and head over to my folks house. I brought a pillow and blanky to chill on their couch with everyone one else while the parents got things ready. I felt a little useless because I usually help my mom with everything and bring homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, and my granny's sweet potato casserole. This time I just brought veggies for a salad I knew I wouldn't be able to eat and chopped them up on site. Lame. The turkey smell I usually cherish was almost overwhelming this time. I made it through the day though and ate a small plate of food and piece of pie. Definately a dwarfed version of my usual Thanksgiving indulgence, but yummy still. Plus, best of all, I was out of the house and surrounded by people who I love. So, it was nice. Unfortunately, about 12 hours later, I woke up before the sun with an unpleasantly familiar feeling. I was SO SICK the day after Thanksgiving. So, needless to say, I am back on the Zofran. I re-established my position on the living room couch for a few days afterwards and just took things easy on myself and my stomach for the rest of the week.
Week 12
This week has been the best one so far! I'm probably jinxing myself. I've started to be able to get a wider variety of healthy foods down. I can do some fruit (bananas, oranges, berries and anything in a smoothie). I've added raisin bran and Yo-Plus yogurt (has fiber in it) to my diet to help with constipation. Not a majorly terrible problem for me so far, but it's there. I can also eat nuts now. I like these salt and pepper pistachios I get from my grocery store. I just wish the $4 box was a little bigger. Another new addition is V8 Peach Mango juice that has a serving of fruits & vegetables in each glass. It's pretty yummy.
Besides being able to eat more and better, the constant nausea I usually experience is pretty much gone. Now, if I do get sick, its more of a sudden wave that hits me. A little scary in a way. At least, before, I always felt sick and expected to be sick. Now, I'm totally fine all day and all of a sudden I'm running to the bathroom. But don't get me wrong, I'm totally grateful for the change. It's a step in the right direction. I can actually get more done around the house.
I had my 12 week ultrasound with nuchal scan yesterday and my second prenatal appointment today. Both really good visits. They'll be described seperately from this though.
Overall, I'm feeling much better and therefore more excited about my pregnancy. The ultrasound and prenatal visit helped to let me know I'm doing everything fine and that the baby is doing great. I think during pregnancy and parenthood that's something you really cherish; having someone who's opinion matters to you telling you that you are doing a great job. So, yesterday when the ultrasound tech kept saying "perfect" and "just what we like to see" and today when my OB said "everything looks wonderful, keep up the good work," I was so relieved.
~Jessy
Ultrasound-12 Weeks
Here are the 12 week ultrasound pics!!! Yay! I actually logged onto YouTube and watched other people's 12 week the night before my appointment.
Here are my 2 favorite YouTube 12 week Ultrasound videos: (Both seem to be posted by dads which is way cute I think.)
Video 1
Video 2
And here is our little one:
Hi Mommy and Daddy! - Profile 1
Profile 2
My Feet! - Butt view with little legs and feet floating around.
My Hands! - Profile view with hand near face and top view with both arms out and hands together.
Profile 3
Profile 4
That's it for now.
~Jessy
Here are my 2 favorite YouTube 12 week Ultrasound videos: (Both seem to be posted by dads which is way cute I think.)
Video 1
Video 2
And here is our little one:
Hi Mommy and Daddy! - Profile 1
Profile 2
My Feet! - Butt view with little legs and feet floating around.
My Hands! - Profile view with hand near face and top view with both arms out and hands together.
Profile 3
Profile 4
That's it for now.
~Jessy
Ultrasound - 8 Weeks
Here is a scan of my 8 week ultrasound:
Click Here!
I should have photoshopped it with a little arrow to make things easier, but if you look on the upper right hand side and see the "2DG" and then look directly left of it you can see a little dark sac amidst the white mass there. Inside the little sac along the upper right is our little one. The baby is aligned horizontally and if you really look you can make out the head, body and little leggies from right to left. :o)
~Jessy
Click Here!
I should have photoshopped it with a little arrow to make things easier, but if you look on the upper right hand side and see the "2DG" and then look directly left of it you can see a little dark sac amidst the white mass there. Inside the little sac along the upper right is our little one. The baby is aligned horizontally and if you really look you can make out the head, body and little leggies from right to left. :o)
~Jessy
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Weeks 9 & 10
It's Thanksgiving tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I appreciate all the comments I've had the pleasure of receiving so far. It makes me want to suck it up and really start to plug away more at getting more useful information up here for my readers.
The last couple of weeks have seen me cut back on the anti-nausea medication. I worked my way down to just 1 first thing in the morning for a while and then, in just the past 3 days or so I've completely cut it out. It's a little tough because without it I do still get sudden urges to be sick, but I found that a couple of things really help me. First, I always need to have something in my stomach. The minute I start feeling hungry I also feel really nauseated. The other help is to just sit and relax after I've eaten or done anything physically demanding (which can be unloading the dishwasher for me these days :o/~ ) . Sprite has been helpful too. I honestly think it's just because it doesn't irritate my stomach like ginger ale or 7UP and it helps me burp up some of the gas that I suspect is causing some of the discomfort.
Physical complaints right now still consist of digestive discomfort, lots of gas, difficulty sleeping, breast issues, and fatigue. The list of OTC medications approved by my Dr. that I received at my first prenatal visit included: Tums, Gaviscon, Pepcid, and Zantac for indigestion/heartburn. Gaviscon works good for me, but they kind of fizz up while you chew them and the taste isn't great so they aren't very appealing. I stopped taking them when my nausea got really bad. Tums have started to taste more like candy to me. I've found that taking 2 before I go to bed really helps my bubbly stomach and discomfort. I'm just starting regular Pepcid today in hopes that it will help. The difficulty sleeping is partly due to yucky stomach and partly due to the fact that when I do sleep I often have crazy dreams that leave me feeling like I didn't rest at all. I am in dire need of new bras. I have vastly outgrown my old ones, even my sports bras. I'm also having a lot of breast tenderness as they go through their little (or not so little!) growth spurt. Thank goodness my fatigue is slowly decreasing. I do still feel totally wiped out after little errands or chores, but it's not as bad as it used to be and after a little down time I feel better.
I have noticed two main emotional changes in myself. The first change has actually mostly passed. Around the beginning of week 9 I suddenly got this intense fear in me concerning my pregnancy. These sudden realization occured to me: I am pregnant-like actually growing a living human being inside of me, My life will never ever be the same again, and this baby is going to continue to grow and I'm going to have to find a way to get it out. These thoughts had often occured to me before I got pregnant, after I found out we were pregnant and were often repeated with great solemnity by my husband before we started trying. But for some reason, it all became very real and scary to me. I started to worry and even lament a little. I think what put an end to all this though was the day I picked up my 8 week ultrasound picture and, instead of seeing a little grain of rice in a sac, I was able to make out a little head, torso and even faint little legs. I wondered why I had never seen it before. It made such a difference in my perspective. It was like all of a sudden the thing taking over my body and causing all these changes was more human to me. Less like something I was suffering for and more like a baby I was nourishing. The second change in me I guess is more spiritual than emotional. More and more I've felt a strong desire to nourish myself spiritually. Lets just say my husband and I aren't the best at making it to church meetings. Recently, however, I've found myself spending more time at my prayers and scripture study. It's really helped me deal with my worries and even my physical symptoms. I think these desires stem from the realization that in a matter of months I will be a mommy; responsible for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of a little human. So, I want to be as prepared for that as I can be.
~Jessy
The last couple of weeks have seen me cut back on the anti-nausea medication. I worked my way down to just 1 first thing in the morning for a while and then, in just the past 3 days or so I've completely cut it out. It's a little tough because without it I do still get sudden urges to be sick, but I found that a couple of things really help me. First, I always need to have something in my stomach. The minute I start feeling hungry I also feel really nauseated. The other help is to just sit and relax after I've eaten or done anything physically demanding (which can be unloading the dishwasher for me these days :o/~ ) . Sprite has been helpful too. I honestly think it's just because it doesn't irritate my stomach like ginger ale or 7UP and it helps me burp up some of the gas that I suspect is causing some of the discomfort.
Physical complaints right now still consist of digestive discomfort, lots of gas, difficulty sleeping, breast issues, and fatigue. The list of OTC medications approved by my Dr. that I received at my first prenatal visit included: Tums, Gaviscon, Pepcid, and Zantac for indigestion/heartburn. Gaviscon works good for me, but they kind of fizz up while you chew them and the taste isn't great so they aren't very appealing. I stopped taking them when my nausea got really bad. Tums have started to taste more like candy to me. I've found that taking 2 before I go to bed really helps my bubbly stomach and discomfort. I'm just starting regular Pepcid today in hopes that it will help. The difficulty sleeping is partly due to yucky stomach and partly due to the fact that when I do sleep I often have crazy dreams that leave me feeling like I didn't rest at all. I am in dire need of new bras. I have vastly outgrown my old ones, even my sports bras. I'm also having a lot of breast tenderness as they go through their little (or not so little!) growth spurt. Thank goodness my fatigue is slowly decreasing. I do still feel totally wiped out after little errands or chores, but it's not as bad as it used to be and after a little down time I feel better.
I have noticed two main emotional changes in myself. The first change has actually mostly passed. Around the beginning of week 9 I suddenly got this intense fear in me concerning my pregnancy. These sudden realization occured to me: I am pregnant-like actually growing a living human being inside of me, My life will never ever be the same again, and this baby is going to continue to grow and I'm going to have to find a way to get it out. These thoughts had often occured to me before I got pregnant, after I found out we were pregnant and were often repeated with great solemnity by my husband before we started trying. But for some reason, it all became very real and scary to me. I started to worry and even lament a little. I think what put an end to all this though was the day I picked up my 8 week ultrasound picture and, instead of seeing a little grain of rice in a sac, I was able to make out a little head, torso and even faint little legs. I wondered why I had never seen it before. It made such a difference in my perspective. It was like all of a sudden the thing taking over my body and causing all these changes was more human to me. Less like something I was suffering for and more like a baby I was nourishing. The second change in me I guess is more spiritual than emotional. More and more I've felt a strong desire to nourish myself spiritually. Lets just say my husband and I aren't the best at making it to church meetings. Recently, however, I've found myself spending more time at my prayers and scripture study. It's really helped me deal with my worries and even my physical symptoms. I think these desires stem from the realization that in a matter of months I will be a mommy; responsible for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of a little human. So, I want to be as prepared for that as I can be.
~Jessy
Monday, November 5, 2007
Prenatal Appointment 1
Yay! My first prenatal appointment finally arrived. I realize that how this appointment goes varies from Dr's office to Dr's office, but my experience was a pleasant and rewarding one.
What Happened:
1. I filled out a worksheet addressing family history. (any genetic abnormalities in either my or my husband's families etc.)
2. I was taken back, weighed, and asked to provide a urine sample (I drank so much water this morning, but when it came time to pee...I couldn't!).
3. The nurse asked me what symptoms I had been having and told me I wouldn't have a PAP today because mine was current. She handed me an order for labs and a prescription for refills on my prenatals. Then she told me to undress from the waist down and gave me a sheet to cover myself with.
4. The nurse practitioner came in and collected "cultures" which feels just like a pap (speculum, swabs...that whole deal. Ouchy.). She felt to see how big my uterus is (this involved one hand inside and one hand pressing down on my abdomen but didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable at all). She said it was small.
5. Then, she took me back to an ultrasound room and did an abdominal ultrasound "just for fun." She said we probably wouldn't see anything because it was so early on, but said this was perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. We found it! It looked like a tiny grain of rice in a little sac. She printed a picture out for me and said my next ultrasound would be the "fun" one. :o)
6. When we got back to the examining room she gave me this goodie bag and some samples of my prenatals. Then, she answered any questions I had.
7. I tried to pee again and still couldn't. So, I drank a few glasses of water there and headed over to the little room that served as a lab in the office. So convenient! The lab tech was SO NICE. I barely felt the needle and chatted with her through 6 tubes of blood.
8. I sat around in the waiting room with my husband until I finally got the urge! :o)~ The results weren't too impressive, but the lab tech said it was enough so I was happy.
9. I made my next appointments. The nurse practitioner had me schedule an ultrasound just before my 12 week appointment to check for down syndrome. The scheduler also scheduled my next 3 appointments and told me they would be with my Dr.
Of course on the way home from the appointment I was doing the pee pee dance majorly. Figures. Overall, everyone I dealt with was SO nice and helpful. The goodie bag had little informative pamphlets and magazines along with some coupons for baby stuff. There was also a list in there of all the safe OTC meds I could take. Nice.
My favorite part, of course, was getting to see my little grain of rice. :o)))
-Jessy
What Happened:
1. I filled out a worksheet addressing family history. (any genetic abnormalities in either my or my husband's families etc.)
2. I was taken back, weighed, and asked to provide a urine sample (I drank so much water this morning, but when it came time to pee...I couldn't!).
3. The nurse asked me what symptoms I had been having and told me I wouldn't have a PAP today because mine was current. She handed me an order for labs and a prescription for refills on my prenatals. Then she told me to undress from the waist down and gave me a sheet to cover myself with.
4. The nurse practitioner came in and collected "cultures" which feels just like a pap (speculum, swabs...that whole deal. Ouchy.). She felt to see how big my uterus is (this involved one hand inside and one hand pressing down on my abdomen but didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable at all). She said it was small.
5. Then, she took me back to an ultrasound room and did an abdominal ultrasound "just for fun." She said we probably wouldn't see anything because it was so early on, but said this was perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. We found it! It looked like a tiny grain of rice in a little sac. She printed a picture out for me and said my next ultrasound would be the "fun" one. :o)
6. When we got back to the examining room she gave me this goodie bag and some samples of my prenatals. Then, she answered any questions I had.
7. I tried to pee again and still couldn't. So, I drank a few glasses of water there and headed over to the little room that served as a lab in the office. So convenient! The lab tech was SO NICE. I barely felt the needle and chatted with her through 6 tubes of blood.
8. I sat around in the waiting room with my husband until I finally got the urge! :o)~ The results weren't too impressive, but the lab tech said it was enough so I was happy.
9. I made my next appointments. The nurse practitioner had me schedule an ultrasound just before my 12 week appointment to check for down syndrome. The scheduler also scheduled my next 3 appointments and told me they would be with my Dr.
Of course on the way home from the appointment I was doing the pee pee dance majorly. Figures. Overall, everyone I dealt with was SO nice and helpful. The goodie bag had little informative pamphlets and magazines along with some coupons for baby stuff. There was also a list in there of all the safe OTC meds I could take. Nice.
My favorite part, of course, was getting to see my little grain of rice. :o)))
-Jessy
Weeks 7 & 8
I'm finally starting to feel a bit better. The nausea got so bad that I was unable to keep much of anything down. So, I called my Dr. and he prescribed Phenergan for me. Unfortunately, the Phenergan just made me feel a lot worse and then knocked me out for 5 or so hours. If food and water weren't necessities, this would be a great situation; I could just sleep away the days. No dice though, so I called the Dr. again and they switched me to Zofran. A lot of the message boards I'd checked out were full of praises for Zofran, so I was really glad when it started working for me. I went from barely being able to stand in a cool shower (probably because of the lack of nutrients and hydration) to being able to run short errands and get back to chores around the house in about a week. I still have to take it easy and keep my meals small, but I can actually eat and drink decent amounts throught the day. I got some great advice on how to increase my water intake last night: orange crystal light. It has lots of vitamin C and tastes like Tang. :o)~ That and the cherry-limeade flavor are my favs right now.
Week 8 ends tomorrow, but today was my first prenatal appointment. I have a seperate post about that though.
Pregnancy is definately a humbling experience for me so far. It's amazing how different the experience is for each one of us. Some people I talked to didn't even have morning sickness. Some felt nauseas, but were able to control it with dietary changes and get on with their everyday lives. I was hit extremely hard and found myself really scared at times. It's terrifying to have very little control over the body you thought you knew so well. I know resorting to medication was the best option for me and my pregnancy. It stings a bit though to feel like I had to go that route when so many others can just tough it out. It reminds me a little of a labor experience story that was shared with me. I know someone who started having painful contractions really early on and had to deal with them regularly throught her pregnancy. Then, closer to her due date, when she thought she was starting actual labor she wasn't sure if she should go to the hospital just yet because she didn't want to seem like a "wimp." It sucks that so many of us feel like "wimps" because we chose to get an epidural or chose not to (or simply can't) breastfeed. Even things like emergency C-sections and miscarriages seem to bring on feelings of failure in some way. I guess that's one reason why it's important to me to try to share my experiences honestly. Maybe someone will be able to relate well to my blog and feel less "wimpy" and more normal.
-Jessy
Week 8 ends tomorrow, but today was my first prenatal appointment. I have a seperate post about that though.
Pregnancy is definately a humbling experience for me so far. It's amazing how different the experience is for each one of us. Some people I talked to didn't even have morning sickness. Some felt nauseas, but were able to control it with dietary changes and get on with their everyday lives. I was hit extremely hard and found myself really scared at times. It's terrifying to have very little control over the body you thought you knew so well. I know resorting to medication was the best option for me and my pregnancy. It stings a bit though to feel like I had to go that route when so many others can just tough it out. It reminds me a little of a labor experience story that was shared with me. I know someone who started having painful contractions really early on and had to deal with them regularly throught her pregnancy. Then, closer to her due date, when she thought she was starting actual labor she wasn't sure if she should go to the hospital just yet because she didn't want to seem like a "wimp." It sucks that so many of us feel like "wimps" because we chose to get an epidural or chose not to (or simply can't) breastfeed. Even things like emergency C-sections and miscarriages seem to bring on feelings of failure in some way. I guess that's one reason why it's important to me to try to share my experiences honestly. Maybe someone will be able to relate well to my blog and feel less "wimpy" and more normal.
-Jessy
Monday, October 22, 2007
Week 6 aka will the nausea never end?
So I can describe this past week in one word really: nausea. Constant nausea. Most of the stuff I've read about "morning" sickness talks about waves of nausea or the sudden need to totally vom. Not in my experience so far. The only time in the past week that I haven't felt nausea is during the few hours I've been able to actually get to sleep and stay asleep. (Few and far between.) I tried crackers, ginger ale, popsicles... they all help a little, but nothing has really settled my stomach.
So, today I thought I'd get some chicken noodle soup and restock my ginger ale. The cinnamon smell in the grocery store (from those christmas pinecones I think, even though I didn't see any) actually made me feel a little better, the roasted turkey smell from the deli (for the holidays I guess) even smelled a bit yummy to me, but as I made my way through the aisles I started feeling worse than ever. By the time I got home I was in tears!
As soon as the first hint of nausea hit me a few weeks ago I thought I could control it. I just needed to rest as much as possible and try not to think about it. I just knew if I let myself lose it I'd think of that nastiness every time I got nauseas and have to run to the bathroom. Um...silly me? Needless to say, today was officially vom day 1 for me. I did actually feel a bit better after. It may have been relief of getting it over with. I think it was because when I opened the bathroom door my husband was there holding our two chihuahuas with a "poor baby" look on his face. He said "we're here to support you honey." That was a nice surprise.
-Jessy
So, today I thought I'd get some chicken noodle soup and restock my ginger ale. The cinnamon smell in the grocery store (from those christmas pinecones I think, even though I didn't see any) actually made me feel a little better, the roasted turkey smell from the deli (for the holidays I guess) even smelled a bit yummy to me, but as I made my way through the aisles I started feeling worse than ever. By the time I got home I was in tears!
As soon as the first hint of nausea hit me a few weeks ago I thought I could control it. I just needed to rest as much as possible and try not to think about it. I just knew if I let myself lose it I'd think of that nastiness every time I got nauseas and have to run to the bathroom. Um...silly me? Needless to say, today was officially vom day 1 for me. I did actually feel a bit better after. It may have been relief of getting it over with. I think it was because when I opened the bathroom door my husband was there holding our two chihuahuas with a "poor baby" look on his face. He said "we're here to support you honey." That was a nice surprise.
-Jessy
Monday, October 15, 2007
Week by Week Online Pregnancy Guides
I've bookmarked quite a few week by week pregnancy guides. Probably a bit of overkill but what can I say!? This is my first pregnancy and we've been planning on it forEVER. So, I want to know everything! Well, everything I can. I know books, magazines, internet, tv shows and even hearing what others have gone through can't completely prepare you for pregnancy, birth and motherhood. I'm sure it'll all help though. At least that's what I'm telling myself.
Some online week by week guides:
ePregnancy: For my current week, this guide goes from telling me I might be feeling PMS-ey to telling me to lay off the coffe to scaring the crap out of me with warning signs of an eptopic pregnancy! For each week there is a little section of information about what mom, dad, and baby might be going through. I like that they included information for dad. :)
FitPregnancy: Yes yes, you probably know from perusing my blog so far that this is one of my favorite magazines/sites for pregnancy info. Their week by week guide has a personalized section with a little count down for you (you have to register at their site to use this tool) followed by tabs labeled: "Your Growing Baby," "Your Changing Body," "Your Fitness Tip," and "Related Articles." The information provided is brief and to the point.
BabyCenter: I've actually signed up for their weekly email. The site itself has the week by week guides though. You can look at what is happening with both your body and fetal developement. This site has a bit more information in their week by week than some of the others.
I Dream of Baby: I used to really like popping into this site to look at their week by week, but for some reason I haven't been able to get it to work since we've gotten pregnant. :/ I figured I'd list it in case they're just having temporary issues though.
iVillage: Definately check out this one. Lots of information and easy to navigate. Each week includes: "What's Happening With You," "What's Happening With Your Baby," "Eating For Two," "Fact of the Week," and "Topics of Interest."
About.com: This link will take you to the actual week by week list. You have to scroll down and work your way up which is wierd. Also, even though about.com usually has lots of good relevant information, they can sometimes be a little hard to navigate and are pretty no frills. They do have sections for Mother, Baby, Dad, Twin tips and Suggested Reading though which is different and nice.
Pregnancy Guide Online: This site is organized very well. The pictures of developement are cartooney. Each week includes: "Fetal Developement," "Maternal Changes," <-(both sections with information on 'multiples' in case you're carrying more than one!) "Ideas For Dad," "Inspirational Thoughts," and "Reading." There are also specific relevant section specific to each week included in the information provided. Very thourough. Nice.
Pregnancy.org: This calendar is SO cool. Each DAY has either a fact, link to a related article, picture of fetal developement (actual picture, not a drawing or computer image), suggested reading and much much more! So interesting and imformative! The site itself is nothing fancy, but I really enjoy this calendar. SO MUCH INFORMATION.
That's about it for me tonight. Let me know if you have a website that you absolutely LOVE for baby info (even if it's not a week by week).
-Jessy
Some online week by week guides:
ePregnancy: For my current week, this guide goes from telling me I might be feeling PMS-ey to telling me to lay off the coffe to scaring the crap out of me with warning signs of an eptopic pregnancy! For each week there is a little section of information about what mom, dad, and baby might be going through. I like that they included information for dad. :)
FitPregnancy: Yes yes, you probably know from perusing my blog so far that this is one of my favorite magazines/sites for pregnancy info. Their week by week guide has a personalized section with a little count down for you (you have to register at their site to use this tool) followed by tabs labeled: "Your Growing Baby," "Your Changing Body," "Your Fitness Tip," and "Related Articles." The information provided is brief and to the point.
BabyCenter: I've actually signed up for their weekly email. The site itself has the week by week guides though. You can look at what is happening with both your body and fetal developement. This site has a bit more information in their week by week than some of the others.
I Dream of Baby: I used to really like popping into this site to look at their week by week, but for some reason I haven't been able to get it to work since we've gotten pregnant. :/ I figured I'd list it in case they're just having temporary issues though.
iVillage: Definately check out this one. Lots of information and easy to navigate. Each week includes: "What's Happening With You," "What's Happening With Your Baby," "Eating For Two," "Fact of the Week," and "Topics of Interest."
About.com: This link will take you to the actual week by week list. You have to scroll down and work your way up which is wierd. Also, even though about.com usually has lots of good relevant information, they can sometimes be a little hard to navigate and are pretty no frills. They do have sections for Mother, Baby, Dad, Twin tips and Suggested Reading though which is different and nice.
Pregnancy Guide Online: This site is organized very well. The pictures of developement are cartooney. Each week includes: "Fetal Developement," "Maternal Changes," <-(both sections with information on 'multiples' in case you're carrying more than one!) "Ideas For Dad," "Inspirational Thoughts," and "Reading." There are also specific relevant section specific to each week included in the information provided. Very thourough. Nice.
Pregnancy.org: This calendar is SO cool. Each DAY has either a fact, link to a related article, picture of fetal developement (actual picture, not a drawing or computer image), suggested reading and much much more! So interesting and imformative! The site itself is nothing fancy, but I really enjoy this calendar. SO MUCH INFORMATION.
That's about it for me tonight. Let me know if you have a website that you absolutely LOVE for baby info (even if it's not a week by week).
-Jessy
Cool Baby Countdown Widget!
There is a cool little pregnancy countdown widget on my front page now! I got it from ->here<- at Babystrology.com. To add this to your own wordpress blog just add a text widget to your sidebar and copy and paste the generated code from Babystrology after you've customized the widget. Yay! If you want a java or flash version of this version you can find it at widgetbox.com. Do you know of any other cool baby countdown widgets?
-Jessy
-Jessy
Cuuute Pregnancy & Baby Ticker for sites/forums/email
I was browsing through the ePregnancy forums today and while reading a "Due Date Buddies" post I noticed a lot of forum members had the Lilypie Ticker! Sooo cute! It's customizeable (the background, moving character, and text) and then the site generates the code for you to copy and paste where you want it! It's totally free and there are anniversary and birthday versions too. Check it out and tell me what you think or paste yours as a comment below so I can see your cute creations and count down with you! Has anyone seen more of these (even cuter ones that you reccommend)? -Jessy
Week 5
Here are some "starter shots" I guess of my belly. I, obviously, have a bit to start with. :/ But if we were all supermodels who would be jealous of the supermodels right!? Besides, judging from the fact that the only clothing size always in stock at the stores where I shop (especially during good sales!) are the XS's, lots of us probably have starter photos like these. Here is a link ->here<- to a pregnancy photo gallery. There are general pregnancy pictures, pictures by trimester and even pics of gals carrying multiples!
This past week, has been full of hunger pains, exhaustion, and mood swings, but nothing too major to report. I almost NEVER eat fast food (anymore, in high school and my early twenties...as much as I could afford it! Yum!). I had a hunger emergency a couple days ago though and found myself at the Taco Bell drive through (a #6 - 2 chicken supreme chalupas, a hard taco and a diet pepsi <gave the soda to my sister who was there to witness my breakdown>, and an order of cinnamon twisties! Yikes!). Usually, even the thought of eating at a place like Taco Bell makes me grimace. On this particular occasion, however, I downed that food and was SO completely content for hours! Craziness! I had a kitchen full of food I had just shopped for, and any number of great restaurants in my vicinity to sit and eat at or order to go, but for some reason I HAD to have Taco Bell!? Well, we'll see what the next week holds for these raging hormones. Did you guys ever have psychotic cravings like this?
-Jessy
Friday, October 12, 2007
3 GREAT pregnancy books worth buying!
I own 5 pregnancy/baby books. One I found for a dollar at a thrift store. The others I bought on reccomendations from others. Pregnancy/baby books can be SO expensive! I think publishers know how much we crave knowledge and answers and are taking advantage. So, more recently, (since we actually started trying for a baby) I decided to just subscribe to a couple good pregnancy/parenting magazines (for frequently updated news, tips, tricks and product reviews) and check the books out from the library for free.
When I go to the library I always check the copyright date of the book. I don't check out anything older than 2006, unless there's a specific reason or it looks too good to pass up. When you're dealing with medical information you want the latest and greatest advice (not something 10 years old).
1 of the "older" books I've checked out, is still the BEST (in my opinion) book for pictures of fetal development (and what goes on during conception). I've actually checked it out twice so far. It's Lennart Nilsson's A Child is Born. I checked out Peter Tallack's In the Womb too, which was newer and a companion book to the TV program of the same name (which I LOVE!). I didn't really enjoy it. So, if you want to buy a picture book, go for A Child is Born.
I LOVE this book so much. Definately will be a "buyer" for me. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine is exactly what I needed when I needed it. So many books/magazines out there will tell you the things you should and should not be doing during pregnancy and labor. This book is such a relief. In her book, Vicki says "This is not a contest! You just do what you can to survive the nine (ten) months and have a healthy baby." She also states, under the labor and delivery section, that " [t]here is no award ceremony for mothers after delivery...there is no such thing as a second-class birth." Statements like these are what makes me really cherish the advice in this book. When you see a model, actress, sister-in-law, next door neighbor having no outward signs of discomfort, awkward weightgain, worry and stress during pregnancy and then bounce back naturally after her wonderfully delightful perfect natural birth, you may feel like your pregnancy can be that way too. If it's not, then somehow you are failing or have failed. This book is just the thing to quell all your fears and assure you that you are perfectly normal! It's like confiding something totally embarassing to a girlfriend only to hear "No Way! I thought I was the only one!!!" What a relief and comfort.
Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting by Lucy J. Puryear, M.D. is also an invaluable pregnancy advice source worth buying. Lots of books will tell you you're going to be a crazy lady during your pregnancy, but not many address other emotional issues you may experience. Almost immediately after finding out I was pregnant I found myself worrying and stressing when I should be jumping for joy at my good fortune right? This book addresses many many perfectly normal and common fears or concerns a mom-to-be may be faced with. The concerns are presented by the authors real life experience with friends and patients and followed by sound professional advice. Again, to know that your fears, worries, and discomforts are perfectly normal is such a comfort.
-Jessy
When I go to the library I always check the copyright date of the book. I don't check out anything older than 2006, unless there's a specific reason or it looks too good to pass up. When you're dealing with medical information you want the latest and greatest advice (not something 10 years old).
1 of the "older" books I've checked out, is still the BEST (in my opinion) book for pictures of fetal development (and what goes on during conception). I've actually checked it out twice so far. It's Lennart Nilsson's A Child is Born. I checked out Peter Tallack's In the Womb too, which was newer and a companion book to the TV program of the same name (which I LOVE!). I didn't really enjoy it. So, if you want to buy a picture book, go for A Child is Born.I LOVE this book so much. Definately will be a "buyer" for me. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine is exactly what I needed when I needed it. So many books/magazines out there will tell you the things you should and should not be doing during pregnancy and labor. This book is such a relief. In her book, Vicki says "This is not a contest! You just do what you can to survive the nine (ten) months and have a healthy baby." She also states, under the labor and delivery section, that " [t]here is no award ceremony for mothers after delivery...there is no such thing as a second-class birth." Statements like these are what makes me really cherish the advice in this book. When you see a model, actress, sister-in-law, next door neighbor having no outward signs of discomfort, awkward weightgain, worry and stress during pregnancy and then bounce back naturally after her wonderfully delightful perfect natural birth, you may feel like your pregnancy can be that way too. If it's not, then somehow you are failing or have failed. This book is just the thing to quell all your fears and assure you that you are perfectly normal! It's like confiding something totally embarassing to a girlfriend only to hear "No Way! I thought I was the only one!!!" What a relief and comfort.
Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting by Lucy J. Puryear, M.D. is also an invaluable pregnancy advice source worth buying. Lots of books will tell you you're going to be a crazy lady during your pregnancy, but not many address other emotional issues you may experience. Almost immediately after finding out I was pregnant I found myself worrying and stressing when I should be jumping for joy at my good fortune right? This book addresses many many perfectly normal and common fears or concerns a mom-to-be may be faced with. The concerns are presented by the authors real life experience with friends and patients and followed by sound professional advice. Again, to know that your fears, worries, and discomforts are perfectly normal is such a comfort.
-Jessy
Week 4 & start of 5
So, I've found out I'm pregnant and told those I initially planned to tell; my small support group. I've also called my OB/GYN's office. My appointment is for November 5th. The first prenatal appointment is after 8 weeks for my practice and the nurse practitioner is the one that sees me.
Additional symptoms I am having as I start my 5th week of pregnancy:
1. Breast tenderness (more like an achy/ heavy feeling).
2. Food aversions. Many foods that I usually love and crave hold no temptation for me whatsoever. Some of these foods even tast less appealing or bland. Even the thought of some of my favorite foods makes me feel a little sick.
3. Soreness around my midsection. Feels like 2 ninjas stood on either side of me and kicked me in the ribs!
4. Hello Sasquach! I HAVE to EVERY day now! My hair is growing like crazy!
5. What smells? When my husband tried to eat reheated leftover from one of our favorite restaurants (they were even MY leftovers!) I started yelling that something in the house smelled like "dead animal" to me. More and more I've been smelling things in a new, disturbing, way.
6. Why in the heck does THAT hurt and what on earth keeps coming out of IT? Ah! Yeah, um...I've been having some issues with my (as this cute/gorgeous <I hate you!> model said on Dicovery Health's Runway Moms called it:) "downstairs."
Concerns that I am having:
1. Until this trimester is over I know I will worry about miscarriage. Getting pregnant so soon almost seems to good to be true to me.
2. The health of my baby. I don't want my baby to inherit ailments (bad skin, bad vision etc) or handicaps that exist in us or our families. If my Dr. reccomends them, should I undergo tests to rule out possibilities despite the risks of miscarriage?
3. Money. We are doing fine financially, but how will a baby impact our finances? I've read that on average, costs of preparing for and caring for a child the first year is around $6,000.
4. Protectiveness. I'm already feeling a sense of defensiveness about who/what I want to expose my baby to once he/she arrives.
What I am looking forward to:
My husband agreed to watch In the Womb with me if I rented it. Yay!
What I'm loving:
My husband already touches my belly. It's so incredibly comforting to have a supportive partner.
My sister is SO excited! She practically starts crying everytime I bring it up.
-Jessy
Additional symptoms I am having as I start my 5th week of pregnancy:
1. Breast tenderness (more like an achy/ heavy feeling).
2. Food aversions. Many foods that I usually love and crave hold no temptation for me whatsoever. Some of these foods even tast less appealing or bland. Even the thought of some of my favorite foods makes me feel a little sick.
3. Soreness around my midsection. Feels like 2 ninjas stood on either side of me and kicked me in the ribs!
4. Hello Sasquach! I HAVE to EVERY day now! My hair is growing like crazy!
5. What smells? When my husband tried to eat reheated leftover from one of our favorite restaurants (they were even MY leftovers!) I started yelling that something in the house smelled like "dead animal" to me. More and more I've been smelling things in a new, disturbing, way.
6. Why in the heck does THAT hurt and what on earth keeps coming out of IT? Ah! Yeah, um...I've been having some issues with my (as this cute/gorgeous <I hate you!> model said on Dicovery Health's Runway Moms called it:) "downstairs."
Concerns that I am having:
1. Until this trimester is over I know I will worry about miscarriage. Getting pregnant so soon almost seems to good to be true to me.
2. The health of my baby. I don't want my baby to inherit ailments (bad skin, bad vision etc) or handicaps that exist in us or our families. If my Dr. reccomends them, should I undergo tests to rule out possibilities despite the risks of miscarriage?
3. Money. We are doing fine financially, but how will a baby impact our finances? I've read that on average, costs of preparing for and caring for a child the first year is around $6,000.
4. Protectiveness. I'm already feeling a sense of defensiveness about who/what I want to expose my baby to once he/she arrives.
What I am looking forward to:
My husband agreed to watch In the Womb with me if I rented it. Yay!
What I'm loving:
My husband already touches my belly. It's so incredibly comforting to have a supportive partner.
My sister is SO excited! She practically starts crying everytime I bring it up.
-Jessy
How I told some of them!
October 10, 2007. 9:07pm - Told my husband yesterday and my family and best friend today.
How I Told Them:
Hubby: We're gamers, so I went to the Jinx geeky shirt website and found a T-shirt that said "Noob, I am your father" (a gamer take on the Star Wars 'Luke, I am your father') and a baby onesie that said "Future Horde" with a Horde symbol on it (Horde is a faction in the MMORPG World of Warcraft). I wanted to order them and have them mailed directly to the house in his name, but he was increasingly nagging me to just 'take the test!' because he was curious and was so sure I was pregnant. So, I made my own versions of both items, and placed them along with the positive tests (with directions showing that 2 lines = positive) and a cute 'we're expecting' card on top of the laundry I had ready to take upstairs to put away. Then, I went upstairs and laid on the bed next to where he was sitting playing WoW. I asked him, when he had a chance, if he would bring up the laundry so I could get it put away. Then, I totally blacked out. I must've been exhausted from running around doing errands and trying to secretly get the shirt and onesie made and everything laid out quietly. I woke up feeling great, but shocked at how I had just crashed so hard. My hubby, said "why don't you just take the test?" I replied with "what do you want to do for lunch?" (trying to divert his attention). So, we discussed lunch and he went down to grab the laundry baskets. The first thing he said was "these are cool!" I ran downstairs as he was picking up the tests and directions. First, he said "negative? No...I KNEW IT!" then he gave me a big hug and opened the card. I was happy to see him so excited. We got ready really quick and went to Lucille's for lunch to celebrate.
My mom, sister, and brothers: I pick up my baby sister from high school in the afternoons. So, I picked her up and headed to my parents house. Once I got there I chatted with my mom a bit and helped her take things to her car. Just before she and my sister were about to leave for work I pretended to be searching in my bag for something I needed to give mom and said "Geez! My bag is so full of crap! Here, can you hold this for me mom? So I can see better?" I handed her a baggie with the tests and directions that showed how to read them. Finally she said "you are!?" My little sister turned around and said "You're pregnant!?" and started immediately bawling. She said it was the "happiest moment" of her life! So, she made me and mom cry. Then they had to leave. Matt said I should tell my brothers too because they would find out anyways and be sad they didn't find out from me. So, I visited the oldest of the two and called the younger and asked them the same question: "are you ready to be an uncle?" They both seemed pretty excited for me.
My best non-family girlfriend: Her birthday was coming up on the 12th (which for some reason I kept thinking was tomorrow). So I text-ed her because she had told me she'd be working that day and I wanted to make sure nothing had changed so I could pay her a visit at work. She text me back with her schedule (which included working on Friday, her birthday) so I text-ed her again saying I'd see her tomorrow. Well after a little while she text me with "tomorrow is Thursday silly." So I felt dumb. Then I had an idea! I text-ed her "That was retarded of me! Must be those ->pregnancy<- hormones!" She called me and was so excited too.
Why I'm waiting to tell HIS family: I'm waiting for four main reasons. 1. To get to at least 12 weeks and over that time period of higher risk of miscarriage. He has a very big family and news travels fast. So, if we aren't meant to carry this baby for very long for whatever reason, I'd like only a small support group around me to grieve with and comfort me. That's just my personal feeling and my husband, thankfully, supports that. 2. If we wait until 12 weeks, it will be a great Christmas present for his family! Yay! 3. A family member on his side has recently had a miscarriage and I don't want to put salt in that wound. She is such a sweet chica and I love her and would hate it if the tables were turned and I was the one suffering. 4. Another one of his family members is going through a hard time (which is completely her business) and I would rather wait a little longer in hopes that the next 2 months or so will be enough time to get some of the loose ends tied up so she can rejoice with us instead of being distracted by her troubles. I think those are all completely valid concerns.
I'll let you know how telling them goes though! Now I have lots of time to plan a fun way to tell!!! Yay!
-Jessy
How I Told Them:
Hubby: We're gamers, so I went to the Jinx geeky shirt website and found a T-shirt that said "Noob, I am your father" (a gamer take on the Star Wars 'Luke, I am your father') and a baby onesie that said "Future Horde" with a Horde symbol on it (Horde is a faction in the MMORPG World of Warcraft). I wanted to order them and have them mailed directly to the house in his name, but he was increasingly nagging me to just 'take the test!' because he was curious and was so sure I was pregnant. So, I made my own versions of both items, and placed them along with the positive tests (with directions showing that 2 lines = positive) and a cute 'we're expecting' card on top of the laundry I had ready to take upstairs to put away. Then, I went upstairs and laid on the bed next to where he was sitting playing WoW. I asked him, when he had a chance, if he would bring up the laundry so I could get it put away. Then, I totally blacked out. I must've been exhausted from running around doing errands and trying to secretly get the shirt and onesie made and everything laid out quietly. I woke up feeling great, but shocked at how I had just crashed so hard. My hubby, said "why don't you just take the test?" I replied with "what do you want to do for lunch?" (trying to divert his attention). So, we discussed lunch and he went down to grab the laundry baskets. The first thing he said was "these are cool!" I ran downstairs as he was picking up the tests and directions. First, he said "negative? No...I KNEW IT!" then he gave me a big hug and opened the card. I was happy to see him so excited. We got ready really quick and went to Lucille's for lunch to celebrate.
My mom, sister, and brothers: I pick up my baby sister from high school in the afternoons. So, I picked her up and headed to my parents house. Once I got there I chatted with my mom a bit and helped her take things to her car. Just before she and my sister were about to leave for work I pretended to be searching in my bag for something I needed to give mom and said "Geez! My bag is so full of crap! Here, can you hold this for me mom? So I can see better?" I handed her a baggie with the tests and directions that showed how to read them. Finally she said "you are!?" My little sister turned around and said "You're pregnant!?" and started immediately bawling. She said it was the "happiest moment" of her life! So, she made me and mom cry. Then they had to leave. Matt said I should tell my brothers too because they would find out anyways and be sad they didn't find out from me. So, I visited the oldest of the two and called the younger and asked them the same question: "are you ready to be an uncle?" They both seemed pretty excited for me.
My best non-family girlfriend: Her birthday was coming up on the 12th (which for some reason I kept thinking was tomorrow). So I text-ed her because she had told me she'd be working that day and I wanted to make sure nothing had changed so I could pay her a visit at work. She text me back with her schedule (which included working on Friday, her birthday) so I text-ed her again saying I'd see her tomorrow. Well after a little while she text me with "tomorrow is Thursday silly." So I felt dumb. Then I had an idea! I text-ed her "That was retarded of me! Must be those ->pregnancy<- hormones!" She called me and was so excited too.
Why I'm waiting to tell HIS family: I'm waiting for four main reasons. 1. To get to at least 12 weeks and over that time period of higher risk of miscarriage. He has a very big family and news travels fast. So, if we aren't meant to carry this baby for very long for whatever reason, I'd like only a small support group around me to grieve with and comfort me. That's just my personal feeling and my husband, thankfully, supports that. 2. If we wait until 12 weeks, it will be a great Christmas present for his family! Yay! 3. A family member on his side has recently had a miscarriage and I don't want to put salt in that wound. She is such a sweet chica and I love her and would hate it if the tables were turned and I was the one suffering. 4. Another one of his family members is going through a hard time (which is completely her business) and I would rather wait a little longer in hopes that the next 2 months or so will be enough time to get some of the loose ends tied up so she can rejoice with us instead of being distracted by her troubles. I think those are all completely valid concerns.
I'll let you know how telling them goes though! Now I have lots of time to plan a fun way to tell!!! Yay!
-Jessy
I'm Pregnant!
October 8, 2007. 6:20pm. Guess what!? In both Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs and Vicki Iovine's The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, Jenny and Vicki describe the beggining weeks of pregnancy as feeling much like PMS. Both books even say that you may feel like you're about to have your period any day now before finding out you're pregnant. I guess that explains my symptoms lately. I was SO SURE my period was going to come on time. I woke up in the middle of the night on the morning it was due positive that I had felt that 'you-just-got-it' feeling. I rushed to the bathroom and...nothing! So, I put on a panty liner and went back to bed hoping I would wake up in time to catch it. The entire day I kept feeling like I had just gotten my period, but once I hit the bathroom...nothing. Finally, that day came and went. Then, the next day came...and went. I wanted to take a pregnancy test so bad, but I was too terrified of seeing only one pink line instead of two. I planned on just waiting until Wednesday to test. That would give me one day past the 28th day in my cycle; just in case my period was just late (I'm on a 25 day cycle). Today, however, my husband noticed I was feeling tired and down and told me it was probably because I was pregnant. "After all," he said, "you've been peeing like a fire hydrant lately." I attributed this to the fact that I had increased my liquids dramatically to help prevent UTI symptoms. I told him the reason I was dragging was probably because of my thyroid; I probably just neeeded my dose increased. After he left to make a gas station run earlier this evening, around 4pm, I decided I would just take the test. So, I did. 2 PINK LINES!!! It's been about 2 hours since I took the test and I've decided not to tell anyone until I aurprise my husband with the news. So, this post won't be published until I've done that and (at risk of bodily injury) of course until I've also surprised MY mom.So, to recap:
Symptoms I had before finding out I was pregnant:
1. Fatigue. Soooo tired!
2. FREQUENT urination.
3. Nausea without the need to vomit.
4. A full feeling below my belly button. Not really my usual PMS bloating, but more like I have a little water filled balloon hanging out in my abdomen that makes it uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach (my favorite position!).
5. Faint cramping. My usual PMS cramping is almost like a pinching or sometimes a scraping feeling with a lot of aching in the area where I imagine my ovaries to be. These were more faint; noticeable, but not painful.
6. Hunger! I have had the wierdest cravings so far, but then I get full really fast.
7. My favorite jeans were getting a little snug just around my middle. I noticed during long car rides or after a big meal that I really really wanted to undo that top button.
8. Heat! If I lay down for any length of time, I just start radiating heat; like a human oven (brings a while new meaning for me to the saying 'bun in the oven').
What I'll do now that I've found out:
1. Test again in the morning to make sure it wasn't a false positive (even though these are rare).
2. Call my OB/GYN! See when I should come in for my first prenatal exam. I also need to make sure he's aware of my thyroid condition.
3. Think of a cute way to tell my husband and TELL HIM!
4. Ditto for my mom.
5. Post this!!! :o)
-Jessy
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Preg Prep
Things I've done to date to prepare for pregnancy and baby:
1. Checked out any unusual symptoms I'd been having BEFORE we started trying. This was really good because I found out I have Hypothyroidism.
2. Discussed existing conditions (hypothyroidism) and how they might affect me and my baby during pregnancy. My primary care physician helped me come up with an action plan for monitoring my condition during pregnancy. This plan includes taking steps like going from blood tests every 3 months to every month during and just after pregnancy because during this time my levels can go a little haywire.
3. Taking a more natural & green approach to life in many little ways.
Food: I don't keep a lot of crappy foods around the house anymore. If it's not here, usually (and this of course doesn't include times of intense mood or PMS induced cravings for which I would jump through hoops to feed) I won't eat it. We've switched to 100% whole grains for everything we can (pasta, bread, brown rice etc.). Many produce items are organic for us now and I spend a lot more time cooking for us than eating out. I figured that if I can find healthy foods and meals that I actually like to replace the ones I used to crave then it won't be so hard for me to eat healthy during pregnancy and lose weight afterwards. This process was made a lot easier for me when Trader Joe's moved just up the street from me. I highly recommend them! Their prices on the natural/organic/sustainable items I buy there are much cheaper than Whole Foods and similar or cheaper to the same items I would buy at my local grocery store. (And because their reusable grocery bags are so cute I hardly ever forget to bring mine in!)
Home: Even though, at this point, I can't afford to replace our gross heavy drapes (came with the house) or allergen filled carpet in the room where I plan to create a nursery (I really really want to put in bamboo or other sustainable hard flooring), I can do my best to keep my in-home environment baby-friendly. I've switched to naturally derived cleaners. I use Ecover products and Mrs. Meyers products for the laundry (they now make baby laundry & surface cleaner too!). Don't get me wrong, I still use the convenient mildew/soap scum removing automatic shower sprayer, disposable Clorox toilet cleaners and swiffer dusters. So, I'm not exactly filling a bottle with water & vinegar or doing my laundry with baking soda. I'm just changing things little by little in ways I'm most comfortable. I can't stand roaches, so the bug guy comes every other month to keep me safe from them. I just make sure the house is well-ventilated before he gets here and leave with windows cracked and fans going for a while to let things air our a bit. So, I try to be educated, but only do what I can. Sitting here thinking of hidden dust mites and the dangers of formaldehyde and other chemicals that might be contaminating the air and causing me and, in the future, my baby harm can (and does on occasion) drive me crazy! So, I try to just take it all in, be aware, but not go overboard. If I could afford replace all my carpet with sustainable allergen-free bamboo, paint the entire inside of my home with no VOC or milk paints and discover and replace any surface in my home emitting VOC's with ones that don't maybe I would. But for now...no.
4. I got off birth control and on Prenatals 3 months prior to trying.
5. Read lots and lots about conception, pregnancy, and newborns. I have scoured numberless websites, books, and magazines for any and all information I could get my mind around.
6. Set up a support system. A very few close and personal friends know I'm currently trying to conceive. This is important to me because these are the people who I know will give me comfort and advice through any trials and rejoice with me over any successes. I think this is the wisest decision because letting everybody know at this point or even if/when we initially conceive is a very delicate matter. Letting everybody know and then having to deal with unspoken criticism or let down expectations when things don't happen quickly or of the fetus isn't viable and results in miscarriage would just put more pressure on me. I have an incredibly different spectrum of family and friends and , therefore, expect to receive enough appreciated and unwarranted advice and caution from everyone the minute I'm far enough along in my pregnancy to share the happy news and then ongoing into motherhood. Now, when I'm in a more vulnerable state, I don't need or want any of it. Except, of course, from those who I am closest to and trust with my feelings.
-Jessy
1. Checked out any unusual symptoms I'd been having BEFORE we started trying. This was really good because I found out I have Hypothyroidism.
2. Discussed existing conditions (hypothyroidism) and how they might affect me and my baby during pregnancy. My primary care physician helped me come up with an action plan for monitoring my condition during pregnancy. This plan includes taking steps like going from blood tests every 3 months to every month during and just after pregnancy because during this time my levels can go a little haywire.
3. Taking a more natural & green approach to life in many little ways.
Food: I don't keep a lot of crappy foods around the house anymore. If it's not here, usually (and this of course doesn't include times of intense mood or PMS induced cravings for which I would jump through hoops to feed) I won't eat it. We've switched to 100% whole grains for everything we can (pasta, bread, brown rice etc.). Many produce items are organic for us now and I spend a lot more time cooking for us than eating out. I figured that if I can find healthy foods and meals that I actually like to replace the ones I used to crave then it won't be so hard for me to eat healthy during pregnancy and lose weight afterwards. This process was made a lot easier for me when Trader Joe's moved just up the street from me. I highly recommend them! Their prices on the natural/organic/sustainable items I buy there are much cheaper than Whole Foods and similar or cheaper to the same items I would buy at my local grocery store. (And because their reusable grocery bags are so cute I hardly ever forget to bring mine in!)
Home: Even though, at this point, I can't afford to replace our gross heavy drapes (came with the house) or allergen filled carpet in the room where I plan to create a nursery (I really really want to put in bamboo or other sustainable hard flooring), I can do my best to keep my in-home environment baby-friendly. I've switched to naturally derived cleaners. I use Ecover products and Mrs. Meyers products for the laundry (they now make baby laundry & surface cleaner too!). Don't get me wrong, I still use the convenient mildew/soap scum removing automatic shower sprayer, disposable Clorox toilet cleaners and swiffer dusters. So, I'm not exactly filling a bottle with water & vinegar or doing my laundry with baking soda. I'm just changing things little by little in ways I'm most comfortable. I can't stand roaches, so the bug guy comes every other month to keep me safe from them. I just make sure the house is well-ventilated before he gets here and leave with windows cracked and fans going for a while to let things air our a bit. So, I try to be educated, but only do what I can. Sitting here thinking of hidden dust mites and the dangers of formaldehyde and other chemicals that might be contaminating the air and causing me and, in the future, my baby harm can (and does on occasion) drive me crazy! So, I try to just take it all in, be aware, but not go overboard. If I could afford replace all my carpet with sustainable allergen-free bamboo, paint the entire inside of my home with no VOC or milk paints and discover and replace any surface in my home emitting VOC's with ones that don't maybe I would. But for now...no.
4. I got off birth control and on Prenatals 3 months prior to trying.
5. Read lots and lots about conception, pregnancy, and newborns. I have scoured numberless websites, books, and magazines for any and all information I could get my mind around.
6. Set up a support system. A very few close and personal friends know I'm currently trying to conceive. This is important to me because these are the people who I know will give me comfort and advice through any trials and rejoice with me over any successes. I think this is the wisest decision because letting everybody know at this point or even if/when we initially conceive is a very delicate matter. Letting everybody know and then having to deal with unspoken criticism or let down expectations when things don't happen quickly or of the fetus isn't viable and results in miscarriage would just put more pressure on me. I have an incredibly different spectrum of family and friends and , therefore, expect to receive enough appreciated and unwarranted advice and caution from everyone the minute I'm far enough along in my pregnancy to share the happy news and then ongoing into motherhood. Now, when I'm in a more vulnerable state, I don't need or want any of it. Except, of course, from those who I am closest to and trust with my feelings.
-Jessy
I've never laughed so hard at a pregnancy book!!! In a good way.
Today I picked up 7 pregnancy books and 1 pre/during/post pregnancy workout video. The smallest book I chose, Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy, was also the one I thought I'd enjoy the least. Even though I barely remember her from her MTV 'Singled Out' days, I've always associated Jenny McCarthy with obnoxiousness. So, I figured I'd start on it and after reading a few annoying pages just use it to start a return-it-to-the-library reminder pile. Once I started this one, however, I finished it within a matter of hours. If you don't mind a few crude words and complete frankness when it comes to discussing the female anatomy, sex, and bodily functions during pregnancy, I recommend this book as a break from all those other pregnancy books. This review ->here<- by Jen Crispin is pretty accurate, but I think I liked the book a bit more than Jen. :o) It's like having a very real discussion about the woes of pregnancy with a that funny friend who uses a bit more explicative terms than "crapload" and "bootae" (yeah...um...the only time I really cuss is when I say $hit and that's usually uncontrollable and during horrific toe-stubbing accidents and near-death on the road experiences). So, if you're feeling a little bogged down with all of your own pregnancy research, Belly Laughsis a hilarious breather (again, if you're not easily offended by cuss words and explicitness).-Jessy
Cycle Day 23 - What's wrong with me?!
Lately, besides the whole UTI thing, I have been having some pretty wierd symptoms! Today worse than ever. The biggest thing I've noticed is fatigue. It comes and goes though. If it was a little more persistant I'd worry enough to get my thyroid level checked. For now, it's just wierd and sudden and something I'm mentally chocking up to PMS. Next on the list of unusuals is this sudden rash of teeny tiny bumps on my entire face! I was worried it was from these ginger chew candies I'd been eating here and there (in the past I broke out after drinking Hansen's all natural ginger ale and had my tongue start itching intensely after having a ginger Altoid in my mouth for barely a second! I've never had problems with any other kind of ginger ale or actual ginger -in cooking, sushi etc.), but I'm not sure. I'm laying off of them just in case. It's nothing noticeable to anybody else but me. I actually only noticed them that morning when I was washing my face. Over the next few days I'd itch once or twice, but only in the same spot on my left cheek. Today, however, the trouble started when I had a sudden hot flash (which has consistently visited me from then (about 1:30pm) until now. Then, I was all of a sudden queasy and dizzy at the same time while on the way to lunch with my mom and sister. I've been careful to both stay very hydrated since the whole UTI thing started and get plenty of rest (8+ hours a night) so it wasn't from dehydration or exhaustion. I had a nice breakfast of: a veggie omelet, turkey bacon and a piece of whole wheat toast with a little jam on it. So, that rules out startvation for me too. I wrote the date, time, and symptoms in this tiny leather purse journal I bought from Target a while back. Just in case the symptoms persist and I have to explain to my Dr. when and how they started. Around 7pm tonight I started feeling axhausted and dizzy too. I've also been feeling a bit crampy and bloated, and even though the bloat and cramps are different from my usual PMS symptoms, I'm still convinced that I'm not pregnant. It's probaly just a defense mechanism so that when I get my period in a couple days I can tell myself "I though so!" and feel ok with it. :o)~ I'll keep you posted!
-Jessy
-Jessy
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Week 2 and 3
Ah! I just wrote this post and my Sol (my little golden Chihuahua) stepped on somethind that made it all go away. So wierd!
Basically I've spent cycle week 2 and most of 3 fighting the UTI. It's still here! The antibiotics didn't touch it. I took an OTC UTI test and both the WBC and Nitrates came back positive. I'll call my doctor Monday to see what's next. In the meantime I've read that black cherry juice helps so I'm going to start that.
I'm still craving eggs in the morning (not at all normal for me) and tuna with pickles at lunchtime. My main concerns are: getting rid of the UTI and excitement over taking a pregnancy test. I'm on a 25 day cycle, so the earliest an at home test will show pregnancy is next Thursday the 4th. I'll let you know how it goes!
-Jessy
Basically I've spent cycle week 2 and most of 3 fighting the UTI. It's still here! The antibiotics didn't touch it. I took an OTC UTI test and both the WBC and Nitrates came back positive. I'll call my doctor Monday to see what's next. In the meantime I've read that black cherry juice helps so I'm going to start that.
I'm still craving eggs in the morning (not at all normal for me) and tuna with pickles at lunchtime. My main concerns are: getting rid of the UTI and excitement over taking a pregnancy test. I'm on a 25 day cycle, so the earliest an at home test will show pregnancy is next Thursday the 4th. I'll let you know how it goes!
-Jessy
Chemical-Free Baby (Where the dangers are.)
Here are some good resources providing information about exposing yourself and your baby to chemicals.
Prenatal Exposure To Chemicals Goes Unchecked
By Kim Acosta from FitPregnancy June/July 2007
More than 200 industrial chemicals are known to be hazardous to the human brain, yet they're not regulated, even to protect children, according to new research. Prenatal and early—childhood exposure to such chemicals—neurotoxins—is responsible for a silent pandemic of neurodevelopmental disorders, possibly including autism, attention deficit disorder and retardation, says Philippe Grandjean, M.D., an adjunct professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the lead author of a recent study of chemical neurotoxicity published in the British medical journal Lancet.
"The experience with lead, mercury and a few other industrial chemicals shows that toxic effects on the brain occur at much lower doses during brain development and that those effects are likely to be more widespread and permanent," Grandjean warns. One out of every six children has a developmental disability, usually involving the nervous system, he adds. Research shows that environmental toxins, even at low levels, can have small but important adverse effects, such as decreases in intelligence or changes in behavior.
However, enacting protections—such as the removal of lead from gasoline, which wasn't complete until the 1990s—involves decades of research and debate. "Meanwhile, pregnant women and small children may be exposed to levels of toxicants we later regret," Grandjean says. "We need to change this pattern."
In an effort to reduce chemical—related diseases, the European Union (EU) adopted a policy last December that requires manufacturers to register and test chemicals. The goal is to make more information available about substances in everyday products and eventually replace dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives, say EU officials.
Such sweeping reform will be harder to achieve in the United States, according to Grandjean. "U.S. officials have objected to such regulations because of expenses to the industry," he says. "I think we all need to send a message to decision makers that the expenses paid by children, who have lost IQ points or who suffer other brain deficits because of unwanted chemical exposures, are much greater than the costs of prevention."
Until more regulations are put in place, you can reduce your family's exposure to chemicals by choosing organic foods and products whenever possible, though even some of these may still contain trace amounts of contaminants.
For information on how to share concerns with your local lawmakers via email, phone or mail, visit congress.org and enter your ZIP code. For a comprehensive list of potentially dangerous chemicals and products to avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as suggestions for safer alternatives, go to fitpregnancy.com/chemicals.
From June/July 2007 Other Resources:1. The List of Chemicals2. "Now that you’re expecting, your immediate environment is more important than ever. Here’s how to steer clear of potentially harmful substances and make your space a healthier place. From the moment you find out you’re pregnant, your desire to keep yourself and your child as healthy as possible kicks into high gear. That means eating a balanced diet, exercising sensibly and making your surroundings safe. The most difficult part: protecting yourself and your unborn child from toxins present in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and the household products we use. Although we don’t have room to list every potential hazard (nor should you worry about them all), here are the most important ones to watch out for at home, at work and outdoors." <- The Whole Artlicle Here3. "Your baby. She’ll have your smile, his eyes and, ideally, your breast milk. To make that milk the best it can be, you may think that you need to follow the same stringent guidelines as when you were pregnant. The good news is, now you can relax a little.
It’s still important to have a balanced diet of wholesome foods. But even if it isn’t perfect, your milk will be—with a few key exceptions, according to Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a pediatrician and obstetrician in Rochester, N.Y. Nursing moms still should limit—or, in some cases, avoid—certain foods, drinks and chemicals. On the watch list are alcohol, caffeine, medications, foods your baby might be sensitive to and environmental toxins." <- The Full Article Here
4. Information on the Dangers of Phthalates:About PthalatesBad News For Babies5. Dangers of Bisphenol-ABPA Article 16. More Articles:Vinyl Bibs DangerChemicals in the HomeDangers of PVC
Prenatal Exposure To Chemicals Goes Unchecked
By Kim Acosta from FitPregnancy June/July 2007
More than 200 industrial chemicals are known to be hazardous to the human brain, yet they're not regulated, even to protect children, according to new research. Prenatal and early—childhood exposure to such chemicals—neurotoxins—is responsible for a silent pandemic of neurodevelopmental disorders, possibly including autism, attention deficit disorder and retardation, says Philippe Grandjean, M.D., an adjunct professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the lead author of a recent study of chemical neurotoxicity published in the British medical journal Lancet.
"The experience with lead, mercury and a few other industrial chemicals shows that toxic effects on the brain occur at much lower doses during brain development and that those effects are likely to be more widespread and permanent," Grandjean warns. One out of every six children has a developmental disability, usually involving the nervous system, he adds. Research shows that environmental toxins, even at low levels, can have small but important adverse effects, such as decreases in intelligence or changes in behavior.
However, enacting protections—such as the removal of lead from gasoline, which wasn't complete until the 1990s—involves decades of research and debate. "Meanwhile, pregnant women and small children may be exposed to levels of toxicants we later regret," Grandjean says. "We need to change this pattern."
In an effort to reduce chemical—related diseases, the European Union (EU) adopted a policy last December that requires manufacturers to register and test chemicals. The goal is to make more information available about substances in everyday products and eventually replace dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives, say EU officials.
Such sweeping reform will be harder to achieve in the United States, according to Grandjean. "U.S. officials have objected to such regulations because of expenses to the industry," he says. "I think we all need to send a message to decision makers that the expenses paid by children, who have lost IQ points or who suffer other brain deficits because of unwanted chemical exposures, are much greater than the costs of prevention."
Until more regulations are put in place, you can reduce your family's exposure to chemicals by choosing organic foods and products whenever possible, though even some of these may still contain trace amounts of contaminants.
For information on how to share concerns with your local lawmakers via email, phone or mail, visit congress.org and enter your ZIP code. For a comprehensive list of potentially dangerous chemicals and products to avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as suggestions for safer alternatives, go to fitpregnancy.com/chemicals.
From June/July 2007 Other Resources:1. The List of Chemicals2. "Now that you’re expecting, your immediate environment is more important than ever. Here’s how to steer clear of potentially harmful substances and make your space a healthier place. From the moment you find out you’re pregnant, your desire to keep yourself and your child as healthy as possible kicks into high gear. That means eating a balanced diet, exercising sensibly and making your surroundings safe. The most difficult part: protecting yourself and your unborn child from toxins present in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and the household products we use. Although we don’t have room to list every potential hazard (nor should you worry about them all), here are the most important ones to watch out for at home, at work and outdoors." <- The Whole Artlicle Here3. "Your baby. She’ll have your smile, his eyes and, ideally, your breast milk. To make that milk the best it can be, you may think that you need to follow the same stringent guidelines as when you were pregnant. The good news is, now you can relax a little.
It’s still important to have a balanced diet of wholesome foods. But even if it isn’t perfect, your milk will be—with a few key exceptions, according to Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a pediatrician and obstetrician in Rochester, N.Y. Nursing moms still should limit—or, in some cases, avoid—certain foods, drinks and chemicals. On the watch list are alcohol, caffeine, medications, foods your baby might be sensitive to and environmental toxins." <- The Full Article Here
4. Information on the Dangers of Phthalates:About PthalatesBad News For Babies5. Dangers of Bisphenol-ABPA Article 16. More Articles:Vinyl Bibs DangerChemicals in the HomeDangers of PVC
Monday, September 24, 2007
A Good Day & Buy this now!
Yay! I finally had a "likely" ovulation day! It only showed up on one of the ovulation tests though; First Response. According to my OB/GYN, the key to getting pregnant is NOT to do it every day. So, it's every 2 to 3 days for us for now.
I got my October/November Fit Pregnancy Magazine today. If you don't subscribe to this magazine, I HIGHLY reccommend it. I've read A LOT of different pregnancy and parenting magazines, and this is my all time favorite so far. Too many just seem to be advertisements with an article here and there. FitPregnancy just really seems to constantly be onto the latest pregnancy-related news and advice. The reason I'm reccommending this month's issue is because: 1) little swimmers by Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S.,RD on page 40 give advice on mens fertility -a 1 and 1/2 page article, instead of the usual little list or blurbs I've seen elsewhere, 2) Countdown to Delivery by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones on page 48a is a pullout list of things to do from weeks 28 to 38 to prepare for the little one, 3) The Real World: Adjusting to Your New Life-No excuse Exercise Tips by Suzanne Schlosberg on page 70 advises you on ways to keep on exersizing despite feeling yucky during pregnancy, 4) The articles Circumcision Decision by Jacqueline Stenson and Tender Loving Day Care by Stacy Whitman, 5) the Clueless Woman's guide to Pregnancy by Suzanne Schlosberg is GREAT! It includes: a "what me worry?" quiz to see if you're worrying too much about things or not enough, an eating guide, a baby shopping list (one for minimalists and one for shopaholics!), 6) babe in the woods on page 129 is a photospread of some totally wearable winter fashions 7) Baby & Soul by Alice Lesch Kelly on page 135 is a week by week guide on what to do AFTER you've delivered, 8) BASIC training by Kate Neale Cooper on page 139 is a How-To guide on basic newborn care 9) breast BUDDY by Alice Lesch Kelly on page 144 an article on breastfeeding and 10) On page 153 there's a handy pregnancy glossary with pregnancy related and childbirth terms. Overall an extremely informative issue.
Products that I'll definately check out from this issue:
1. The Lascal m1 baby carrier
Pros: I like that the top cover is made from bamboo. There seems to be a number of support features for both baby and parent.
Cons: It's about $40 more expensive that the Baby Bjorn carrier which was my previous fav.
2. The Niva Invisable Suspenders:
I think these look really supportive and comfortable to wear. Even better, they look like they'd be just about as noticeable under clothing as a bra. They come in a lighter color as well.
3. Bella Band Everyday Lace:
Until visiting the website I wasn't aware how many colors the Bella Band comes in. I really liked this lacey version when I saw it. It looks more like you're wearing a lacey little tank top underneath instead of a maternity accessory.
-Jessy
PS: Sorry about the random smiley face and odd alignment of this last pic. It doesn't show up this way in the edit window for me. :(
I got my October/November Fit Pregnancy Magazine today. If you don't subscribe to this magazine, I HIGHLY reccommend it. I've read A LOT of different pregnancy and parenting magazines, and this is my all time favorite so far. Too many just seem to be advertisements with an article here and there. FitPregnancy just really seems to constantly be onto the latest pregnancy-related news and advice. The reason I'm reccommending this month's issue is because: 1) little swimmers by Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S.,RD on page 40 give advice on mens fertility -a 1 and 1/2 page article, instead of the usual little list or blurbs I've seen elsewhere, 2) Countdown to Delivery by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones on page 48a is a pullout list of things to do from weeks 28 to 38 to prepare for the little one, 3) The Real World: Adjusting to Your New Life-No excuse Exercise Tips by Suzanne Schlosberg on page 70 advises you on ways to keep on exersizing despite feeling yucky during pregnancy, 4) The articles Circumcision Decision by Jacqueline Stenson and Tender Loving Day Care by Stacy Whitman, 5) the Clueless Woman's guide to Pregnancy by Suzanne Schlosberg is GREAT! It includes: a "what me worry?" quiz to see if you're worrying too much about things or not enough, an eating guide, a baby shopping list (one for minimalists and one for shopaholics!), 6) babe in the woods on page 129 is a photospread of some totally wearable winter fashions 7) Baby & Soul by Alice Lesch Kelly on page 135 is a week by week guide on what to do AFTER you've delivered, 8) BASIC training by Kate Neale Cooper on page 139 is a How-To guide on basic newborn care 9) breast BUDDY by Alice Lesch Kelly on page 144 an article on breastfeeding and 10) On page 153 there's a handy pregnancy glossary with pregnancy related and childbirth terms. Overall an extremely informative issue.
Products that I'll definately check out from this issue:
1. The Lascal m1 baby carrier
Pros: I like that the top cover is made from bamboo. There seems to be a number of support features for both baby and parent.Cons: It's about $40 more expensive that the Baby Bjorn carrier which was my previous fav.
2. The Niva Invisable Suspenders:
I think these look really supportive and comfortable to wear. Even better, they look like they'd be just about as noticeable under clothing as a bra. They come in a lighter color as well.
3. Bella Band Everyday Lace:
Until visiting the website I wasn't aware how many colors the Bella Band comes in. I really liked this lacey version when I saw it. It looks more like you're wearing a lacey little tank top underneath instead of a maternity accessory.
-Jessy
PS: Sorry about the random smiley face and odd alignment of this last pic. It doesn't show up this way in the edit window for me. :(
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Day 9 and Something Wrong!
Story! More insights into my health I guess. During the last week in April this year I had to deal with a monster UTI. My doctor actually thought it might even be a stone. So I had an ultrasound and all that. Spent my days drinking tons of water. Had a reaction to one antibiotic and had to be placed on another. So, overall it was yucky and drawn out, but it went away in the end. So, you can imagine my panic when yesterday morning I woke up feeling another one coming on. Ah! My Dr. had warned me to make sure and call her at the slightest hint of a UTI to prevent another yucky experience. So, that's what I did. Her office got me in the same day and I left there with a perscription in case it got worse over the next couple of days. So, right now that's what I'm dealing with. My fault totally I'm sure though. I live in the desert (100+ degree weather most of the summer) and I know I don't drink enough water. You'd think I'd learn my lesson!
A quick review of the First Response Ovulation predictor:
Pros: Easiest to use. No messy cups and clear directions.
Cons: Unless you pee in a disposable cup (or have a nice little trickle going on?) you can get some back splash from holding the stick in your urine stream. Yucky. Only 5 tests in the box.
-Jessy
A quick review of the First Response Ovulation predictor:
Pros: Easiest to use. No messy cups and clear directions.
Cons: Unless you pee in a disposable cup (or have a nice little trickle going on?) you can get some back splash from holding the stick in your urine stream. Yucky. Only 5 tests in the box.
-Jessy
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Week 1 Down!
Yesterday, still wasn't a likely ovulation day. So far, with all these cups, strips, etc. I've started to wonder what it's like to have fertility problems. I mean we're just getting started and already I'm getting anxious to see a possible LH surge on the test results and even more anxious to see a positive result on a pregnancy test. What do I have to worry about though right? I'm fairly young and healthy. I think my main fertility concerns come from three places. The first place is the pharmacy. I worked in a grocery store pharmacy for years and, believe it or not, there are just as many younger women as older women on fertility treatments. The second concern comes from one of the reasons why that might be. I've been seeing articles on harful chemical substances that are being linked to infertility, childhood disorders, and a horrid amount of other health problems since the beginning if my research. I'm not sure if it has to do with growing media awareness or just the current fad of going "green," but I'm seeing more and more articles being published on this problem. So, I worry about things that I never used to worry about; like drinking out of plastic water bottles. The third concern about my own fertility has to do with my thyroid. For a long time I just seemed to be tired all of the time. I never really noticed it, but I'd be with a family members and say "wow I'm tired" and I'd get 'you're always tired' as a response. Well, beginning this past April, I stopped my birth control and started prenatal vitamins in preparation for babytime and at night and first thing in the morning I started noticing this bruised feeling in my right temple. My husband took a look and said the vein there was swollen looking. It was so wierd. I would only have pain when I put pressure on the area but the vision in my right eye got slightly worse. So, I just made an appointment with my primary care physician and waited the week it took me to get in. By the time I saw her 2 weeks had passed. She said it looked like temporal arteritis, but that temporal arteritis usually only occurs in much, much, older people (like 60 year olds). She warned me that this condition can affect my vision and even cause blindness if not treated! So, I was told not to start trying for a baby until we figured it out and put on steroids while we waited for the results of my bloodwork. The results showed hypothyroidism. She said it was really good we caught the hypothyroidism. This is what was causing my tiredness all the time. This condition could also have caused me the inability to get pregnant. So, right now, at the end of my first week and beginning of my second, those are my main concerns. Well, those are my main concerns other than getting this site choc-full-o' info for you!
-Jessy
-Jessy
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
On your mark...get set...
Ok, so this is me right now. (Geez...OK! so this is actually me this summer...like a month ago. Right now it's 11:39pm my time and I'm in PJ's aka not something you want to see!) Much of the information you read on preconception and pregnancy refer to "DAY 1" or the first day of your period. I am currently not on day one (thank ZO <--my brother and the god of technology in my life). I am on day 6. In order to provide you with some handy first-hand ovulation testing info I've decided to try out 4 different methods of ovulation testing. Here are the tools of the trade (so far):
They include: A basal digital thermometer, OvuCheck saliva testing strips, Answer pee (excuse me, urine) test strips, and the little plastic cup that comes with each. On day 8, or Wednesday for me, I'll start the First Response Ovulation checker as well (which looks just like a pregnancy test).I've been testing with Answer since day 5 and OvuCheck since today. Both have been negative for me so far. The pee test is kind of gross because you have to pee in this little cup (one day a woman will design these and make them big and spill proof), stick the strip in it and then set the strip on a flat, non-porous (so, not on a piece of TP, or tissue) surface and wait. The spit test is better because I get less grossed out by my own spit, but would be much more convenient if the test didn't involve spitting into the little cup and then dipping the strip in there.
So, pros and cons to each:
Answer: Pro - comes with 30 strips so you can test the whole month & easy to follow instructions with pictures. Also comes with coupons for their brand pregnancy test. Cons - yay! I can reuse the pee cup woohoo! (ew...Or not!) & all listed above.
OvuCheck: Pro - comes with a disposable cup for each test, uses spit instead of urine, only takes 1 minute to process. Cons - only comes with 5 tests. Would be nicer if you could just stick the strip on your mouth.
Basal Thermometer: I'm using a Walgreens brand thermometer. This is actually my second (my puppies got ahold of the first one...woops.) I should've started on day 1, but I didn't. I started taking my temperature about 2 months ago and got tired of forgetting to do it so I quit, but I'll start again tomorrow. It is an important guide, and may be useful in the months to come if this month is not a successful one. The biggest cons I found with this in the past though were: the position your suppose to hold the thermometer in in your mouth is a bit unconfortable (kind of like when the devil...I mean dentist makes you bite down on those extra-sharp edged things when taking x-rays), and just remembering to do it BEFORE you get out of bed. You're suppose to do it before ANY physical activity first thing in the morning.
K, well now it's tomorrow so I better get some sleep.
But...I'll be on here almost first thing in the morning (I have temperatures to take, cups to pee in and other cups to spit in yah know).
-Jessy
Monday, September 17, 2007
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