And Baby Makes Three

Fifth Prenatal Appointment

My blood pressure was good (which gives me hope that I won't develop toxemia/preeclampsia later on). My weight gain is back on track. My uterus is now measuring right where it should be; that's a great relief. The baby's heartbeat sounded great. Woooooohoooooo! And I really liked the nurse/midwife with whom I had the appointment.

I got to ask all the questions I had written down ahead of time. My husband will be able to stay overnight in the hospital with me after the baby is born. The report from our Level II ultrasound in December was good; everything that was supposed to be seen, was seen. I'll get my Rhogam shot at the next appt. and will also have the glucose test, which screens for gestational diabetes. It is ok for my husband and sister-in-law to paint the nursery; the fumes might make me nauseated, but unless it was lead-based paint there is no problem with me being exposed to them. My right thigh has been feeling numb. I asked what might cause that and the nurse/midwife said either it is just "falling asleep" or I am beginning to experience sciatica. If it gets debilitating, they can refer me for physical therapy. Hopefully my yoga can help with this, too.

We probably won't have another ultrasound, unless there is a clinical reason to do so later in the pregnancy. So, I'll have to remain patient as far as finding out for sure if Roo is a girl or a boy.

Six Months Pregnant and All's Well

I'm feeling good at this point. I'm still sleeping well; using my extra bed pillow to support my belly is a help. I'm still struggling not to flip onto my back during the night; I never realized how much I do that. Certain things have become more difficult, primarily putting on (or taking off) socks, shoes, and boots. I'm used to doing those things standing up; sitting down is a much better option now.

The baby's movements continue to get stronger. Since I can't know exactly what he/she's doing in there, I try to picture it, or make up funny things, like, "The baby's doing jumping jacks." [1/16/04 Update: Of course, looking at this drawing, the baby doesn't appear to have room to do calisthenics!]

I've slowed my speed on the treadmill down slightly. Pre-pregnancy I aimed for a speed of 3.8-4.0 mph for 20 minutes, with 5 minutes warm-up and 5 minutes cool down. You're supposed to limit how high your heart rate gets while expecting -- under 140 beats per minute -- so for the last six months I limited my upper speed to 3.5 mph. Now I'm down to 3.3 mph -- still pretty good, I think. I've begun using my prenatal yoga DVD. It's less difficult than regular yoga, which is fine by me, but provides some flexibility work that has been missing from my routine. I am missing my Nautilus, or rather the wonderful things Nautilus does for my body. It will be nice to add that back to my workouts post-partum. I figure by late summer, early fall I'll be ready to get back to the gym. This summer I'll just walk or do exercise DVDs, as time permits.

I had a small scare on Saturday that turned out to be nothing. I'd stopped by my parents' house and was dressed in multiple layers due to the bitter cold. I had just been to the gym and it had been a few hours since I'd had anything to eat. Basically, long story short, I got feeling quite lightheaded. I felt better when I got outside, although it took a minute. I went home, drank some water, had some lunch and relaxed; I felt fine. My "What to Expect. . ." book said that lightheadedness can be caused by low blood sugar, standing up too fast, or being overdressed or in a stuffy room. I need to just take care of myself from now to the end of the pregnancy -- get enough sleep, eat well and often throughout the day, drink my 8-10 glasses of water, keep exercising.

Baby "Shows Off" for Daddy

Tuesday night my husband felt (and saw) the baby's kicks for the first time. I'd been lying in bed reading when I began to feel strong kicks. I pulled the fabric of my nightgown taut against my belly and encouraged K. to look. He saw the movement and his face lit up. He talked to the baby, then, saying, "Kick for Daddy" and the little one kicked again. Then he put his hand on me and felt the kicking, too. I was so excited for this to happen. The kicks aren't always quite that strong, where someone besides me could feel them.

Little Things

My co-worker suggested I write down some "little" things about the pregnancy that I might not remember otherwise.

• I often sneeze twice, very close together, when I am beginning to eat something. Although I almost always sneeze twice (when not pregnant), there is usually a normal interval between them and there is no connection to whether I'm eating or not.
• Feeling the baby kick is quite disconcerting, but also fun. It's not uncomfortable and doesn't hurt (for now), but it's like there's a little kitten or puppy rolling around in there. I was sitting here this morning and the kicks were so strong that the surface of my belly moved with each one. I really feel the connection between what I'm eating and what the baby is receiving, because often it is after I've had a meal or snack that I feel the kicks.
• I feel pretty happy most of the time. I get a little cranky from time to time with K., poor guy, for no apparent reason; basically like when I used to have PMS. I also get cranky under the surface with strangers, but I don't do anything other than mutter to myself, so I guess that's ok.