Baby #2: 12 weeks

 

  

Photo thoughts: Still looking big and generally feel a bit frumpy and embarrassed. I like having a baby bump, but this early it just makes me feel like I wasn’t thin to begin with. Hoping things even out.

Size of baby: A plum! Since we saw baby this week I know that he was specifically 6cm from crown to rump – about 2.3 inches! It is so crazy, because if you look at the ultrasound pictures it looks so much bigger than that! We could count fingers and see it moving all over. It continues to work on finishing forming all its major body systems and has lots of reflexes developing this week.

Cravings/Aversions: Still into most of the same things. I can eat anything, but nothing really sounds good. Big meals usually make me feel pukey after, but I’m so hungry I usually want to eat a lot.  The main gist: I’m mostly into fresh fruit and am generally famished all day.

What I'm loving: Loved getting to see that baby had all four limbs, is growing on schedule and everything appears healthy at this point. I think it looks just like Edrie did at 12 weeks, which is fun to think about.  I am also obsessed with using the Doppler at home. Lainey sent me hers to borrow and its really addicting… The first time I used it I took a video… HR 158-160s and when we had our ultrasound it was at 150.

What I'm anticipating the most: Moving into the second trimester – hoping for less emotional, exhausted, urpy days. And feeling a bit more like I can tackle all that is required of me while we remodel our house and live in this tiny place!

Missing anything? My energy and coffee. I wonder if coffee will honestly ever taste good again. I’ve tried to force it down a few times for the caffeine and had very little success.

Worries: That something big will show up at the 20-week ultrasound. I also started to worry a bit about having another c-section. Sounds really unfun to have surgery again. Feels like its happened too much already in my life. I did talk about that with my doctor some this week. She said the decision is totally up to me, but that if something were to go wrong it would be life-threatening for me and the baby. We’ve had some kids in the unit with similar bad-outcomes and I know its not worth the risk. I spoke with her a bit about what would happen if I went into labor before the scheduled c-section. One of my biggest reassurances has been that she already dealt with my uterus in a very emergent situation and saved it so I want her in there again. No one else! She assured me she would come in, even if she wasn’t on-call to do my surgery. Her quote was, “You and Me, we’ve been through something. I’d like to see you through.” She said she would give me her cell when it got closer. Big sigh of relief.

Differences between pregnancies: Feel like I am saying the same thing as the last weeks, but mostly just BIGGER, more tired, and more urpy. The nausea is minimal compared to a few weeks ago and I’m hoping it will continue to dissipate, but the last few nights I’ve fallen asleep either sitting at the table after dinner(!) or as soon as I put Edrie down with my clothes still on. Did I mention she doesn’t nap most days? It feels like a marathon. I also continue to feel a bit less connected to this pregnancy – also something that is evolving and that I think is a result of two things: (1) having Edrie to take up most of my thinking space and time I don’t daydream and think as much about baby. The house reno is distracting too (2) After our loss I feel a little more vulnerable, like things are more likely to go bad. When I was pregnant with Edrie I felt so confident all would be fine. Edrie's pregnancy at 12 weeks

How I'm feeling: Reassured after another positive ultrasound – everything looked just as we’d expect at this stage and the doctor tried to help me look positively on my showing so early. She said my body just remembers – and that is a good thing because I had a smooth pregnancy last time.

Sleep: I want more. Night shift is the worst and I’m about to start a stretch of three in a row…

Movement: Anxiously anticipating! My doc said most of her second time moms start feeling flutters in the early weeks of the second trimester – so hopefully, soon!

The Bump: Definitely in need of some more summery clothes for the bump. It was in the 90s last week and I was at a loss when I had to attend a baby shower and a work function. I felt frumpy and underdressed at both. Excited for skirts and dresses and simple clothes this summer!

Milestones: Mini Human! It has basically all the structures and organs it needs – they just need to gain complexity and girth in the next 6 months. That blows my mind – 6 cm human!

Best Moment of the Week: Definitely the ultrasound – so fun to see baby. I can’t wait til our 20 week! Feels like a long time to wait to see baby again. I think we will try to get a sitter for Edrie so we can really focus!

these are the ultrasound pics from baby #2...

   

  

Check out Edrie's 12-week Ultrasound... don't they look similar??

This was my first try at the doppler and I found baby's heartbeat... amazing, huh?!?!