As I write this post, we're at 22 weeks. When we took the pictures, we were at 20 weeks - halfway! Time crawled the first half but now that I'm showing (bigger everyday!) & we know the gender, time seems to be zipping by at a rapidly increasing rate...
Due Date: September 27, 2014 How Far Along: 20 weeks! Halfway! Symptoms: Very little (knock on wood). Some right upper rib pain wrapping around my back. It's fairly common for pregnant women to experience rib pain, especially the more they grow, as their rib cages are stretching to make room for baby. I think my right side is feeling it more because I'm right-hand dominant & my right side muscles are probably much stronger/tighter. It's most noticeable when I'm sitting down on a couch or lying in bed. Maternity Clothes: Absolutely. So damn comfortable. The outfit from the picture above is not maternity but they're a few of the last strongholds that haven't been delegated to boxes. Ring: Still fits! Weight Gain: At our 20-week appointment, I'd gained approximately 14-15 lbs. Not sure as of post date. Cravings: Oranges, OJ, & chocolate milk. Aversions: Meat. The farther along, the lesser the aversion. Running/Workouts: Still feeling good on my runs & strength training sessions. I stay very in-tune with my body anytime I'm working out & if I'm going to be longer than 45-minutes or so, I take water & food. I ran a 12K trail race on May 11 & although my time was slow, I felt good & enjoyed the ride. Early on, I purchased a maternity support belt for running purposes & after using it a few times, know it's going to be very handy in the near future. I'm running (waddling?) a half-marathon in a few weeks & my training is on par. By taking it easy & carefully, I hope to enjoy staying active as far into this pregnancy as possible. Gender: (Drum roll...)
We're having a girl!! We weren't set on a particular gender & would be happy either way - our biggest concern was knowing our baby is healthy. Each person has an opinion on ultrasounds but we chose the modern healthcare route & selected the 20-week ultrasound (besides the ultrasound at 7 weeks, we won't have any other ultrasounds unless there are signs of complications). I have to say, it was an absolute joy & thrill to watch as our tech checked the brain, heart, fingers, toes, arms, legs, spine...& all appeared to be developing very healthy. When we first found out we were pregnant, I had a very strong feeling we were having a girl. Call it motherly instinct or call it unbalanced hormones...
We're well into the second trimester & days away from the official halfway mark (gasp!). I'm still feeling very good - knock on wood - & the baby bump seems to pop more everyday.
13 weeks
17 weeks
We're due for another picture (as of blog post date, I'm now 19.5 weeks) & I believe there is a fairly significant change, but then again, the baby bump seems to grow significantly more by the end of the day (bloat, food, you name it).
Due Date: September 27, 2014
Symptoms: Nothing significant, just a few small nuisances. In the first trimester, I was starvingall the time & had to keep food with me everywhere I went. It was crazy. After 15 weeks, I hit the magical "honeymoon" phase & noticed increased energy & a decrease in extreme hunger. I still keep food with me in case of emergencies but if I'm late eating my lunch, I don't turn into a catatonic, food-crazed bundle of hormones.
Nails are growing rapidly but I haven't noticed a significant change in my hair.
Pregnancy comes with a wide variety of experiences - heartburn, hemorrhoids, acne, weird rashes, dry skin, stretch marks - & I will neither admit nor deny any of those listed. It's not always glamorous. If you haven't seen the movie What to Expect When You're Expecting, I highly recommend it. It's [mostly] hilarious, with a few heavier, more serious topics thrown in, but it sheds a funny light on the joys of pregnancy. One of my favorite, & now most relevant, clips:
Clothes: Now into full on maternity wear. And damn these clothes are comfy. About 16-17 weeks, I could no longer comfortably wear my pre-pregnancy pants (jeans or dress). I was lucky to have a bin of donated maternity clothes from a friend that I was able to pull out several tops & a few jeans to wear; a few weekends ago, we hit a few stores to pick up a few more items.
Weight: As of today, I've gained approximately 14 lbs; approximate because I weighed at the end of the day & typically I weigh first thing in the morning. In my world, time of day can be a difference of 2-3 lbs. I'm not stepping on the scale regularly & happy to not focus on weight; if my midwife is concerned, she can discuss it with us (& thus far, she has not expressed any concerns). Since reaching the second trimester, I've noticed the rapid weight increase, as second & third trimester average a pound per week.
Running/Working Out: I'm still comfortably running & training for my June half-marathon. My increased energy levels assisted an increase in motivation. I'm trying to maintain light strength training 1-2X/wk. I bought a maternity band, highly recommended by a few women runners as their baby bumps expanded & the need for ligament support during a run became a necessity. No matter how empty my bladder feels, I've now reached the stage I must potty before a run. The jostling is no bueno on the bladder already being squished by growing baby.
Cravings: Oranges, orange juice, chocolate milk, grilled cheese. Dessert will always be a passion but I noticed I'm more particular about what I fancy when it's time for sweets. Smoothies for breakfast are a must - I can cram plenty of protein & a day's worth of fruit into an easy drink.
Aversion: Meat. Except fried chicken. More specifically, chicken strips. I'm like a 5-year-old when we go out to eat - chicken strips & french fries. I can eat meat if it's put in front of me but if I had to choose at every meal, I'd probably avoid meat. Hamburgers, meatballs, steaks, ham...it just doesn't sound appealing.
