time does fly

Just like I never know whether to look at the week I have just completed or the one I am about to start when reading those "how your baby is developing week to week" sites, I don't know if my third trimester starts today or next Saturday. I have decided that it starts today: there are 13 weeks left (give or take a few weeks, days, what have you, depending on baby's grand entrance plan).

Looking back at the first two trimesters, here's what I have to say: the first one seemed to last somewhere between a year and a lifetime. From the two week wait to feeling like every cramp or bowel twinge was a miscarriage to the bleeding episodes, I exaggerate not: a year to a lifetime.

It didn't feel like that much of a milestone to hit the second trimester b/c of the impending amniocentesis and subsequent 2ww for results (dear cruel universe, I already HAD one of these, thank you). I do remember thinking that 20 weeks was pretty amazing, both for the ring of "half way" and b/c I had long ago read a woman's blog entry* about an involuntary gas episode as she walked around T.arget. I looked up to her like young girls admire the makeup-wearing, boy discussing teenagers. Wow-20 weeks. She is soooo cool. Reaching 24 weeks (i.e.: if your baby is born now, hospitals are required to do all they can to ensure its survival) was not as exciting for me as it is for some women. A fifty/fifty chance of survival still sounded awfully scary.

However, I will say that the second trimester FLEW by. Really. I don't know how I'm here. My baby boy is due in 3 months. October 24th. My mom and I spent a week organizing, making room, purging or storing unnecessary treasures and setting up a crib. I am reading the baby books. We are signed up for breastfeeding class, childbirth class and infant CPR class. I had a regular OB/GYN appt. yesterday and my belly has grown 2 inches in a month. This just might be hitting me.


*sorry-can't remember who wrote it.

Nervous Nellie Syndrome

Or...how to get an extra ultrasound.

1. Ask doctor if it's normal to feel baby experience what seems like small seizures. [Seriously-what is he doing in there?]

2. Cry when admitting to not taking meds she had prescribed for you.

3. Still have an irritated cervix and funny ph levels.


Voilà: you get an extra ultrasound!!

Doc says she was pretty sure everything was fine, but wants to make sure (read: she wants me to see for myself) and that the m.etro gel is safe to take, especially as a gel (as opposed to pill) and especially after first trimester. Ok-I will take it, I tell her. Thankful that she doesn't seem to judge me and convinced I can't be the most annoying patient at the practice, I drive down the street to the ultrasound joint. Explain to technician and then doctor why I am here:

"Well, I was leaking and seem to have an infection and irritated cervix."
"You know, they can test the discharge to see if it's amniotic fluid."

Ensue ph level explanation, everything is basic, therefore they can't be 100% positive explanation.

Followed by ultrasound revealing happy cervix, lots of amiotic fluid and real live (and so big and smooshed in there!!!) baby.
Funniest part? At one point, the tech. couldn't see the cervix as well as she would have liked. She said the doc. might want to use a vaginal probe. She asked, with a dulcet "this might be difficult" tone: "Have you ever had a vaginal ultrasound?" I laughed out loud. Have I ever, indeed!

So, the way I see this? I had just experienced more than 7 weeks of peace, calm and (practically) no worrying! My body had to stir the pot a bit.

*As it turns out, so is everything else in my life: my v.agina is to liquid as my car is to transmission fluid and my stove is to gas. At least those last two have been fixed, and I think I am ok, too. My guess? Infection + (probably) pee+ sweat=wet undies.

I'm not a doctor...

...but I play one in my own life. I took one dose of that M.etro Gel stuff yesterday, even after reading the packet insert about how pregnant women should only take it if necessary. Today, after doing more research, I decided that was going to be my first and last dose. I am just not comfortable putting baby at risk. I know, I know: infection=bad. I am going to go back to yeast infection cream, since that was what I was told to do over the weekend, but my use of the cream was incomplete and a little sporadic. Usually they look at the gunk to identify it as yeast, but this is presenting in an atypical manner. Don't worry-I am going back on Friday and I will be honest about what I have done/haven't done. I will also call immediately if anything funky happens.

Still basic

Still basic, but they don't think it's amniotic fluid. Apparently, I have some sort of infection so they gave me a prescription for a gel to treat bacterial vaginosis, even though they aren't sure if that's what I have... Ugh-I hate to put chemicals in my body on what feels like a whim, but apparently infections are bad for women (duh) and worse for pregnant gals. I'll go back on Friday for more tests and samples. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

Yah, right

According to the American Pregnancy Association, by the 26th week* "If you have been watching your weight throughout your pregnancy and have been sticking to a balanced diet, your weight gain should be between 16 and 22 pounds."

Watching my weight while pregnant? Um...ok, whatever....that sounds like 'dieting' to me, which is an obvious no-no. Yah, and the balanced diet? Well, actually, it's much more balanced than it ever was before...I was more of a bird-like eater, to be honest (and did I mention I used to be a vegetarian?). Now every night I go through what I have eaten to see what baby is lacking. 3 veggies, two servings of fruit...enough calcium? Tonight I found myself eating leftover taco meat b/c I hadn't had enough protein. I wasn't hungry, just eating for baby. Remind me not to go back to this site!

*I'm at week 25, but I was looking ahead...and technically, I'm now IN my 26th week. And my weight gain? Thirty pounds, people. Too bad I can't blame it on all the vitamin C.

Urine, sweat and tears

Off and on since Saturday, I have found my underpants to be damp. Curious. Was it urine? Sweat? Amniotic fluid? After freaking out for a few hours, the next day it seemed to be better. Until yesterday. SO, today my doc took some...ahem...discharge samples. She whisked them away and then sent a nurse in who asked for a urine sample. Curious. That got my wheels spinning.

The upshot? The samples didn't -look- like amniotic fluid, but on the ph scale of basic to acidic, they were very basic. Guess what is also basic? Yup-amniotic fluid. But-that's why she asked for the urine sample. Urine is supposed to be acidic. Guess what mine is? Yup-basic. So now I am on a mega cocktail of vitamin c, have to monitor volume with panty liners (felt a little silly buying those with an obvious bump), must try to keep my bladder empty (um-right-I'll try to use the bathroom more than I already do) and go back on Monday.

So-sorry if this was TMI, but I always am so grateful for all things I learn about by reading other gals' blogs as well as advice from y'all. I'll update on Monday and in the meantime I'll be stuffing my face with oranges, extra supplements and cranberry juice.

It's my pregnancy...

...and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to...

Oy-it's laughable how much I cry. Yes, that's exactly what I meant to write.

When I was watching the movie UP? Usually, I would have had a lump in my throat or maybe shed a few silent tears at the sad moments. Being pregnant? It was like there was some primal beast within and I I tried to keep it in, but ended up wailing. This thing just had a mind of its own. It happened in the middle and I did my best to stifle, but at the end it happened AGAIN, only this time it was followed by uncontrollable laughter b/c I simply could not believe I was crying over this sweet little movie.

Today? Well, admittedly, I have had a frustrating morning (just your usual can't find what I am looking for, people are not calling me back, blah blah) and then? I noticed a droopy leaf on my snake plant. When I touched it, it detached itself from the soil and lay there in my hands. Upon close inspection, several other leaves did the same. I was talking to my sister at the time and said " I have to go-I just killed my plant." Luckily, I got off before the wailing started. I over watered it. First with the pitcher and now with my own tears. What's left of it is sitting outside, and I'm hoping it will dry up (fat chance with all the rain we have been having). I know there's no use hoping I will dry up any time...

Pregnancy is a wild and wacky thing...