Week 20 - Doctor Update & Other Stuff

I've added a new feature to the blog site with a link to the preggo book I am currently reading. I figure I can keep it updated as I start on new books, and that way anyone interested in reading with me can join in.

This week I started reading "The Birth Book" by William Sears. It was recommended by almost all of the doulas that I met with last week and has been pretty informative. I was surprised that I was able to plow through half of it just this morning. The more I learn, the more I find myself leaning toward natural birth. I always had this notion about birth, that avoiding drugs and wanting to go natural was some sort of woo-woo, earthy hippy thing or something. But from what I'm learning, I think it's better for mother and baby to have babies the way that your body is made to have babies. Of course I understand that sometimes medical intervention is needed, but I'm starting to see that too often medicine is used for convenience and that it actually can cause complications.

On that note, I did see a new doctor this week (because doctor #2 was just too hard to get an appointment with). But I've decided that since I'm already in flux with my care and not really bonded with any one care giver, I should do some research and shop around. I've got an interview with a midwife center this week that I'm pretty excited about. They do deliveries at a birthing center, but it is very close to the University Hospital which I find reassuring. I might also decide to meet with one other midwifery, just for comparison.

I am scheduled for my ultrasound (through doctor #3) on December 8th. I'm really looking forward to another glimpse at Speck and will only cancel the ultrasound if some other care giver can get me in sooner!

Another exciting advancement this week is that Speck's movements are getting stronger. Erik can now feel many of the kicks (if he can make himself sit still long enough to wait for them to happen), and I can even see the skin on my stomach bouncing around with the baby.

14 Weeks - Pregnant, who?

I skipped week 13 out of superstition and general uneventfulness, so here we are at week 14...OFFICIALLY in the 2nd Trimester now by all counting methods.

I'm pretty much feeling not at all pregnant right now. My skin is back to it's normal, smooth, zit free complexion. The gas and bloating of the last 3 weeks has returned to a normal, pre-preggo level. I've only gained 1 pound since August 11th. My waistline hasn't gotten any rounder (though it did measure one inch longer today). No mood swings, no crazy behavior, nada.

I have this fear that I will go in for my next ultrasound (on the 22nd) and they are going to say "we're sorry Mrs. Kubec, you were never really pregnant!". If I hadn't seen speck swimming around with my own eyes I'd think I was making the whole thing up.

On the other hand, not looking or feeling preggo is a good thing for the job search. I've pretty much made up my mind that I am not going to tell my future employer about my "condition" prior to a job offer, and even after that I think I will wait until I'm settled in. In fact, I am still toying with the idea of pretending it is new news when I am ready to break it. The travel and the stress of unemployment were causing my cycle to be irregular (Mr. Boss), and now I finally understand why the food in Mexico was so gross!!

One sign though that I am in deed pregnant--today I had a craving for a tuna sandwich (speaking of food). I have NEVER had a desire to eat a tuna sandwich...I didn't even know how to make one!

And here you have it, your Speck Progress Report for week 14, provided courtesey of baby-gaga.com:

At about 3.5 inches long, their little body and limber limbs are coordinated enough for loads of complicated motions. In fact, their whole body is moving right now! You're not feeling it because their current size is still a bit too small to make an impact you'd recognize. Still, their movements are recognizable on an ultrasound...Your baby is also starting to develop the ability to move their eyes this week, although the eyelids still remain fused shut. What's more, they can make all sorts of fun facial expressions as they practice squinting, frowning, and grimacing. Cute development of the week: their little hands can grasp at things and they may already be sucking their thumb!

11 Weeks - Little Swimmer

Today I had my second ultrasound! My frustrations over the $250 appointment cost and the hour delay (after they told me to be early) quickly evaporated when they turned on the ultrasound machine and I was able to see Speck.

I got pictures, of course, but since we don't have a scanner I am posting pictures of some other baby's ultrasound that I found on a Google Image search (repeat: this is not our Speck).


Exciting growth & development achievements for this week according to my wealth of web research include: ability to swallow and pee, ability to touch and taste, flexible arms, fingernails and toenails.

We witnessed baby acrobatics during the ultrasound, as Speck bounced around quite a bit and even waved his/her arms at us. The NP was able to get a measure of the head and thinks she might have been off by a week on the original due date, but they won't be able to confirm until the "big" ultrasound in 2 months. Either way, looks like Speck is coming in early April...another Kubec April birthday.