PgAL check in 10/17

ikrystal

Hi ladies.  I hope you and baby have been well this week!  Please feel free to post any questions you may have for each other.  Also, if anyone has suggestions for QOTW, feel free to send me a PM!  

How far along are you?

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones?

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions?

QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss?

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week?

aragosta - Congrats on little baby Will! Lots of prayers and love to you, Will, and your family as he heads into surgery today.

ikrystal

How far along are you? 20 weeks

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones? Two more growth scans at 24 and 28 weeks (but until then, as usual, weekly appointments)

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions? Eat all the food!  I was slow to gain but I am catching up.. really quickly.  Four pounds in two weeks.  I'm officially as big as I was with my twins at 20 weeks!  

QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss? So many!  My favorites are:

This Lovely Life by Vicki Forman

To Full Term by Darci Klein

Half Baked by Alexa Stevenson
Breeding in Captivity by Stacy Bolt

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week? Baby girl had her anatomy scan yesterday. Everything looks great, except that her head is only measuring in the 10th percentile.  We have growth scans at 24 and 28 weeks again to check on her, and if her head has not grown by then, my doctor is looking to do diagnostic tests  

BrittianyM

How far along are you?     12 weeks and 2 days

 

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones?         NT Scan on the 23rd and today is Brooke's 20 month birthday

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions?       I have been haivng heartburn for about a week now and I crave things I see on TV. Drives my DH nuts. Lol!

QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss?         "Heaven is for real"

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week?          Just cait wait to my NT Scan so I can see LO and put some of my fears to rest. I am sure there will be more afterward though. I am always going to worry.

 

aragosta   Congrats!!!!!!!!

jess123456

How far along? 36 weeks and 5 days

Upcoming appointments or milestones?

I have a breast feeding class next week and a weekly appointment too. I think full term starts at 37 weeks so that will be a big milestone. Maybe I'm wrong? Regardless it's a little over 3 weeks until my due date and never in a million years could I have imagined I would get here.

Symptoms/cravings? Feeling very large and easily tired. Experiencing some swelling too but blood pressure still looks good.

QOTW: I enjoyed An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination but read that a long time ago. To be honest I haven't been reading much about pregnancy after loss due to anxiety. I do look up articles on Still Standing from time to time.

Open Topic: I am ready for my baby boy to be here already. The last few weeks have been so slow. I feel like three weeks away feels like so far even though realistically I know it is so soon. My doctor asked me if I was scared about labor and I honestly don't think I am though I am sure that could change in the moment. I am not concerned about me but am most concerned about the safety of my son. I want him here kicking and screaming.

Mel&John2013

How far along are you? 16 weeks 1 day

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones? Check in today with the OB this afternoon, I am so anxious and excited to make sure baby is doing ok!

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions? Aversions have died down a lot, but every once in awhile something still gets to me. But doing so much better! I can eat normal food instead of just junk.   

QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss? I read I Will Carry You, which I liked a lot and felt helped me some. I've struggled finding a book I can relate to though. I find most of the books are geared toward stillbirth or miscarriage losses, but not a lot that relate to my situation. Maybe I should write one.

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week? Just anxious that something has gone wrong with this baby. I have a check in appointment today (thank goodness!) and it will have been just around 4 weeks since the last. I will not wait 4 weeks again. That just gives too much time for the anxiety to kick in, and it's easier to beat the anxiety if it doesn't have a chance to build up.

Mel&John2013

aragosta and Will! I hope his surgery went well!

@ikrystal, Fingers crossed that growth keeps on track!

erinel

How far along? 20w5d

Upcoming appointments or milestones? Not really.  The only thing of note is I start my weekly progesterone injections today, so that's fun.

ikrystal, I want to eat all of the food! 

QOTW: My favorite was Empty Cradle, Broken Heart.  I felt like I identified with so much of what was written, and it had a bunch of things that I had said in there, so I felt not as alone.  I also enjoyed An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination, but didn't necessarily identify with the woman.  It was funny in a way, I don't remember how, but in a very strange way I was able to laugh.  I read a bunch more, but those are the two that are sticking out.

Open Topic: I've been feeling pretty good about things.  I feel baby girl A LOT!  So that is very helpful.  My SIL and nieces threw me a shower (just them, my brother, my mom, and my SIL's parents) when we went to visit them this weekend, and it was so nice to celebrate the new baby.

I'm also amazed at how fast this pregnancy is going.  I know for most of you, having the baby born healthy is the big step, but for me, it's the part after that is the most scary.  I'm scared of keeping this baby healthy and alive after she is born.  Rationally I know that what happened to us was a fluke, but I can't help but be scared of another fluke.

erinel

ikrystal : I really hope baby girl catches up soon.  Have they said what the measurements could be indicative of?

BrittianyM :  Good luck at the NT scan.  And man, I could not handle Heaven is for Real (the movie).  I tried watching it with DH a month or so ago, and we were both crying from the get go.  Couldn't even finish!

jess123456 : 37 weeks is considered early term, you are so close!  So soon you will have that precious baby in your arms!

ikrystal

BrittianyM **hugs** for Brooke's birthday.  I hope you got lots of love that day. I crave things I see on tv too, and my husband goes out at all hours to get whatever I want... it drives him nuts too!

jess123456 I have heard the same thing about 37 weeks being full term.  You are almost there!  And I like Standing Still as well.  Keeping you in my thoughts are you near delivery. 

Mel&John2013 How did your appointment go today?  I hope all is well.  I like that book I Will Carry You as well.  So heartbreaking. 

erinel So great that you had a shower to celebrate this baby!  I know I am too scared to have one, but I love that others have them. I take the 17p shots as well.  They aren't fun, but you get used to them.  I hope they go well for you!  And they didnt say what the measurements could indicate.  Her head in the 10th percentile is normal right now, but anything below 10 is abnormal.  They think her head will catch up by 28 weeks.   I was too scared to ask what could be wrong - instead I'm just hoping she will catch up. 

Mel&John2013

@ikrystal My appointment went well, thanks! I had basically convinced myself they wouldn't be able to find a heartbeat, but it was there right away. And my doctor scheduled an early A/S for 4pm today, so now I'm just counting minutes until I get to see this little guy again! The dr. changed the plan so instead of doing one scan at 18 weeks we'll do one now and use this one as a baseline to make sure growth is on track at a 20 week scan.

ikrystal

Mel&John2013 so great everything went well!  It sounds like your doctor is taking extra steps to be cautious, which is great.  I'm sure the ultrasound later today will go great, but nevertheless I'm sending positive energy!

shandorfml2

Sorry I missed this, man I am so busy IRL!

How far along are you?  14 weeks!

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones? Tomorrow see our OB yay

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions?
They are letting up finally. I'm still kinda tired, pee a lot, but less gaggy yay.
QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss?  I like "Pregnant After Loss" right now. I also like "Our Children Live On" and "Growing Up in Heaven". Both were helpful for my grief

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week?  I have a very stressful and busy job. I have the opportunity to switch back to my old job (therapist) which would be less intense and more predictable. I'd also have weekends off again and holidays without having to bargon. YAY!

dadalou

How far along are you? 14 weeks 3 days

Do you have any upcoming appointments or milestones? Appointment this afternoon. I get to hear baby's heartbeat again. It's been 4 weeks. That's way too long.

Any pregnancy symptoms or pregnancy cravings or aversions? Heartburn started up in the last couple of days. Now I should probably carry tums with me if I am going to not be home in the evening.

QOTW: Are there any books that have helped you in your journey, whether it be about infertility, loss, or being pregnant after loss? I read so many books at first I can't even remember what all of them are. There was a book called Still that the hospital gave me that I really related to. 

Open Topic. What is on your mind this week? I started feeling movement a week or two ago, but it's not at all consistent yet. I hope that I start feeling it more consistently soon and that it helps me feel less like something is wrong all the time. 

I also really want to see baby again, but don't have another ultrasound until the anatomy scan and that isn't until December sometime. I could have had one at my last appointment, but that would have meant not seeing my doctor and I really wanted to see her and not someone else.

ikrystal

shandorfml2 Yay for the second trimester! How did your OB appointment go? And it sounds like switching back to your old job is great!

dadalou Yay for you as well for the second trimester!  How did your appointment go?  I read the book "Still" and I really liked it as well.  December is awhile away for the ultrasound, but I hope that the time flies by!