Just started third trimester
I wasn’t sure which week marks the beginning of the third trimester, but then I used a couple “due date calculators” online to get the exact date (based on my due date). Not that the actual trimester actually means anything, but it does feel good to know I am in the last stretch.
Last week I freaked out a bit. My husband mentioned that he thinks I might have sleep apnea, and I looked up possible complications and found lots of things to worry about. http://www.dreamdoctor.com/saps1.shtml
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancysleep/7547.html
I also sometimes gasp during the day, my husband and Mom think it is due to my posture, but I started to worry, especially since I was getting a tightness in my neck/chest (probably heartburn) and my hemoglobin was low last blood test (although iron level was ok) and I am so out of breath and my heart beats so loudly if I walk up a flight of stairs. Anyway I called my ob-gyn, but she was away for 8 more days and so I tried my family doctor, but I couldn’t get an appointment anytime soon. So I decided to leave it, and the next day I felt much better. I think I was just stressed about something on Wednesday, even though I didn’t realize I was that stressed about it. Thursday I felt much better.
It is so easy to get stressed over things, I know I should not look things up on the internet and try self-diagnosis, but it is so tempting.
We also realized that we have to start looking for a pediatrician. Many are not taking new patients and you have to have one lined up since you are supposed to have a checkup within 48 hours of bringing the baby home. So I am going to ask my ob-gyn next appointment if she recommends anyone on the subway line.
No Abdominal pain today
My tummy feels good today! I have been dealing with abdominal pains for the past few weeks, but I hadn’t realized how much it had been affecting me until today when the pain is gone. I am much less aware of my belly, and can even forget that I am pregnant for bits at a time. At first I was worried that I didn’t feel pregnant anymore, but I think how I feel now is more normal. The baby is still moving occasionally, although sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between movements and gas 🙂
I went to a cardio aqua bellies class last night and I think that might have really helped since I haven’t been exercising much due to the ad pains that I get even when walking. I had some pains during the class, but nothing more serious than I had experienced walking, so I kept going. It could also be because I got a really good sleep last night.
The news is out
So I have finally told my manager at work, which means I no longer have to keep the biggest secret I have ever had to keep. (I am at 21 weeks). I feel better now that people around me know, I can talk about things and people will realize that I am wearing these strange clothes for a reason. (I borrowed some maternity clothes from a friend, but she is shorter than me so I have lots of tops, but very few bottoms.)
I have one black skirt and one black pair of pants that fit properly (and actually the pants keep falling down since they are 3-in-1 and I don’t have enough of a belly yet. I was using a safety pin to attach my pants to my bra, but now I have borrowed some suspenders so I will see how those work 🙂
Anyway, I am just glad the cat is out of the bag and I can wear clothes that make me look pregnant instead of just fat. Also, maybe people will be more understanding now of how tired I get.
I woke up three times last night, twice to go pee, and once to kick the cat out of the bedroom (I have allergies, and the gate doesn’t always keep the cat out). So this morning I was really grumpy, but now I feel ok and am heading to my second prenatal yoga class.
Second Trimester Ultrasound
Yesterday we had our 18 week ultrasound. I am at 18 weeks + 3 days from LMP, however she estimated that I am actually at 19 weeks + 3 days which matches the other ultrasounds I have had.
We got to see the profile of the face, little fingers, the spine, the legs (which were moving around). My husband saw an ear too, but I couldn’t quite make it out on the monitor. The heart is still beating nice and strongly. The baby was face-down during the test, the technician said that it will tend to move around and that was ok. This was the first time that the baby actually looked like a baby, the technician took some photos for us, but didn’t let us have a video like some places do. I know the ultrasound is for the doctor’s benefit, not ours, but it would have been nice to have a recording.
It is all starting to be so much more real now. I am more aware of my tummy, especially since I keep getting ligament pains and other occasional twinges. What are we going to do when we actually get to bring the baby home?
During the ultrasound I was bursting to go pee, I drank lots of fluids, but I didn’t follow the instructions because I went pee half an hour beforehand. Partway through the test I was really uncomfortable and didn’t know if I could hold it (especially since she was pressing down with the ultrasound wand) and she let me go to the washroom. I don’t know how they expect pregnant women to hold their bladders for so long.
We don’t want to know the gender, so we asked the technician not to tell us. Although it amazes me how much they can tell from all those gray blobs.
I also just signed up for prenatal yoga classes with Baby and Me Fitness Classes at the JCC (Jewish Community Centre) in Toronto. They have multiple locations and classes and she said I could change around if I want to. Which is good since I don’t know which location I will be working at for the later part of the year. I will let you know how they go.
I have felt so tired this week, part if it could be due to coming back to work after a couple weeks vacation, but all I want to do all day long is lay down. I know this is a big symptom of pregnancy, it just seems that my tiredness level has zoomed up recently.
My pants no longer fit
I have been on vacation for the past couple weeks, and my track pants fit fine, but I had to get back into work clothes today and nothing fits.
I had picked up a maternity black skirt recently that I wore today, but I was sure everyone was looking at my tummy. I had to go shopping after work today so that I would have something different to wear tomorrow.
We have “Thyme Maternity” stores everywhere, so I thought I would try someplace else. I went to “Motherhood Maternity” and they didn’t have many petite black pants and the customer service was horrible. One guy helped me find a size, but then no one helped me decide what fit best or to help me with other sizes. So I went to “Thyme Maternity” (I am lucky that the Eaton Centre has two maternity stores in the same mall). They were so much more helpful there and had a better selection of pants (two types to choose from instead of one). I also ended up getting a more supportive bra and some underwear.
I ran into another shopper who had also started at the other store and ended up at “Thyme Maternity”, she also complained about the customer service at Motherhood. The prices were cheaper at “Motherhood Maternity”, but it is important to make sure the clothes fit.
The books say that you shouldn’t buy everything all at once, especially since you don’t know exactly what shape you will be. So I will go back next month and get something new too. I have borrowed some clothes from a friend, but not enough to last me through another 4.5 months.
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