On Monday I hit the 24 week mark of this pregnancy. I’m now 6 months pregnant.  There are only 16ish weeks left until this baby girl makes her appearance.  I can’t believe it, that’s crazy!

I’m feeling great right now.  Really I can’t think of any annoying pregnancy symptoms I’m dealing with right now other than having to pee constantly.  I have my tiny dancer to thank for most of those trips.  Like her sister before her, Baby Girl 2.0 is a very active little baby.  However, unlike her sister, who liked to lay sideways and kick my sides, this little one enjoys being breech and kicking my bladder repeatedly.  It almost feels like a game she is playing, let’s see how many times I can make mommy have to pee today

Today I had my 24 week pregnancy check up.  I saw a different doctor at the OB practice I’m going to here in Brisbane.  He was really nice too.  He’ll actually likely be the one I see for the remainder of my visits as the first OB I saw has a pretty booked schedule right now.  The appointment was very routine and uneventful.  My blood pressure was great, the baby’s heart beat sounded great (although she did try to hide several times while he was trying to listen), and I’ve finally managed to put on a little bit of weight.  At my last appointment I hadn’t gained anything in the month since my last check up and thanks to my horrible morning sickness I didn’t put on much during my first trimester.  I managed to squeeze out just shy of 4 pounds this month which puts my total weight gain for this pregnancy at 8 pounds.  But, since my belly is measuring well and the baby seems great the slow weight gain isn’t an issue.

I thought I’d include a belly shot for you this time around since I finally have one to speak of.  It isn’t a great picture but all you want to see is the belly anyway, right!

Next up is the big gestation diabetes screening.  I’ll go for that in a couple of weeks and then I’ll have another OB follow up in a month.  I’m really glad things are going smoothly with this pregnancy (knock on wood), especially since I’m so far from home.

I’ve made to the halfway point of my pregnancy.  I’m now 20 weeks pregnant!  Some days it feels like I’ve been pregnant forever and other days I can hardly believe I’m already this far along.  When I took that pregnancy test 16 weeks ago this day felt so far away and now it is already here.  Which means, of course, that 20ish weeks from now I’ll be looking back thinking I feel like I just hit the halfway point how am I already at the end.

This pregnancy has been very similar to my pregnancy with Maya.  My morning sickness went away at exactly the same point, I felt Baby Girl 2.0 move the same week in my pregnancy as I did with Maya, she is also a big mover just like her sister was, and so far (knock on wood) I’m having a pretty easy breezy 2nd trimester.  Let’s hope the similarities continue and I have a pretty easy and uneventful second half of this pregnancy.

The past week I’ve definitely started to feel more pregnant.  I’m sure a lot of that has to do with the fact that I spent almost 2 days last week traveling around the world and have spent the rest of the week trying to recovery from jetlag.  Before we headed out my belly was there but I could still hide it if I wore certain clothing.  Now, it is most definitely there and there is no hiding it anymore.  It seems that my belly decided to pop somewhere out over the middle of the ocean.  So, the added growth out front coupled with A LOT of walking over the last few days has left me with a very achy back.  I’ll have to enlist Lorne’s help with a few back rubs and foot massages

Tomorrow I’ll have my first doctor’s appointment here in Australia.  I’m nervous about meeting the new doctor and the staff in his office. I really hope I like him.  It would be horrible to end up not liking him.  Luckily, I am here for the easiest part of my pregnancy, prenatal care wise.  I’ll have 3 appointments while I’m here and the only test I’ll need is my glucose screen in a few weeks.  The appointments should be pretty cut and dry.

Here’s to a happy, healthy remaining 20 weeks (give or take)!

Since I have a couple of very long flights in my future my doctor and I talked at length about air travel during pregnancy at my last appointment. We talked about the fact that for the most part air travel during pregnancy is safe and about the Do’s and Don’ts for women taking to the air during their pregnancies.

For a woman experiencing a healthy, normal pregnancy there aren’t many restrictions when it comes to air travel.  A pregnant woman planning air travel at any point in her pregnancy should discuss the plans with her doctor ahead of time to be sure she is cleared for air travel.  Some women experiencing complications or large order multiple pregnancies may be advised not to travel during their pregnancies.  Also, remember that many airlines restrict air travel after a certain point in pregnancy so be sure to check with your airline regarding their policy before booking your flights.

My doctor’s advice to me regarding my upcoming long flights was pretty simple.  Besides all the regular things to consider and prepare for he gave me the following recommendations:

Preparing for Your Flight:

• Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing, and wear layers that are easy to add or remove.

At the Airport:

• Check in early to give yourself plenty of time to get through security and use the restrooms (maybe several times) before boarding.
• It is his opinion, as well as the opinion of many other medical and science professionals that pregnant women should not go through the new scanners.  No studies have been completed on the effect of these scanners on a pregnancy so it is his opinion that they should be avoided at this time. He recommends opting for the pat down instead to be safe.
• Be prepared to prove your due date, provide contact information for your doctor and that you are cleared for travel. Your doctor can provide you with a letter that will accomplish all of this.

On the Aircraft:

• Dehydration can be a problem for anyone while flying but is especially risky for pregnant women. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
• Pregnant women are at an increased risk of blood clots during air travel.  When you are not required to have your seatbelt fastened make sure you get up and stretch your legs and move around a bit at least once every 2 hours during the flight.
• When you are in your seat you can help further prevent blood clots from forming in your legs you can stretch your calf muscles.
• Bring plenty of healthy snacks with you, especially if you are on a flight that does not provide in flight meal service.

Pregnant women experiencing preterm labor contractions should not travel. If you are later in your pregnancy or experiencing any unusual contractions be sure to see your doctor in the few days before your scheduled travel to be sure you are not in preterm  labor.  Most doctors will recommend that you not travel domestically after your 36th week or internationally after your 32nd week.  Be sure to discuss your doctor’s thoughts on this before booking your flights.

Air travel during pregnancy is safe provided your follow your doctor’s orders and pay attention to your body. If you are at all unsure about whether you should travel talk to your doctor.

Yesterday I hit the 16 week mark of this pregnancy.  I’m 4 months into this pregnancy.  It is hard to believe I’m already 4 months pregnant, but, at the same time, it sometimes feels like I should be further along.  I have been feeling SO much better the last few weeks.  The morning sickness is finally gone and I have most of my energy back.  I’m still quite moody (poor hubby) and I’ve been getting a lot of headaches, but all in all I feel pretty good.

I had my monthly appointment with my obstetrician this morning.  It went perfectly.  I got to hear that lovely sound of the baby’s heart beating away in there.  I discovered that this little baby is very much like her or his sister. Every time my OB found Maya’s heartbeat with the doppler she would move. She hated the doppler wand and the wand for the ultrasound machine too (hence the need for the sonographer to spend 45 minutes trying to find out if she was a boy or a girl!).  This baby is exactly the same. The OB found the heartbeat the first try with the doppler but the baby promptly moved and he had to look for it again (this happened 3 times).  It made me giggle and I said “Just like Maya!!”.  My blood pressure was great and I even managed to put on a whole 5 pounds.  That was music to my doctor’s ears since he wasn’t all that impressed with my .5 pound of weight gain last time. It is much easier to put on weight when you aren’t constantly struggling to get any food in your mouth and then struggling to get it stay down.

The best part of the appointment was finally scheduling the “big” ultrasound.  As of right now it is scheduled for February 22nd, unless of course we end up leaving for Australia before then and it needs to be pushed up a bit.  I can’t wait to see this little baby moving all around on the screen, I remember it being such an amazing experience with Maya.  And, of course, I can’t wait to find out if we are having a girl or a boy.  Any guesses?

Monday I turned a big corner in this pregnancy when I hit the 14th week.  I am now officially in my second trimester.  It feels good to have finally made it to that milestone, especially since at times it really feels like this pregnancy is going by so slowly.  Hopefully my body will soon recognize that I am in the “honeymoon” phase of my pregnancy and I’ll finally be rid of this pesky nausea/vomiting.

But, marking my entry into the beloved second trimester isn’t the only big pregnancy milestone I’ve hit recently.  On Sunday I felt the very first tiny movements. Teeny tiny little pitter-patters that I would have missed if I hadn’t been sitting her quietly reading a book.  The little distinct feeling of a very tiny little foot or hand popping me from the inside.  I felt it again yesterday afternoon and early this morning.  It is so nice to have a reminder of this baby that doesn’t involve nausea or hugging a toilet or gagging.

When I was pregnant with Maya I felt her first little pitter-patters around 15 weeks.  I had heard you often feel the second one earlier since you know what to look for. Sure enough I’m feeling this one about a week earlier than last time.  It is amazing that something that it still so tiny (just the size of a small lemon) is strong enough to send a little message, a little tap to say “hello mama”.  I can’t wait for the movements to become more frequent and to be able to feel them from the outside.  I know Lorne and Maya will both get a huge kick out of feeling those little baby kicks

Life is full of sweet sounds.  Sounds that become music to our ears.  Sounds that warm our hearts, make us smile, make us giggle or just simply make us sigh.  The other day I got to hear what I consider to be one of life’s sweetest sounds, the sounds of a tiny baby heart beating in utero.  That lovely whoosh, whoosh, whooshing.  A sound that warms my heart and instantly calms me.  A sound that reminds that there is an actual baby growing in there.  I still remember hearing Maya’s heart beating away for the first time.

On Tuesday I had my 12 week follow up appointment with my obstetrician.  It was the first appointment that I was far enough along for him to use the doppler to hear that baby’s heartbeat.  I’ve heard that heartbeat a couple of times already through the ultrasound machine, but there is just something about hearing for the first time on the doppler that makes the pregnancy feel more real.  I can’t wait until my next appointment so I can hear it again.

Everything checked out great at my appointment.  I was actually able to put on a half a pound in the last 4 weeks.  Both my doctor and I were very impressed given how horribly nauseous I have felt and that I’ve was vomiting almost daily for most of that 4 weeks.  So, I’m very proud of that half pound my body was able to add on.

Now that I’m almost out of the first trimester I’ve actually been starting to feel a bit better.  Some days are still really bad, but most days this week I’ve been able to avoid the nausea until about 4pm in the afternoon and I haven’t vomited in almost a week now.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks the nausea will go away completely and I’ll start feeling more and more like myself.

When I was pregnant with Maya I remember enjoying my pregnancy from the very beginning.  I loved being pregnant and all that went along with it.  Now, I may have erased all the bad things from my mind but I don’t really remember not liking any part of my pregnancy.  My morning sickness was mild, the exhaustion was manageable and there weren’t any aches or pains I couldn’t handle.  I was one of those annoying, glowing, joyful pregnant women.

This time…is different.  This pregnancy is seriously kicking my butt.  I’ve had horrible morning sickness since before I took that home pregnancy test way back when I was a mere 4 weeks pregnant.  I’m now just over 11 weeks and still stuck in the midst of constant, all day nausea, gagging at the faintest yucky smell or taste, and almost daily vomiting.  Not to mention exhaustion of epic proportions. I’ve never been so grateful that my child still takes a nap everyday so I too can get some much needed extra sleep. I just don’t feel like myself anymore.

My house is a disaster most of the time because I don’t have the energy or motivation to clean it.  I’m constantly snapping at Lorne and Maya because I have next to no patience and am operating on a very short rope.  Between constantly feeling sick, being so tired I can’t see straight and lovely pregnancy hormones thrown in the mix, I’m a walking time bomb. As you can imagine living with me these days is the opposite of fun.  My family deserves a medal for putting up with me.

I just want this part of pregnancy to be over so I can feel like myself again and start enjoying this pregnancy.  It is hard to enjoy being pregnant and revel in the wonderful parts of carrying a child when you feel like death.  Hopefully as a bid farewell to the first trimester in a couple of weeks I’ll also bid farewell to all the things that are making me not enjoy this pregnancy.

Many pregnant women don’t think about their dental health.  The focus is on the growing the baby and the physical symptoms being experienced.  Your teeth probably aren’t front and center in your mind.  However, keeping on top of your dental hygiene during pregnancy is very important.  Many of the changes in your body that are causing the symptoms you are experiencing are also causing some problems and changes in your mouth as well.  Those pregnancy hormones are responsible for a whole lot of crazy things during pregnancy.

The hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy cause pregnant women to become more susceptible to the gum disease gingivitis and increase tooth sensitivity.  Those rage hormones can also cause your gums to bleed more easily, your teeth to become slightly loose and increase acidity in your mouth which causes tooth decay.  As a result of these changes taking place in your mouth it is important to take good care of your teeth during pregnancy.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft bristled tooth brush.  Ideally you should brush after each meal if possible.
• Floss your teeth at least once a day. You may need to take extra care when flossing as your gums may bleed more easily.
• Rinse with a fluoride mouthwash twice a day.
• If you vomit as a result of morning sickness during pregnancy be sure to rinse your mouth very well afterwards as the increased acidity in the mouth can lead to tooth decay.
• Visit your dentist regularly during pregnancy.
• If you develop any dental issues or problems discuss them with your prenatal care provider and your dentist.

If you have questions about dental health during pregnancy be sure to discuss them with your dentist and your prenatal care provider.

In the early part of pregnancy the idea that a small little person is growing inside of you can be difficult to imagine.  The baby inside is still very surreal.  You can’t see him or her (unless you have an ultrasound, of course), you can’t touch him or her and you can’t yet feel him or her moving inside of you.  Hearing the baby’s heartbeat at a prenatal visit or seeing his or her fuzzy image on an ultrasound monitor are your only real glimpses of the life being created.  Feeling your baby move for the first time is such a magical time of pregnancy.  It is those first faint kicks, those little flutters that tell you someone is in there.  Those little flutters that will become large, sometimes uncomfortable kicks, are your connection to the baby.

When you feel those first faint movements will vary widely from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.  Often times women will be able to recognize the faint flutters of movement earlier in second and subsequent pregnancies since they already know what to look for.  On average a pregnant woman can expect to feel her baby moving sometime around the 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.  The baby begins moving as early as 7-8 weeks but since it is still so tiny at that point you won’t yet be able to feel the movements.  Your size can also impact when you feel the first movements.  Larger women often don’t feel the first movements until closer to the 20th week of pregnancy or later.  While petite women may feel the baby move earlier.  When I was pregnant with Maya I felt her move for the first time during my 14th week of pregnancy.  It felt like tiny little flutters, sort of like popcorn popping inside my tummy.  It is definitely a very cool feeling.

As the baby continues to grow and take up more space inside your abdomen you will begin to feel stronger more regular kicks.  You’ll begin to recognize your baby’s cycles.  There will be certain times of the day when the baby is very active, like just after you’ve eaten or when you are relaxing or trying to sleep.  Other times of the day the baby will be very still.  Recognizing these patterns will help you identify if something is wrong.  If you haven’t felt the baby move at his or her regular times you’ll know to call your doctor.   A general role of thumb for fetal movements is at least 10 distinct movements in no more than 2 hours.  You don’t need to constantly count the movements but occasionally, during a regular active time for your baby, sit quietly or lay on your side and time how long it takes to feel 10 movements.   Call your doctor if you do not feel 10 movements in 2 hours.

Feeling those movements, even though they can sometimes be uncomfortable or keep you awake at night, is the best feeling.  Those little hands and feet moving away inside giving you a glimpse of the person you will meet on delivery day.  Enjoy those kicks, they are definitely one of the things you will miss about being pregnant.

Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are at all concerned about your baby’s movements.

The US government announced a new national campaign today called Text4Baby that will use cellphones and text messaging as a means to get healthy mother, healthy baby tips out to millions of expectant mothers all over the country.  The campaign is being sponsored by several organizations and companies including the National Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, Voxiva, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Wellpoint and Blue Cross Blue Shield; and wireless carriers have agreed to waive all charges associated with receiving these text messages.

The goal of the campaign is to reach as many expectant mothers as possible and to use these periodic “healthy pregnancy” text messages to keep women informed about the things they should and shouldn’t be doing during pregnancy in order to help keep themselves and their babies healthy.  The hope is that through these text messages women will be encouraged to eat healthier, exercises more and seek proper prenatal care, as well as provide encouragement and support to quit bad habits like smoking and drinking during pregnancy.  A woman who has a healthy pregnancy and partakes in a healthy lifestyle during her pregnancy is much less likely to give birth prematurely and is more likely to have a healthy baby.

In the United States over half a million babies are born prematurely every year and every year almost 30, 000 babies die before their first birthday.  Sadly, the United States ranks 30th worldwide in infant mortality, falling behind many other developed nations.  The hope is that programs like Text4Baby will help women, especially low income women and those without health insurance, get the information they need to keep themselves and their babies healthy during pregnancy which will hopefully translate into fewer premature births and a fewer infant deaths.

The program is completely free to sign up for, and as stated above most cell phone carriers are waiving the fees associated with receiving these text messages.  Visit Text4Baby.org to learn more about the program and sign up.