Weekly Check-In w/o July 14

aisleofviewtwo · July 14

EDD / Weeks + Days:

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated:

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green:

Upcoming Appointments:

How are you feeling?

Rants/Raves:

Questions:

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat?

brookejay06 · July 14

EDD / Weeks + Days: 20 weeks today!!!

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: Third

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: Finding out gender tonight

Will update.

Upcoming Appointments: had the anatomy scan today and baby looks perfect. Such a relief, and also makes it feel real. I can’t wait to meet this person.

How are you feeling? Good actually. I started taking beef liver supplements to increase iron, and I think it’s helping? I also take magnesium for headaches and it’s worked surprisingly well.

Rants/Raves: I was walking 8000+ steps a day before I got pregnant and that has completely fallen to the wayside. I am trying to walk a bit more now, but even 30 min feels like a lot. My lower back is killing me.

Questions:

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? We go to the community pool almost daily. I still prefer not to get in but the kids make me. 🙂 Otherwise I’m indoors a lot due to work.

thatbaintforbetty · July 14

EDD / Weeks + Days: 12-26 / 16 + 3

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: 3rd

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: Blue! We even got the obligatory “boy shot” at my follow up ultrasound on Friday 🤣

Upcoming Appointments: OB appt on the 25th, and ultrasounds every 2 weeks till like 24 weeks, and probably regular growth ultrasounds starting not long after that to monitor the umbilical cord/GD issue, plus my weekly/biweekly diabetic check ins.

How are you feeling? STRESSED. If you missed my long update in the randoms, let’s just say there’s a lot that could be going on with baby but it’s all very wait, heavily monitor and see how it goes. Also he likes to lean on my bladder and has a bright future in kung fu with all these kicks. So I always have to pee and I’m very beaten up internally. Like the tech had to stop part way through trying to get measurements and wait till he calmed down cause he was so active.

Rants/Raves: This kids head is measuring a WEEK ahead. DH has a big head (in the literal sense, not metaphorical, lol) and so do both the girls. I am actually okay that they were both on the smaller side because it meant I wasn’t having to push out a giant noggin. 🥳

We leave Saturday morning for DDs bday trip and I’m struggling to find a snack that has adequate protein that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Yogurt is my go to but would mean carrying around a decent size cooler all weekend. (I already have a mini one for my meds but it won’t fit much else) Thinking maybe jerky or those meat sticks (chomps?), my aversion to peanut butter makes it difficult.

Questions: nope

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? A/C! Staying indoors as much as possible. Flowy dresses. And lots of ice cold water. Which has the added benefit of making me definitely hit my hydration goals but the downside is always having to pee.

rebecksah · July 14

EDD / Weeks + Days: 19+4

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: 3rd baby

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: 💚

Upcoming Appointments: anatomy scan on Thursday!

How are you feeling? overall starting to feel normal again but sciatica is really holding me back. gonna keep up with weekly massages to help keep the discomfort at bay and hope it helps.

my PGP is resolving since I stopped using my pillow under my head (now I just sleep with my pregnancy pillow. I think the incline was putting weight and pressure on my hips making the PGP worse.

starting to feel little baby flutters (I have an anterior placenta this go around)

Rants/Raves: I'm currently sitting in the hair salon; so excited to freshen up before my cousin's wedding (my oldest son is the ring boy!) but it's nice to pamper myself and start to feel a bit more like me now that I'm feeling a bit better this pregnancy.

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? We are staying indoors or putting out the splash pad or kiddie pool in our backyard. staying hydrated, or even just being in our basement where it's coolest.

rebecksah · July 14

@brookejay06 I know how you feel about the walking! I am an avid walker, would often go out for 1-2hrs walks, and the sciatica has totally sidelined me. I just try to remind myself a lot of my strength and energy are being used to grow a whole child and I'll get back to being that active soon. hang in there!

rebecksah · July 14

@thatbaintforbetty you could try almonds, pistachios, cashews? hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds too! especially if you roast them and add some seasonings you like and have those to go! I really love cashews so I always have those on hand.

thatbaintforbetty · July 14

@rebecksah I tried to do nuts early on but not a big fan right now. Most are too much like peanut taste/texture and that leads to being too close to peanut butter. I might try seeds though, I do like sunflower/pumpkin.

aisleofviewtwo · July 15

@brookejay06 Hooray for halfway!! I imagine between seeing the anatomy scan images and learning the sex baby is feeling REALLY real now!

@thatbaintforbetty Jerky sounds like a great option, although I haven’t tried them myself my very-health-conscious SIL adores the Epic brand. Other things that come to mind are Clif bars or Larabars; the latter often have nuts but I wouldn’t say most flavors really taste like nuts and the texture is quite different, so maybe they’d work, too? Also FWIW my friend had an umbilical cord situation very similar to what you’re describing and she was monitored closely but made it to 38 weeks and even then was induced for the unrelated issue of low amniotic fluid. But I’m sorry you’re in this place of watch and wait and (try not to) worry; it’s a hard place to be.

EDD / Weeks + Days: December 24, 16w6d

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: FTM

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: 💚

Upcoming Appointments: anatomy scan with MFM on 8/7

How are you feeling? Pretty ok! I definitely overindulged on guilty pleasures while my husband was out of town in June, and that plus the sudden summer heat meant I struggled to keep up with my usual walk/jog fitness routine—but I feel like I’ve settled back into an eating and exercise rhythm that I feel good about. FX that lasts for a bit.

Rants/Raves: I’m drawing a blank this week. At the moment life is just…steady?

Questions: Sort of a dumb question, but how would you describe what it first feels like to feel baby moving around? Between being a FTM and an anterior placenta I’m not expecting to feel anything anytime soon, but I guess also worries I’ll miss it when it happens 😭

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? My best hack has been to get up and get outdoors for walks, errands, whatever before the sun comes up, and then I can just pull the shades and hide away in the dark to get through the heat of the day. It's not much but it's something.

caffeinatedandtired · July 15

EDD / Weeks + Days: 12/18, 17w5d

FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: FTM

Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: Pink

Upcoming Appointments: Next Monday for anatomy scan

How are you feeling? Not too bad, lower back discomfort is kicking in / I feel you all with the sciatic pain, I feel like mine is a little worse with sitting for long periods of time

Rants/Raves: Painted our nursery this past weekend and it's starting to feel so much more real!

GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? Staying indoors mostly. Trying to walk the dog either very early in the day or late in the evening when it is not so hot to still get some movement in without either of us overheating. Wishing I had a pool to go float in.

caffeinatedandtired · July 15

@aisleofviewtwo I have the same question about first movement feelings. I joke with a friend who is due soon that I am bonding with gas bubbles because I have no idea what to expect!

thatbaintforbetty · July 15

@aisleofviewtwo @caffeinatedandtired

Flutters/bubbles is accurate-ish, but you’re less likely to feel the lighter ones with an anterior. It will start to feel like tapping/gentle poking from the inside. Think low, couple inches below your belly button down to your pelvic bone. You’re going to doubt it a lot at first, because it may be just once when they stretch just right(especially depending on exactly where in front your placenta is), eventually it will become more frequent/stronger and you really won’t have to guess.

My first had an anterior placenta and I didn’t feel her till 18 or so weeks. She was ridiculously active, which we know from scans and our home Doppler but it still took awhile. Later on it really doesn’t matter because they get so big you will feel regardless. I also have a long torso and carry really low so they have all the room, and never really get to my ribs. That will be different for everyone and you may get head butting or kicking sensations to the ribs, at some point. They actually can break ribs later on so be sure to mention to your doc if you think that happened as they want to verify/monitor.

This one feels a lot like if you were to have fluid in a bubble and it all of a sudden shifted from one side to another, or like when your stomach drops out with a roller coaster, mostly because he likes to roll his whole body. But I've also had the sensation of rapid fire tapping when he kicks. He also likes to press on my bladder so I get pressure on one side that is more intense and then disappears, my placenta is on the opposite side towards the back and I don’t feel him as much there.

thatbaintforbetty · July 15

@aisleofviewtwo Thats great hear about the umbilical cord! I somehow have managed to not Google anything, too many of the worst case scenarios but that means I’m not seeing the good outcomes either. At this point I can’t do anything to influence or change the outcomes so I’m trying to just “what will be, will be.” It’s not going super well, lol. I just have to keep reminding myself I’m in excellent hands and they are doing everything they can.

Most granola type bars are shockingly low on protein for the amount of carbs and not at all diabetic friendly. The cliff bars DH has are like 40+ carbs to 8 to 10 protein? I try to aim for at least 10 to 15 grams of protein and under 25 carbs. I have yet to really find a bar that meets that sadly. The Perfect refrigerated ones are close but that doesn’t solve my cooler issue, and they have a very peanut butter type taste that I have a hard time with. It’s part of the reason I have been doing yogurt, the Greek or Icelandic ones are high in protein vs the carbs, usually like 12 to 15 protein and 14 to 20 carbs. Plus I don’t drink any milk and need the calcium from somewhere. I tried the yogurt smoothies thinking they would at least be easier but they aren’t the same and i couldn’t even finish it.

aisleofviewtwo · July 15

@thatbaintforbetty Ah, that makes sense, I was thinking more about (relatively) high protein content and less about macro ratios.

Thanks so much for the explainer on fetal movements and what they may feel like! I'll stay on high alert and be excited to report whatever I end up feeling when the time comes

aisleofviewtwo · July 16

Update: last night, at 17 weeks on the dot, my body declared that there will be ABSOLUTELY NO MORE sleeping on my stomach. I knew it was coming but I’m still so sad 😭

bridgiebee82 · July 16

@aisleofviewtwo @caffeinatedandtired the bubbly flutters feeling is what I have been feeling for the last few weeks. At first I wasn't sure but they started consistently and I was like, ah yes. Not gas. Definitely baby. Lol I went to L&D triage on Monday because I stopped feeling baby girl, but everything is fine! She was hiding behind my anterior placenta, giving me a heart attack and a half.

EDD / Weeks + Days: 19w4d 12/6
FTM/STM/TTM+/it's complicated: IC
Team Finding Out/Blue/Pink/Green: 🩷
Upcoming Appointments: I'm in the waiting room for my anatomy scan right now. Lol
How are you feeling? Exhausted. For the last few nights, I have been waking up at 4am and not being able to fall back asleep. Add on the fact that my 3 year old refuses to nap, it's fantastic. Sleeping on my side is KILLING me. Even with the pregnancy pillow, my hips HURT.
Rants/Raves: "Come 15 minutes early to your appointment." I got here at 10:45am, and now it's 11:30 and my son is with my sister. If I am 15 minutes late, I get a no call no show and charged for the appointment. I understand there are emergencies, especially in OB medicine, but I have things to do!
Questions: How soon did you pack your hospital bag? I know it's WAY early, but I didn't have mine ready last time and we were scrambling at 34 weeks.
GTKY: How are you staying cool in the summer heat? Staying in the AC. We keep it at meat locker temperature 68°. Or going in the pool. I may go for a dip this afternoon.

thatbaintforbetty · July 16

@bridgiebee82 Thank you for reminding me! ooh, yea my hospital bag will be done early. But if I wasn’t high risk and full of complications? 34 weeks ish probably.

If we end up with things going not well and needing to do the fetal transfusion, I will pack it then for sure. If not by 30 weeks absolutely since I’m at a pretty high risk of IUGR and I’m aware of the projected steps/outcomes for that scenario. I’m really really hoping to make it to full term/39 weeks but this wouldn’t be the first time I have been told it would be a minor miracle for the pregnancy to make it all the way to full term.

Also I’ve seen so many videos of people packing their hospital bags and I don’t understand why half the things they put in it are included. lol. Like needing multiple suitcases for a couple nights seems wildly overpacked. But I’m definitely pretty minimalist.

bridgiebee82 · July 16

@thatbaintforbetty when I left my MFM office, I had to run home and grab essentials, and go straight for my c-section. I think I had my phone, a charger and my crocs. Plus a couple of baby blankets and outfits for my boys. No clothes for me. I lived in hospital gowns for the 5 days I was recovering. My husband had his clothes, and we just used the shampoo and soap from the hospital. I can't believe I'm already almost 20 weeks. My OB said I may not go to full term because of my high risk factors. I told her I'd like to keep this baby cooking as long as I can and she is healthy. OB agreed and said to not allow anyone to push me into feeling like I have to have a scheduled c-section.

rebecksah · July 17

@thatbaintforbetty have you tried Mid-Day Squares? I'm not even sure if they have them in the USA; I know it's a Canadian brand. They have at least 2 flavours that I know of that don't have nuts as the main ingredient, and I think each square has 6g of protein and like 10 or 11g of carbs, so in theory you could have 2 and be around where you're aiming for!

Worth a shot if you can find them somewhere in the States. I think they're in Costco so you could maybe find them there? They need to be refrigerated for long-term but I think it's up to 5-days without refrigeration (needs refrigeration because there's no preservatives).

thatbaintforbetty · July 17

@rebecksah I haven’t heard of them but I will look into it! Thank you!

rebecksah · July 17

@thatbaintforbetty np! I took a peek when I woke up this morning and they are sold in the USA and it looks like on Amazon too!

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