So! First id like to say we chose the belly name of Pickle! This is what we will call the baby until it comes wriggling out of my southern regions . Why Pickle? Always been a favorite snack of mine, and since I have been pregnant, they taste even more delicious than before! My lovely sister helped me pick it
About Pickle~ I’m 8 weeks now and Pickle is the size of a kidney bean, which is just over 1/2 inch! There are arms and legs just long enough to meet in the middle, and webbed fingers on the paddle shaped hands and feet. Pickle has eyelids too, though they are mostly translucent still. The tail is almost gone (the end of the spine… not a deformity or anything), and there are lots of nerves and tubes connecting lots of things! Genitalia can’t be seen yet, darn it… and Pickle should be moving a lot now, though I cant feel it.
Symptoms~ Everything I read says by now symptoms should be in full swing. I am SOOOO happy to report the non-existence of nausea and vomit! (knock on wood) Craigery would prefer it happen every now and then so I can get over my “irrational” fear for vomit. I did surrender once to the toilet a few weeks ago when I felt bad, but nothing happened! I do find that if I linger too long over a meal, I get nauseous and cant finish it. Hardly anything to complain about so I wont!
I am suffering from acne! Again, I realize there are so many out there, preggo or not, that deal with bad acne and I have to admit mine is nothing compared to their struggles, but, to go from clear 95% of the time to constant breakout is a jump no one would like. And makeup seems to make it worse. I hope I’m “glowing” enough to make up for it.
The other symptoms include sore nipples.. especially when its cold, thirst, hunger, sensitive smell, and peeing. People ask if I have cravings. I don’t feel like I do but then my mom points out that any particular urge is a craving. In that case, I’d say pickles, LOTS of milk (but I was like that before too), and salty things. The sad (and good part) is that sweets are not tasty to me anymore. They are kind of bitter and I quickly have my fill of them. I don’t want much meat either. Its all very strange… I can definitely tell my taste has changed.
Lastly, fatigue. Everyone says this is sooo awful and you wont be able to keep your eyes open. Now, obviously, I have been blessed thus far with mild symptoms. As far as fatigue is concerned, its more like your first day up and about right when you have a cold. The first day you feel like you can actually get things done. I get winded easily… I can only imagine how tough it will be when I’m full of baby. And, I want to lay down all the time, but not really sleep.. its not a sleepy feeling. Not for me anyway. But everyone and every pregnancy is different.
That’s about it for now! Next appointment is Feb 1st. Bobpuin has her first appointment on Feb 4th. I will be reporting on both!
Until then, tell me your symptom struggles! Whether its now or years in the past! I’d love to hear a variety!
I’m a little behind on reporting our first prenatal appointment, but did you expect anything else?
Let me just say, finding an OB is not as easy as “Knocked Up” makes it look. Doctors don’t have time to be “interviewed” by demanding mom-to-be’s with confused husbands in tow. So, I was advised to just go for the first appointment and decide from there. We decided on UCLA as our hospital to give birth. Its about equal distance from my house as St. Josephs in Burbank and this way Craigery could make it to appointments more easily. I called the physician line to get some names and numbers of doctors. I ended up choosing a perinatologist (high risk pregnancy specialist). I wasn’t totally convinced I needed a high risk doc but the nurse told me it was best to start with one because of my insulin resistance issues and the doctor will either clear me to see the regular OB or tell me to stick with the high risk.
Happy, yet super anxious, Craigery and I drove to UCLA a few days later for our appointment. I was very excited to see all the big bellies in the waiting room, and was pleasantly surprised when they called me back after only a few minutes! I hadn’t even finished my new patient paperwork yet. They wanted a urine sample right away. Well this was no problem~ a common symptom. Right after they instructed that they were ready to give me an ultrasound. I have had an ultrasound once before so I knew what to expect. I the girl was an intern and was having a hard time getting a good glimpse of the baby. They called in the more experienced lady and there it was! The shape of a question mark! They told me i was only 5 weeks 5 days along at that time and it was lucky cause a few days earlier and they wouldn’t have been able to see anything. I didn’t see but they said there was a small flickering of heartbeat. When I heard that I got my first sigh of relief and first picture!
Next, was time to meet the doctor. He was ok. Kinda dry on the humor and personality but I’m not looking to date him . I told him we had some questions and he sat back and was ready to listen and answer probably the same questions he hears all the time from first timers. Suddenly, I felt silly and naive. Like, how dare I question a doctor about his practices and beliefs? But I reminded myself that its important and they are probably used to it. I asked him about C-sections and how often he performs them. I also asked about who would deliver if he couldn’t. I asked a number of tings but after a few minutes I concluded to him that all I really cared about was NOT having a C-section. That I didn’t want to be rushed and pressured. I was happy with all his responses and assured me that he felt my request for a vaginal birth was valid and important but that C-sections are very situational. It’s hard to foresee whether it will be necessary or not. I understood. We talked about the Metformin I have been taking. He looked it up and asked me how I felt about it. We agreed that right now the benefits of staying on it far outweigh the risks that the FDA are currently trying to discover. During the first trimester, it can be really helpful to maintain your hormone levels and therefore maintain the pregnancy. Also, it keeps my sugar level and could help with milk production later on. Once I get to 12 weeks, we plan for me to go off it and monitor my blood sugar. If the sugar starts to get high, I may go back on or they may give me the insulin shots. We will see, but for now, I feel comfortable staying on it.
The last bit of the visit included the annual pap-smear which I was due for. I didn’t realize and would’ve preferred Craigery maybe wait out in the hall~ for his sake. Sorry dear. Though there was a new part of he pap-smear that I never experienced before… a rectal exam. I don’t know if I was supposed to be having one all these years but it was not pleasant and I don’t look forward to the next one. I then when down to the lab and gave 8 vials of blood and another cup of urine. The whole appointment was 3 hrs! Oy! The next one is scheduled for Feb 1st but I chose to try a new doctor this time. This doc is still at UCLA but I wanted to try a woman… I have only had male doctors in the past. I’m excited for the next! Ill be about 9 weeks and we should get to hear the heartbeat and get a good photo!
all this talk of urine makes me have to… well pee!
Bobpuin is PREGNANT!!!! AAHHHH!!! I am sooooooo excited for her! She is 3 weeks behind me! We thought she failed cause 2 days ago she started her period… or so we thought! It was light spotting she said and then disappeared yesterday! I told her to take a test after work and she did! 3 tests all positive! I’m so excited to have someone so close to me going through it too! And I know how worried she was getting, her 39th b-day is in 1 week. Omg omg omg. That’s all for now!
What a year! This time last year, I had nothing baby on the mind at all. I was still struggling from losing my job at Film Roman the previous May. Financially, we were surviving but emotionally I had a lot of growing to do. I was nothing short of bitter and resentful. At some point I had to realize that in order to move forward, I had to accept. Very much like the steps of mourning. I had photography, at least, to make me feel productive and to bring in some extra money. I knew after our Feb Europe trip I was going to be all about finding work and improving my animation portfolio.
France, Italy… amazing. It was just what I needed to feel the creativity revived. I had a feeling everything was going to turn out alright in the end. I had to trust myself and my instincts and work hard. Traveling to other areas of the world really inspired me and made my heart sing. This was my all time dream… and even though we were struggling, we were able to find a little hope in all that beautiful white snow.
Upon returning, we decided to rent the spare room to a college student, since it was not going to be a nursery any time soon. A few weeks after, Film Roman had asked me to come back and help for about 2 months. They had been asking me off and on since they laid me off so this was common and didn’t mean full time at all. Soon, 2 months turned into a third, then a fourth. I decided it was time to address this with the producer and find out why they didn’t just hire me back. Well, luckily, they agreed! And just as soon as I had been gone, I was back again! Like I had never left! Though, something was different. I am forever changed, but in a good way. Even though I felt I could never fully trust in the animation industry again, knowing I made it was a direct result of being unemployed for exactly 1 year 1 week and I felt my pride revived.
As soon as possible, we wanted to take advantage of 2 full time incomes and $650 rent money. Craigery was very adamant and good about paying down debt as fast as possible and saving where we could. I also became focused on getting healthy. I started seeing the nutritionist, the previously mentioned Susan Dopart, and going to the gym on a regular basis. I didn’t want my PCOS to take control of me anymore. It wasn’t about getting skinny, either. It was about getting my body in balance and some weight, I figured, would come off as a direct result. I never felt so good. It was amazing to feel so accomplished even though the progress was slow. I didn’t care. This is for life… and my confidence was revived.
Once I was full time again, and we were right on track for rebuilding our savings and getting debt under control, it was time to revive the baby dream. July was my last month of birth control and I was elated. I couldn’t wait to find out what my adult body was going to be like! I started that birth control when I was 18 and never stopped until that moment. What would it be like? How would I feel? Whats going to happen? When will I get pregnant? I’m not going to answer all those questions right here right now. But you can read about it. I started this blog when I got off the birth control.
I needed one more. One more trip overseas… before I got pregnant. I had to have it. I was very grateful we were able to go in Feb on our 2 week trip to France and Italy, but I felt I would really be satisfied for a few years if I had one more out of country experience under my belt. Well, I had worked my ass off the few months previous and was able to make some freelance money on top of my regular pay. Freelance money, decided a long time ago, belonged to me! I could do whatever I pleased with it! I gave up my free time to work hard and here was my reward. So… what do you think I did?? Booked an overseas trip to London! This isn’t the blog to tell you all about the trip, but in the moment we were biking through the streets of London, my freedom and sense of adventure was revived.
It didn’t take long for the holidays to creep up starting with Halloween. I always love holiday time! The decor, the spirit, the cozy feeling you get. Ahhhh… but… something was missing. There was no baby. Though I was ready to get pregnant, I knew there was no rush. I’m only 27 and have plenty of time. My hope was to get pregnant before the end of the year, before my 6 months instructed by the Endocrinologist, but I had in the back of my mind that I could have more time if I wanted. I focused on enjoying family and friends, and how much different this year’s holidays were from last year. I marveled in how much could change in just 12 measly months and how small the time is in comparison to the grand time of life. Wondered what next year’s holidays would bring. My trust was revived.
All these things were necessary to feel complete again and it felt so wonderful to grow and transform out of what was struggle, fear, and worry. I was excited for 2011. Curious what it would bring and how much more we would grow. On December 20th, something was nagging. Curiosity. I was worried it was too early… but I took a chance. I took a pregnancy test… 3 of them, actually. All of them, 2 lines.
Enough of the seriousness and subtleties … HOLY SHIT I’M PREGNANT! … and… there is a new poll
~Piece
ATTN!!! This news is NOT to be public on facebook! Only select few and random strangers know about this blog. The hubby will be VERY pissed if someone leaks our news before we do. Say all you want here, but that’s all please. Thanks!
ok, ok… yes.. I know… why no post in soooooo long? Well, its not THAT long! And it was a holiday y’know
I just wanted you all to know… you have to wait a little longer . Don’t be mad! Its for a good reason! Things have been so hectic and I want to really have a moment to say a lot and catch up. Soon to come are posts about 2010 overview, the book I’m nearly finished with, a review of “The Business of Being Born”, and much more! Some of you know I have the oh-so-important 6 month appointment with the Endocrinologist coming up and I will be addressing that as well. I promise, there will be something new and worth reading by the end of the weekend! Wait for it….
. Why Pickle? Always been a favorite snack of mine, and since I have been pregnant, they taste even more delicious than before! My lovely sister helped me pick it 
