This week Baby Girl is 13.5 inches long and weighs a pound and a half. According to TheBump.com this is the size of a cauliflower. Whoever writes these articles must live in a produce super state because I do not think I am going to find a 13.5 inch cauliflower. But I digress, this week Baby Girl's nostrils have cleared and opened up and she can practice breathing. Her tiniest blood capillaries (I think that's the right term, I writing this from memory after reading articles earlier today) are also forming this week giving her formerly translucent skin a pinkish glow. Her hair is also starting to get some pigmentation and she is gaining some body fat, all of which is making her look less like an alien and more like a newborn.
At this point I have 15 weeks left to be considered full term. But if Baby Girl decides to take after her mommy and daddy she could very well be here in 9 weeks! So I am starting to freak out a little. This feeling combined with my physical changes are making me feel and act like a stereotypical pregnant woman. In the past week I went from not feeling pregnant to feeling incredibly heavy and sluggish. I'll take a moment now to complain a little bit about the new list of things that are becoming increasingly difficult for me:
1. Getting up from a lying down position. It must be because my ab muscles have stretched but I can't simply sit up from lying down any more. I need to use a sort of rocking motion to get some momentum to get up. I'm sure I'd be quite hysterical to watch.
2. Washing up in the morning and evening. Our vanity is at the perfect height that the roundest part of my belly hits it while leaning over the sink. I think I will need to buy another step stool for the bathroom. Yes, my side of the bed is only a few feet from the bedroom and there is already a step stool there that could be moved back and forth...but see #3.
3. Picking things up off of the floor. Leaning forward is a no go. I've been told all along that it's bad on a pregnant lady's back to lean forward so I should always squat down to pick things up. I had been ignoring that since I hadn't gotten very big and hadn't gained much weight. But all of that has changed and over the weekend I leaned over to pick something up and had the worst back pain I've ever experienced so now that's over. The problem is that with a belly and decreased coordination/balance, one must squat in a wide stance. For someone who typically wears dresses and skirts this can be an issue.
4. Going up the stairs. I have no problem actually going up the stairs, the problem is a few seconds after I reach the top I get completely out of breath and have to stop for a moment to calm the heart that feels like it's beating out of my chest and get some air. This is an alarming and annoying symptom for someone who is normally in good shape!
But I know all of this is only going to get worse so I just continue on with a smile on my face. Just thinking about the end result makes everything worth it.
Hubby's latest work trip got cancelled so they flew him home for 4 days! It's so nice having him home every night. He's also made a lot of progress on the nursery. He has finished the hard wood floors and is working on the base boards today! My parent's are coming to visit this weekend so my Dad can set up the furniture for us too. This has me feeling much better.
At this point I have 15 weeks left to be considered full term. But if Baby Girl decides to take after her mommy and daddy she could very well be here in 9 weeks! So I am starting to freak out a little. This feeling combined with my physical changes are making me feel and act like a stereotypical pregnant woman. In the past week I went from not feeling pregnant to feeling incredibly heavy and sluggish. I'll take a moment now to complain a little bit about the new list of things that are becoming increasingly difficult for me:
1. Getting up from a lying down position. It must be because my ab muscles have stretched but I can't simply sit up from lying down any more. I need to use a sort of rocking motion to get some momentum to get up. I'm sure I'd be quite hysterical to watch.
2. Washing up in the morning and evening. Our vanity is at the perfect height that the roundest part of my belly hits it while leaning over the sink. I think I will need to buy another step stool for the bathroom. Yes, my side of the bed is only a few feet from the bedroom and there is already a step stool there that could be moved back and forth...but see #3.
3. Picking things up off of the floor. Leaning forward is a no go. I've been told all along that it's bad on a pregnant lady's back to lean forward so I should always squat down to pick things up. I had been ignoring that since I hadn't gotten very big and hadn't gained much weight. But all of that has changed and over the weekend I leaned over to pick something up and had the worst back pain I've ever experienced so now that's over. The problem is that with a belly and decreased coordination/balance, one must squat in a wide stance. For someone who typically wears dresses and skirts this can be an issue.
4. Going up the stairs. I have no problem actually going up the stairs, the problem is a few seconds after I reach the top I get completely out of breath and have to stop for a moment to calm the heart that feels like it's beating out of my chest and get some air. This is an alarming and annoying symptom for someone who is normally in good shape!
But I know all of this is only going to get worse so I just continue on with a smile on my face. Just thinking about the end result makes everything worth it.
Hubby's latest work trip got cancelled so they flew him home for 4 days! It's so nice having him home every night. He's also made a lot of progress on the nursery. He has finished the hard wood floors and is working on the base boards today! My parent's are coming to visit this weekend so my Dad can set up the furniture for us too. This has me feeling much better.
How far along? 25
weeks
Total weight
gain/loss: Up 7 lbs overall, 2 pounds gained in the past week. I’m thinking I need to cut back on the mac
& cheese.
Maternity clothes?
A must! I only bought work clothes since I could get away with the elastic band on my jeans and summer dresses, but I'm getting to the point where I'll need to switch to casual maternity clothes too. I just wish they weren't so expensive!
Stretch marks? No.
Sleep: A
lot more dreams this week.
Best moment this
week: Having Hubby home!
Miss Anything? My energy and motivation!
Movement:
Yes! Usually just at night and in
meetings. I think she gets bored when I
sit still for too long!
Food cravings: Mac
& Cheese is a favorite. Cravings
vary day to day. Weirdest one of the
week was ramen noodles.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Bananas,
Sweet Potatoes, and the trash can.
Belly Button in or
out? In but it’s looking more shallow.
Wedding rings on or
off? On.
Happy or Moody most
of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Going
to Cirque du Soleil this weekend! And
having my parents come visit!
I'm really struggling picking things up off of the floor too. I can't unload the bottom rack of dishwasher easily.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm getting huge too...my husband took my weekly bump photo today and while I'm wearing a loose shirt, I look HUGE! I've gained about 11-12 lbs so far and it seems like it's all in my stomach (which I'm totally fine with, I'm just shocked at my size haha).
So excited to see you and the baby belly! Sorry we are going to miss Dan. See you very soon!
ReplyDeleteLove you,
mom