Pregnancy - Recap 1st Trimester

Rewind to February 20th.  This is the day we found out I was pregnant. We got a positive reading on our home test and I called my OB/GYN to get an appointment for blood work. My doctor said whenever I got a positive reading at home to come in and do 2 rounds of blood work to ensure all hormones were going up this time as they should.  We were so excited yet being very reserved at the same time since we felt like we just went through this excitement only to go through a miscarriage last year.

Woohoo!

Excited!

I had the first round of blood work taken and then the big wait began.  I was called by my nurse who said my level was 98.  She said that was a little low but not to be alarmed since it was still so early that hopefully they would double in 48 hours.  I think I almost had a melt down at work.  I just knew this pregnancy was going to be different.  I just knew this one wouldn't result in a miscarriage but I was so concerned.  I do remember my HCG levels being sky high the one and only time I had blood work done when I first found out I was pregnant with Baker so I was worried.  The second go round came back in the 300s so my nurse called me with excitement in that my levels were going up as they should! Whew -- what a blessing!

We were scheduled for our first appointment on April 12th so the waiting game began.  As we had imagined, there was a lot of anxiety that built up in having that first appointment.  We knew hormone levels went up this time as they should but we couldn't get that sting of what happened at our first appointment last year out of our minds.  Gordie reminded me of the necklace he bought me after my miscarriage and put my little angel around my neck and we headed out to the appointment. I cannot begin to tell you the butterflies I had in my stomach during the time the ultrasound tech was prepping for the ultrasound and me just lying there on my back looking at Gordie waiting to see what would pop up on that screen.  I just had that image burned in the back of my mind but when she brought it up on the screen and we saw this tiny little being...our hearts just filled with joy and my eyes teared up.  She then turned on the monitor so we could hear the heartbeat....140 bpm that sounded SO healthy. What a RELIEF! We were 7 weeks at this appointment so this little baby was smaller than Baker at his 8 week appointment.  It was the perfect day.  I am happy to say that I weighed in the same as my first 8 week appointment with B!

Small butter bean

We were scheduled for our second appointment on May 18 which would be my 12 week appointment.  I was so nervous about this one as well only because I had been on antibiotics for 10 days for a horrible sinus infection and I hated to even have to take medicine but I knew I had to take it to get better.  It was a Category B drug which no antibiotic is Category A so the Dr's reassured me that everything would be okay.  They were also doing the first round of bloodwork for genetic testing and testing the thickness of the back of the baby's neck which is called a Nuchal translucency (NT) scan.  We did genetic testing before but I had never heard of the NT scan.  When she started the ultrasound we saw a sweet profile of one sweet little baby!  It looked more like a baby this time rather than just a little blob.  The heart rate this time was 160 bpm.  The baby was situated so we saw his/her profile and then as the ultrasound went on you could see that he/she turned his/her head away from us like "leave me alone!" :)  It made for an interesting second picture -- that's for sure. Gordie says it resembles a baby lion face or something??  I really couldn't see what he was talking about.  It turned out the NT scan was within normal limits so there were no big signs of Down's syndrome.  Another blessing.  The first round of genetic bloodwork came back and it was also came back fine.  My ratios were very low for Down's as well as Trisomy 18. 

Look at that sweet little profile!

We were waiting until after our 12 week appointment to make our news public.  Of course we were so ready to tell the entire world!! We are just SO excited!! Not to mention...I'm starting to show much earlier than last time so it's soon going to be very obvious. :)  I'm already getting a "pooch".  I gained 2 lbs since my 7 week appt -- not sure how that happened since I haven't been able to eat!  I'm going to say water weight. ;)

So far, this pregnancy has been much harder than with Baker.  I have been sick as a dog feeling so nauseated ALL the time.  Morning sickness has been all day sickness.  I also struggled through an acute sinus infection at 11 weeks which was very painful. Keeping up with an active toddler and feeling like the pits has not been easy but like anything else we all manage and make do!

The first 10 weeks I was pretty much a sloth. Laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, and everything else was pretty much put to the back burner as I just laid on the couch. Of course working all day really took it out of me and a few times I'd find myself waking up on the couch scrambling to find the clock to see what time it was and how long I had been out. Thankfully Baker is the best little boy around and just was sweetly watching a show in his chair.  Thank goodness our house is well child proofed!  I'm pretty sure that earns me a tick on the bad mother board, right? Ha!

7 weeks

12 weeks

I do feel the saying is true that your second pregnancy goes by faster.  I can't believe I am already done with my first trimester.  I feel like we just found out!  I'm glad to put the first 12 nauseating weeks behind us in hopes that I start to get my energy back. Bring on the 2nd Trimester!