20 Weeks

Sorry for the lack of posting lately.  It's not that I haven't done anything exciting.  In fact, I've been doing something very exciting... growing a baby.  :)

 

 

How far along: I'm officially half way through the pregnancy, at 20 weeks now.  My due date is April 15th, Tax Day.

 

Symptoms: Hardly any at all.  Don't hate me.  I've had some minor cramping and back aches as my body has adjusted to my growing uterus, but I haven't had any nausea at all.  I was a bit more tired than usual, especially during the first trimester, but nothing too extreme.  No weird cravings.  I do seem to get hungry faster and more often than usual.  I try to keep fruit on hand for when the hunger sneaks up on me.  Also, I think I've probably indulged in more sweets than normal.  Baby seems to like cake.  Oh, I do have super weird pregnancy dreams!  I think that was probably my first indication that I was pregnant. 

 

Weight gain: 6 pounds so far.  2 of those were gained during the first trimester, only half a pound between weeks 13 and 17, then 3.5 pounds between weeks 17 and 20.  I'm basically shooting for a pound a week until I deliver. You can tell from the pictures above that I didn't really look pregnant until after week 18.  Jason just said I looked "fluffy" during most of my early pregnancy.  What a lovely description.

 

When I had Veteran's day off from work, I went and picked out some maternity clothes.  I'm still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans, but maternity work pants seem to be much more comfortable during the week. I like the maternity tops too.  They seem to flatter the baby bump much more than normal clothes.

 

Prenatal care: I'm seeing a group of midwives and will be delivering in a hospital.  As long as I stay low risk and don't have any complications, the midwives will assist with the delivery.  If any complications were to occur during pregnancy or delivery, I would be referred to a doctor in their practice. 

 

I've really liked the quality of care I've received so far.  The midwives do everything a doctor would do as far as monitoring development, prenatal testing, etc., but the visits are longer and we talk more about how I'm feeling, if I have any concerns, what kind of care I would like to receive before, during, and after delivery, etc. 

 

The hardest decision Jason and I have had to make so far is whether or not we'd do the genetic testing (NT scan or quad screen).  I stressed over it for days, but after a lot of research and talking with friends and family, we opted out of both.  The midwifes were good about informing me of the pros and cons of the tests, and in the end when I explained why I was opting out, they supported my decision. 

 

Nesting: I'll probably do a separate post about the projects I've completed so far.  We've bought some decorations, I made a mobile and poster, and we've cleaned out the baby's closet.  My brother and sister-in-law have already passed along some hand-me-downs (which we are so grateful for) and my mom just pulled out a ton of clothes she had saved from when my brother and I were little to give to me. 

 

Worries: A lot of my worries were relieved after the anatomy scan on Monday.  Baby looks healthy and is growing on schedule.  Now I just need to keep progressing through the second half of the pregnancy.  I'll have to take a glucose test at 28 weeks, but it doesn't concern me too much.  I'm also closely monitoring an existing health condition of mine (thyroid), but it seems to be under control for now. 

 

Looking forward to: Stocking the baby room.  Other than the few decorations we've bought or made and the hand-me-down items, we haven't made any major purchases (crib, stroller, etc.) so I'm looking forward to that.

 

~ Enough about me!  Let's talk about the baby! ~

 

Gender: Girl!!!  Just found out this week at the anatomy scan and we are very excited!  I kept having dreams that it was a boy, so I was pleasantly surprised. 

 

Movement: She is a mover and a groover.  I felt the first kicks/ nudges at about 16.5 weeks, and they have picked up since then.  She is most active mid-morning and mid-afternoon when I'm quietly working at my desk, but lately she's been moving during the early morning hours as well.  It's like she's telling me to get up and start my day.  Watching her squirm around during the ultrasound was fun.  She was even playing with her feet which was super cute.

 

Name: Matilda Jean. 

 

We didn't want a name that was popular during recent years, and heck Matilda hasn't been popular in the US since the 1800s.  It's popular in England and Australia though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it rises in popularity in a few years.



Our little Matilda Jean at 20 weeks.