back from vacay but this pregnancy is stressing me out

Warning:  Long post to follow...

After a month of being away on vacation, we're back home.  And while I loved the family time, site seeing, and food, I must admit that I was a bit under stress.  Like, pretty much the entire time.  Remember that spotting I was talking about in an earlier post?  Well, it decided to come back and stay with me almost everyday of our trip.  Not fun.  Scary, really.  And on one day in particular the spotting was quite heavier than the other days and that sent me into an emotional crying spell in front of my family (which I hate doing).

Once we returned last week, I scheduled a Doctor's appointment only to find out that my Dr. is no longer working there.  WHAT?  So, I had no other choice than to schedule with the next available OB/GYN.  In the mean time my spotting stopped (don't get excited just yet, there'll be more on that soon).
I convinced the new Dr. to order me another ultrasound.  With all that spotting and travelling I needed some reassurance.  She agreed and also checked the heartbeat right there in her office, which was good, thank God.  Now, onto the ultrasound.  This is the 3rd one I've had for this pregnancy and the tech, in my opinion, did not know what she was doing.  I'm not kidding when I say that that was the longest ultrasound I've ever had (remember that I already have one baby, which means I know how these ultrasounds are supposed to go).  Of course hubby and I were worried that something was terribly wrong.  I mean, we saw the heartbeat and we heard the heartbeat.  We even saw the baby moving.  But why on earth was the tech asking me to turn from one side to the next all the while looking like she was having problems of some kind.  We asked once, "Everything's fine", she said.  We asked twice, "Everything's fine", she said again.  And finally I just came out and asked, "What is it that you're looking for?".  To which she replied that she needed to get a measurement on the back of the neck and because of baby's movements and positions she couldn't get it.  Ok, crazy tech lady, could you not have told us that before?!?  Finally, she asks another tech to come and help and within two seconds, she got it (further leading me to believe that thic chic was not so experienced).

Because my spotting had subsided (or so I thought) the Dr. told me that I didn't need to take any more meds, just my prenatal vitamins.  She also told me that I didn't need to come back until my next appt, four weeks away.  I felt some relief finally.  Until...

That evening, I had spotting again.  Bummer.  I didn't get so worried.  Heck, I've been dealing with it for a month already.  But the next evening, I went to the bathroom, and I found actual blood, like my "friend" came to visit blood.  It was scary.  I made sure that it was in fact coming from the place I believed, which it was.  I also had hubby take a look, which is gross, but I needed someone else to see what I was seeing, justifying my concen.  We decided not to play around.  We went straight to the ER.

I go the ER and am told I have to wait as the OB/GYN on duty was in surgery and would be down as soon as she finished.  Wait?  Ok, what choice did I have?  So, I went to the bathroom to check things out and found only slight spotting when I wiped.  Good.  Finally, I'm called into a room and the Dr. eventually comes.  She tells me after reviewing my ultrasound that was just performed two days before that she's not suspecting any problems.  She thinks the bleeding could be cause by something local and wants to do a "down there check".  After checking things out she informs me that everything looks fine, that there is no blood on my cervix.  I feel great that things are okay, but feel bad that it appears I made things up.  Especially, when she tells me that if it happens again I should "focus" and make sure it's coming from where I think it is.  Uh, hello Dr., I think I know the difference between holes, thank you very much.  Thank God I had my hubby see.  I had a witness, and thus reassuring me that I am not a looney.

So, I come home to have more spotting, even with a tiny (very small, mind you) dark clot.  But, I didn't worry, after an exam things can happen.  I decided to wait it out and see.  By the next morning, things stopped and I haven't seen anything more since.  But I am now afraid to go to the bathroom. 

Some good news is that I found out that my old Dr., who delievered my son, is back at the hospital I used to go to.  So guess who is transferring hospitals?  That would be me.  I'm hoping to get an appt. with her in the near future.  I need someone who knows what they're talking about.  And I trust her.

But in the mean time, this pregnancy is stressing me the heck out.  This could very well be our last child.  Two is enough, right? 

P.S.  I've made it to the 2nd trimester.  That's another piece of good news.

taking a break

I'll be taking a blog vacation as we're getting ready for our upcoming summer trip.  I'll be sure to write down all the things that I think to blog about for future posts.  :)

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy summer! :)

image via

spotting during pregnancy

Oh boy.  We had a slight case of stress this week.  Two days ago I found some blood in my normal discharge (an increase in discharge during pregnancy is normal btw).  Seeing blood in any amount, at any time, during pregnancy can be quite scary.  I got pretty worried.  Not only was I worried about my pregnancy, but I was also worried about our upcoming trip that my family is very much counting on, and that we all very much need.  What made it worse is that my hubby was away on business and I didn't want to worry him while he was away.  And NO ONE knows about this pregnancy so I had NO ONE to talk to (one of the downfalls of keeping it a secret).  So I had to wait.

First thing I did was pray.  Because everything is in God's hands.  What's meant to happen will.  So, I prayed that everything would be okay.  I prayed that I could stay as calm as possible and not dramatize the situation.  And I prayed that I could be more faithful.

Next, I went to the internet.  Now, this can be a bad thing, but for some reason I was drawn to do this.  I typed in what I saw in the search box and was actually relieved to find some many women who have gone or are going through the same thing.  Some women wrote that blood was the first sign of their miscarriage but there were also many women who wrote that they experienced spotting or even bleeding but went on to have healthy full term babies.  I felt hopeful.

And all the while I kept an eye on my situation.  I didn't find any more blood, which was a good thing.  I did not have cramping, or any other symptoms.  But, of course, I was still a bit worried.

Finally, my hubby came home that night and I was able to tell him.  One of the things I love about him is his calming way.  He assured me that even if the worst case scenerio happened, that everything would be okay.  We would work through it all.  Which are things that I know, but hearing it from him was comforting.

The next day, I still hadn't seen anything more, but I called my Dr.  She was busy with a delivery and asked for me to call her back.  I called back but she didn't answer.  So I called the hospital and was able to get an appt. the same day.  I went to my appt. and told my Dr. what I saw.  She told me that this can be normal but to be sure we need to do an ultrasound.  So I had the ultrasound done and THANK GOD, everything is okay.  Here is the advice from my Dr. on my situation:

• Spotting is different than actual bleeding.  And many pregnancies will have some sort of spotting during the nine month course.
• Spotting can be caused by a number of things.  It can happen after sexual intercourse.  It can be a side effect of taking baby aspirin (which I'm taking because of our upcoming flight).  And in the early days of pregnancy it can be caused by the egg being implanted.
• She advised me that if I have spotting it's a sign that I need to rest.  (Don't overdo it mommies!)
• She told me to continue the baby aspirin as I need it's advantages for travel.  But if I have actual bleeding (not spotting), then I should stop it.
• She prescribed Duphaston, which is a hormone supplement known to support pregnancy.  I will take 10mg twice a day for one month.
• And based on my ultrasound, my Dr. concluded that I'm experiencing a normal thing and there's no need to worry (a plus side to all of this is that we heard the baby's heartbeat, always a great sound!).

I asked my Dr. what would constitute an emergency while I'm away on vacation.  She told me this:

• Severe lower abdominal pain.
• Actual bleeding, like that of a menstrual period.

I started this blog as a way to document our journey.  But, I'm also hoping that it can help others too.  With all the stresses that can happen along the way, it can be comforting to hear real stories from real people.  That's the beauty of starting this blog at the beginning of our pregnancy journey.  I can share all of those normal ups and downs that happen along the way.  And maybe it can be comforting to other expectant mothers.

image via freeclipartof.com

airplane travel during pregnancy

If you read any information about travelling while pregnant, it will say that travel during the 2nd trimester is the best and safest time to go.  But the reality is that many women have to travel at different times throughout and planning during only the three months of the 2nd trimester is not always practical.  They say travelling during the first three months is not advisable as it's the most critical part of the pregnancy.  And travel during the last three months is not advisable as it's nearing the ending point and who wants to deliver on a plane, right (although I've heard that in such cases your baby will receive free tickets for life...lol)?  :)  My best advice is to talk to your Dr. about any travel plans you may have or want to make and s/he will advise you accordingly.  In many cases your travel plans may be permitted by your Dr.  There are a lot of women who must travel for business, and just think about flight attendents.  I know that many attendents will continue to work and fly through a good two-thirds of their pregnancies.  But because each case is different, you must discuss it with your Dr. first.

I travelled during my 2nd trimester with little guy.  And everything was okay.  I had one spot of blood a few days after landing and that was it.  Nothing more.  I'm still not sure if that was from the flying, or just the increased activity from the trip itself.  If it would've continued, I would've seen a Dr. for sure.

This year I'll be travelling in my 1st trimester.  I'll be in my 3rd month on the way to my destination and I'll be starting my 4th month on the way back.  I admit that I was nervous that my Dr. would not okay this trip.  My flight will be 13-14 hours. 

However, my Dr. did okay it, but with some rules.  I think these are important tips for any woman who is planning to fly during pregnancy.  Here they are...

~ My Dr. has prescribed baby aspirin for me to start taking two weeks before I travel.  Baby aspirin is a low dose aspirin that is considered safe during pregnany.  It helps to thin the blood and prevent clotting during long haul flights. 

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~ My Dr. has also recommended that I wear surgical stockings during the flight.  These will help with blood circulation.

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~ My Dr. has advised me to drink lots of water throughout the flight. 

~ My Dr. has advised me to get up and walk around frequently.  From my first experience I can tell you that this is done without even thinking.  When you're pregnant bathroom trips are frequent and with all that water drinking, they'll be even more so.  :)

Here are a few of my own helpful tips:

~From my first experience I can share that taking extra snacks is important.  On our return trip during my first pregnancy we were stuck on board for 6 long hours.  Because our airline offers snacks, all I brought were some Reese's pieces.  Because our flight was a connecting one, they were only able to offer our one snack (which was a sandwich and drinks).  It lasted for an hour or so, but soon this pregnant mama was hungry again.  That day Reese's pieces and I became bff's....lol.  So, no matter what the situation, be sure to pack some snacks.  Your baby and your hunger with thank you for it.  And try to include some healthy options too, like crackers, pretzels, etc.

~As hard as it is, try to rest as much as possible.  Travelling can be tiring, add pregnancy to that and it's double tiring.  Unless you're flying first class, sleeping is challenging on a plane.  But do try to find some sort of comfortable position so that you can sleep.  Our flight is 13-14 hours.  My goal each flight is a good 8 hours of sleep.  It's not the same as 8 hours in my bed at home, but it helps a little. 

~Don't push yourself.  We have a three hour drive after our 14 hour flight.  And even though hubby does the driving, I still feel the strain of that drive.  I'm the navigator, staying alert, and paying attention to the road signs.  This year, we have decided to stay overnight near the airport in the hotel, get a good night's rest, and then wake up refreshed for the drive to my parent's house.

~ Do not lift heavy things.  We all know how heavy suitcases can get.  Don't be afraid to ask for help in lifting them.  Instead of a shoulder duffel bag, opt for a small carry-on suitcase with wheels.  Your shoulders and your back will thank you too.

~ And finally, remember that you should always discuss your personal situation with your Dr.  While some women can travel without complications, some may not.  Your Dr. will help you decide what's safe for you.  And also keep in mind, that when you're further along in your pregnancy, airlines may require a Dr's note of permission in order for you to fly.

Happy Travels!  :)

pre-maternity clothes

I am not one to shy away from maternity clothes.  In fact, I often wonder why women are so prone to delaying the inevitable.  A pregnant woman will in fact have a growing belly.  And therefore her clothing will need to be adjusted accordingly.  What's the big deal if you're wearing maternity clothing anyway?  You can't blame fashion anymore.  Sure, back in the 80's the fashion world was dressing up mamas-to-be in those frocks with the huge puffy sleeves making them look more like a giant doll babies than women, but now you can wear the lastest fashions with maternity wear.  So embrace those growing bellies ladies.

As for my current situation, I'm in a small dilema.  We still haven't told anyone our news but my pants are just too uncomfortable to wear.  Around the house I can get away with my comfy pants, but I dread the days I need to go out because I have to find something to wear.  I could wear maternity pants and no one would even notice.  But as I've mentioned I have a housekeeper and I'm trying to keep the secret from her too (Long story, but she will most definitely mention it to the other housekeepers in the family.  I do not want them all to know before family, and also the chance of them mentioning it to family is great.  We want to tell them when we're ready, not have them find out through word of mouth).  So, even though I have some maternity pants stored away, I can't yet wear them (they will be seen in the laundry if I do).

I decided to go out shopping and try to find some things to wear for now.  I had success at H&M.  Jeans with an elastic waist, and flowy tops.  But unfortunately, I couldn't find any of my purchases on their website.  :(  So, I headed over to Old Navy's website and found some examples for you.  Whether you decide to share your news early or later, these styles will work for that growing belly.  And the cool thing is that these can be worn after pregnancy too.  Trust me, a lot of women cannot fit right back into ther pre-pregnancy clothes after giving birth.  So you'll appreciate having clothing with loose waist areas.  Here we go...

Some pretty flowy tops, with room through the belly area...

A feminine dress with the same feature...

Cargos with an elastic waist is comfy on that growing belly...

Leggings are a great choice for the waist area, nice and stretchy...

All of the above items are from Old Navy.

I only found one thing on the H&M website that resembles any of my purchases.  I found a similar style of jeans like the ones below.  Except I'm personally not a fan of the color of these.  Mine are solid (no stripes) and a dark denim color.  The bunching at the ankles had me unsure, but let me tell you that when paired with the right top and some flats, this style is fashion friendly (not to mention very comfy too). 

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I will be happy once we announce our news.  I have a storage bin of maternity clothes that I can begin to use.  I'm planning to secretly dig through them soon.  I have an upcoming vacation and need some comfy options, especially for our L O N G flight.  :)

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...:)