Exercise During Pregnancy?

I just got done watching the news and there was an interesting story about a new study dealing with exercise and pregnancy. The study found that women who exercise 7 hours or more a week (an hour a day) are 78% more likely to develop pre-eclampsia(sp?). This life threatening complication is one of the most common in pregnant women and one of the most worrisome to doctors. The recommended amount of exercise is 1/2 hour a day and if you can't carry on a conversation while you exercise, you are pushing it too hard. One of the best ways to exercise while pregnant is swimming. I consider my daily routines to be enough exercise for me. Even some daily chores can be too much for me and I immediately feel it. So, to all of you pregos out there, take it a little easy.

First Movements

Last night I couldn't sleep, thanks to someone snoring. I was working on our Christmas card when I for sure felt the baby move. It felt like popcorn popping in my stomach. I felt it a lot sooner than I thought, about 6 weeks earlier than with Xander. I love moments like that because it reminds me that there is actually life growing in there. I can't wait until it's big enough for Brandon to feel moving!

15 Weeks

I haven't had any weird cravings, until now. I seriously can't get enough of gas station nachos. Just thinking about them right now, at 9:00 in the morning, makes me want to run and get some. All of the gas stations here close at 9:00. The other night I wanted them so badly that I almost drove 20 minutes to the nearest Maverick. I turned around quickly because I knew that Brandon would make fun of me.

I may have felt some movements this last week, but I'm not sure. It's still early, so I'm not looking for them. I'll have to pay better attention so that I don't miss those first movements.

The heartburn is just beginning. When I lay in bed at night I can feel my dinner at the top of my throat. When I was pregnant with Xander, my heartburn was unbearable. I couldn't lay down at all after eating and I had to prop myself up at night to get some relief. There's an old wives tale that says that the worse the heartburn, the more hair your baby will have. That was very true last time. I hope it picks up so that I won't have a bald baby!

Your little bean is actually now a large pear -- she’s about 4" long and weighs 2.5 ounces. Her legs are finally longer than her arms and all her joints are functional.

She's increasingly active and you might actually start to feel the first little flutters of her movement. Don't be disappointed if you aren't feeling anything yet though; the first movements are notoriously hard to detect.

Her skeleton is hardening up (in preparation for those reckless skate park stunts) and she’s ditching the Whoopi look by growing in her eyebrows. Her heart continues to work hard, pumping up to 25 quarts of blood through her body each day. The lanugo we discussed in Week 13 is now covering her body and will likely remain there until you are close to full term. Hair patterns are starting to form ... and if you're having a boy, we won't divulge the family history of baldness if you don't!

14 Weeks

I know I'm a day early, but we are leaving for Thanksgiving tomorrow and I don't know if I'll have time to update. I don't know why it matters because no one has access to this blog yet. I'm still feeling yucky most of the time and easily gag. I'm starting to think that maybe I'll be sick during the whole pregnancy. It's hard because I really want to be healthy and eat well, but most healthy stuff makes me gag. It's a good thing I can still take my vitamins. Brandon says it's all in my head, he's probably right.

Even though my face and hair are super greasy, the rest of my skin is shedding a layer a day. I don't wear black because I'm afraid of evidence showing on my clothes. It's starting to crack and itch, which is hard for me to resist. I need to get some mineral oil for in the shower and start using Xander's steroid ointment (I got the doctor's okay on that).

I bought my first maternity shirt last week. I needed something new to wear to Thanksgiving and all the regular shirts made me look fat instead of pregnant. It's really cute and comfy and I'm excited to wear more maternity clothes as the baby, and I, grow.

Break out the dactyloscope -- your sweet sprite finally has fingerprints! His arches, loops and whorls are just one of the many ways in which he will establish himself as a completely unique being. And, he’s increasingly responsive to external stimuli: if you poke your belly, he’ll wriggle away!

He’s also starting to practice his breathing, learning the inhalation and exhalation movements. You probably won't be able to feel all that moving around, though. At just 3.5", he's just barely as big as a peach -- so he still has lots of room to stretch out, or swim around as the mood strikes him.

Even though his eyelids remain fused shut, Baby is able to move his eyes around, and can finally make a fist. His neck is lengthening and his chin no longer rests on his chest.

Cute Alert!Your little mime is making faces now: he might alternately grimace, squint and frown!

The placenta is still Baby's source of nourishment, so remember that when making your food and drink choices. In the next few weeks, his tiny bones will start to ossify, or harden, so it's still very important to take your prenatal vitamins and folic acid. You will be scheduled for an ultrasound in the next couple of weeks and at this appointment, you should be able to find out if you are having a boy or a girl. If you don't want to know the baby's gender until you deliver, let every doctor and technician you come across know to keep it a secret!

2nd Doctor's Appointment

I had my second appointment today. It was a very short visit. I got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. The baby was hiding behind a big muscle, I think she meant a big layer of fat. Every time she found it, the baby would move. But, I did hear it for a few minutes. The heart rate was 160, which I think is a little above average, it's definitely a boy. I asked a few questions and that was it. We don't get to have an ultrasound next time, so I have to wait until the middle of January! She said we could try next month, but we may not be able to tell for sure what it is. I wanted to know before Christmas, but I think this way we will have something to look forward to after Christmas and it will make the time go by faster. Besides, I'm 90% sure that it's a boy, and I'm always right!

13 Weeks

I've had a nasty cold this week, so I'm even more stuffed up than normal. I think that's why I've been so tired because I can't sleep at night because I can't breathe. Now that I'm in my 2nd trimester I'm feeling much better. I still get a little nauseous and nothing sounds good to eat, but I'm doing better. I'm getting sick of the weird dreams. That's one bad thing about blogging, I dream about people from High School against my will. My sister just had a baby and when I went to see them it made it more real that I'm actually pregnant. I'm getting excited to hold our little one in my arms so fresh from heaven that he/she still smells like it.

Though it will be a while before you hear them, little Pavoratti's vocal cords are already developing, preparing to belt out that first anthem of childhood: the healthy wailing that accompanies him into the world.

His cozy home in the amniotic sac continues to expand along with him -- he’s a whopping 3” in length at this point, which is about the size of a large lemon. He’ll start to develop a covering of fine hairs known as lanugo this week, and his senses of taste and smell are even further refined. Also being refined are the whorls and loops that make up that unique identifier we all have: fingerprints. His pancreas is functioning as well (which means he's secreting his own insulin), and he's even developed the villi in his intestines that will help him digest food.

And finally this week, his intestines will make the move into his abdominal cavity -- previously they lived in the umbilical cord as they waited for room in his abdomen. With all this work going on, make sure you continue to take your prenatal vitamins to keep your little one on the right path as he continues to grow!

12 Weeks

Xander informed me the other day that the baby's name is Colter. I asked what its name will be if it's a girl and he said, "Anna, no Nana". He has been so good while I'm not feeling well. He just plays with his toys and watches cartoons. He'll come and get me if he needs to go potty or sometimes he'll bring his toys in on my bed and we'll play together. Brandon has also been so great. He never complains if the house is a mess or if he has to cook dinner for himself and Xander, thank goodness for corn dogs and chicken nuggets.

Nearing the end of her first three months, the Lilliputian inside you is now fully formed. She's still tiny, though -- at about 2.5" she's the length of an iPod Nano. Her job for the next six months is to strengthen all the systems the two of you have worked so hard to set in place. Brain configuration is nearly complete as her synapses start forming. The pituitary gland is starting to produce hormones: growth hormone, prolactin and more. Her heart is hard at work, pumping several quarts of blood through her body every day!

In addition, her kidneys are developed enough to start filtering liquid -- which means she's getting a head start on those dirty diapers. Her urine will actually become part of the amniotic fluid. She's starting to look more human now as well: her eyes have moved closer together on her face and her ears are nearing their final resting places on the sides of her head.All this development means she can now respond to external stimulation -- she may squint at a bright light, open and close her mouth or give you a show of jazz hands.

And one more thing: the genitalia have finally developed their distinguishing characteristics, so chances are good that at your next ultrasound appointment, you could find out what you are having!