8 Weeks

 

How far along: 8 weeks - EDD bumped to 09/09/15

 

How big is baby: The size of a raspberry - Baby is moving his or her arms and legs like crazy. Fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and baby's tail is almost gone. He or she is forming taste buds this week, and growing about one millimeter each day!

 

What are we having: We'll find out in April. I'll take a moment to mention that I really think baby is a boy.

 

Symptoms this week: The dizziness I was having last week seems to have subsided, but I find myself having minor heart palpitations. I know this is normal, but it takes my breath away each time it happens. More and more things are making me gag, and it drives me nuts. I haven't actually thrown up, so we're still good on that front! The exhaustion is officially at its worst thus far, and I'm hoping it peaks soon. Feeling tired is something I absolutely hate, so this is mild torture for me.

 

Weight gain/loss: All zeros for now.

 

Food aversions/cravings: I've reached the point where I'll be ravenously hungry, I'll get something that sounds awesome, and two bites in it sucks. I can only eat small portions otherwise I feel sick, and I'm definitely developing aversions. Seafood was the first one I noticed, which makes me sad because I love it. We went out to a great seafood place that I like, and I ordered things that I love... I couldn't even swallow my food. It tasted great, but my body apparently just didn't want it.

 

The baby belly: My bloating still borders on extreme by the end of the day, but now my stomach isn't returning to its flat-ish state by the next morning. I now have a tiny little perma-pooch under my navel. It sticks out like a little lump, and has made regular pants-wearing nearly impossible. It's quite firm, and I can't stand to have pressure from a waistband on it. I've officially started the transition to maternity pants, and am stocking up on the kind with the convertible panels so I can wear them now and later.

 

Movement: Baby is moving now, but I have a long way to go before I can feel it.

 

What is freaking me out: I have an irrational fear that we're going to find out that something is terribly wrong during our 12 week NT scan. I'm sure this is a common fear, but it's very pervasive. I'm not over 35, so my risk isn't higher in terms of age, but 33 is pretty damn close. It's very unsettling for me to think about, and I find myself wishing my insurance would just cover the MaterniT21 blood test at 10 weeks instead. I find myself Googling all sorts of crazy things, none of which ever ease my mind in the slightest.

 

What I'm totally loving: Baby is huge! Comparitively speaking, of course. This weeks ultrasound was on what I thought was 8w3d, but baby grew a ton and was measuring 8w6d. I know it's only three days, and it could drop back with next week's scan, but I'll take it! For now, it means I'm that much closer to being out of the first trimester. Baby's heart rate was also up to 178, from 150 last week. All of that growth certainly explains why I'm so freaking exhausted.

 

What I'm looking forward to: Next week's ultrasound. I'm so amazed at how much baby grows each week. He or she looks more and more baby-like each time, so now I'm eager to see what the scan during week 9 will show. The picture from this week doesn't look like much, but on the screen we were able to see little arms and legs moving, the heart beating, and blood pulsing through the umbilical cord.

 

 

7 Weeks

 

How far along: 7 weeks - EDD bumped to 09/12/15

 

How big is baby: The size of a blueberry - Baby is keeping busy by generating about one hundred new brain cells each minute. His or her heart is becoming more complex, the kidneys are developing, and arm and leg joints are also forming.

 

What are we having: We'll find out in April.

 

Symptoms this week: I have random spells of intense nausea in the afternoon and evening, but it's very hit or miss (thankfully). Some afternoons I feel fantastic, and some I just want to sleep. I definitely feel the best (energy, lack of nausea, no dizziness) in the morning and early afternoon, but by around 3 I seem to crash.

 

Weight gain/loss: All zeros for now.

 

Food aversions/cravings: Ice cream is the one sweet food that totally agrees with me. Other than that, I'm still missing my sweet tooth. Cheese is a huge craving for me right now, but it has to be in the form of mac and cheese, pizza, queso dip, etc. Totally healthy, I know. It's a miracle that I haven't even gained a pound yet.

 

The baby belly: All bloat, not baby.

 

Movement: Have a long way to go.

 

What is freaking me out: Getting another migraine. I had one last week that lasted for 3 hellish days, and totally ruined my weekend. I can't take my usual migraine medication since its a triptan drug, so I have to just suffer through them. Extra strength Tylenol and some caffeine took a tiny bit of the edge off, but it was still basically hell. Fingers crossed that I don't get another one until after this baby is born.

 

What I'm totally loving: Still feeling great. Sure, my bedtime is slowly getting earlier and earlier, and I randomly gag over smells and food, but I know it could be so much worse! I'm praying I keep going at this pace.

 

What I'm looking forward to: February starting! I hit 8 weeks on Jan 31st, and February will encompass the final weeks of my first trimester. That means I'll be in the "safe zone," we can announce to everyone, and I'll graduate from my fertility clinic. I even have my first OB appointment at the end of the month. Until then, I'm still going for weekly ultrasounds and taking it easy.

 

 

6 Weeks

 

How far along: 6 weeks - EDD 09/10/15

 

How big is baby: The size of a sweet pea - Baby is growing like crazy, and is starting to sprout a nose, eyes, ears, a chin, and cheeks. Baby is also circulating blood with his or her increasingly more sophisticated circulatory system.

 

What are we having: We'll find out in April.

 

Symptoms this week: I hate to jinx it, but I'm still feeling good. The tiredness and hunger keep increasing, and the pinching/pulling cramps are stronger (especially if I move or stand too quickly), but those are my most pronounced symptoms. I've noticed things are starting to smell and taste different, but it's not enough to trigger any nausea or food aversions... Yet.

 

Weight gain/loss: All zeros for now.

 

Food aversions/cravings: I still want nothing to do with sweets. I'm eating a lot of carbs and fruits, and I'm still sticking with my plan to eat small, frequent meals. I learned that if I eat too late in the morning I get dizzy, and if I eat too much I feel nauseated. It's a delicate balance.

 

The baby belly: All bloat, not baby.

 

Movement: Have a long way to go.

 

What is freaking me out: Everyone who keeps asking me how I'm feeling, and the when I say "Great!" they respond with, "Just wait, the nausea and vomiting are going to hit you out of nowhere like a ton of bricks." Can't I just feel great? Now every time my stomach so much as gurgles, I have a panic attack while thinking, "This is it. I'm going to start throwing up and never be able to stop." I've even stocked up on ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger snaps, and Sea Bands because I'm now terrified of this potential onslaught of morning sickness.

 

What I'm totally loving: Knowing that baby has a heartbeat! We went for an ultrasound at 6w5d and got to see that little heart just flickering away. It was beating at 125bpm, and should increase from there.

 

What I'm looking forward to: Another ultrasound next week at 7w5d. I know there isn't much to see right now, but being able to actually see the development week by week is amazing. I know once I'm released to an OB the ultrasounds will be much fewer and far between, but I'll just enjoy my fertility center's protocol while I can.

 

 

Baby's heartbeat is shown along the bottom.

 

5 Weeks

 

How far along: 5 weeks - EDD 09/10/15

 

How big is baby: The size of an appleseed - Baby is already starting to form major organs (heart, stomach, liver, kidney) and systems (digestive, circulatory, nervous). He or she is now measurable, even though it's a mere 0.13". Baby is also gearing up for more growth, and will almost double in size in the next week.

 

What are we having: We'll find out in April.

 

Symptoms this week: Still nothing worth complaining about. The cramps and bloating have increased enough to be uncomfortable every now and then, but I know it's nothing compared to what I'm in for down the road. No nausea yet, and I'm so thankful for that!

 

Weight gain/loss: All zeros for now.

 

Food aversions/cravings: No aversions, but I've found I have little desire for sweets. Give me all of the salty, sour, and savory things though! I'm still trying to keep up with eating smaller portions throughout the day, so that makes me feel like I'm always hungry, but I'll take hunger over nausea any day.

 

The baby belly: All bloat, not baby.

 

Movement: Have a long way to go.

 

What is freaking me out: How excited I am. I know it's still so early, and I keep trying to not get ahead of myself, but it's so hard to not think about the future. I pride myself in being a realist and not having my head in the clouds. I know there are a million things that can go wrong right now, and I should just take it day by day, but... Pinterest!

 

What I'm totally loving: Watching my beta numbers go up. My last test had my HCG at 2,236, which is a doubling time of about 40 hours (average doubling rate is 48-72). My progesterone also increased a lot, thanks to the supplements my doctor has me on. All of the increases mean that baby is growing at a normal rate.

 

What I'm looking forward to: Hearing the heartbeat during week 6. We got to see the baby this week at 5w5d. Definitely too early to see that little heartbeat flickering, but the amniotic sac, yolk sac, and fetal pole were all present and accounted for. J has been referring to the baby as Blob, since that's really all that you can see on the ultrasound.

 

 

Big Texas-Sized Changes

 

Oh... My... God... That can't be right.

Well, it was right, and we're in for some huge changes around here!

 

In November 2014 I underwent a procedure called an operative hysteroscopy and tubal catheterization. Sounds fun, right? I also wound up having a benign mass removed from inside my uterus. I've had long history of issues hindering my ability to get pregnant, and I've been working with a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility center for over a year now. I won't get into details, but before the holidays we were given a list of price sheets and procedures that were to be our next steps if we ever wanted to conceive. However, with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's around the corner, we decided it was something we could address afterwards.

 

Surprise! On January 2, 2015 we found out I was pregnant. Cue panic. I called my doctor's office right away and set up an appointment for later that day. Was this seriously happening? It was. After getting stuck with a needle, the nurse called a couple of hours later to confirm that yes, I was most definitely pregnant. After a long week of repeat blood work, they further confirmed that my levels are great, and baby is growing.

 

What a way to start 2015, right? Come September, we're going to be a family of three!

 

How far along: 4 weeks (estimated) - No official EDD yet

 

How big is baby: The size of a poppyseed - Baby is busy settling into his or her new home, and prepping for all of the crucial development he or she will be doing over the next six weeks. Baby's neural tube, the building block of the spine, brain and backbone, is already formed.

 

What are we having: We'll find out in April.

 

Symptoms this week: I'm acutely aware that I have a uterus because I can constantly feel it. It's not painful, just an odd, heavy feeling with pinches and pulls thrown in for good measure. I also dread the end of the day because taking my bra off makes me cringe since the girls are so sore. Other than that, so far so good!

 

Weight gain/loss: All zeros, let's see what happens from here.

 

Food aversions/cravings: None yet! Although, if you ask J, I have an unhealthy addiction to sour pickles... Regardless of the fact that I was snacking on them before I got pregnant too. I do seem to get hungry more quickly though. I'll be fine one minute, then out of nowhere my stomach is growling. I'm attributing it to the fact that I'm eating several smaller meals throughout the day, since I feel gross if I overeat.

 

The baby belly: All bloat, not baby.

 

Movement: Have a long way to go.

 

What is freaking me out: The big M-word. I had my first beta ran on 14 DPO, the same day I took my first test. My HCG was at 127 and progesterone at 24.27. The nurse said these levels were great for my estimated gestational age, but of course I'm on edge. My next test came back with HCG at 444, and progesterone at 19.74. My betas more than doubled, which is great, but since my progesterone dropped I have to start on a supplement. The second number was still within the "good" range, but we don't want it to drop any further.

 

What I'm totally loving: Being pregnant! I mean, holy shit! I was supposed to need fertility drugs, and IVF, and witchcraft to conceive. Then we get a surprise like this?! 2015 is starting out crazy!

 

Best moment of the week: Seeing those beta numbers going up. Grow baby grow!

 

What I'm looking forward to: Getting further along and closer to an ultrasound date. I need to see our little gummy bear to put my mind at ease.