Tag Archives: First Pregnancy

Nursery Ideas

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Okay, so this is obviously a very premature post, but sometimes, I get excited and carried away.

Here's one sketched idea for a nursery floor plan.

Here’s one sketched idea for a nursery floor plan.

 

And here are the two main walls in more detail, with my inspiration…

Here is the wall with the crib.

Here is the wall with the crib.

 

And here is the wall with the glider chair and changing table.

And here is the wall with the glider chair and changing table.

 

No bedding options just yet, but here’s a general idea of what I’m thinking for the room itself. I think a decent amount of this can be made or purchased from Craigslist or garage sales, but only time will tell what will happen!

Once it hits your lips…

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photoThis morning I decided to indulge in a caffeinated treat for the first time since we found out I’m pregnant. Everything I’ve read says that as long as you consume less than 200 mg of caffeine per day, you’re good to go… yet, somehow, I felt guilty ordering my delicious morning pick-me-up. And, I’m not going to lie, I had a legit experience with my skinny vanilla latte. I’m not sure if any of you are Ally McBeal fans, but this was pretty much my experience this morning:

So, despite the fact that everyone says a limited amount of caffeine is okay, why does it feel like I’m breaking the rules at the expense of my little blueberry baby?

Symptoms

Last night I took my prenatal vitamins right before I ate and I didn’t seem to get sick at all. Maybe that’s the trick? Or maybe my body is getting used to the vitamin intake? Who knows. Regardless, I was pretty darn thankful. The rest of the day was pretty much just as good, despite it being Monday. I’ve felt pretty great! Maybe the worst is over?

Other than that, Mark and I literally played house last night. We babysat for a friend, which entailed caring for two adorable little boys (one is 2, one is 4). I think we were both pretty proud at our performance. We divided and conquered, which worked really well.

So, the 4 children I’m hoping to have (eventually) might be complicated, but two was feeling somewhat manageable. 

I’ve got the itch…

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The pregnant belly itch, that is! Beginning on Friday night, I had the itchiest dang belly ever. So much so, that it woke me up in the middle of the night all weekend. I have some argan oil next to my bed that I literally squeeze onto my belly (usually around 2 am) and then quickly go back to sleep.

I’ve been trying to combat the itch by loading up on Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion – compliments of my sister – the argan oil, any other lotion I find nearby, and am trying to drink as much water as possible. I’m hopeful that the combination will make my itching short-lived… or at least help in the prevention of evil stretch marks.

Besides the itching, the weekend was pretty low-key, just as I had hoped. We saw Last Vegas with my parents on Friday, which was actually entertaining and silly, did some cleaning / winter-prep around the house on Saturday and Sunday, and had Mark’s dad and step mom (Amy) over for a birthday dinner on Sunday evening. Because they were away for Amy’s son’s wedding in Hawaii, we hadn’t told them about the little baby boo yet. So, that was pretty fun! We used the same card and pregnancy test that we had used for our mothers, and actually, Mark’s dad seemed to register the note the quickest. They seem very excited for us.

Our "Hey, we're pregnant" card!

Our “Hey, we’re pregnant” card!

Other than that, I got a good amount of rest this weekend and am feeling pretty good… minus the fact that it’s Monday, which means another week of work. On the positive, only two more days until our first appointment and we have family coming into town next week for my mom’s birthday party… so I have a feeling, this month is just going to fly!

Symptoms

As mentioned, I’ve got the itch. Other than that, I’ve been finding that my prenatal vitamin has been causing some severe nausea and a bit of a headache. It takes about an hour from the time I take the pill to the time the symptoms begin, but once they do, it’s pretty bad. I’m guessing it lasts about 45 or so minutes, which isn’t awful, but it’s definitely not pleasant.

In terms of exhaustion, I’m feeling better than I was at the beginning of last week, but I will say that I’m still pretty darn tired come 2:30 pm. That seems to be the magical time where my brain shuts off and my body starts begging for sleep. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t feel appropriate to put my head down at my desk. Plus, when I get to that point, it doesn’t feel like a cat nap will do it. My body is looking for some serious rest.

I also seem to have random waves of nausea throughout the day, especially when I’m getting hungry. It’s kind of a pain. I’ll feel nauseous until all of a sudden I’m ravenous.

BUT, enough complaining. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty great considering I’m sharing my energy and my body with another person. And, I’m feeling very excited. I’m thinking a grey and white nursery. Maybe later this week I’ll post some inspiration photos.

One more thing before I go, seems like the chat with the husband really helped. He’s been wonderful and amazing. Very sweet and nurturing.

The Pregnancy Pillow

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I’ve been practicing sleeping on my side with little success. To help in my efforts, I’m looking to purchase a pregnancy pillow, but I need a little help. I’ve looked at a ton online and read reviews, and here are the two that have stood out the most to me…

1. Today’s Mom® Cozy Comfort Pregnancy Pillow

Cozy Comfort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pillow is $79.99 with free shipping, no returns, when purchased here

The Pros: 

  • It’s HUGE – talk about being engulfed in a pillow.
  • There’s support for your giant belly.
  • It has a large, rectangular area for your head to rest.
  • It looks SUPER comfortable

 

The Cons:

  • This thing is $80!
  • It’s HUGE! Thankfully, we have a King-Sized bed, but I don’t see how this and a husband could fit in a Queen-Sized Bed
  • It doesn’t have the wedge/incline to help relieve pressure on your arm and reduce acid reflux, etc.
  • No returns.

 

2. Bump Nest Relief System

Preg System

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pillow is $199.99 with free shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee, when purchased here

The Pros: 

  • Again, this pillow is pretty big!
  • The wedge props you up to help reduce acid reflux.
  • The wedge has a cut-out for your arm so your poor arm doesn’t have to support your body weight.
  • Love the colors.
  • 30-day money back guarantee.

 

The Cons:

  • If you thought $80 was bad… this this is almost $200!!
  • The area for your head is rounded, which isn’t always the best.

 

Has anyone out there tried one of these? Or have you tried a different pillow that you’ve loved? I want to buy one soon, so any help you can provide is MUCH appreciated!

 

Have I Mentioned I’m Impatient?

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Yesterday afternoon I called my doctor’s clinic to find out a little bit more about what to expect from my first visit. The reality is that all I wanted to know was whether or not I’d get an ultrasound. So, I’m sure you could imagine my surprised / frustrated / angered / upset / crabby response when the nurse explained that I would not have an ultrasound until 19-20 weeks. The conversation went something like this…

Receptionist: No mam, you won’t have an ultrasound until 19-20 weeks…

Me: I’m sorry, what? How will you know there’s a heartbeat?

Receptionist: Oh, if you took a pregnancy test, you’re definitely pregnant. Those things are like 99% accurate.

Me: I understand that I’m pregnant. But what about miscarriage? How will we know that the baby is okay?

Receptionist: Oh, you’d probably know.

Me: But I read that sometimes there is no heartbeat, but you don’t have signs of miscarriage for weeks or months even.

Receptionist: Yeah, I wouldn’t worry.

Me: Uhhh. I guess thanks?

Needless to say, I got off the phone and was irritated. I’ve never heard of that! I can’t even list the number of first trimester ultrasounds I’ve seen posted to Facebook, not-to-mention all the blogs I’ve read. I decided I needed a second opinion… so I called the other clinic where my doctor sees patients. This conversation started out in a similar way with the receptionist explaining that ultrasounds are not given until 20 weeks; however, some lovely woman (receptionist or nurse) who overheard our conversation set the record straight. Turns out they can do a first trimester ultrasound and my nurse, Debbie, can place the order for it at my appointment next week. This means that I likely will not get my ultrasound that day, but at least I’ll have one coming! Instant smile.

So, what are the takeaways?

1) While the first receptionist was quite annoying, her lack of worry and concern actually made me feel a little better. I’m comfortable with the idea that I’ll know if something happens, but since I haven’t noticed anything, I should assume everything is great.

2) Our little baby will have his or her first glamour shot soon AND, hopefully we’ll get to hear the heartbeat.

3) I’m glad I called. I like knowing what I’m walking into.

As for what to expect at the first appointment… this is a bit unclear, but it seems as if we will review my husband and my medical histories, I might get some blood tests, she’ll tell me “what to expect when I’m expecting,” answer my many questions, talk diet and exercise, and other informational items. So, being that I’m a pre-planner, I also have been working to fill out a form I found on the March of Dimes website.

Family History Form from March of Dimes

Family History Form from March of Dimes

I already went through it with my parents and we will be going through it with Mark’s parents this weekend. I think that by having all of this information collected at our first appointment, we’ll be better prepared to ask questions. Here’s the link to the form.

Symptoms

I’m feeling pretty good today. Definitely more chipper! I mean, it is Friday after all. I’ve still been getting pretty tired, but it helps that I’ve been in bed by around 9 or 9:30 every night this week. I think my husband – a true sleep lover – is enjoying that side effect. Yesterday he said to me, “If there is a positive to you feeling kind of crappy… not that I’m glad that you don’t feel well or anything… but if there was a positive, it’d be that we’re getting to bed so early.” We’re the type that spends most of our non-working, waking hours together and goes to bed at the same time. So, I guess he’s right! It does feel nice to get a good night’s rest.

We also worked out again last night. I was a bit sluggish during the workout, but all-in-all, it felt good! I’m going to go again tonight to ensure at least 3 workouts this week. Gotta make sure I’m staying healthy. Which reminds me, I’m not sure if it’s possible that I’m showing already or if I’m just absurdly bloated, but either way, my tum is sticking out more than normal. My clothes still fit, although that tum of mine seems to be hanging over or out of some outfits a touch. Also, my scale shows that I’ve gained 2 pounds. I refuse to accept that just yet. Every day I feel totally inflated, so maybe I’ll wait until I’m 12 weeks to accept my “first trimester gain” amount.

Until then, I’m going to continue to eat healthy and workout!

Big Weekend!

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Saturday, October 19. 2013

After a failed attempt at telling my parents on Friday evening, we decided to try again on Saturday. My brother was in town for a wedding and my niece and nephew were staying at my parents for the weekend. The husband and I went over there for lunch and after we ate, I pulled out a bag of goodies. I had some furry slap bracelets for the kids (something to preoccupy them during my reveal), and some “honeymoon souvenirs” to show my mom. With my niece on my mom’s lap, I showed her some necklaces and then pulled out a box and said, “Mom, look at this one. It’s my favorite from our trip.”

In total “my mom style,” she half-ass started opening the box, attention lost on the surroundings. With me standing at her side, she finally got the box open and in it was a card. I helped her open the card (because her attention was almost completely lost at this time), which read, “Baby Lang – Due 6-18-14” and had a positive pregnancy test stuck to it. My mom made her weird, “I’m not paying attention” laugh and then just stared at the card. It felt like forever, but FINALLY, she got it! She looked at me and screamed, “WHAT!” and burst into tears. All the while, my poor brother is just staring at us like, “What the f is on that card??”

Ahhhh relief!

Later in the evening, we had Mark’s mom and grandpa over to celebrate my Milly (mother-in-law)’s birthday. I made Indian food, we played a game of Clue, and then had birthday cake and opened presents. We gave his mom her birthday card and some flowers first, and then gave her the box we had given to my mom earlier that day. She stared, and stared, and then very quietly – fighting back tears – said, “Really?” Lots of hugs and a good 5 minutes of her hiding her head in Mark’s chest later, we decided to FaceTime with Mark’s sister. We chatted and then showed all of Milly’s birthday gifts, including the card with the pregnancy test stuck to it! Everyone was so happy… it was amazing to finally share the excitement with everyone!

PhotoMontage2

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Baby JLast, but not least, it was time to tell my sister. She and her husband had been laying low for the weekend, so, on Sunday we planned to all get together for lunch so they could retrieve their children from my parents and see my brother. Before lunch, I had gone to my mom’s house to quickly make a shirt for my nephew that read, “I’m getting a cousin! Expected Delivery: 6-18-14” using an iron-on transfer. Once he was in the shirt and ready to go, I made my way to meet my sister and beat my parents and the kids to the restaurant. My sister and her husband arrived just a few minutes after us and thankfully, we were able to get a table before my parents and the kids came in. My nephew went right to my sister for help taking his jacket off and her reaction was hilarious. The jacket was unzipped and then, using her mom juggling skills, she moved the edge of the jacket over a bit with her pinky to reveal the full message on the shirt. She instantly SCREAMED… in the restaurant… and ran over to me! It was a perfect reaction. She was so sweet.

To add a little funny to the whole thing, right behind my sister was a girl I went to high school with. I hoped and prayed that she didn’t notice my sister’s scream, or me, to ensure my secret stayed secret a little longer. Oh well!

After lunch, Mark, my parents and I headed over to Aurora Grafton Medical Center to check out the labor and delivery center. I really wanted to see the hospital before selecting a doctor. Prior to our visit, I was going between the West Allis Women’s Center and the Grafton hospital and after the visit, I was set. The nurses were absolutely amazing and answered my entire list of questions (see below). They also ALL recommended the same three doctors, which was very reassuring. So, I’ve officially selected Dr. Kosnik and will hopefully deliver at the Grafton Medical Center.

It felt like a huge relief to have my secret out and have a doctor selected…

Clearly, the only way to celebrate such a big weekend was a trip to CostCo! Mark’s first to be exact!

PhotoMontage

Symptoms

So, this weekend I have been deciding how PC to be with this “symptoms” section. I am pretty private when it comes to my body, but feel like there is value in sharing my full experience. So, here it is… for the past week, I have had light to mild cramping. In addition to that, I’ve noticed that after my many trips to the ladies room, I can see a faint pink or very light brown coloring left on the toilet paper. I emailed my regular doctor and she simply said, “that could be reason for concern.” Obviously, that has left me in a total panic. However, I’ve done a LOT of Googling and it seems that it’s pretty normal. Right now, my uterus is expanding, and in doing so, there is cramping and a little bit of blood (some old blood that’s being released and some new). So, I’ve decided to monitor, but not freak out about it. I found this thread, which made me feel a lot better.

Other than that, my sleep is a lost cause and I’m headachy. BUT… all the while, feeling obnoxiously happy and optimistic.

Questions When Selecting a Hospital

Here’s the list of questions I asked the hospital when I went for my mini-tour. Also, they have scheduled “tour times,” but I called the Labor & Delivery department and asked if I could just stop by for a quick visit to check things out. I would recommend doing the same. They had no time to spruce anything up and I got one-on-one time to ask all of my questions.

  • Does the hospital offer birth classes?
  • Can we see the worst room? (Often times, during a more formal tour, they will show you the best room… ask to see the worst, because there is sometimes a big difference!)
  • What kinds of rooms are available?
  • Are all rooms private?
  • Does the labor and delivery happen in one room? Or will you have to switch rooms?
  • What is the usual care if labor is progressing slowly?
  • What percentage of women get an episiotomy?
  • What drug-free measures for pain relief are available?
  • How does the doctor / nurse help a mother stick to her birth plan?
  • What percentage of births are C-Sections?
  • If a C-Section is required, will my husband be allowed in the room with me?
  • Is the baby taken out of the room after birth?
  • Does this hospital have a newborn ICU?
  • If I deliver early, will I still come to this hospital?
  • What happens if all the birthing rooms are taken?
  • Which doctor would you recommend?
  • Do you have experience working with a Doula? Any recommendations of Doulas?

Baby on Board

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Today marks 7 months of marriage with my amazing husband and the day we officially found out I am pregnant. I stress the word officially, because literally since September 27th (just one or two days after ovulation), I have had an inkling that I was pregnant. So much so, that today’s positive HPT (mommy-to-be code for Home Pregnancy Test) was the tenth test I’ve taken in the past three weeks. And actually, I was conveniently at the doctor yesterday for my flu shot, begging her to take a pregnancy blood test so I could stop obsessing. She denied my request.

So, this morning – my 7th day sans period – I decided to take another test and this time, confirmation!! Being that this was our first month of “not trying not to get pregnant” (or whatever we called it), I don’t know if I’m really that in-tune with my body or if I was searching for signs. Either way, today I can say with confidence that I’m pregnant!

Telling the Husband…

Breaking the news to the daddy-to-be!

Breaking the news to the daddy-to-be!

This morning began the way many of my mornings had recently… I got up early, ran to the bathroom to pee on that magical stick and waited. Of course, this meant pretending I was patient, putting the stick on the other side of the counter while I brushed my teeth… sneaking a peek every 15 of so seconds. THEN… it happened. What I had been waiting to happen for the last 9 tests. The second line appeared. Lightly, but it was there! I can’t even explain how I felt… relieved, excited, and whatever the emotion is that’s paired with the, “Holy shit” reaction. I was definitely feeling that.

Now was the fun part: surprising my husband! So, as I had planned over the past three weeks, I took our little framed, “I Love You Because…” sign and finished the sentence with… “you’re going to be an amazing dad.” Then, I propped the pee stick up against the frame and put it by my husband’s sink and waited patiently for him to drag his butt out of bed.

Finally, 45 minutes or so later, he emerged. I hid my smile and continued getting ready as my husband came into the bathroom. He immediately went to the toilet and, mid-pee, noticed my reveal. With the stream still flowing, he grinned and said, “REALLY?? Come in for a hug!!” So, almost as magically and even more “actual real life” than I had planned, my husband and I hugged and celebrated the little baby we were brewing to the bitter smell of his morning pee.

The Symptoms

The first few days after ovulation, I was absolutely brain-dead. I have a tendency to be a little ditzy, but I was operating at a level of pure ridiculousness. From forgetting to set a timer while cooking (3 times in one cooking session), to getting on the highway going the wrong direction on my daily drive to work, to literally pouring my bowl of soup all down the front of my shirt, I just wasn’t “feeling myself.”

Thankfully, the utter brain-dead feeling only lasted 3 or so days… although I’m still waiting to regain my motivation at work. The next big thing I noticed was my bionic sense of smell. I was on the other side of the basement from the litter box and still had to speed steam my shirt while holding my breath before RUNNING upstairs for fresh air.

The other big (and fun) ones were the headaches and serious bloating. I tend to get headaches quite often, so at least I’m used to that. But the bloating… Yikes. By the end of every day, my stomach is rivaling Buddah’s.

But honestly, nothing is unmanageable. And actually, now that I have that blessed positive test, it all feels great. I cannot even begin to explain how frustrating it is to have a gut feeling about something, signs that support your gut feeling, a period that’s 7 days late, and a test that says it’s all in your head.

So now that I can put that behind me, I’ve found my incapable-of-chilling-the-f-out brain obsessing over my next hurdle… will I be able to carry this little sesame seed through the first trimester?