Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Sixteen Weeks & the First Belly Pictures!



I am now sixteen weeks pregnant.  For anyone who has never been pregnant (or for anyone who hasn't been pregnant in a really long time), this translates to being just under four months pregnant.

(Warning:  This is a little pregnancy math lesson.  If you hate math, skip this paragraph.)
This has come up many times now in the last several weeks, so I'll educate anyone who doesn't know.  Pregnancy is 40 weeks long, which means that the first and second trimesters are each 13 weeks, and the last trimester is 14 weeks long.  (13 + 13 + 14 = 40)  Technically, if every month was exactly 4 weeks long, this would mean being pregnant for ten months.  However, since each month is not 28 days (4 weeks) long, it only works out to nine calendar months.  Anyway, lots of people are under the false impression that pregnancy is only 36 weeks long, with each trimester lasting 12 weeks.  Believe me, I wish that was true, but it isn't.


Here are a few stats:
How far along: 16 Weeks

Total weight gain: 12.5 pounds

How I feel:  Pretty good, overall.  I still get nauseous for an hour or two each evening and throw up a few times a week around 10:30 PM, but compared to feeling horrible for eight hours every single day, I'll take it.

Maternity clothes:  I have been in them for quite some time.  Although I didn't visibly "pop" (at least to the rest of the world) until recently, my jeans stopped fitting pretty immediately after I found out I was pregnant.  You really do get bigger so much faster with each pregnancy!

Sleep: I am still happily side/stomach-sleeping and getting pretty good rest, except the one time each night I get up to go to the bathroom.

Best moment this week: I got five good maternity shirts at Kid to Kid for less than $40 total!

Movement:  I have felt a few faint flutters, but they are still hard to differentiate from, um, other stomach movements...

Food cravings:  Mostly red meat and potatoes of every kind.  I could eat a steak or cheeseburger every day.

Labor Signs:  Boy, I should hope not!

Belly button in or out?  In, but it's starting to flatten a little.

What I miss: Hot baths, my morning coffee routine (I gave it up because of the caffeine and the Splenda), and diet soda

What I am looking forward to:  The 20 week ultrasound.  I still want to know the gender, but Jim doesn't.  I'm hoping we'll find out on December 5th, unless I cave and let Jim win this one.  Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing the baby on that screen!

What I am NOT looking forward to: Getting another c-section, especially the epidural / spinal!

Milestones: Nothing recent or very exciting that I can think of.

Weekly Wisdom:  Write down everything because your brain can't hold squat and it will calm you down.  Make a list of all the things you need to do, but remember that when you need a nap and have an opportunity, take it!  Most things can wait.

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