Supplements That *Might* Improve Sperm Health

I know that a lot of people stumble across my blog, thanks to google. Many of them are looking for hope and encouragement in their fertility journey. Since infertility will always be a subject close to my heart, I want to get this information out there in case it might be of help to someone. 

When we were trying to improve DH’s sperm count, motility, and morphology, I researched natural ways to help. It seems there is an overwhelming amount of information on the internet for natural supplements, but it’s all scattered around here and there and takes forever to sort through. As I sifted through everything, I compiled this list. 

Keep in mind, I have no medical degree and I certainly am not advising anyone to take this huge pile of supplements. In fact, I can’t even tell you that it will up your count or quality at all. All I know is, whether or not it contributed to the miracle conceptions that God blessed us with, it certainly didn’t hurt. Most of these supplements are good for your general health, regardless and are things DH needs to be on to keep other health issues at bay. So, here goes.

Vitamin C – 1,500mg

Vitamin E – 800iu (I prefer to use the natural version of vitamin E, vs the synthetic)

Zinc – 60mg

B12 – 100mcg (We actually take a b-complex that is methylated for better absorption. I’ll gladly tell you what it’s called if you want to know.)

Selenium – 200mcg

CoQ10 – 100mg

L-Carnitine – not sure of amount

Vitamin A – this was in a multi he was taking at the time, so I’m not sure on the dose of this either

Flax oil and/or Fish oil – 1,200mg 

L-Arginine – 500mg

Vitamin D – 5,000iu

Astaxanthin – 12mg

Obviously, you should check this list over with your dr before taking these things. Particularly if you are on medication as the supplements and meds could interact. I just wanted to put this list our there in case it could help someone else. 

*For reference, DH’s last semen analysis (he’s had many) was 1million, sub par motility and 0% morphology. We have gone on to have 3 successful pregnancies through ivf and spontaneous conception since that test. 🙂 

Zane’s Birth

I’m going to post this without pictures for now because I haven’t uploaded them yet and don’t have time right now, but I’ll try to post them soon.

 

*This is the TMI version of the birth. Blood, amniotic fluid and all. If that disturbs you, I’d recommend skipping this post.*

 

*Birth is usually a beautiful event. It is also a painful and sometimes dramatic event. This birth was mostly calm, but I don’t sugar-coat the pain. Just know that it was all 100% worth it and I wouldn’t change a thing because this is the way that my baby came into my arms and I am so thankful and blessed to have him here.*

 

I have a few spare minutes so I thought I’d try to get the birth story written down. It’s already getting very fuzzy on timelines and details but that’s ok. It was an absolutely beautiful birth. Horribly intense but very short labor. 38 weeks 5 days, the day before I was going to be induced, I spent the day at home with the boys just spending time together, cleaning up the house and getting the last items thrown in the hospital bags. We skipped nap time in favor of an early bedtime. The boys were in bed by 8pm and DH and I went to bed a little before 9. Of course, despite taking Unisom and a natural sleep supplement my sister L gave me, I didn’t fall asleep until after 11 and sleep was very fitful after that. I had to be up at 2:40am to get ready to leave for the hospital, but I woke up a little after 2 with pain in my leg and nervousness running crazy, so I got up around 2:20 and got a shower, curled my hair and had breakfast. We left the house a bit after 3:30 and got to the hospital at about 5am.

 

 

Once we got admitted to our room, the nurse hooked me and baby up to the monitor, asked 20 million questions and tried to start an IV. She couldn’t get it after 2 tries, so she had another nurse come in and get it started. That whole IV process took over half an hour! At that point, she flushed an entire bag of fluid through me and started the pitocin at 2 at about 7am or a little after. She checked me to get a starting point and I was 3cm, 60% effaced and baby was -2 station.

 

 

The contractions started soon after but were very mild, very short and not too frequent. (registering around 50 on the toco monitor)The next set of nurses came on shift right after that. One was in training and had only been there a few days and the other was so young, she couldn’t have been there long herself. They came in every half hour to increase the Pitocin by 2 and check my blood pressure. At 8:59am, I texted my mom to tell her that the contractions were getting stronger. At 9:04, I told her they were close. The Dr come in right after that to talk about breaking my water. I told her I didn’t want to yet and she asked when I would want her to. I told her, maybe in 4 hours. She said that was ok, but a long time and maybe 2 hours would be better and she would come back to check later. I asked her how high we were going to go on the Pitocin since I was VBAC and she said that they don’t usually induce VBACs so she couldn’t answer that. Then she left. At that point I had cycled through laboring in the bed, in the rocking chair and was now on the birth ball.

 

 

By the time they had bumped me to 6 on the pitocin, I told the nurse that I wouldn’t be able to stand much more. My contractions were over 124+ on the toco and happening very frequently. (From my labor with Levi, I knew that the pitocin on 3 was already too much for my body and they had to turn it off. Pathetic I know, but my uterus responds very very strong to just a tiny tiny bit.) I texted my mom at 9:25 that the contractions were much worse and very close, then at 9:33 I told her she should leave the house to come to the hospital soon! (They have a 1.5+ hour drive too) The nurse bumped the Pitocin to an 8 and I knew I couldn’t go any higher. The pressure and pain were horrendous by that point and I asked them to turn it down. I was trying to labor kneeling over the bed, and later standing while leaning on the bed. They kept saying that we wanted this kind of contractions and it was good, but from having been in labor before, I knew this was wayyy too intense for my body. Labor with Levi was very manageable. I could walk around and stop to squat with the contractions. I could breathe through them (until transition) but with these, I couldn’t bear it. I was breaking down crying and moaning very loudly and no matter how hard I tried to relax into the contraction and breathe through it, I couldn’t. They were coming very fast and the pain was completely localized on my c-section scar and intense downward pressure. Finally the nurses asked the Dr what to do and came back to the room to flush another bag of IV fluid through me and turn the Pitocin down to 4. Which helped space the contractions just a bit, and dimmed the pain enough that I stopped hyperventilating. My face and then my legs had gone numb from not being able to slow my breathing down, and my vision was getting weird, which was exactly what happened in my labor with Levi during transition. I kept saying “I’d think I was in transistion if it wasn’t so soon.” And the nurses and DH kept telling me that I probably was and that I should let the Dr come check me. I decided to try getting in the shower first because I couldn’t handle hearing that I hadn’t made any progress yet.

 

 

I got in the shower to sit on the seat for about 5 minutes, if that. It felt amazing and calmed me down, but the Dr came in the room again and asked if I wanted her to check me now or in 2 hours. I decided to do it now, even though I hated to get out of the shower, because I couldn’t imagine 2 more hours of this kind of labor. I had asked her at my first check, when I should get the epidural line placed and she said I didn’t have to. But at this point, hearing me while I was working through the pain and having 3 more contractions just getting out of the shower, she said I should go ahead and get it placed. I’m not sure if she became concerned because of the pain I was having or what, but all the pain was still localized to the scar area and downward pressure. She had talked earlier about putting a pressure monitor in my uterus to make sure I wasn’t rupturing, (never knew any such thing existed!) but said my water would have to be broken first. I didn’t have any scar pain with Levi, so that was new! Anyway, the Dr checked me and said I was 8cm, then she left the room with no other comment. I thought that was weird since I knew she wanted to break my water soon, but she was very respectful of what I wanted and I appreciated that she wasn’t pushy at all. It was just so completely different from my experience with the Dr who delivered Levi. Night and day.

 

 

So, the anesthesiologist showed up right away (DH took a call from my mom right about then at 10:47am) and I was thrilled to see him! All through my pregnancy, I had been on the fence about getting the epidural dosed this time but I had decided I would go with whatever felt right at the time. I asked him what my options were for pain if I still wanted to get out of bed. (I had been to the bathroom about 800 times at that point and didn’t want to be stuck in bed or have a catheter.) He suggested a dose of fentanyl through the epidural line and said that would probably hold me over till the birth since the birth would be soon. I thought that was a great option! What I didn’t know was that it would make me itch all over and feel very warm, but it was worth it! He also gave me a shot of pepcid which was supposed to help the itching. I felt so much relief from the fentanyl! I was able to lay down in bed and rest my body. I had been shaking really badly through the pain and I finally calmed down and could breathe. At that point, my MIL, FIL, SIL and niece arrived. I was calm and able to talk to DH and my SIL between contractions for a little bit while everyone else waited in the waiting room. Then the contractions started hurting like crazy again and I was back in the dire pain situation again. I’m not sure how much time had passed. Maybe an hour? I could feel a warm sensation with each contraction. It felt like the water was flowing out of my body, but it hadn’t broken yet. I think that was the water bag bulging….

 

 

My parents arrived and I continued to work through the pain and contractions. My Dad stood by the bed looking quite helpless. I halfway felt bad for him and halfway found it quite humorous. He eventually left to go sit with my FIL. When I went to use the bathroom, there was quite a lot of blood and I got scared but the nurse said it was normal. After a little while, I was clinging to the bed rail, half sitting during the contractions, crying and starting to freak out again. The nurse checked me and said I was 10cm and my water bag was bulging. She said if we could break the water, baby would come fast. I was so scared to get my water broke, mostly because I didn’t know how I could cope with any more pain, but I agreed to let the Dr come break my water. My mom, DH and the nurses were all telling me to just let the Dr do it so we could get the pain and delivery over with. Right after the nurse left the room, I felt two pops around my belly button. A couple of seconds passed and then water started gushing out. It wasn’t nearly as much water as I’d had with Levi, but it was much less painful to have it break on its own rather than having a Dr digging in there with the hook. I was so relieved that the Dr didn’t have to break it. At this point, the contractions were so incredibly intense with pressure, but I still didn’t have the urge to push. DH went to get the nurse and she came back in the room a few minutes later. I don’t think she was at all convinced my water had gone but she called for the Dr. I told the nurse I wanted the pitocin off because I was contracting so fast and hard. She wouldn’t turn it off and I was like “I am obviously having the baby now. My labor isn’t going to stop.” But anyway, when she left the room, I turned the drip off. I know I shouldn’t have, but it seemed so stupid to have it still running and causing me so much extra intense pain.

 

 

At that point, a few minutes before 1pm, I told the nurse that I wanted another dose of fentanyl. The anesthesiologist said that wasn’t allowed so I asked for a small dose of the epidural. Everyone was all “You don’t need it! You’ll be having the baby in a few minutes!” But I insisted that I did want it. I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted something to take the edge off during pushing and in case I ended up with a million stitches again. So, the anesthesiologist came in again and I explained that I wanted only the very smallest amount of medicine possible. I wanted to be able to move my legs and change positions and push in whatever position felt right. Not to be numb entirely or unable to move my legs. He said he had just the thing and gave me a shot through the line. He said to lay on my back for 7-10 minutes to let the medicine work. I couldn’t though. I had to sit up. I couldn’t handle even one contraction laying down.

 

 

The Dr arrived right after that and checked me. She told me to start pushing. I had been sobbing and saying “I don’t want to push!” over and over. I feel kind of silly looking back now. 😉 But I realized later that the reason I didn’t want to push was because I was so worried I would hemorrhage again. That and I was afraid I would tear. Anyway, I still didn’t have the urge to push, just the incredible intense pressure I had felt all day. That and the horrible pain in my incision which was overriding every other sensation in my body. But the Dr just started counting, so I pushed. 3 pushes and his head was right there. I think I pushed through 4 contractions, 2 or 3 pushes each time. Once his head was halfway out, she said to stop and let my body stretch so I wouldn’t tear (with Levi I wasn’t told to stop and that probably caused a lot of the tearing). She said he would come out on his own with the next contraction. I impulsively reached down and felt Zane’s head. It was so warm and soft. I couldn’t wait to get him out! Once I had another contraction, out he popped at 1:09pm, with his right hand up by his face just like it always was in my ultrasounds. I think I pushed about 6 minutes. The nurse had covered my belly with a towel and I kept pushing it away and she kept moving it back. I was getting so annoyed! I wanted the baby right on me. His cord was very short so he couldn’t go on my chest until DH cut it about a minute after birth. (I wanted to wait longer but the Dr said they will only wait 1 minute – oh well) FINALLY, they moved Zane up onto my chest and it was such an incredible feeling. He cried, I cried…. 🙂

 

 

The placenta was out a minute or 2 later with no issues. The Dr said I had a tiny tear (Yep! I felt that happening!) and needed 2 stitches. Thankfully, the epidural had worked its way to where I needed it and the stitching wasn’t painful. During the pushing, I had sensation but not so much burning as I had with Levi. I’m not sure if that was due to the epidural starting to take effect or if it was just an easier birth. Either way, I was very happy with how everything went. I wouldn’t change a thing!! I lost very little blood and was up and walking to the bathroom less than 2 hours later. I felt amazing! Not like I had just had a baby. I have had seriously almost no soreness down there at all. I can’t believe the difference in healing this time. I am so thankful for how God worked everything out!! I know DH was praying all through the labor and so was I. I had my mom, MIL, SIL, and sisters S and M and of course, DH there during the birth and it was perfect. I had been on the fence about having so many people in the room again, but I don’t regret it at all. I know they were all praying for us and it just felt cozy and happy. I am also so happy that I got the Dr that I had that day. When I had a prenatal check up with her, I had told DH that I would be happy with her at the birth and she really was great. 🙂 And honestly, even though we had young and very fresh nurses, they did a great job and I am happy that they got to see us all the way through the labor and birth.

 

So, all told, I had 6 hours of labor, but only 3.5 hours of hard labor. If I had went into labor at home and waited to see if it was the real thing and called my sister to come watch the kids and had DH come home from work and then drove over 1.5 hours to the hospital – we likely would have either barely made it in time, or had the baby in the car. Of course, it’s possible that labor would have been slower without pitocin, but who knows how much more I might have dilated before labor started. I think it was a good call to induce and I don’t regret it even though I thought I might. And I am happy Zane was born without any distress aside from a few minor dips in heartrate during the labor. Just so thankful he was born safe and happy. 🙂

 

 

We stayed in the hospital for 2 days. We were going to go home the next day but Zane’s bilirubin came back at 5.1, so we opted to stay at the pediatrician’s request because of how bad Levi’s jaundice had gotten. They wanted to watch him another night just in case. The next day it was 7.8 but my milk was coming in at that point and he was out of the danger zone. 🙂 It was nice to have another day in the hospital, mostly because Zane had come so fast that he choked on the mucus all night that hadn’t been squeezed through his lungs. I felt better having the nurses nearby because I ended up buzzing them once when I couldn’t get the mucus suctioned out and I started to get scared. Obviously, he was fine. Also, he was so sore after the circumcision that I was glad he had a day to heal before coming home and being passed around and held by his big brothers. We missed Tru and Levi so much and they missed us too and ended up crying on the second night but we talked to them on the phone and they were alright. 🙂 Little Zane is 1 week old today!! He is such a calm and happy baby. He has woken up about 2 times a night, every night since he was born. Hoping that he keeps doing so well. I am so thankful for my Third Gracious Gift of God. 🙂

31 Weeks 5 Days

How far along? 31 weeks 5 days (9-22-17) Yes, I missed my 30 week update. Last week was crazy! I’ll try to do a little recap below.

 
Symptoms? Queasy, breathless, some swelling that comes and goes. Restless legs and the occasional grab of round ligament pain. Pain in the front of my pelvis…. I know there are a few other things but I’m drawing a blank right now….. I guess I still feel pretty good. 🙂

 
Weight? I forgot to weigh myself today. I think about +33-34ish. It’s hard to tell with the swelling. I was +31 and then dropped to +29, then up to +34 overnight and have been bouncing up and down. All I know is, I am definitely feeling the extra pounds!

 
Sleep? Not so good. For some reason, Zane will oftentimes push his feet out really hard if I try to lay on my right side. (I looked back on my updates with Levi and he didn’t like me laying on my left side.) It’s almost like he isn’t comfortable that way. So I have been sleeping mostly on my left but waking up on my back a lot.

 
Exercise? I got in 2 days last week but only 1 this week. It’s getting harder to motivate myself to exercise instead of taking advantage of the boys’ naptime to catch up on some rest myself!

 
Cravings/aversions? I am definitely feeling more aversions to foods. I am not able to eat as much at a time (FINALLY!!!!!) and lots of stuff just doesn’t sound as good. I am totally ok with that as I feel it is a good thing at this stage of pregnancy (and weight gain). 😉

 
Bump? Oh boy! I feel like it stayed modestly sized for quite awhile after the initial bump poppage happened. But now it is definitely feeling larger and heavier and much lower! Next week is the start of our weekly (for now) NSTs. The Dr asked me at my appointment last week if I wanted to do them once a week or twice. I told her, let’s start with once and if my anxiety gets the best of me or if anything comes up, we’ll go to twice a week. She was happy with that plan. 🙂 I also asked her if she is comfortable with me going to my due date and she said no, she wants to induce by 39 weeks. I was/am hoping to avoid induction (and definitely hoping we can safely birth baby without a C-section) and I know my Dr would much prefer I go into labor on my own as well. So here’s hoping that labor starts on it’s own before the induction date if baby is ready and happy to come out.

 

 

Ok, so last week was so busy and I’m already forgetting the majority of how it went…. Sunday: Went to church, stopped at the store so I could buy some glue on nails (to match the dress I bought for maternity pictures), picked up a pizza for lunch and drove to the park for our family/maternity pictures. After that was done, we went to my parent’s house (my mom had been overseas on a trip for almost 3 weeks at that point) and I helped Dad get stuff cleaned up. He had been working on the brakes on our truck since they had went out on me a few weeks prior, so we took our truck home.
Monday: I sat around the house all day worrying about the baby because he hadn’t moved much. I debated whether I should go get checked out and finally by 7pm or so, I decided to go to triage for peace of mind. DH stayed home with the boys, which was good because I didn’t get home till midnight. Baby was fine, obviously, but they did comment on his heart arrhythmia which was very pronounced that day. The Dr said to follow up with them about it. They also checked his fluid which was good at 12.1cm.
Tuesday: Up bright and early for my check up and growth ultrasound. My brother went with me to watch the kids because I didn’t have anyone who could babysit. The ultrasound measured baby’s fluid around 13cm. Zane weighed approx 3lbs 14oz. I was shocked that he is that big already but the tech said that was *only* the 61st percentile and wasn’t too big. They watched his heart for a long time because of the arrhythmia. Unfortunately, the Dr didn’t have the ultrasound report before I had my visit with her, so I don’t know if everything looked good or not. I’m hoping that it is all well. I mentioned that the soles of my feet have been itchy so she sent me for labs and they came back good. 🙂
Wednesday: I took the kids to story time in the morning and we hung out at home the rest of the day. In the evening, I was just getting ready to start supper when DH called on his way home. That’s rather unusual so I knew immediately something must be wrong. He did, in fact, go off the road into a ditch. The roads were wet because it had been raining all day. He did a 360 through a soybean field and took out a road sign. Thank the Lord, he was not hurt at all! He missed a power line pole by just a few feet. That could have been significantly worse! His back was a little sore but that was it. His car looks worse for wear with the passenger door smashed and the mirror missing, but aside from ripping the brake lines out, it is fine. He managed to get it out of the ditch and into a very sweet family’s driveway. The man helped him fix the brakes so he could drive home. We were so thankful for his help and for God keeping DH safe. 🙂
Thursday and Friday: Are totally coming up blank in my memory… Oh dear…. OH! I remember now… I cleaned for 6 hours straight on Friday. I went into full-on nesting mode and everything that seemed *gross* had to be cleaned. (Note: Everything seemed gross.) DH got sucked into my cleaning frenzy and we didn’t eat supper until super late. But the house was clean(er) and I was happy(er)…..Until the next day when I woke up so sore I could hardly function and had to take Tylenol just to move. Which wasn’t good because…
Saturday: The big walk/fundraiser for our local pregnancy center. They provide so much incredible help and resources to the moms, dads and babies/young children in our area. I didn’t know how I would make it for the whole walk, but I did! DH played music at the event also. Afterwards we went home and relieved my MIL from babysitting and I laid down for a short but extremely needed nap. Then we went to DH’s cousin’s wedding. I was wiped out at the end of that day!

 

 

Shew! That was longer than I realized. This week was less crazy but still a little busy. My sister came and stayed a couple days with us and babysat Levi while I took Tru to his follow up with the Pediatrician. He gained a half pound and hasn’t had an unexplained fever or belly pain in awhile, so we are supposed to go back in December to check in. 🙂 The church had prayed over Tru a fever weeks ago and he has been doing great. We very much want to continue on with him feeling better!! The Dr just said to keep him on stool softener for now. He is back on moderate amounts of dairy and not taking Prevacid. 🙂
We did a little shopping after the appointment since it was just me and Tru. I plan to have a one-on-one day with each of the boys in the next week or so. They desperately need to have my full attention for a day! I can’t believe how mature Tru is lately. Like today, we were going to a little street fair type of thing and he asked me if there would be rides there and if so, would that make his hat blow off. I was surprised that he thought ahead like that! He moved to a big boy bed last night and was so excited about it! He was asking to go to bed a full hour+ before bedtime. Awhile later he decided he didn’t like it and was scared, so I went and snuggled him for a bit. He still couldn’t sleep so I promised him we would go buy a nightlight for his room today. I arranged all his 500(ish) stuffed animals around his feet like he likes to have them and he finally fell asleep. He woke up this morning and announced he likes his new bed and wants to sleep in it tonight! Levi asked him “Why?” (of course!) and Tru said “All my animals are waiting for me.” SO CUTE!!! We went and bought him and Levi both a nightlight for their rooms and they were even excited to take naps. Score!! 🙂 The plan was to get Levi moved to the crib-converted-to-toddler-bed tonight, but I didn’t get it done yet. Maybe tomorrow.

 

Ok, this is getting too long.

 

Dear God, thank You for your protection and provision for us these last two weeks. Thank You for keeping DH safe. Please continue to watch over and protect each and every one of us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

23 Weeks 6 Days

How far along? 23 weeks 6 days (7-29-30) Just hours away from viability! I was reading online the other day and a girl who is due around the same time as me commented that she is almost to the third trimester and I was thinking “Well, that’s still awhile away really.” And then today it hit me, that’s only a few weeks! (3-4, depending on who you talk to.) Like, tomorrow is 6 months! (Also, depending on who you talk to.) That’s just…. incredible.

 

 

 

Symptoms? Lightheaded several days this week. Random, short bouts of queasiness. Restless legs. Braxton Hicks contractions, which are surprisingly strong at times. Brings back thoughts of labor like a tidal wave!

 

 

 

Weight? +22

 

 

 

Sleep? I realized I cut this question out without meaning to. Until recently, it’s been about as good or bad as it usually is, with a few extra wake ups to pee. But the last few nights, Truett keeps waking up randomly and not being able to sleep. And in turn, once I’m back to bed, I can’t fall back to sleep as quickly as usual. It takes at least 3 to 4 pillows to be comfortable on my side at night or else I get pelvic pain. With my pillows, I’m fine. It takes a bit of arranging but it works. 🙂

 

 

 

Cravings/aversions? Nothing new. But I’ve got Truett and Levi both begging for freezes now. 😉

 

 

 

Baby buys? I had $30 off in coupons to a local store that sells baby clothes etc, so I stopped in there this week and bought Zane 3 outfits and a 2 pack of stretchy baby blankets for around $11 altogether! I was so excited. So were the boys because they love snuggling the new blankets and “trying them out”. Haha. Levi desperately wanted to try on the baby clothes and stripped down to try to put the pants on. Of course, that didn’t work too well. 😀 I also picked up another 2 pack of thermal baby blankets. And I got white shirts for Tru, Levi and myself and I’m hoping to use them in our maternity photo shoot…. although, the photographer didn’t get back with me on the date yet so…

 

 

 

Bump? Baby’s kicks are so much more forceful this week! I think I said that last week as well but this week, they catch me by surprise. He’s started those lovely “cervix kicks”. (Not sure if that’s actually what is going on, but that is what it feels like.) He gets my belly shaking around and sometimes he’s sticking out more on one side, usually the right. I feel like my belly is always changing shape, size and height but I’m pretty sure he’s still breech since the majority of his strong kicks are in my low abdomen. But the hiccups are also low down so… who knows. This morning, DH was talking to Zane with his face against my belly and Zane popped him right in the nose several times. It got us quite to laughing. I love those bonding moments. 🙂

 

 

 

Exercise? I used the elliptical 3 days this week! I increased my time to 30 minutes and I feel good keeping it there now. That’s enough time that I am sweaty and ready for a break, but not feeling over-tired. I’ve been taking advantage of the boys naptime to shower, have Bible study and prayer, maybe rest or catch up on laundry, depending on the day and to exercise. Which is a total change from the first trimester when I couldn’t keep my eyes open once they laid down. I am happy to have (most) of my energy back. 🙂

 

 

 

I think I have hit the “obviously pregnant” stage as people are no longer hesitant to ask about the pregnancy. Yesterday, a lady pulled up beside me while I was getting the boys in the van and asked “Are you having another boy?” And today, another lady asked me if it was a boy or a girl. I’m quite fine with these types of questions and it doesn’t offend me personally, but I know some women find it super annoying.

 

 

 

Levi has been a bit more clingy to me lately. He wants me to pick him up and carry him around sometimes, which is a bit difficult since he’s about 30 pounds now. He also runs up to me and says “Kiss you” multiple times a day and kisses me. He climbs in my lap many times a day to “smuggle you”, but only for a minute before he gets bored and runs off again. And he is very attached to the baby already, talking about him all the time and asking to kiss him or hug him or feel him kick. Levi was singing in the van on the way home last night “I wanna hold the baby”. He also told me he is going to help with the baby and help potty train him. 😉

 

 

 

Truett, on the other hand, is not at all interested in feeling the baby or kissing my belly. He will talk about Zane quite often but if I ask him if he wants to hold him when he’s born, Tru usually says no. And if I ask him if he is going to help with the baby, he also says no. But he is usually doing this little goofy smile when he says it so I think he is excited in his own way but not as interested in the process as Levi is. Which, of course, is perfectly normal and understandable at the age of 3! I have found it so interesting to see and hear the boys’ reactions to having another baby on the way!

 

 

 

Dear God, thank You for another beautiful week and for the wonderful weather we have been able to enjoy and the time with our families. Thank You for all of Zane’s precious little kicks and for this amazing opportunity to experience pregnancy again and carry another miraculous little life. Please watch over and bless him as he continues to grow. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

These are the outfits that we bought.

Tru quickly claimed this blanket for watching tv on. 😉

And Levi chose this “bassetball” blanket to be wrapped up and “smuggled” in. 😉

My sister bought me these gladiolas last year and they have been absolutely gorgeous this summer. I’ve had some white and some pink ones bloom. Love them!

34 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

Every single time, without fail, that I sit down to blog, I have to get up and down multiple times to do things. I have to plug in the laptop, the wi-fi needs plugged in, Tru needs something… It’s ridiculous. I am just ready to sit down and stay down until this baby gets here.

I don’t want to come off as whiny or complaining. I do realize how blessed I am and that this discomfort is something that I personally longed to experience and I also realize there are still people reading my blog who would give anything to be experiencing this end of pregnancy discomfort right now. So please don’t take it wrong or think me ungrateful when I say that I am SO uncomfortable. I cannot find a way to sit, lay or stand that does not cause one or all of the following – inability to breathe, my legs fall asleep (this is actually when I am standing especially bending forward so it’s kind of scary), I have the urge to pee so badly I am crossing my legs, my pelvis feels like it’s splitting in half and I have a hard time walking, getting up and rolling over because of that combined with the pain in my inner thigh that has been going on over 2 months now. It’s pretty intense!

I probably shouldn’t even blog today because I am in a bad mood. It snowed again this morning and I wasn’t able to go to my once a week job. As much as I was dreading getting Truett and myself out in the cold, I do need the money and considering that our pipes have been frozen for 4 days now, I would love to be somewhere with running water where I don’t have to keep running back and forth with milk jugs full of water to flush the toilet. It gets old quickly. I am also tired of washing dishes with water heated on the stove. Sponge baths also suck so I have been making a point to get a shower at either of our parent’s houses at least every other day between sponge baths.  And then I feel terrible that I am complaining because, we do have water! It’s not easy to get since we have to go beg, borrow and steal it from our parent’s (actually they don’t mind) and we have to haul it in the house etc, but we are fortunate because so many people in the world have NO water. Literally, none. And that is heartbreaking.

I did have a check up yesterday and it went very well. I saw one of my not favorite Drs but we actually had quite a good visit! It was just the basic stuff. She put in the order to switch me from Macrodantin (Nitrofurantoin) to Keflex, and from Lovenox to Heparin (starting next week) and ordered Levi’s growth ultrasound for next week and my GBS (group b strep) test. Now, here is another example of how different Drs have different ways of doing things and opinions vary greatly even in a group practice. At my check up 2 weeks ago, I asked the Dr I saw then if we were going to switch to Keflex since I knew I did with Tru at 32 weeks. She said no, she didn’t want me to switch. She was happy with me staying on Macrodantin through to delivery (and I assume breastfeeding too because I am always on a suppression dose of something). I was uncomfortable with that decision and decided to ask the Dr I saw yesterday because:

FDA pregnancy category: B Nitrofurantoin should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed; use of nitrofurantoin is contraindicated at term (38 to 42 weeks gestation), during labor and delivery, and when onset of labor is imminent. Comments: Contraindicated because of possibility of hemolytic anemia due to immature erythrocyte enzyme systems (glutathione instability) …..Nitrofurantoin is excreted into human milk. Nitrofurantoin is considered compatible with breast-feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics, although there is a theoretical risk of hemolytic anemia in neonates and G-6-PD-deficient infants. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse effects in infants less than one month old, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. – Taken from http://www.drugs.com/pregnancy/nitrofurantoin.html

So as you can see, the risk is minimal but I don’t want to take that particular risk. Better safe than sorry, you know. 

Sorry to have just bored you with all of that. You really didn’t need to know, I just wonder why opinions vary so much and why it’s so hard to get consistent information.

How far along? 34 weeks 4 days – in other words 8 and a half months! 🙂 

How big is the baby? As I mentioned, growth ultrasound next week Lord willing. But I feel like he is already as big as Tru was when he was born. There’s a lot of baby in there! 

Total weight gain/loss? About 29-30 pounds.  

Sleep? I can’t really get comfortable. Levi doesn’t like me to sleep on my left side. Oftentimes he will push out on both sides very hard until I roll to my right. The aching in the pelvis and the pain in my thighs when I roll over is pretty intense at times. 

Best moment this week? DH took the day off work and we took my brother clothes shopping after we all went to my NST and AFI appointment. (The U/S tech said my AFI was 18.1 – last week it was 11.2 and the week before, it was 12. I know that she measured the area that both previous techs said baby’s umbilical cord is. The same thing happened several times with Tru. They do this every day! How do they mess up and measure the cord area? I didn’t say anything. We will just wait and see what it is next time. It’s no big deal because baby looked great on the NST. She also showed us his butt cheeks and let me just tell you, they are adorable!!) 🙂 We went out to eat at a buffet – not the best place for a person who gets full after 1 plate of food, but it was delicious! 

Symptoms? You can read all my perfectly normal end of pregnancy complaints above. I might also add that I had consistent  BH contractions the other evening/night when DH was unable to get home from work and had to stay with his cousin. I didn’t freak out about it, but I sure was thinking, this would happen to me. The Dr said she is happy that I had so many contractions because she hopes that means my body is starting to get things ready so we can have this baby naturally. She said if we get to 39 weeks and no cervical changes, we will have the c-section talk, but if I have started to dilate and they can break my water and start pitocin, they will. But we both are hoping that I will go into labor naturally before then. We also talked about me breast pumping once I hit 37 weeks. Nothing extreme. Maybe once a day. Not before 37 weeks though. 

Food cravings? Sweets and it is not a good thing. I have been eating protein bars instead whenever I can because I’m sure that’s what my body really needs. Not reese’s cups. I also want Taco Bell. We could just eat Taco Bell soft tacos from now until forever. That is fine with me. 🙂 

Gender? Baby Boy. 🙂 

What I’m looking forward to? Kind of looking forward to labor if it happens naturally. I get a little rush when I think about how I would feel if I ever went into labor. I’ve never experienced that before so it would definitely be interesting. Ask me again how I feel about that after a few hours of REAL contractions. 😉 

Milestones? Every step I take feels like a mile dragging a hundred pounds of stones. 

Bump? I don’t think I took a picture. Maybe I did, I don’t know. But I’m NOT getting up to go look. You’re welcome actually. 

Dear God, forgive me for my bad attitude and complaining about the weather and the cold. I thank You for our warm house and for all of our blessings. Thank You for the little boys You have blessed me with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

33 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

I always have all these silly things I think of that I want to put in my updates but then when I go to post, I can’t remember what they were….

 

How far along? 33 weeks 4 days 

How big is the baby? If he’s really gaining a half pound a week, he should be close to 5 and a half pounds now. Feels about like it! 😉 I was on my feet all day last Friday and the next morning, the bottom of my belly was sore! As a side note, his fluid was 11.2 at my last AFI. Still good and his placenta was still grade 1. 🙂 

Total weight gain/loss? Still yo-yoing but I started to drop some of the water associated weight. I am up anywhere from 27-29 pounds. I really have to make sure I am drinking enough water. 

Sleep? Not bad. Just having a hard time staying comfortable and breathing through this stuffy nose. 

Best moment this week? This hasn’t been an overly good week for me… I am in the phase of pregnancy where I start to get super worried. But I did have a good visit with my grandma today. I don’t hardly ever go see her just us without all the family which is a rotten shame. So Tru and I went to see her after I got done taking care of the lady that I watch once a week. It was fun talking pregnancy with her especially hearing her story about having her identical twin girls without ever knowing she was expecting twins. She gained the same 40 pounds as she did with her other 7 pregnancies. She carried them to full term. Both over 7 pounds. Apparently they shared an amniotic sack and probably placenta too. That would be a high risk pregnancy for sure nowadays but her dr never knew she was having twins. They had trouble finding a heartbeat on the baby which is kind of funny considering there were TWO in there. She also had a negative pregnancy test when she was probably about 2 months pregnant!  So as she was delivering, they said it was time to get the other baby out. She was so confused for a second there. Imagine that shock! 

Symptoms? The pelvic girdle pain and inner thigh pain are no joke! It is hard to roll over or raise my right leg. Which is dandy since my car door will not open and I have to climb through the passenger side and over the stick shift and e-brake. It is interesting to say the least getting in and out of the car. But honestly, aside from that pain and breathlessness, this week has been pretty symptom free! 

Food cravings? I want greens really bad. Especially if they are fried in bacon grease (yeah, that really drops the health factor) but I think I could eat my weight in kale. Maybe my body is craving iron?

Food aversions? Nope. But I noticed that I am really not as interested in seafood as I normally am. 

Gender? Baby boy Levi. 🙂

Labor signs? No, but I have to admit that as nervous as I am getting, I am starting to feel like he needs to come sooner than 40 weeks. Not right now, but maybe 37-38 weeks if he is ready. I feel bad to say that because I want him to have as much time as he needs, but we are at the stage where I just freak out over everything and he keeps cutting his kick counts way to close for my comfort (he passed with ONE minute to spare the other day)  and he doesn’t move in the night when I get up to pee like he used to and he just moves much less in general. Yesterday at my NST, the nurse moved him 3 times to get his heart to accelerate. I was very uncomfortable with that because I want his heart to accelerate on it’s own. He did eventually but technically it was when the NST was supposed to be over but the nurse was busy with another patient so she hadn’t unhooked us yet. So all in all I was not happy with how that appointment went…. I am definitely feeling paranoid now. 

Belly button in or out? Out, sore and hot to the touch. 

What I miss? The second trimester when I was much more comfortable and less worried. 

What I’m looking forward to? A healthy, happy, birth. 🙂  

Upcoming Appointments? My next 3 check ups are scheduled with the only 3 Drs in the practice that I truly do not like/feel comfortable with. It’s not that I don’t like them personally, we just don’t jive. I guess it could be a good thing though because any one of them could be the Dr delivering Levi so I really need to build up a little better relationship if possible. They are the only Drs available on the days that I am already in for my NSTs so I just have to go with it. I got a call today that my primary Dr is wanting to get together and discuss a birth plan on march 12th. I would be almost 38 weeks then if I don’t have him before that. I’m pretty sure my plan by that point would be get him out please! Like I said, nervous!

Bump? I don’t know if Levi actually has dropped or if my belly is just sagging. All I know is that his feet and butt don’t feel like they are as high in my ribs as before and my belly button is almost pointing downwards now. I don’t feel much pressure down there now though so…. Not sure what’s going on.

 

I remember in the beginning of my pregnancy when I put this shirt on and it was HUGE on me…. 😉

 

Dear God, Thank You for bringing me and Levi safely this far in this pregnancy and I pray that You will continue to watch over us through the rest of pregnancy and delivery. I pray that he will be born when where and how You want him to be. I thank You and I praise You for the miracle and blessing of carrying him these 8 months. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

30 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

Wrote this on time and never posted it… 

How far along? 30 weeks 4 days…. It’s hard to believe that I am in the 30’s now! Less than 7 weeks away from when I delivered Tru. This little guy could very well come later than that but it’s crazy to think how close we are either way.

How big is the baby? We should find out soon since I have a growth scan scheduled for next week. 🙂 I’m just now starting to be able to feel a little of his outline. Mostly I just feel a foot or elbow but last night I was pretty sure I felt his butt. 

Total weight gain/loss? Holding steady this week at +22. 🙂 

Maternity clothes? Here I am, in the last weeks of pregnancy and I finally found a pair of maternity jeans yesterday that fit AND feel comfortable! So now maybe I can wear those last 2 or 3 maternity shirts that still fully cover my belly and give those 3 same dresses that I wear every time I leave the house a break. 

Sleep? Not so good. I have been having a lot of discomfort keeping me up. I sleep GREAT on my back…. but that isn’t good at all. 

Best moment this week? Hmmm… Not sure. Maybe just realizing that we are so close to the end. In a way, I’m not ready for it to be over. I love being pregnant. And I’ll miss it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard and uncomfortable and very nerve wracking for a worrier like me. But I do love having my little baby in there all to myself. I especially love the kicks! But I am uncomfortable enough at this point that the idea of meeting him on the outside soon is sounding better and better. I am so excited to see who he looks like. I also found out that I passed my glucose test at 110! 🙂 Yay! No yucky 3 hr test this time! 

Symptoms? I don’t want anyone to think I’m complaining, because I’m not. Just keeping a record. I am starting to get morning sickness again. It is coming back as an all day queasiness. I’m not too thrilled about that. I can stand it being this bad but if it gets like it was in the beginning…. I just don’t know how I would cope. I was so miserable then. I look back on it and just cringe. But for now, I am fine. I also have been having a lot of pain with the SPD/pelvic girdle pain thing. I saw the chiropractor but he can’t do too much now since the baby is head down in the pelvis. It isn’t advised to go cracking the pelvis too much at this point. But he did suggest a pregnancy belt. I’m just too cheap to buy one. They’re $35!! I have a feeling it may be worth it though. I also booked a prenatal massage for this week. 🙂 I’m excited to try that out. I am definitely getting a lot more poking pains in my errr, whoo ha. Other than that, I have felt great. Heavy and fat but great! 🙂 

Food cravings? I am still game for eating anything but it’s definitely slowing down with the nausea. I can only eat a little bit before I am full and having acid reflux. We went to dinner last night and I ordered a half portion and ate about half of that. It’s a good thing though because maybe it will naturally keep me from gaining too much here at the end. 

Food aversions? Nope. Not really. 

Gender? Sweet little Levi. 🙂 

What I’m looking forward to? Growth scan. I am scheduled to start twice weekly NSTs (non stress test), and weekly AFIs (amniotic fluid index) next week. That makes everything feel really imminent.

Milestones? 30 weeks! That’s 3/4 of the way done! 

Bump? It’s so much different and lower than with Tru. A lot more squishy.

30 weeks 4 days

An awful picture but it shows the belly shape better…

 

Big ‘ol boring birth “plan” musings below. 

I had a check up yesterday and I asked if we do get to have a VBAC, can daddy catch baby. They said no. 😦 But, I bet it depends on what dr you ask. I am not suggesting that he deliver the baby, just that once it is flying out of there, if all is going well at that point, he could just lift him up to me. They said that he can cut the cord (Which he didn’t get to do with Tru since Tru wasn’t crying at first and they cut the cord in the process of getting him to the isolett thing obviously. That is understandable in that situation of course.) but I’m thinking that’s like going to Red Lobster and having someone say “Now you can’t order an entree but you can eat the biscuits.” We will see what happens. My ultimate goal is healthy and alive baby no matter how they get him out of there. IF I was allowed to have a birth plan (not allowed where I go but that doesn’t mean I won’t make requests as I am either pushing out the baby or being sawed in half) my birth plan would be:

• No epidural if I go naturally. I don’t want it. Unless I’m being sawed in half – in that case YES PLEASE! I hated the way the spinal made me feel and shake and I am not keen to try an epidural. If my Dr really wants me to have a line placed (and they do pending the whole time-since-lovenox-shot/blood-test thing) for the possibility of a c section being immediately necessary, I would agree to that. But leave it off please! I’m pretty sure….
• I want to be allowed to labor in any position I want. I want to be allowed to stand and walk and get on my knees, bounce on the ball etc. I absolutely HATE the idea of laboring while lying down. I don’t think it would be good for me or baby. I really would hate that I think.
• Showers or tub sounds great. That’s my go-to during nightmarish endometriosis periods and it always helps then.
• I’ll take an IV or whatever. I really don’t mind that. I was group b positive last time anyways.
• I am happy to have monitoring. I would obviously greatly prefer that it is wireless or whatever they call it that way I can move around.
• Not a fan of episiotomy. Just let it rip. At least then it will only rip as much as it needs to I hope.
• I DO NOT want to be lying on my back pushing. No, a hundred times, no! I can’t even fathom how that works. Gravity is our friend – not usually, but this time.
• Delayed cord clamping as long as baby is ok.
• Daddy cuts cord.
• Daddy catches baby.
• If I have a c section, I would really be fine with a lower curtain so I can see the baby when they pull him out. I know they are keeping things sterile and all that and I really appreciate it but if it’s possible, I would like a view.
• Immediate skin to skin. Even if I have a c section, I would be happy to do this. They wouldn’t work with me on it last time when I asked them prior to delivery. I read blogs where women do get to do that and I think it should be standard unless there is a problem with mom or baby.

It’s important to remember that this is my hypothetical birth plan if I had a birth that went “normal”. Either VBAC or cesarean, in the end, healthy and alive. That’s what matters. But this stuff is nice too. 🙂

 

Dear God, I ask that You will continue to watch over Levi and guard and protect him throughout the rest of this pregnancy and birth. I pray that he will be delivered at the right time in the right way that keeps him healthy and safe and brings glory to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

28 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

I had my 28 week check up yesterday. The visit itself was very routine. Pee in a cup, get weighed, talk to dr. I did get to have a growth ultrasound though but unfortunately I was almost 20 minutes late thanks to snowy roads. So, that meant that the tech rushed my ultrasound so that she could get me on to my dr appointment in time. It was kind of sad because we had no time to look at anything and she went so fast, I was afraid her measurements were way off. Seriously, I’ve never had a growth scan take probably 10 minutes if that. But Levi did measure well as did his fluid level. I had an AFI (amniotic fluid index) of 14cm and a single pocket measurement of 5cm. That’s probably on par with or maybe better than Truett’s was at this point so that is good. Also, baby is head down (!!!) and I am now certain that these poky things in my ribs are indeed feet and the poky things in my side are knees, elbows and hands. Truett was never head down after 23 weeks and being a frank breech baby, I didn’t feel much from his feet since he couldn’t really kick with them right in his face.

We discussed having a VBAC. It seems that some of the Drs are right on board with it and others, while they say that they are equipped for VBACS and that they are supportive of that choice if baby is not experiencing distress or anything negative like that or breech presentation, they also don’t really seem like they are that into me pursing that route. I have talked about it a little at almost all of my check ups and it seems that their main concerns are:

• Me going past my due date and having no positive cervical changes – they can’t induce with anything other than Pitocin and they can only induce with that if I have a favorable cervix. So going past my due date and no labor seems to equal c section.
• If I go into labor naturally and it hasn’t been enough hours since my last blood thinner injection and/or my blood test comes back bad, they can’t give me an epidural/spinal for labor or c section. I am actually fine with that for labor since I won’t be tempted to get one and then later possibly regret that choice (not saying it’s the wrong choice, just knowing myself, I know I might regret it) if it’s not an option. On the other hand, I am afraid if I have to get a c section, I would have to be put under general anestheia. This was a concern with Truett too and God provided that for the first time in my entire pregnancy, I forgot my Heparin shot the morning he was born and I was able to be awake for his birth. So I am going to try not to worry about that.
• I can’t schedule a natural labor and birth around my shots. Pretty much this is just the same concern as above. I understand that it is nice to know that all your bases are covered. For me though, I cried for AGES after scheduling my c section to have Tru (which I didn’t make it to that date after all) because it felt SO WEIRD to know when he was coming. I liked that God chose the date. DH on the other hand, loves the idea of being able to mark it on the calendar. It’s all in your personality I think. I am not much of a planner. I am spontaneous lol.

SO…. enough of all that. Basically, he is head down. It means nothing and it means everything. We won’t know until we get there. He could still turn breech again although most babies are getting into their little spots around this time. He might be natural, he might not. A lot of it is hanging on what his fluid levels and placenta do as we get closer to the date. If he even thinks about going into distress or if his placenta even thinks about shriveling up before he is born or if his fluid gets too low then you can just find me scrubbing myself in for a c section thankyouverymuch. It’s all up to God anyways. Whatever is in His plan for this little guy to come into this world. 🙂 I don’t regret Truett’s birth. I was hoping to go natural but I had an “easy”, necessary c section.

How far along? 28 weeks 4 days 

How big is the baby? Levi weighed an estimated 2lbs 14oz in the 53rd percentile. 

Total weight gain/loss? Mommy, on the other hand, weighs an estimated lotsmore pounds than Levi in the lotshigher percentile. Meaning I think I gained 2-3 pounds this week. So 19-20 pounds up from pre pregnancy weight now. 

Maternity clothes? I bought a pair of maternity leggings. They are the most comfortable pregnancy clothes you will ever wear. I don’t blame you if you never take them off again. 

Sleep? Terrible. I have had a stuffy nose for months now but it’s getting worse. I can’t get comfortable. My boobs keep playing hacky sack with each other. I keep waking up on my back…. But if I do fall into a deep sleep, it’s wonderful. 🙂 

Best moment this week? Finding out how big my newest little man is and seeing that he is head down. Feeling his feet in my ribs is adorable. I have also loved how Truett comes up and lays his head on my belly. He has no idea his brother is in there but it’s like he has some kind of affection for the belly. It’s precious. 🙂 

Symptoms? Pelvic/hip area is starting to hurt more especially if I sit for hours like I did today in the car. I bounce and roll my hips on the yoga ball a lot and do some stretches. It really helps. Aside from the usual contractions etc, I felt very heavy and tired this week but it’s just normal at this stage so it’s all to be expected. So worth it when I think of the little baby growing in there. 🙂 

Food cravings?  I went on a binge the last couple weeks… a “clean up our diet after the holidays” binge. It includes lots of vegetables and healthy recipes that I hope to share soon! I feel very healthy eating this way. 

Gender? Boy! 

Milestones? I am 7 months pregnant and in my third trimester now no matter what any silly website says!!! 😉 

Bump? It’s out there! 

Dear God, thank You for a good check up and ultrasound today. Thank You for the little baby kicks in my ribs. I always wanted to feel that and I finally am and it’s precious. I pray that Levi will be in whatever position is healthiest and safest for him and that You will provide us with the birth experience that You want for us to have. I pray that he will be born safe, healthy and happy no matter how he comes into the outside world. Thank You so much for him and for this whole very special experience. Please continue to watch other and guard and protect us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

20 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

It’s so strange with this pregnancy having the placenta on the front. I can’t feel all the little flutters and I can’t really make out individual body parts. It’s kind of early for that anyways and I do have extra belly padding this time but I know with Tru, I was able to feel a lot more definition by now. I’m just so happy that I’m finally feeling regular movement and that it’s strong enough to feel from the outside now. 🙂 I really have no idea if he is head down or not but the stuff going on at that top feels like bigger body parts.

 

How far along? 20 weeks 4 days 

How big is the baby? I read that he is 10 inches head to toe. But they also say he is 10.5 oz this week and we already know that he measured 11 oz at his last ultrasound… 

Total weight gain/loss? I have consistently weighed 138.2 every morning for days now which puts my weight gain at just about +8 pounds. By the time I go to bed however, I have gained 4 more pounds which I’m assuming is all the water I am waking up to pee out all night since I wake up 4 pounds lighter. I am happy with an 8 pound gain though. 🙂 

Sleep? Plagued by very vivid nightmares. I tried taking half a Unisom last night before bed and I slept wayyyyyy better than I have lately so I think I may have to continue doing that. Otherwise I am fidgeting and tossing all night.

Best moment this week? Finally getting DH to feel the baby. The little guy was really showing off for his daddy flip-flopping around in there. 🙂 

Symptoms? Still the heart stuff going on. Yesterday it was awful and I was getting a little worried even though I know it’s normal. It just feels so different! I’ve noticed that it actually seems to calm down if I am really active. It’s not because I don’t feel it as much, it just literally calms down when I really get the blood pumping. I have no idea why… Restless legs are still here at times. Definitely feeling those round ligaments and just like with Tru, the left side is worse. I’m thinking we may have to get back to using the Webster Technique just to loosen it up a bit. But all in all, I really can’t complain. I’m not at the hugely awkward, heavy stage yet. I still have times where I feel totally normal until I look down and see a belly poking out. 😉 Just enjoying this second trimester, being able to eat, and feeling a lot like I normally do. 

Gender? I think we are all well established on the fact that he is a boy. A nameless boy. *sniff* But I think we are probably going to go with Bruce Shay because I love the name Shay and DH and I both agree on the name Bruce for a first name and when he kicks, I just feel like he’s a Bruce. I asked DH what name he got when the baby kicked him. “BRUCE!” I was like “I know!! Me too!” SO that’s probably his name. *Subject to change at any time* 😉 If I was going to be really pushy, I would push for Shay as the first name, but as long as it’s in there somewhere, I’m happy. 

Milestones? 20 weeks is considered halfway since pregnancy is measured as 40 weeks. Of course, babies can come a couple weeks sooner or later and be just fine so it’s a relative thing. But it’s still nice. 🙂 

Bump?

20 Weeks 1 Day

 

Dear God, please continue to watch over this sweet little baby and protect him. Thank You for this gift of getting to carry this little boy and I pray that my body will do a good job taking care of him all throughout this pregnancy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Link to 20 week pregnancy post with Truett.

17 Weeks 4 Days – 2nd Pregnancy

My boobies feel like they are engorged. Just thought I would get that out there and off my chest. 😉 But seriously, they are really hard and sore and feel just like I have too much milk in there like right before you nurse your baby. I don’t get it. I don’t remember them feeling this way while I was pregnant with Tru which makes me think, hey, maybe they are full of milk. I was leaking tons of milk by this point with Tru but not with this baby so maybe my boobies really ARE filling up. I don’t know for sure but it is seriously weird.

 

8 days until I am supposed to have my anatomy scan. Originally, I was supposed to have my appointment on the 3rd but I moved it to the 30th because I thought that would be better for DH but after I changed it DH said he couldn’t get the 30th off so I moved it back to the 3rd (which meant I would have to wait 4 more days just so he could be there but I am nice like that), then he couldn’t get the 3rd off but he could get the 30th after all. So it is tentatively set for the 30th but who knows… I might move it back to the 3rd just for kicks ya know.

 

How far along? 17 weeks 4 days

How big is the baby? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 5+ inches head to butt.

Total weight gain/loss?  +3 pounds.

Sleep? Sleeping fine once I’m asleep but having nightmares and taking until all hours of the night (as late as 4am) to fall asleep due to crazy awful restless legs.

Best moment this week? Laying in the recliner at 17+1 and feeling several strong kicks. I think baby was in the perfect spot that day because I felt it several times that day but now I’m back to not feeling much of anything. Those kicks got me so excited though! I looked up and told DH that I was feeling the baby kick. He kind of looked at me like “Well duh!” But I just haven’t felt much from this baby so I get super excited about every little movement. The other day I laid still and quiet for a few minutes and then I made a loud sound and saw and felt the baby jump in there. 😉 It was hilarious. Hey, at least we know it’s ears work. I am the nicest mom ever! 😉

 

Tru’s birthday party was another “best moment”. It went beautifully. It was so fun! I laid on the couch for a few hours of it but everyone understood and I didn’t feel too weird about it. I will have to do a separate post about his party.

Symptoms?

• I have been getting nausea the last few days. It’s not quite as bad as morning sickness but it definitely catches my attention.
• Intense cramping that had me on the floor of the truck while we were driving in town. I was scared crazy for a few hours and seriously thought that we might need to head to the hospital but it went away gradually throughout the evening while I laid on the couch and DH took care of me.
• My low back hurts during the cramping times.
• Absolutely awful restless legs and my arm even started to join the party the other night.

Food cravings? No. Food doesn’t sound too good right now.

Food aversions? Meh. Chicken is still gross when in big chunks.

Gender? We should know by next week. 🙂 It’s a girl you guys. Just believe it. It might have been a boy a few weeks ago but it’s a girl now. I’m almost 51% sure.

What I’m looking forward to? More of those strong kicks! Baby needs to get back into that position where I can feel some things!!

Bump? I haven’t taken my weekly picture yet but you can take my word for it, things are growing! I am super pregnant looking now and muh boobies!… I had a dream last night that my bra is too tight. It really is too tight but you know it’s getting bad when you have dreams about it.

 

Dear God, Please bless our upcoming Dr appointment and ultrasound. I pray that they will both go well and that everything will be well with the baby and the placenta. Thank You for those sweet little kicks that I felt earlier this week and for the beautiful little heartbeat that I heard this morning. In Jesus’ name, amen.