Baby and Me!

At my last appointment I found out that I have gained 13 pounds, and for my BMI, my healthy weight gain range by the end of my pregnancy is anywhere from 25-35lbs. So I'm right on track. The 5 pounds I lost in the first few months from all the nausea, were gained back no problem (as my midwife reassured me they would be).

I got to listen to Jocelyn's heartbeat again, and this time it was immediately found with the dopler now that my belly's bigger, so it wasn't a 10 minute procedure of curly-ques with the machine back and forth on my tummy to locate the tiny heart like last time. Within a couple seconds, we heard a perfect 155 beats per minute, healthily pumping along. It is one of the most magical sounds. Amanda, my nurse friend with a baby told me that she would use her stethoscope everyday to listen to her baby's heartbeat during the last months of her pregnancy. This makes me want to buy a stethoscope. There is a heart beating inside my belly. Its really pretty trippy, and amazing. Truly magical.

I also found out that due to my inverted uterus and upside cervix (shaped like a SHARK), that the placenta is in front, rather than behind the baby in my tummy. This means that it can be more difficult to feel movement, since the placenta is between my belly and baby (so for a visual think of these layers: Belly > Placenta > Baby, rather than most women who have: Belly > Baby > Placenta). To me, this explains why when I first started to feel the kicks/ "bubbles" they felt more like droplets of water in a pond (more circular than "butterflies")  because what I was feeling was my baby kicking against the placenta towards my stomach. I've been feeling her movement a lot these days, and I've had Jason's hand on my belly a couple times and he's felt her too. I love her! Lil pumpkin.

I also learned that (as per our last anatomical ultrasound a couple weeks ago) that she weighed 12 ounces, which is right at the 54th percentile, so right in the middle which is perfect. Not underweight, not overweight :)

I've also been so very grateful to have finally graduated out of my nausea stage! It only took me 19 weeks to fully kick it, but I did it! I'm still eating crackers in bed first thing in the mornings, because I want to be extra sure I won't get the morning voms, but it feels so good! I have more energy and just feel AWESOME. They said that this period of pregnancy would come with the 2nd trimester, I'm happy that I get to enjoy it, because for a while I thought my nausea would never go away.

Its been raining a lot this last week, which is so great. I'm hopeful that this summer won't lead to another extreme heat/droughty summer, but to be as mild as a Texas summer can be. Of course still with lots of swimming involved. Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Monica to have tea with her and her October baby (born last year) Poppy Olive. I'm really excited to see her, its been a long time and I haven't met her lil one yet. Yay for October babies!!