eating may feel like a chore

"Eating may feel like a chore."  I read this in either my pregnancy book or on my weekly e-newsletter.  And for this pregnancy it is SO true.  I feel kinda guilty saying it because there are way too many hungry people in the world who NEED to eat and would LOVE to eat just to be alive.  And here I am, with plenty of food in my kitchen, and yet feeling almost bothered that I feel constant hunger.  But the reality is that I am pregnant and I get hungry like every 2 hours.

This is very different than my first pregnancy.  When I was pregnant with little guy I felt so sick the first three months.  Only certain foods sounded any good to me.  And some foods that I thought I wanted, I pushed away upon trying to eat them.  But not this time.  This time, I eat a meal and then within two hours, I'm hungry, AGAIN.  This could be very dangerous...lol.

But I guess the good thing is that there have been very few foods that turn my stomach, so I have many options.  With my first pregnancy, I had definite cravings and was limited to what I could eat.  But this time is very different.  I haven't had any specific cravings other than just plain ole being hungry...lol.

Today we ordered tuna sandwiches at work from a local shop for breakfast (I know, tuna for breakfast may sound strange...lol).  I had a delish lunch of chop chuey (a Chinese-style dish with chicken breast chunks and veggies) with a side of white rice.  I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a snack (little guy wanted one, and it sounded so good that I made two, one for him and one for me...lol).  And now hubby is on a light dinner snack run because we're all hungry (at least it's not just me, right?).  It's just all very strange for me because I normally (when I'm not pregnant) eat a light meal at work, eat a good lunch, and maybe eat something very small for dinner (but often skip it bcuz I'm just not hungry).  My Dr. advised me to eat several small meals a day.  And this time around I will listen not because I was told to, but because I feel the need to.  :)

On a side note, this post has got me thinking.  I may donate some money.  I want to help feed those who are hungry.  If we all helped, no one would be hungry on this planet.  I try to help when I can, but being blessed with this pregnancy and the ability to eat inspires me to give more.

image via

1st ultrasound, 2nd appointment

Yesterday I went for my first ultrasound.  Although according to my cycle I am 7 weeks pregnant, the ultrasound is reading 6 weeks.  My Dr. told me that in early pregnancy it is normal to have up to 2 weeks difference.  At the next ultrasound we will see if the dates match up.  If the ultrasound is still showing a week behind it could be that I ovulated a bit later.  But if the dates do match up then we won't change anything.  For now, I'm going with 7 weeks.  My cycles are so regular that I am sure of my ovulation days.

This is not me...lol...I found this image here.

Let me give you a little advice.  If you're going in for an ultrasound be sure to drink plenty of water beforehand.  You need a full bladder in order to have a good ultrasound.  It's been five years since I had an ultrasound and I forgot about this fact...lol.  So the tech had to do a vaginal ultrasound, which was something new to me.  It was not bad though.  Honestly.

So based on my ultrasound, things are good.  I even saw the heartbeat!  That's always a special thing to see.  The tech did not want to use sound because I'm still in early pregnancy and we don't want to disturb baby, which is prefectly fine with me.  I saw the beating, and that was enough, for now.

Today, I went to my 2nd appt. with my Dr.  This appt. was basically to discuss all of my results.  All of my blood work came back fine.  I have to have vaginal swabs done consistly throughout this pregnancy to ensure I have no infections (an infection is what most likely caused me to have PPROM with my first pregnancy).  I have no infections as of now....a good thing!

I wrote down several questions for the Dr. and asked them during my appt. (I highly suggest doing this.  If you don't write it down, you'll be sure to forget something.)  I'll share them with you...

1)  I will travel in a few weeks, by plane.  My Dr. gave me the OK (Which is good, because I can't really cancel at this point...lol).  She prescribed baby aspirin for me to start taking from now.  She said it takes 7 to 10 days to really take effect.  I was concerned as I've read a lot about aspirin being harmful during pregancy, but this is low-dose or baby aspirin and is considered safe.  The purpose of taking this is to thin my blood to prevent clotting while flying (I have a 13-14 hour flight each way).  She also wants me to purchase and wear surgical stockings to help the blood circulate properly throughout the flight.  She advised me to drink LOTS of water during the flight and to get up and walk around often.  I'm sure that water will keep me going to the bathroom many times...lol.

2)  I asked about bug repellents.  I'm planning a few outdoor gatherings with my family and there will be bugs.  She advised against these as they can contain chemicals.  She advised using products that only contain natural oils.  I've done some of my own research and some Drs okay bug sprays so I guess it depends on your Dr.  I think it's better safe than sorry and may opt for Avon's Skin-So-Soft, which is known to help keep bugs away.

3)  I asked about hair coloring.  She advised against it.

4)  I asked about teeth whitening, home kits like Crest.  She advised against it (She's kinda tough, right?  lol).

5)  In relation to my upcoming trip, I asked about the new body scanning machines.  She advised that I request the pat-down rather than the new scanning machines.  The new machines use a small does of Xray and this is not good for pregnancy.  She reminded me that I'm still in the early stages and so I should take more precautions.  So some poor woman is going to have to wand me.  I feel bad for her and for me...lol.  (As a side note, that has got to be THE most uncomfortable job in the world)

She ended the appt. by telling me that I can come see her again before I travel if I like, but it's not something I must do.  I told her I would like to see her once more and she was pretty happy with that.  So I plan to have another appt. in about 2 weeks from now.  Better safe than sorry.

So everything is looking good so far.  Besides one little detail (I will post about that at a later date), I like my Dr. so far.  I've already requested an epidural...lol...which she supports and made sure to take note of.  We have yet to tell anyone but it's getting harder to keep quiet.  My pants are becoming uncomfortably tight and I have obviously gained a little weight in the mid section.  But I can still pass it off as that, "gaining weight".  I did a little shopping this week to find some clothes that are loose in the belly area, buying me more time to share the news.  Within 3 weeks, my family should know and after vacation we'll share with my hubby's family here.  I've been lucky.  I haven't had sickness.  I've had a few moments that quickly passed so I'm feeling VERY blessed with that (much different than the first time around).

So, until next time...:)

is she gaining weight?

Things here are going well.  For the most part I feel great.  I don't have nausea like I did with my first pregnancy.  I've had only a couple of experiences where I didn't feel well, but then they quickly passed.  What I do have is an increased appetite.  I'm trying to be careful with this because I do not want to gain too much weight, too soon.  I'm also visiting the bathroom more often, even during the night.  I do drink a lot of water, but I always have, so this increase is definitely pregnancy related.  I also still have breast tenderness, but I'm kind of used to it now.  And while I do feel a bit tired in the middle of my day, overall I'm feeling pretty darn good.

My waist is starting "to thicken" as pregnancy books like to call it.  LOL.  I think this is a funny way to say it.  I think "bloated" or "feeling puffy" are much better ways to describe it.  My pants have become a bit uncomfy and I may need to switch to maternity pants in the near future.  My problem is that this is still a secret.  I have a live-in housekeeper and she doesn't even know (well, I've never told her, but if she's smart she may have a hunch by now).  If I begin to wear my maternity pants, she'll know for sure as she does our laundry.  So I've been trying to hold out.

The most amusing, and also the most annoying, is that I look like I've gained weight.  In the first trimester people who don't know that you're pregnant assume that you've been indulging in too much cheesecake and skipping all forms of exercise.  I've had more than a couple of people make comments to me about gaining weight.  Hahaha....if they only knew.  It's hard, because no woman wants to hear that she's gaining weight.  But then I chuckle to myself as I know that my expanding waistline is due to a little baby that no one yet knows about.  I can't wait to see that look of "Ah, that's why she was beginning to look fat" once we share our news.

Tomorrow, I have my first ultrasound.  We're praying all goes well.  I have to admit that with so many family members and friends who have experienced miscarriages in recent times, I feel a bit nervous.  But I'm praying that everything is good.  After my ultrasound I have an appt. with my Dr.  I will be sure to update.  Until then...

possible signs of a positive

There are definite signs a woman can see/feel once she has become pregnant.  A woman who is very intune with her body may notice more, and sooner.  But even for women who aren't as intune there are some signs that could mean a little one has begun to grow.  Here are a few...



• Missed Period...The most obvious sign.  It's important to keep track of your periods.  Always record the first day of every period each month.  This date will be important once you become pregnant because your Dr. will use this to determine your expected date of delivery.  As I've mentioned before, if your period is more than a week or two late and your at-home tests are showing negatives, you should see your Dr.
• Frequent trips to the bathroom...This was a sure sign with my first pregnancy and now I see that it was also for my second.  I drink a lot of water so I'm used to going a lot.  But I noticed even more trips to the bathroom after becoming pregnant.  This is actually my first sign as it happens before my missed period.
• Breast tenderness..."Ouch" could be an appropiate word...hahaha.  I had some tenderness the first time around but this time it seems to be even more so.  Your breasts will also begin to grow.  You will eventually need to buy some new bras.  But don't stock up on your new size.  Only buy 2 or 3 for now.  You may very well need to buy an even bigger size as your pregnancy continues.
• Discharge...It is normal for a pregnant woman to have an increase in discharge.  If you notice blood it could or could not signal a potential problem, but either way you must inform your Dr. about it.  I have had friends who bled throughout their entire pregnancy and gave birth to healthy babies.  I have also had friends whose bleeding was the start of a miscarriage (usually there is cramping and/or other symptoms in this case).  So take care.
• Sickness...I recently read that just a little over half of women experience "morning sickness", so just under half are lucky and don't.  My first time I has this constant feeling but only had to vomit a few times.  This ended right after finishing my third month.  This time around, so far so good.  I hope it can stay that way!
• Eating...You may notice cravings.  You may notice an urge to eat more.  You may feel disgusted by all things food.  My first time around I had specific cravings because I felt sick and only certain things sounded good to me.  So far this time around I always feel hungry.  I'm trying to be careful because this could lead to too much weight gain.  My Dr. did tell me to eat small frequent meals.  So I eat my three meals a day plus snacks in between.  And when I want to eat I'm trying to opt for healthier options.  I'm trying to avoid junk foods.
• Physical Feelings...You may notice some aches in pains in your tummy or even your back.  If it's minor, chances are it's nothing serious.  My Dr. advised me that if I feel abdominal pain I should tell her but go to the ER only if it's acute pain (like an appendix erupting).  She explained that some slight abdominal pain can be normal.  With my first pregnancy I had this streching feeling in my right side.  It eventually subsided.  This second time, I sometimes feel a slight feeling in my very lower abdomen.  It's not painful, more like a discomfort and sometimes like a stretching feeling.
• Emotional Feelings...It's so normal to be emotional.  You may feel super happy excited, or scared to death.  You may worry more easily, you may get angry (like PMS), or you may be cool and calm.  Every woman is different.  But find someone to talk to if you do have worries.  It'll make you feel better to get them all out. 
• Growing waistline...Within the first two months you may notice a thicker mid-section.  In the beginning this could be bloating.  But some women do begin to show more quickly than others.  If you are thin, you may show sooner.  If this is not your first time, it it normal to show sooner the second time around.  But again all women and all pregnancies are different.  So don't compare and make yourself worry.  And if you're anxious to have the infamous baby bump, relax and know that it will come eventually.  If your 9th month pregnant self could speak to your 2nd month pregnant self she'd tell you not to rush it.  Your belly will pop all right, and then some!  In my first pregnancy my bottoms were too tight by the end of my 2nd month.  So far this time I'm fitting my bottoms but I'm noticing some tightness.  I often unbutton my pants while sitting for some extra comfort.  I won't be surprised if I need to fish out my maternity pants within the next month - month and a half.

I will say this a million and one times...all women and all pregnancies are different.  We may all share similar things but no two women are going to experience the exact same pregnancy.  Take some pride in that and know that you and your growing little one are unique and special.  ;)

image via

starting 2 grow

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because we've been waiting.  And in the middle of all the waiting, little guy got tonsilitis and rotavirus which required a couple of days in the hospital for fluid, meds, tests, and observation.  I'm happy to say that little guy is fine now.  I will one day post on rotavirus.  It can sound scary, and when you're child is going through it, it may seem scary.  But with proper steps, your child will bounce back to normal. 
So, anyway...I was late for my period this month.  I felt a bit excited as my body is very regular.  But I didn't want to get my hopes up.  I decided to wait a few days before taking a home test.  With my first pregnancy, I took a test right after missing a period and it was negative. That's because the urine test reads whether or not the pregnancy hormone is present in your urine.  In the beginning, there may not be a high enough level of the hormone to show up.  The further into pregnancy, the higher the level.  I waited a couple more days and that one was positive.  So taking a pregnancy test too early can give you a negative when you may in fact be pregnant.  So always wait a few days and take a 2nd test.  If your period still doesn't come after that, you must see your Dr.

So, after a few days of missing my period, I took a test at home (and I used a cheapy test, the pharmacist insisted that they're all the same).  The pregnancy line was very faint.  Now, I know from my first experience that this qualifies as a postive (depending on the level of the hormone as well as the sensitivity of the test, the line may not be as bright colored as the control line).  But still, just to be sure, I waited two days and took a second test.  Again, positive.  I then made my Dr. appt. and a blood test confirmed that I am pregnant.  Yay!  We have a due date of early February 2012.  :)

So now we are not only ready to grow, we are in fact starting to grow.  As of now, it's our (and your) little secrect.  We plan to tell family and friends later.  What a difficult secret to keep.  :)

A lot more to come as we continue this journey...

p.s.  I'm sorry to say that I forget where the image is from.  If you know, please let me know so that I can credit it.  Thanks!  ;)

still waiting

We're waiting.  It's still too early to know anything for this month of trying.
The waiting game requires patience, and a lot of it.  I try my best to go about normal life and not think too much about it.  But that's not always so easy to do.  When you want to be pregnant, suddenly the world becomes full of pregnancy and baby things.  Baby talk is all around.  Pregnant ladies are all around (my school has like a bizillion pregnant teachers this year...lol).  Friends and family pressuring us to have another.  And then there's that whole "act like you're pregnant, until you know you're not" thing.  Like today, I had to be careful by not ordering deli meat from Subway.

Then there's me playing see-saw.  Keeping an eye on my body and how I feel, wondering if I could be, but telling myself reasons why I should not get my hopes up.  Up and down we go.

UP:  I'm feeling tired to the point that I've fallen asleep a couple times this week for a short catnap on my sofa (something I never do). 

DOWN:  However, I've made efforts to cut down on caffeine and I'm not sleeping enough at night.

UP:  I have to pee a lot more (a sign with my first pregnancy). 

DOWN:  However, I do drink a lot of water.

UP:  I've had this slight feeling, kinda like heartburn, sometimes a little more than that. 

DOWN:  However, I had this feeling last month while I had the flu.  Maybe I'm just having heartburn or maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me too well.

UP:  I got a couple of small pimples, a sign of pregnany. 

DOWN:  However, I always get a pimple or two the week before my period.

UP:  My breasts possibly feel different (ever so slighty btw). 

DOWN:  However, I always have tenderness a couple of days before my period.

UP:  And I won't go too personal with the whole bodily fluid talk, but what I'm seeing could be a sign. 

DOWN:  However, it is normal for me to have a similar situation before menstration.

I think it's just a case of, "I want another baby, I want to be pregnant." vs.  "Don't get your hopes up.  The more you think about it and want it, the more disappointed you'll be when "your friend" comes and you find out you're not pregnant."

So, in order to help me out, I'll be taking a week or so off blogging.  I don't want to think or talk too much about pregnancy (which is incredibly hard to do these days when so many around me are pregnant, but I'm so happy for them (truly I am) that I kinda sorta don't mind all the talk, at least for now...if this game goes on for months I may feel differently, just being honest here). 

So, until the next post...

image via

inside pregnancy videos

I was taking a look over at Babycenter today.  I was actually looking up some information on the safety of certain foods during pregnancy; peanut butter, fish, and caffeine to be exact.  But I'll post more about those things later on.  If you are currently pregnant or trying to conceive, and have a specific food question, Babycenter has a lot of useful info.  Or you can of course talk to your Dr.

Anyway, I decided to check out some of their videos.  I'm wondering why I never checked them out before.  They have some wonderful videos that take a look inside pregnancy, from conception to right before birth.  The images are computerized but real.  Everything is explained in a clear and educational kind of way.  I really enjoyed watching them.

Click here for the first video called "Inside pregnancy, weeks 1 to 9".  After watching this first video you can then click on the list to the right where you'll find four more "Inside pregnancy" videos.  They also have a ton of other videos to enjoy as well.  I also watched a video about getting the epidural (which I did get with my first one).  That particular video was a bit graphic, I must warn, but it was pretty amazing at the same time.

I think I will show the "Inside pregnancy" videos to little guy when and if I become pregnant.  This decision would be based on one's parenting techniques of course, but personally I feel that these videos are educational and not too real-life graphic.  This decision would also be based on your child.  Every child is different.  Some children might be fascinated while others might be unsure about it all.  But considering little guy already knows a lot about how babies grow in the Mommy, I believe he's ready for such videos.

Anyway, happy watching and learning.  :)