"Just Barely" Pregnant PS''ers

[Lanie]

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Lanie, I'm going to call the doc in the morning--I have nothing to lose! I'll use a sick day if I really need to, but I'd like to fight through it. I'm not throwing up, and I'm thankful for that, but the sickness can be so overwhelming that I have a hard time thinking about anything else. I do feel like I might puke at any minute. I'm honestly okay enough to work by around 1pm. It's the time between taking a shower in the morning and lunch that is hardest for me. So at least I'm not miserable all day!

marlie, I'm trying to use a little bit of flex time each week to make the week more manageable. I'm taking a half day this Friday, so that will be nice. And I hear you on the boob issue--I'm a 32 full B/barely C. I tend to wear 32 Cs, but I definitely don't look like a c-cup kind of girl. The thought of needing a D soon is so bizarre to me. I can't imagine being even bigger than that. And my sister said the same thing as Elle--the the ribs expand a little, too. I can't tell you how many times a day I touch them--they feel so foreign to me. And sometimes I stare in the mirror and think "whose boobs are these?"

NEL -- the reason I ask is that I only threw up probably 10 times the whole time I was sick. I'm not going to tell you how long I was sick, so as not to discourage you. But when I DID throw up, man I felt a million times better for several hours. Hope your doc can give you something, and more importantly, that it works! Hang in there. Rumor has it that tough pregnancies = easy deliveries!

 

[FrekeChild]

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Dang Elle! I'm still in my normal bras...just a tiny bit more spilling out than I had before. (34/36DD for the record)

Marlie, my pee turns bright yellow too--almost with a greenish tinge. I believe your body is absorbing what you need and discarding what you don't need. I wouldn't worry about it too much!

 

[janinegirly]

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Ok, jealous of all the ladies with big boobage increases! I'm small to start and am fuller now but no big changes, humph. My bras are smaller and therefore pushing everything together, but I think this is more due to the rib cage thing - great, I get the big butt and bigger rib cage outta this!

NEL: I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time! At least it's just nausea...I know getting sick provides some relief for people, but I also was kind of relieved I only had the nausea (but not as bad as you by the sounds of it) - because it allows some control. It's tough having a full on job through this phase, I don't know how some managed with severe MS. I would agree on calling the dr. for some medication and/or telling one confidante at work. It's tough b/c it's early and also you want to be able to show you are just as capable as you were non-preggo, but on the other hand it'd be nice to have someone know so there is some understanding. Sounds like they are on to it anyway. When is your appt? Can't wait to find out how far along you are,etc. They did my u/s v. early on (5wk 6 days) so I think every doctor might be different, but the later the better b/c there's more to see!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

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LC, glad to hear you're still feeling good--I agree that I need to break the days down into pieces. It helps. Is your officery officially done for now? I've been rethinking the paint in our nursery, but I'm not making any changes or buying furniture until I know what we're having, so I'm taking a long break. Oh, and my husband is more of a butt guy, but who knows, he might become a boob man soon, haha.

Lanie, your sickness sounds really awful. I'm glad that getting sick actually helped you feel better--my friend who's 9 weeks says that getting sick doesn't make her feel any better. I hate getting sick, so I would need to know that it provides some relief so it's worth it.

Janine, I might go ahead and tell one person at work. It would be nice to have somebody who understands. I have a meeting with her later today, so I might spill the beans then. My u/s is this Friday...I'm so excited. I like having something to look forward to at the end of the week, it keeps me pushing through!

AFM, I promise to stop talking about the nausea, even I'm sick of listening to myself. I called the doc and they gave me an rx, the only downside is that the meds make you really sleepy, so she advised me to take B6 instead if I'm at work. I keep trying different things, so I'm convinced I'll find a way to manage it!

D and I have started discussing what to do for childcare. I feel like me staying home would stress me out financially--D told me to keep thinking about it and do whatever I feel is best. He seems on board with me working, so for now the plan is for me to go back to work, but stay part-time for 3 months, then figure it out from there. He also recommended that we find a Swedish au pair. How convenient. I'm on to him...

 

[brown_eyes]

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Pancake - yay for some help with the house work! I've been completely useless in this regard. I gag over the sink when I try to do the dishes, and I've just been so tired that DH has picked up that along with the other weekly chores. The only thing I have on my plate right now that is housework related is the laundry. Speaking of... I should probably get that done before DH runs out of clean boxers...

marlie - I hope your US goes well today! I love ultrasoudns and am sad that I will probably only have 1 or 2 more. I'm sorry that you dont like your doctor all that much. It's never too late to find someone you are more comfortable with. And as for the bright yellow pee - that happened to me when I was on the capsules. My gag reflex has resorted me back to the gummies.

NEL - yes! A helpful hubby is the best. I can't even tell you how thankful I am when he just brings me a cold glass of water. As for telling some work people, I recommend it. I've mentioned it before, but I was able to work out a part time work from home schedule and it has been amazing! I know that you probably have concerns about them taking you seriously or being worried about whether you can handle your work load, but this whole MS thing is temporary and pretty soon you'll be back to your old self. If they can work something out with you for the next month or so you will feel so much better. I know how your feeling, and it is so incredibly uncomfortable to feel that way all day. I hope you find some relief soon. Preggie pop drops in all the sour flavors provided me with some good temporary relief when I really needed something (the rasberry was the best!). OH, and yay for your first ultrasound! It is truly such an amazing thing to experience!

LC - Yes, DH is a total sweetie and he is really taking good care of me. I'm glad you are still feeling pretty good. I hope that doesnt change for you. When is your first appointment again??

AFM - not much has changed. My symptoms are holding steady and I can barely keep my eyes open between 2pm and 7pm. My 2nd appointment is in a couple of days and I'm interested to see what she does (besides blood draws and urine samples). Any of you BTDT moms have some insight on what these appointments will consist of? I'm really hoping to hear the heartbeat on the doppler, but I dont want to get my hopes up too much.

brown_eyes (9w5d)

 

[Lanie]

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brown-eyes -- in my experience, it depends on your insurance. After leaving my RE, I got crappy ultrasounds maybe 2 times more? It seemed like I never got an ultrasound. One of the other girls on here had my same doc (HOUMed) and she got them all of the time! I know that's not what you asked, but your question just reminded me of that. OB appts are really boring. I never got blood draws. Just urine samples. She'll measure your tummy, feell your tummy, listen on the doppler. Ask if you have questions, and then send you on your way. You'll get the ol' Q tip thing in the butt later on, which is delightful. I went once a month until, I think, 36 or so weeks? When you start going in every 2 weeks, it gets fun bc they feel to see if you are dilated at all! I feel like the first trimester is the worst bc you can't really see anything going on, you are just going on faith that there's a baby in there, you don't feel any movement yet, and it just sucks.

 

[lliang_chi]

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NEL, don't sweat the complaints about nausea. That's what this thread is for, to vent complain and find support. Besides, your awful stories help me feel more lucky and less nervous. Sorry I **know** that didn't come out right, but I think you get what I'm saying, right? Your U/S appt is this FRIDAY!!!!

I'm kinda superstitious (for lack of a better word), so I haven't been looking for nursery furniture until after our first appt. That's kinda why I haven't purchased a stitch of baby clothes etc. But this weekend Sis and I are going to hit Ikea and put up the overhead shelving. We're doing 18 linear ft of shelves so it should be PLENTY of space for all sorts of storage. I might pick up some curtains too. The one downside is there's EXTENSIVE water damage on the dry wall along the north-side of my condo. I'd like to get it all repaired before we go full bore on the nursery redecorating. Ha ha! I can now OFFICIALLY call it a nursery with DH freaking out.

As far as childcare for us. I fully plan to go back to work. I really enjoy my job, and TBH my salary is a lot for me to leave on the table if I stop working. So far that's the plan, of course things might change. My DH was talking about needing to buy a second car, and figuring out where to put the baby in daycare etc. I really **REALLY** don't htink we need another car, if and only if it becomes DH's responsibility to drop and pick up the kid. 1) He works in the suburbs, where childcare will be cheaper 2) Driving to and from daycare is the only skill set needed. It's not like I can whip a boob out while driving. 3) We can still get by without getting a second car, which I really want to avoid.


Ah, Brown you posted, but in a meeting now. I'll respond later.

~LC (7W, 5D)

 

[marlie]

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LC...i'm also superstitious about buying baby stuff. i have to sort of build a nursery in my apt (we live in a lofty apt in nyc) so the only thing I'm willing to sort of do ahead of time is put up the wall. i'm sure that'll change when i can't resist the urge to buy all of the cute stuff anymore. glad to hear you and your DH decided on your daycare situation. as for the car, you can always wait and see if the one car is functional enough in the beginning and make the 2nd car decision once the baby is here. and, my dh is the same way about our "nursery". i started calling it the baby's room and his eyes bugged out of his face. i think it sunk in a little more right then. i smiled when i read your comment about your dh!

brown...yay for your next appt! you are about a week ahead of me so I don't know exactly what they'll do. fingers are crossed you get to hear a hb! i'm sure your baby is going to look so much bigger than last time which is so exciting.

NEL...you can vent here about your nausea as often as you need to. nausea sucks. you are entitled to whine and complain and all of that. i hope that the doc's suggestions of b6 and/or the rx help you. i only have mild nausea and i know how uncomfortable it can be so i can only imagine what you are going through. sending you big hugs.


janinegirly...so funny about the boobs. i bet your cupsize is changing if you aren't fitting in your bras! funny... i forgot that the boobs were going to grow so i was kind of surprised by them when they started. DH is in love which is great but i keep reminding him that the bigger they get, the more deflating they'll do. plus, like i mentioned, i'm short so all added bulk in any form makes me look ridiculous. i already have a bit of a butt (quite a bit actually) so add a baby bump into the mix and i'm going to look like a meatball.

freke...yay! thanks for the pee color reassurance! hope you are feeling well.

afm...had my second US today. baby is so much bigger than it was 2 weeks ago. i just kept saying "it has a head AND a body!" we saw the HB flickering away but we didn't get to hear it. i asked the doc (who was muuuuch more patient today) and she said we'll hear it at 12weeks. that's when they'll do the genetic testing and NT scan as well so that's August 9th. she offered me an US in between if i didn't want to wait 4 weeks which is nice but for now I think i'll wait. if i change my mind i can call and go in sometime in the next couple of weeks. She said the baby looks perfect and my due date of 2/20 is still correct. overall, it was a great appt.

 

[janinegirly]

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NEL: LOL on DH's au pair comment. Good idea on telling one person and yay for Friday! I think going back to work is a great idea, for the 2 salaries but also - you will want a break from mommy-dom once in awhile trust me. The first few months will be tough (which is why you are so lucky to have p/t option) but then you will be grateful you stuck it out - I sure am. I may still SAH eventually but I like that the decision will be based logically not impulsively b/c then I would have been home and miserable now..and with no $$ of my own (and less choices)!

LC: sounds like you are doing great, and I hear ya on supserstition. I barely told a soul for a lonnnng time because of it!

Marlie: hehe on the butt, boobs (deflating commment was funny!). My butt has grown this pg...but to me it is not looking so JLO - more like everything is expanding! My bbs are a bit bigger but I still would like some D's like the other ladies have, lol, even though the deflation is so true. And you're right about the 2nd u/s, at 7-8 weeks I couldn't believe I could see what already looked like a mini baby formed, it's amazing.

Brown Eyes: I think it depends on doctors and what is considered standard in your area. I'm in NYC and my dr. does an u/s at every visit up til about 30 wks (for a normal pregnancy). The doppler to 'hear' the heartbeat is later, I want to say around 12wks. Last time around I bought my own (I was neurotic, so opposite to this time around) and I remember reading that you would hear it 10wks earliest. With the u/s I had transvaginal ones until that 12wk point or so. But I know other preggos who only had u/s for the big ones (NT, 20 wk). With me I went to a hospital or lab for the big ones so the machine was definitely stronger.

 

[lliang_chi]

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Brown, 9wks already! Hooray!!! My first appt is in 2wks, July 25th. It seems like a LOOOOOONG ways off. It's so helpful we have so many BTDT moms on this thread (or lurking, Lanie) to help us answer our questions. It's such a great resource. Wow, so nice your DH is picking up the chores around the house. I was nearly FLOORED when my DH offered to mop the house for me a two weeks ago. That was probably only his second time ever mopping, and trust me our place is NOT LARGE AT ALL. I hope it's a sign that he's ready to take up more housework, because that'd be AWESOME. Although I really can't complain, DH does a really good job with our white & colors.

Marlie, do you and your DH work close to your home? What are you planning on doing for childcare? Hooray for the U/S! LOL about the meatball comment. I totally know what you mean. I caught my reflection in the sunglasses of someone I was talking to this weekend. Dunno if it's because sunglasses are concaved, but I looked TOTALLY ROUND. I'm going to stick to the concave glasses and live in denial.

We actually haven't sorted childcare out yet, I've just come up with this scenario in my head and I need to talk to DH about it. So far, I don't seem many holes in my rationale, but I'm sure he'll think of something. I still think it's the best solution for us, but of course this is just a one-sided decision right now. We might tackle this when we get closer to a due-date or closer to me going back to work.

I totally want to put off getting a 2nd car as long as we can. My plan is to tell my DH let's try to make it work with 1 car. Worse comes to worse, stuff as much cash in our pockets and head to CarMax.

Janine, your decision sounds a lot like my thinking too. I like working and I think I'd be too frazzled being a Mommy all day long. It's a TOUGH job, and maybe I just need to be out of the house to help with my own wants. I'm not saying I'm selfish or only concerned with ME and I don't care about/care for raising children. But I think I can be a more effective mother if I have a job outside the home rather than it being my sole activity during the day. Does that make sense?

It's a departure from the "norm" for my DH because ALL of DH's friends who have kids, their wives are SAHMs. It's totally not going to be that way for me and DH was aware of that from the get go. I dunno, his mom was also not a SAHM and his sister is also a professional, so I think it's easier for him to see me as being a professional and a mom. I think if DH got married younger, he'd end up being the sole provider, much like his friends who are parents now. But since we got married older (29 & 32) and having kids older (31, 34), we'll probably stay in the working parents route, at least for as long as I can foresee.

~LC (7w-5d)

 

[TooPatient]

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Just stopping in to say congratulations to you all!

Re: bright neon urine -- Freke is correct that your body absorbs what it needs and then gets rid of the extra. Vitamin B does that even when you aren't pg!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

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brown_eyes, I'm so glad your husband is being so helpful! And it sounds like you feel exhausted all the time--I'm lucky in that I don't feel too tired until I'm home, but maybe I'll get more tired as time passes. I know a coworker of mine had the preggie pop drops when she was sick--she may still have some. What is your part-time work from home schedule like? Do you work from home 2 days per week? I've been trying to figure out what schedule would work best for me if I were to present one to my boss. On one hand, working from home sounds very appealing since the morning shower, blow drying my hair, and commuting via train on these hot days is awful, but I'm afraid if I do stay home, I'll have no motivation to work. I may just ask to come in later since mornings are my big issue. I don't know.

LC, I'm with you about feeling superstitious--I haven't bought any furniture or anything for the baby, either. It doesn't feel very real at this point--maybe I'll feel differently once we see an u/s. The nursery is prepped and ready for furniture (unless I repaint), but it just feels like an empty room right now. I still walk in there a few times a week to think about my life in 9 months, haha. I think the shelving idea is a great one--I may be adding shelving down the road.

It's great that your husband works in the 'burbs, that will make childcare drop off and pick up easier. I'm still struggling with how that will work for us since we both work downtown. And I hear you on the salary thing, which is a surprise for me. I make a good salary as well, but always thought I'd be okay giving it up if needed, but I'm struggling with it. If I could work part time and cut my salary in half, I'd be fine with that. And we're struggling with the car issue as well. We have two vehicles: a sedan (with 200K miles on it) and an SUV. My husband suddenly wants a sports car, though. In fact, he's gone to look at 2 Dodge Vipers. I keep asking him where the child where go in this Dodge Viper--he says "in the passenger seat". Apparently this will be the car that our Swiss au pair will drive . He's been amazing so far with helping me and he's really excited about the baby, but the man has lost his mind. I have been delicately bringing him back to reality (delicately meaning that I yell "What the hell is wrong with you?! If you spend our savings on a sports car, I'll beat you with a wooden spoon!")

marlie, I'm so jealous you had your second u/s! That must have been so great to see! I would totally take the doc up on an u/s before the NT And I"m with you on feeling like a meatball--I'm the same way. I'm already feeling unlike myself with my bloated stomach and boobs. I hope my butt doesn't follow soon....though I'm sure it will.

Janine, I know I'm going to struggle with going back to work in the beginning, but I honestly feel like I'm not ready to give work up yet (maybe after 2? I don't know, you can tell me ) . Granted, it's not like I have a huge stash of money that D doesn't know about, but I do like being able to buy him nice gifts without having to talk with him about it. And I can't help thinking about how much faster we can accomplish our financial goals with my income, though he's the breadwinner by far. I would be fine working part-time indefinitely, but I don't think my company would be okay with that. I think it would be impossible for me to advance working part-time. I may explore my options in the 'burbs if I'm feeling stretched really thin at work.

You work in NYC and live in Brooklyn, right? Where is C in daycare? Or do you have a nanny? I should know this. I think C is in daycare, but can't quite remember. I don't know if we'll go the nanny route or not (we won't be getting a Swiss au pair), but if we go with daycare, I have no idea if we should choose a place in the city or near our home. I'm leaning towards a place near our home because we commute via commuter rail. The obvious downside is that it would mean the kid is in daycare longer.

Okay, enough blabbing from me today.

 

[Sha]

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marlie - I would probably wait a bit on the bras, in case you grow anymore in the coming weeks. You never know! In my last pregnancy, I wore the same bras throughout, with just a bit more spillage than normal.

K, I'm starting to be really jealous of everybody with morning sickness, and I'm getting really concerned about my lack of pregnancy symptoms these last few days. Seems like my queasiness is pretty much gone. Yesterday I went till 2 pm without eating lunch and felt completely fine - not even remotely nauseous. And my breast pain has decreased too. I'm worried that something might be wrong and that the baby isn't developing as it should. I have an appt next week Wednesday, so I guess I'll know then. It'll be a long wait....

 

[janinegirly]

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NEL: agree with all you say about going back to work. I'm not meaning to downplay the benefits of being a SAHM at ALL, I'm just saying for *some* who were pretty focused on work before the baby or had alot of independence / married later, it may actually be beneficial to keep working because it can be a big adjustment otherwise. It is especially beneficial if you work for a great company and have flexibility. Anyway, at the very least it's good to play it by ear until 6 months after the baby's here to reaccess - those first few months are a whirlwind so it's best to let things settle a bit before any impulsive decisions. That's just my experience though. Most of my friends have kept working, while DH's friends wives are all SAHM's so there are different approaches among circles of people too.

Anyway, I work in NYC and moved to a suburb of NJ after #1 was born. We chose the suburb based on proximity to the City (I still hate commuting though). I'm lucky in that we also have family NJ, on both sides. But my family is the one that really helps, DH's just kind of says nice things, hehe. These things you can't predict until the is baby here though (who will really help and how it'll all pan out). I had always planned on daycare for my DD, but my mom helped out in the beginning. Then I went back to work and she kept watching her. Then we did a house reno and so she kept watching her. And now we are back in the house and yup, Grandma is still watching DD! She drives back and forth to our home - it is an enormous help and peace of mind for me. Again never would have predicted this, but it works out great b/c they are so close! I would have likely done daycare otherwise, it's hard to say. With # 2, I ALWAYS thought that would be the time to be a SAHM, and maybe it will be, but right now I'd like to keep working until it doesn't make sense. I've learned that you just never know! I've got seniority at work now, good hours (9-5) / pay and negotiated one day work from home (not easy in my field/company). I think Grandma will contiune to help (we'll see on that one too), but my plan is to start the search for a part time nanny during maternity leave. I need to get DD into preschool, but have been slacking a bit on that since that's a lot of change for the Fall (new baby, turning 3 and then school). Sorry for the novel..you're crashing the preggo thread and I'm crashing this thread - I must just like crashing parties!

Sha: do NOT worry!!!!! I had literally no symptoms with #1. Well I had cramping and sore boobs for like 2 wks then, poof, all gone. I was so worried and googled everything and convinced myself someting was wrong. Went to the dr. at 8wks and practically convinced her....so she did an u/s and all was well. I never got many baby kicks either, she was just mellow I guess .

 

[lliang_chi]

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Sha, it's OK, mama. Maybe you can count yourself lucky thus far. I wouldn't start to worry until after the appt next Weds. And I'm with you, I can skip meals and function just fine. In fact I kinda prefer it to giant meals as I get really bloated after big meals and it's kinda uncomfortable. So take a step back and just enjoy this symptom-free time with your DD. Maybe the universe knows how busy you are chasing after D and gave you a break on the fatigue and M/S. I think that makes total sense, but that's just me

NEL, so funny about the wooden spoon comment. Thus far my DH has not sprung anything crazy like that on me, so I'm counting myself lucky. Right now the officery still looks more office than nursery. I do plan to change that this weekend, or at least I'm hoping to. We have a sweet 2000 Ford Taurus (it's probably the least fancy cars amoungst our friends). Neither DH or I are "car people" so we don't really care what car we have, as long as it's reliable and safe and can accommodate a car seat.

Janine, we totally love having you crash our thread.

Question: Anyone taking belly pictures yet? I dunno if my belly is bloat or baby, but right now I'm betting it's bloat. Ugh! Hate it.

~LC

 

[NewEnglandLady]

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Janine, thanks for sharing--I knew your family helped with C, but had completely forgotten. It sounds like flexibility is key--I know I may change my mind 1,000 times and always question myself (no matter what I choose), but I think as long as I feel I'm doing what's best for the family and am keeping an open mind, it should be okay. And never feel bad about crashing this thread, I love having all the BTDT moms around!

Sha, if there's anything I've learned on this thread, it's that symptoms can suddenly disappear for no reason at all. I would try not to worry if possible (I know, we all do).

LC, I agree about vehicles--hence our old sedan. To me they're all just depreciating assets. I get that sports cars are fun--but D can get one when he has a mid-life crises like every other man. Now's not the time. Also, I've taken a belly shot. I took one at 6 weeks and am planning to take them weekly. I do feel much more bloated as I approach 7 weeks--if I can see a difference between 6 and 7 weeks, I'll post them, even if they aren't technically "belly" shots. I'll call it a "bloat" shot. Heh.

 

[KatyWI]

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Hey ladies! I am about to pass out but I wanted to commiserate on the not being sure what do do after baby comes. I think I need to keep working, because I don't think we can afford for me not to... but it's also going to take a ridiculous amount of extreme cutting back to be able to afford to give half of my salary up to daycare I'm not really sure what to do - I mean, I know we just have to try to make it work and I think we can, but it's disheartening for sure. Maybe DH will get a sweet promotion soon?? A girl can dream...

AFM... Same old, same old... although I may have a little nausea going on. It's not bad by any stretch... several days in the last week I've "felt kinda crappy" and "can't decide if I'm starving or want to puke" but it never really gets to wanting to puke, I just feel generally icky for a while. I definitely have it better than most, so I feel like I shouldn't complain, but it sure doesn't help my concentration at work!! I regularly work 10 hour days which used to seem really short and these days they just draaaaaaaag....

And the ultrasound is tomorrow!!! Will report back and make sure to spread the love around tomorrow evening since I've been such a slacker the last few days. Thinking of you all!! xoxo

 

[pancake]

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Wow, so much activity on this thread!

Re working... I am definitely going to take 6 months off, then go back part-time until at least 12 months. A lot of my friends have taken off a whole year, which at the moment sounds appealing to me but to be honest I think it'll be good to have a bit of "adult level cognition" going on after a few months. I think Australia is probably quite culturally different from the States in terms of what is the norm for maternity leave, and obviously it depends on the sector too. We have a lot of support here and both our mothers have just recently retired, so I think the plan might be to eg. go back 3 days a week, with each grandmother taking a day of childcare and either my mum taking another day or bub in childcare for the third. I am most likely going to be going into just research when I go back (will drop clinical work for a full year) so I think that will afford me some extra flexibility in working hours.

Sha - I totally get your anxiety re lack of symptoms, I had some awful days worrying about the same thing. I think my brain is now sufficiently foggy that somehow I've been much less anxious since my appointment (a week ago) although there is plenty of time for the neurosis to build again before my next appointment (3 weeks from today). Fingers crossed for a good outcome with your appointment next week!

NEL - lol, a sports car!!! We are already a two car couple (we each owned a car before we met and with our work and our hours really could not manage with only one) so I can't comment on the one-car-with-a-baby thing. But if the 2nd car is going to be sports car, you may as well be a one car family!!

Marlie - so glad that your scan and appointment went well! Fantastic news. Re the pee colour, I have to say that is probably one of the only things I HAVEN'T been analysing (!) so I couldn't tell you. I have actually stopped taking a multivitamin prenatal and am now just taking folic acid though. The multi was making me feel a bit more urgh when I was already feeling urgh and my obstetrician said that this is common and just to go back to plain folate. So now I take folate and vitamin D supplements and that's it.

LC - no belly pics here yet. I keep thinking I should start, but then I look down at my bloated gut and just feel too gross!!!

Katy - good luck for tomorrow!!!

AFM, I am doing pretty well. Still quite tired but apart from that just chugging along. Nausea only comes sometimes now and I am yet to vomit at all so I think I am pretty lucky. Would like my intestines to sort themselves out please.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

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Just dropping by very quickly before a meeting.

Katy, I can't wait to hear about your u/s tomorrow!! I'm really excited for you and am glad you're still feeling pretty good!

Pancake, if I had the option of working part time for 6 months instead of 3, I'd take it in a heartbeat! I think that's a great plan. We're a two-car family as well and I really want to avoid getting a 3rd car because we only have a 2-car garage. I keep steering D towards getting a sporty family-friendly car to replace our old sedan, but he's not biting.

AFM, just want to say that I had a preggie pop and it really does seem to help! I think I'm feeling okay enough to lift my head off of my desk, which is great!

 

[marlie]

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Sha...you are me a week ago! I totally panicked about waking up one day symptomless and got myself all worked up about it. I had my US yesterday and the doc said my baby couldn't look any healthier. So I'm thinking that symptoms don't necessarily equal a healthy baby...it's just that all pregnancies are probably different and women tolerate the hormones differently. Don't worry!! Plus, after that symptom free day that i had, they came back full force so I wish i had just enjoyed a day of feeling good instead of worrying so much. And, please remind me of this exact statement next time I freak out as well.

pancake..glad you are doing well! sounds like you've got a good situation ahead as far as baby care! that's great that you are able to take 6 months off.

katy...hope that nausea doesn't get any more intense! glad you are managing and are feeling well otherwise. so excited to hear about your US tomorrow!

lc...i took a couple of "belly" photos. i took at 4 weeks right after finding out when my tummy was nice and flat. and i took on monday at 8 weeks b/c (vanity alert), i was having another flat belly day and i want to capture all of the flat belly days i can before saying goodbye to it for the next several months. i think my plan is to take a belly photo every 4 weeks until i start showing (so the next one will be 12 weeks) and then i'll take weekly ones after that i guess. Did you take any?? Also to answer your question...DH is a real estate broker in NYC so he works all over, but does a lot of business in our building actually so he does work from home a lot technically. I work in mid-town and we live downtown so i have about a 15-20 min subway ride to work everyday. not too bad. As for childcare, we would probably go the nanny route. i'm going to try to take 4 months of maternity leave which means that i'd go back to work in june-ish. my mom is a teacher and i'm thinking that maybe she'll watch the baby over the summer and then we'll start the nanny in mid-august when she goes back to work. i think for us, we're going to have to play it by ear once the baby is actually here.

janine...i'm glad you crashed this thread! it's great to hear from someone with experience.

nel...how are you feeling? did the doc's recommendations help at all?

AFM...all is good. not feeling great. my blood pressure is super low (i always have low bp, but since getting pregnant it's dropped even lower) which i think is part of what's making me feeling really crappy. the doc said that it's not dangerous but that it is really low. sometimes i feel like i can function on it but today, not so much. oh well, powering through as best i can. otherwise all is good. getting excited that the weekend is a few short days away and we can all catch up on much needed sleep!

 

[curiousaboutdiamonds]

Re:

Hi ladies, I'm tiptoeing into this thread now. 4 weeks today and it still doesn't feel real. Don't have much time for individual posts but just had these thoughts:

Re: bigger boobs: with DD I was 34B, during pregnancy grew to 34D, and then after birth and milk came in, I was 32DD I'm a petite gal at 5'2" so all eyes definitely went to the girls even though I tried to cover them and not make them noticeable as much as possible. I couldn't fit into my suits by 8 weeks bc the chest was so big. But everyone is different! Hopefully I didn't scare you gals.

Re: belly pictures: I took them every week and was so glad I did because it was great to look back to see the progression. I recommend taking pics from one side (make sure same side each time) and face on. DH wanted to take my pictures and make a flip book out of them

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Re:

Ally! I'm so excited to see you over here--congrats again! And I continue to be amazed with these growing boob stories. I can't even wrap my head around it! And good advice about the belly pics. I need to remember to take them from the side AND the front (last week I just did the side).

 

[brown_eyes]

Re:

Regarding the work after baby thing - I think that's something I will decide during my maternity leave. Right now, the idea of staying at home for 6 or 7 months sounds absolutely delightful, but I have a feeling that story will change when I'm in the trenches and missing adult contact. I really have no idea which way it will go, but I'm happy to have the luxury to have the option for a few months.

Lanie - Thanks for the info. I'm excited by the prospect of a quick appointment.

Marlie - so glad your US went well! I can't wait till the next time I get to see my little bean. Unfortunately for me, I think I'll be waiting until my NT scan on August 1st. I hope your BP sorts itself out soon so that you get to feeling better!

Janine - thanks for the info. It seems that every doctor is different, so I'm eager to see what the routine is with my doc.

LC - the 25th will be here before you know it! And yes, when DH helps with the house work it makes for a very happy me. To answer your belly pic question, I have not started taking them. Any bump that is there is temporary and caused by bloating which I would rather not catch on camera. I think I will start tomorrow (10 weeks!) with the every week pic, but I'm not expecting to see anything for at least another month or so.

NEL - I work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Breaking up the week and knowing that I only have to go in for one day at a time has really helped. Another schedule I toyed with was working from home in the morning and being in the office in the afternoon. Getting motivated to work isnt really an issue because I'm pretty busy right now. I think after another couple of weeks when I'm feeling normal again (fingers crossed), I'll return to being in the office full time. It really has been so nice, I'm going to miss it alot. Good luck with talking your DH out of a sports car. It sounds like he's hitting that mid-life crisis a little prematurely. Hopefully he comes to his senses soon. Also, yay for the preggie pop giving you some relief!

Sha - I know it's difficult, but try not to worry. I have had a couple of days where I feel like my old self and I have to admit it's hard not to let your mind wander, but it is really nice if you can enjoy the relief a little.

Katy - Yay for your ultrasound! I think we're all having a hard time with work at the moment whether it's from that icky feeling or fatigue, so complain away. That's what we're here for right?

pancake - your post baby work plan sounds amazing. I havent ventured into the possibility of part time at my company, but plan on inquiring later on in my pregnancy. Glad you're not feeling too bad.

Ally - welcome and congrats again!! Thanks for the tip on the belly pics, never thought about taking them from the front.

AFM - I'm scared to jinx myself, but I think my symptoms are finally starting to ease up a bit. I've been feeling relatively normal-ish in the after lunch hours of the day today as well as yesterday. I hope this means that my MS (all day sickness really) is coming to an end. I will not miss it one bit! Also, I am in absolute shock that tomorrow is 10 weeks for me. It still doesnt feel real sometimes.

brown_eyes (9w6d)

 

[Lauren8211]

Re:

Checking in to see if we've heard from Katy about her U/S!

 

[Mannequin]

Re:

Welcome, Ally!

Back from a four day camping trip - took my 5 wk sesame seed swimming, fishing, and hiking! A little vertigo going up and down hills, and a little fatigue, but otherwise had a great time.

We told my husband's family about the baby this past weekend. For the announcement at a party at MIL's house, I bought a fake loaf of bread, wrapped it in pink and blue ribbons, covered it and put it in a basket. MIL was actually using her oven when we got there, so I asked her if she had any more room for baking. She said she did, so I took the cover off the basket and held up the bun, telling her "this still needs to bake for about eight more months." She was so surprised and excited! My BIL and SIL are pretty pumped, too. Many family members were there for the party, so Hubs and I got to share the good news with everyone.

My FIL met us at our camping site to join us for our vacation in the woods the next day. He is a big Detroit Tigers fan, so we gave him a wrapped baby bib with "Little Detroit Tigers Fan" on it. He didn't know what is was at first, but he was happy when he realized what he was holding.

Looks like I have a lot to catch up on here! Will do some reading......

 

[lliang_chi]

Re:

Hey ladies!!

Katy, U/S today! FUN!!! I'm with Elle, anxiously awaiting an update from you. Totally know what you mean by loooong days! I'm glad you haven't been feeling too bad. Hopefully it'll continue. Remember your biggest tell tale symptom is still there: the lack of AF. I keep telling myself that.

Pancake, totally know what you mean by feeling all gross by the bloat. I have too, which is why I haven't been doing any belly pics either. Wow, 6 mths off then another 6 doing part-time sounds awesome! Although personally I don't know if I'd be able to take that long off. I think I'd feel like I'm missing out.

NEL, glad the preggie pops are helping. I had some Gummy Life Savers today. For no reason other than I really like them. I used them as my "goo" during the marathon I ran last year. I guess I just like gummy stuff.

Marlie, sounds like you have a good plan for when the baby's here. Even if things don't go according to plan, I think it's great you have a plan. It puts you a little bit at ease, to know worse comes to worse you already thought of *something*. I have low blood pressure too. I tend to get light headed a bit now, and I read it's kinda normal.

Ally, Hooray you're here! Thanks for the thoughts about the belly pics. OMG, I can't believe how big your boobs got. Did they go back down in size after you were done nursing your DD (if you're no longer nursing)?

Brown, I'm hoping you're all done with all-day-sickness. Ugh! 10 weeks! WOW! You'll be graduating to the big preggo thread soon! So happy!

MQ, What great stories on how you told your DH's family. Sounds like they're so excited. Glad you liked your vacation!!!

Not much going on here. Still battling the big bloat belly, or more like my opinions/feelings about it. Other than that, not much else going on. Had some throat tightness earlier this morning but that quickly went away. Doing some yoga tonight with Sis. I have a 1 month pass that I need to use up before I have to stop doing crunch styles stuff.

~LC (7W-6D)

 

[KatyWI]

Re:

Ok, I'll start with my stuff since apparently you want to know about it! Haha. Well, the appointment started out disconcerting... it didn't look like there was anything there! But then the tech said "Well, let's look at your ovaries, sometimes for some reason you can see more easily after some time has passed." Damned if she wasn't right! Baby is smaller than expected by a decent amount, which makes me think it's possible we didn't actually conceive until a few days after O (or I was wrong about when I O'd). But the embryo is measuring 6w3d, as is the gestational sac, and the heartbeat is 131, which falls directly in the middle of normal from what I can tell. She also found a pocket of fluid/blood (basically a small subchorionic hematoma) so she said that if I experience some bleeding (and I might not) that it's not necessarily cause for alarm but of course I can call if I want to, and should if there is heavy bleeding/cramping. But that it's pretty tiny and should not be pregnancy-threatening in the least. So we will see!

So basically... we have a live bean!! Due date has been adjusted to Mar 4, which makes me sad not to share one with NEL anymore but happy that bean appears healthy. Still trying to come up with a nickname, but we're going by food size in the meantime, so we're back to "pea" from "blueberry" since I'm less far than I thought!!

I called my mom tonight and she said "What else is new?" and I said "Can you keep a seeeeecreeet?" and she said "Of course!" and I said "I am pregnant!!" I tried to think of a better way to break the news, but I just wanted to tell her. I haven't told my dad or anyone else yet (except we told the same couple we told last time, who are super excited for us, but won't spill the beans, which is nice.) I was going to tell my dad, but my mom and I agreed it was still pretty early and he doesn't need to worry about me for at least another few weeks. It's kinda awesome feeling a kinship with my mother knowing that I feel now how she felt when she found out about me!!

So... at this point, I definitely don't feel "out of the woods", but I am still cautiously optimistic and super excited about our little pea! Can't wait for our appointment in 2 weeks, baby should be much bigger then!

Elle, thanks for checking in, lady!! You have such an adorable bump!!!

LC, enjoy the yoga! I should be getting up and about more, but I am just. so. tired!!! Interesting that your DH has so many SAHMs in his circle... I only have ONE friend who is a SAHM, and she's starting up an event planning business so she will have something to concentrate on. Us workin' ladies must work! (Well, I must, given the choice I probably wouldn't! )

NEL, so excited to hear about YOUR ultrasound on Friday!! Thank goodness the preggie pop worked for you... even the mild ickiness that I feel makes it tough to be at work, so I can't imagine how tough it is when you feel really sick. Did you end up telling the woman at work? It would be nice to have an ally for the really tough days. And I seriously LOLed at the Swedish au pair.

janine, I WISH I wanted bigger boobs! Hah! I am already a D, and I'm dreading them getting bigger! I hope like hell I'm one of the lucky ones and they don't grow much. I fully expect them to be bigger when my milk comes in, but it we could keep the growth to a minimum... hey, maybe I could give you some of mine?! And an ultrasound at every visit?! You lucky duck! I can't complain, having gotten one at 6 weeks, and I'll get one at 8 and probably 12 and definitely 20... and that seems reasonable, but every time would be awesome! And it's so nice that you have the help of your family... I was just telling my mother that I wish she lived here or we lived there so I didn't have to give my kid to a stranger at only 12 tiny weeks old!

brown - You seem to be similarly tired to me... DH has done so many dishes in the last couple weeks! I feel so guilty, but I mean to do it and I just end up falling asleep on the couch. Oof. But yayyy for the nausea easing up! I hope it stays far, far away! And 10 weeks already?! Wow, you'll be in the big girl thread soon. How the time flies in the big picture, even if the days seem super long right now!

marlie - How exciting about the ultrasound!! Since I wasn't as far along as I thought, I am super thrilled to see the bean again in two weeks. It'll be so much bigger and actually look like more than a shapeless blob!! That should put me right at 8w3d, which means I could have another scan 4 weeks later for NT... and then I can tell work and everyone else that I know, hahaha! It seems like such a long time to keep such a big secret! Thanks for reminding me the weekend is close... I live for the weekends now! Ahahaha.

Sha - try not to worry! This pregnancy thing is so odd, and it's such a joy and a burden at the same time. I've never been so happy or worried in my life! Sending good, sticky, healthy vibes your way. Hang in there!

pancake - Glad you're feeling pretty good! Me too! If only this exhaustion would go away... just a few more weeks for you, right?! Then you'll be a whole new woman!!

MQ, so awesome that you've been able to share the news with everyone in such special ways!! It's so exciting to have so many of the TTC girls over here all together!

ally - Welcome!!! So, what's up with you? Any symptoms? When are you spilling the beans that your DD is going to be a big sister??

Wow, that was long! There are so many of us, what an awesome baby boom!! I love it!!

 

[Sha]

Re:

Thanks for the encouraging words, girls! What you said really helped me feel better. I'm still not having many symptoms, but I'm trying to be hopeful until the appointment next week. I really want this baby!

Ally - congrats!!

Mannequin - awww....how cute! What a unique way to tell the fam!!! I can just imagine the excitement on the other end! Glad to hear you had a good time camping, too.

Katy - hooray for a great first appointment! What a scary start, but I'm glad everything turned out ok and that the bean appears healthy! Isn't it exciting to see? It's funny how you blurted it out to your mom, but with that question she asked, it would've been hard to keep it inside. She must've been so excited!

Belly pics - I totally recommend doing it weekly! It's amazing to see how the belly grows week by week.

Maternity leave - We have standard 3 month maternity leave where I'm from. It was hard to go back to work (because I was still sleep deprived), but it was nice too to focus on something else besides babycare all day. I found I got more personal time at work (e.g thinking, checking emails etc), than at home, which was nice too. I'm not in the U.S but I understand the childcare rates are sooo expensive - it must be difficult to think about balancing the expense of it vs. staying home/going back to work. Those of you who have family help are so fortunate!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Re:

Katy, congrats! Glad the tech didn't let you panic while they were trying to find the bean.

Sha, I know it's hard not to worry but I'm sure everything is fine. Did you have many symptoms with D?

AFM, don't want to sound like a pity party, but I'm crashing hard. I'm basically on bed rest now. Eating is a real struggle and I've given up on everything else I would normally do - take care of C, work out, cook, clean, etc. I've got help lined up in the mornings which was all I thought I'd need because C usually naps from 1 to 4, but now I'm wondering even about that hour or two in the afternoon before DH comes home. I know I need to take it day by day but I figure there's not much chance it will go away for a while when I'm only 7 weeks (well, not even that far officially by due date, but by ovulation - it's helping me mentally to round up!). I've tried zofran, phenergan, unisom + vit B6, and sea bands. The zofran works for maybe 3 or 4 hours (you take it every , but with C it knocked out the nausea completely, and now it just makes it better so I don't sob as much and can eat more, but it's still not great, and it's making me constipated.

With C my m/s was annoying but bearable, especially with zofran. But ever since I weaned her, I've had weird g/i and blood pressure/dizziness issues. It's a totally new thing in the last 10 months, and I figure it must be related to my m/s being so much worse now. I've never had diarrhea and have rarely thrown up (like once every 4 years), but since weaning C (it seemed to start right when I was weaning her) I've been sick about once a month, more often when traveling or getting AF. So obviously something is up, and I've been to the doc and went to the ER once, but I don't really have any answers.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Re:

Oh Phoenixgirl, my heart really goes out to you. I can't imagine feeling that awful, especially while caring for C. I know it must feel so overwhelming to get through the day, forget getting through the next several weeks. I wish so badly that there was something to help you. I remember crying earlier this week in the bathroom at work because I couldn't bear the thought of being really sick for weeks on end, but you have it worse than I do, so I can imagine how awful you must feel. This is going to sound really stupid (like putting a band-aid on a severed limb), but have you tried the preggie pop drops? I only ask because they are the only thing that helps get me through the day. A friend of mine who is 9 weeks pregnant (and has a toddler) stopped by my office yesterday in tears because she feels awful and can't take it anymore--I gave her some of my preggie pops and she called me later to tell me they helped her enough to get through the day somewhat normally. I also have a prescription for Promethazine, but the Zofron is supposed to work better. Anyway, I'm so sorry.

Sha, I'm glad you're feeling a little better! Everytime a symptom fades for me, I get worried (most recently it was the cramps, which have stopped), but my mentality is that stressing about it is only going to make me feel worse. If I were to have a lack of symptoms and heavy spotting, then I would be really worried, but luckily I haven't had any spotting yet. For me, that's when my fear would really kick in.

And 3 months (or 12 weeks) is pretty standard here in the U.S. as well. I would love more time, of course, but I'm interested to see how I'll feel when it is time to go back to work. I am definitely jealous of those with family close by. My family is about 1,500 miles away and it's hard. My sisters were such a network for each other when they all had kids (they still are, though their kids are teenagers now) and I always thought it would be amazing to have that kind of support system. Plus it would be wonderful to have our child be able to stay with a family member, though who knows, if we get a nanny maybe she'll be like family to us.

Katy!! My due date twin no longer! It sounds like my due date might change a little as well, so don't feel too bad. I am soooo excited that you finally got to see your little pea, that must have been amazing. Especially after that little scare in the beginning. It sounds like everything went really well, though, so that is a relief! And I'm glad she told you about the pocket of fluid so that if you do see some spotting, you'll know what it is. And yay for telling your mom!

I did end up telling a coworker, but nobody on my team (which was my original plan). I might tell a member of my team next week, after the u/s, but I'm glad I told one coworker because it's nice to have somebody to go to. She's 27 weeks pregnant and she was really sweet--she gave me her "morning sickness" stash from her first trimester, including the preggie pops I now have. Plus she told me which conference rooms were good to book for sleeping, haha. I'm really glad I told her.

LC, I LOVE gummy lifesavers. Or anything gummy. Sometimes in the afternoon (before getting pregnant) I'd go out to get "gummies". I just couldn't resist the gummy craving. Glad you're using that yoga pass when you can! Do you think you'll do prenatal yoga? I'm going to take it, but not sure when I should start. I think I'll wait until the second tri. Between the nausea and tiredness, this trimester is no good

MQ, so glad to hear you had a fabulous time on the camping trip and that you weren't feeling too bad! The Detroit Tigers onesie sounds perfect!!

brown_eyes, I think your plan to stay home for at least 6 months and play it by ear sounds perfect. And I'm so, so glad that your symptoms are starting to dissipate, that must feel so good. The only downside is that once you feel better, you'll be in the office all week! I think the Tuesday/Thursday work from home plan is great. If my nausea gets worse, I think I'll be doing something similar. I'm going to try to hold out, but we'll see. Once I have my u/s tomorrow, I might feel okay sharing the news with my boss so that we can work something out, but I'll see how I feel. Enjoy the Tuesday/Thursdays for at least a couple more weeks!

marlie, the low blood pressure sounds very hard to cope with--it must make you feel pretty sleepy/groggy on top of not feeling great overall. Does the doc think it will stay this way throughout the pregnancy?

Ally, Pancake, Krissie, RMFA (not sure if you're still around), how are you ladies feeling?

AFM, I know I said this yesterday, but the preggie pops really do keep me functioning. They're like little sour drops of heaven and magic. Granted, it's not like I feel like doing cartwheels, but I can sit through a meeting and feel well enough to listen, and that's enough for me.

The hospital already scheduled my NT scan for early August, which I think we're going to have to move. The purpose of the u/s tomorrow is to accurately date the pregnancy so that the NT scan is done at the right time, so I'm not sure why they already booked it. Oh well, they can reschedule.

7 weeks today!