Oh... you are fine.
Most of the weight gain in the beginning is bloating... that should subside :)
|
Oh... you are fine.
Most of the weight gain in the beginning is bloating... that should subside :)
Honestly in that pic... you have jeans and a shirt on which is probably making your belly look thicker.
My pic was my bare belly.
I don't think they are comparable... don't stress about it. You are pregnant. Enjoy it!
Do you know how many times I've been hit on since I've been pregnant?
There is something that men find appealing in a pregnant woman.
you are pregnant and gorgeous. We are our own worst critics. You are creating the most amazing child inside you. Cut yourself some slack. My cousin always gains sooner than others, my wife gained later than many... glad you are still working out... focusing on your core strength (back, abs, hips) is solid planning.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrissyDi
I know others have already gone through the laundry list of good/bad things... just piling on from out experience...
the best thing we ever bought was a good, quality double breast pump.
I'm a guy talking about a breast pump. Does that mean I need to turn in my "man card" or I get an upgrade? I'm confused... =)
anyway... it was the best dollar for dollar money we spent. First, it kept my wife from experiencing mastitis (painful inflammation of the breast tissue when ducts get "clogged", often because of excess milk production), it enabled her to live her life... meaning she could relieve the pressure when she needed to nurse but the little rascal wasn't interested... and it gave us a supply of breast milk in the freezer to feed him when he needed fed and she wasn't there.
there's a ton of info out there about how good it is to breast feed. If you are considering this, id at least look at getting a good pump. We bought ours from a local midwife clinic, in used but sterile condition (theyd sterilized all the lines and bottles for us)... still, we probably spent 200 washington's to get it, but then resold it again after use (and again sterilization) and recouped 125 of the cost.
this also let me feed the baby late at night when my betrothed needed rest but the little "leaky bag" needed fed. I know... "leaky bag" sounds ugly... its not... they are.. all kinds of holes to leak, drip, and otherwise wet stuff. Cute, lovable, leaky bags o' goo.
what else?.
get a baby bag /backpack that fits you well.
the eddie bauer leather "baby" backpack looked nice... but it sucked for utility. The weight wasn't balanced well at all. Couldn't keep it slung over one shoulder, and was too uncomfy over both. We ended up using other bags (not necessarily designated for "baby use") that could be loaded up well and were able to be worn with decent weight distribution.
I agree with cutting costs by using sams club diapers, but for us, this wasn't reasonable until after little man was on solids. He was on breast milk alone for over a year, and the sams club diapers didn't seem to be able to handle the mess as well... so we ran with pampers diapers until he was on more solids and it wasn't as liquidy...
another wonderful thing we bought was an inflatable bathtub... looked like a duck. Pic to follow...
Attachment 15811
this was great. We bathed him outside on the back deck in the summer son... was a blast. Not something you NEED... but something we loved to have... think it was from target.
uhm... good to plan on and have a supply for baby sickness. A good temporal thermometer was great to have. A supply of baby meds for fever is good to have on stock (who wants to leave the house at 2AM when the little one is running a hot fever?) and ready... likewise a good medicine syringe or three are good to have in stock.
for pain, in addition to what has been mentioned, there are pressure points in the feet that can help you... if your man is willing to work his thumbs into your feet, especially from the heel toward the middle at the sides, for just a short time before bed, you might find you sleep better.
at one point, late in the pregnancy, we would up buying a recliner... we didn't have one, and it seemed like that was the best way for my love to take pressure off her body and get some real rest. It might not have been a planned buy, but that thing was great for her in the last 1.5 months. A big body pillow helped also.
cant find the book we used... as we passed it on to other new mothers... but a book like
Amazon.com: Best Baby Products, 9th Ed. (Best Baby Products): Sandra J. Gordon, Editors of Consumer Reports: Books
was useful... gave ratings about what to get, what to skip on, and what brands seemed to be rated well.
one of the best buys we made had nothing to do with being a "baby item"... the digital camcorder was also worth every penny. They grow SO fast in the first two years. Its just alarming. Likewise with a digital camera. Both are indispensable for getting those early moments on record.
hmm... ill try to rattle the brain a little more... I used to have a three page word document id give to friends concerning what to get and what to skip... but I can't seem to find it.
anyway... loved your posted pics. You look wonderful. Congrads!
If your looking to connect with other expecting moms try CafeMom: Advice, Support, and Fun for Moms and Moms-To-Be
I love this website. They have groups for everything from first time moms, to support groups for breastfeeding, to how to make handmade gifts, to local groups (there may be a group for your town). There will be a group for the month your due so you can actually talk with other mothers who are going through the same things you are during the same time. I'm due in Feb with number two so I'm part of Due Feb 2009 group.
Thanks, Becca, just joined.
Kp, nice baby photo- soooooo cute. Hee Hee!
I love how you are a dad who is so involved and so informed. My hubby just started reading books about a month ago, he is so cute. At first he thought I was being overdramatic about my symptoms, but after a few spontaneous vomiting sessions, he finally caught on. He is always serving me, so it's nice to have someone who will get up and make me breakfast every morning.
Digital camcorder, what a great idea. I was pondering whether I needed to get one of those. I love editing video (I have a BS in Broadcast Journalism), so that just confirmed to me that I need to get one. Then I can get a video editing program for my computer and make my own little videos to give to our family.
my wife was pregnant once before, long before I came on the scene. In her first pregnancy apparently frozen hamburger pizza was the end all be all... she craved it all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrissyDi
when she was pregnant with my son, it was a little different. First... shed love one thing, but only for about 6-8 weeks. I cooked seasoned basmati rice with some tossed in chicken and steamed broccoli and it was a hit... over and over and over... until it was suddenly banished from the house for forever... or until she said otherwise...
then it was peanut butter and honey on toasted bread... was her slick fix for about, again, 1-2 mo... then banished.
=)
at one point, nearing the end, she said "im getting tired of being tired and you are getting tired of kissing my arse"...
I said nothing of course.
;)
AND I could only cook at night, as strong smells sent her to the porcelain much too fast.
I remember one night she craved thai... this from the woman who NEVER wants thai food (and I could LIVE on it)... of course her order was dead on right, but my curry chicken was just "off" enough to have it, and me, immediately banished from the house. Damned if I didn't eat the whole thing on the back deck, in 30 degree temps.
ah, the good old days.
never did get to make her frozen hamburger pizza tho'... guess she burned that wick to the bottom with the first one.
Kp, Haa haa that is so funny! Let me tell you, my husband still can't figure me out. I want something so bad and I will eat it periodically throughout the day. Next day, I don't want it. So, hubby thinks I'm weird and then he is happy because he gets to eat everything I no longer want. I'm 3 months and so far, haven't consistenly wanted any one thing. Today, I hit a "I want pancakes" craving. So, I will eat them tomorrow for breakfast and then we will see how it goes from there. (This might have been increased because of all the IHOP commercials that keep coming on TV and haunting me.) I'm almost scared to think of what I might get hooked on. Haa haa There was about 3 days straight that I kept eating kielbosa sausage on hot dog buns with mustard, ketchup, and chow chow for lunch and dinner.
People keep offering me all kinds of food especially cake and icecream and they assume that I should want it because I'm pregnant. But I like to eat all natural frozen fruit popsicles for dessert and I eat grapefruits and oranges throughout the day to polish off my meals. I've never been big on eating sweets a lot. But it's funny because if you ask me if I want chocolate, I will ask you if you have a banana instead. Haa haa
I never understood the craving thing. I didn't really get weird food cravings. But I did eat a lot of garlic and avocados.
Crissy, also, the BEST line of pregnant and baby books EVAR is The Girlfriends Guide... they're amazing. Just search for The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy.
Ok, everyone, I go for my second OB appt on Friday and I will get to see what they think of my weight gain since my last visit. Eeeek! Wish me luck!
Good luck... :) Hope you have an uneventful visit and come away feeling great!
Hey Doula, is this normal? At night, when I'm trying to fall asleep, I keep feeling like I'm losing my breath or my heart stops beating or something and I have to gasp for air and it scares me and my heart starts racing.
Always wise to let your doctor or midwife be aware of any change that causes you concern, but it sounds like palpitations which can be fairly common in pregnancy because of more blood in your system and hormone changes.
They are not fun and really cause you to stop and take notice. Feeling them when you are lying down is more common because you are not moving about and busy. Caffeine can make it worse, so cut back if that may be an issue for you. Try propping yourself up a bit instead of lying flat and see if that makes any difference as well, but do run it by your doctor or midwife, especially if it happens frequently or lasts for more than several seconds.
Doula, OB says my breathing problem is normal and to use more pillows. She said it didn't concern her since it only happened when I was lying down at night. I guess I just have to figure out my sleeping because she said I need to sleep on my side, which I knew. So, it's hard to sleep on your side and 3-4 pillows at a time. I'm just going to have to play around and see what works. Hopefully I won't stop breathing in my sleep.
Body pillows! They're awesome. You can get them for pretty cheap at Target now too.
I had three pillows for various places plus a giant curvy body pillow. Loved that thing. I even took it to the hospital with me when I was on bedrest.
Yes, body pillows are great!
You could prop yourself up with the pillows so that you are at a slight slant. If you happen to wake up on your back at night, try not to worry. You will most likely move about in your sleep so you aren't likely to be in that position too long to be of concern. It's more of a concern if you were to be lying on a firm surface. A few bed pillows, or body pillows, may help you stay put on your side more.
Good to hear she isn't concerned about it... :)
Why do I feel like I'm the only one gaining weight during pregnancy? I go to the Motherhood maternity store and talk to women there and they're all like, "Yeh, I'm due in a couple weeks and I've only gained 7 lbs." And the other is a stick with a belly bump. HELLLLLLLO! This is really crazy! My OB told me that I have 25lbs to gain for my whole pregnancy and I've already gained at least 20, 10 of which was in a 3 week period. I'm throwing up and still gaining. Everyone else I talk to is like, "Yeh, I lost 15lbs because of throwing up." Why do I get to be so lucky? Am I the odd ball here? I thought you were supposed to gain weight in pregnancy, not loose weight and definitely not gain 20lbs or less. Where are all the real women? Geez!
I only weighed 135 before I got pregnant and I had large breasts, so they weighed at least 10lbs. I'm 5'2. Why am I stuck at the lower end of the weight gain scale? That's so much pressure. I'm only in my 4th month, so that means, I have 5 months to try to only gain 5lbs! Are they crazy!? Here I am, pregnant, and I have to watch my diet (That's what they're telling me.) while others pig out and gain little weight. I thought this was finally going to be the time in my life when I could eat a bowl of icecream and not feel bad about myself.
I'm barely keeping all my meals down and I'm only eating to keep my blood sugar up so I won't get sick. And yet, the OB tells me to eat less! Can you believe that!? Helloooooo, help please!
I'm praying to God that I have twins or that I'm further along because there has to be some reason for my weight gain and the fact that I'm measuring 5 weeks ahead. And it's not because I'm eating pizza and icecream. I wish I was!
Don't pig out. It'll just make you feel worse. Just eat healthy and if you have a sweets craving, have a scoop of ice cream instead of a bowl. You're only supposed to consume like 200-300 calories (Doula?) more while pregnant than normal. And they say not to waste those extra calories on empty fats. You can actually pig out more while nursing than while pregnant. Initially while nursing exclusively you get an extra 400 some odd calories rather than the 200-300 while pregnant.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrissyDi
Even with eating healthy and puking my brains out I gained 47 pounds while pregnant. So I think to a certain extent your body is going to gain whatever it's going to gain. Don't stress too much over weight. But don't use pregnancy as a time to throw out healthy eating either. Just use common sense and moderation. If you're craving sweets, eat a couple chocolate chips or have one scoop of ice cream after dinner. It's all about moderation and healthy eating.
If your doctor or midwife is concerned, they will do another growth scan to check various possibilities, such as an abundance of amniotic fluid. It may be you are just prone to gaining the weight more easily. It may level off during the remainder of your pregnancy.
Eat healthy foods, watch how they are prepared, get some regular exercise, and watch portion sizes.
While gaining around 25 pounds may be an ideal rough guide, it is not carved in stone and is unrealistic to expect all women will gain that amount. Part of the weight gain is under your control, but you can't fight the genetics aspect.
Women used to gain very little thinking it would help avoid extra weight that needed to be lost after baby... then the pendulum swung the other way and women thought if they gained a large amount they would have healthy rolly polly babies, only to find out they still had a 7 pound baby but now had 60 pounds to lose.
As you have seen, pregnancy comes in all shapes and sizes.
Have to spread the reputation points, but I agree completely. (As usual :D )Quote:
Originally Posted by DoulaLC
My grandmother literally starved herself during pregnancy and still gained about 35 pounds during her only pregnancy. (It was the early 60s and doctors were actually prescribing diet pills to women to keep their weight gain low. Crazy, huh?) My mom gained about 45 pounds with all three of her pregnancies. And her pregnancies were each very different. She had morning sickness with one of them and ended up on bed rest with the final one. But in each she gained about the same amount of weight.
And then I gained 47 pounds with hyperemesis and eating much more healthy than I had been. So I figure that our bodies are largely pre-programmed to gain a certain amount. The important thing is to take care of your body during pregnancy. You eat healthy, exercise (yoga is AMAZING) and your body will gain whatever weight is needed. Then if you continue eating healthy (with an occasional indulgence) post-pregnancy, the weight will come off relatively easily.
Weight (during pregnancy and otherwise) is just a number and is silly to obsess over. Health is something else entirely and should be the focus. So as long as you're eating sensibly and not using pregnancy as an excuse to eat french fries and ice cream at every meal, the number on the scale shouldn't matter. If your ob is too much of a stickler for the number on the scale and you know you're eating healthy, you might consider switching obs while it's still early.
Just don't fret doll. You're nurturing a newly formed life. If you gain a few more pounds than the guideline, it's not the end of the world. Consider all the things that your body is doing right now. It's miraculous.
I know you have been given a ton of great advice.I only wanted to mention that there is some controversy about certain plastic baby bottles leaching chemicals when heated.
Here is a link to give you more information.
Campaigns - The Center for Health, Environment & Justice
Thanks everyone! I am eating healthy and can't eat junk food because it won't stay in anyway. (Comes out both ways.) It makes the nausea worse. Anywhoo, all that info helps a ton. I do believe my body just might need the extra fluids and storage for the baby while others might not- that makes a lot of sense. And yes, if my doctor makes me feel bad when I know I'm eating right, I will go elsewhere. = ) Whooo, load off the shoulders!
My staples: (daily)
fresh fruit
cottage cheese
whole grain bread
eggs
cheese
water
crackers
cooked veggies (all kinds)
fish
shrimp
turkey sausage
sweet potatoes
subway
spring mix salad (with dried fruit and nuts, etc- the works)
occasionally (once a week or less)
chicken (cooked various ways)
beef
goat
lamb
Icee from the gas station
smoothies
caribbean rice and peas
baked potatoes
very seldom: (Once or twice a month)
sweets
pizza
burgers
chicken sandwich
soda
chinese food
Regarding the shrimp,seafood.Their are certain restrictions on fish for pregnant women due to the potential problems with high mercury content in fish.I would look that up as well.
Best of luck!
Fish to avoid while pregnant:
Fish Women Should Avoid | Environmental Working Group
Although I haven't heard tuna is bad in small amounts.
Yeh, u know I looked that all up as soon as I found out that I was pregnant. I looked at the different fish that I could eat and the amount per week as well as other seafood items and such.
Thanks
For morning sickness I found Ginger tea and cuppa soups a god send. I can't even look at them now though! The Ginger stops nausea and the soups keep something on your stomach between meals. X
For morning sickness I found Ginger tea and cuppa soups a god send. I can't even look at them now though! The Ginger stops nausea and the soups keep something on your stomach between meals.
I read that most women gain between 20 - 40lb and that bigger and taller women have bigger babies. My midwife made a chart specially designed around my height and weight when I booked my pregnancy (8 weeks) but my baby is way off the chart at the minute! My bump is so big people keep saying it has to be twins. At about 12 weeks until 20 I felt really fat but since then you can see it is all bump. I would put pictures on here but I can't work out how to either.
Click on Go Advanced at the bottom of the reply box to post a pic. Thanks for the advice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maccaroni
OK, everyone, going on 17 weeks and this week, I've been feeling some occasional pressure down in the lower abdomen and in between my legs feels sore like I've been riding a horse or something. And then every once in a while, I feel a sharp pain or something in my croch, some of these feelings are similar to when my period would start. In fact, sometimes it feels like it is going to start but I don't see any fluid or blood.
Is all that normal? How do I know if it's Braxton Hicks? I read they aren't painful, but what I'm feeling is uncomfortbale, I really feel it when I'm rolling over in the bed.
Buy a Moby wrap... It is the easiest way to keep you hands free and your baby happy.
Feeling a fair amount of pressure and discomfort can be normal, but if it continues, or gets worse, let give your midwife a heads up. Try shifting positions and see if it helps.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrissyDi
Braxton Hicks tend to be more of a tightening in your abdomen... can feel sort of like menstrual cramps for some women, but your stomach will get very hard and tight feeling. These will come and go. They can be anywhere from not noticing them at all to down right painful, but most often they are pretty mild. The key to watch for is whether you are getting quite a few in an hours time or if they continue and/or get a pattern to them.
Ok, Doula. I got to OB tomorrow, so I will let everyone know what they say. I talked to the on call Dr last night and she said I need to stay on bed rest until I come in and drink plenty of water. She said it might be from dehydration since I've been vomiting so much. They are also looking at what else they can do about that since I'm not getting any better with the Phenergan.
Being a bit dehydrated can cause your uterus to contract more frequently.
They likely will try an alternative. I know Phenergan is a popular choice to help with vomiting, but it can also cause it to continue for some people.
I know some women have found relief with accupuncture as an alternative. Do you tend to get sick at certain times... such as after meals, certain foods, taking a prenatal, etc. or is there no rhymn or reason to it?
All of the above! I just never know. I could go 2 days with no vomiting and then suddenly, here is comes for days in a row. Sometimes once a day and sometimes multiple times a day. And all those things will do it. I tried doing B6, but that came up too and I haven't been able to take my prenatals in a week.
Thanks for explaining the dehydration info to me.
We are now trying a combination of Raglan and Zofran and so far that seems to be working. Sometimes, I still feel a little drowsy and foggy with it, but that's sure better than feeling sick all day!
Ahhh, the joys of pregnancy... :) Glad to hear you are able to keep things down. It's worth some drowsiness. You may find that subsides a bit once you are on it for awhile.
At some point they will possibly wean you off and see how you are doing; whether you need to continue with the meds or if you are fine to go without.
Yeh. And the great thing is that the fetal movement has picked up the last couple of days also. It's rather weird how the baby bounces all around. One minute on the bottom, then suddenly on the side and at the bottom again in a matter of minutes. It's like the tazmanian devil is in my belly. Hee Hee
What can I do to stay regular and prevent constipation? I eat Kashi cereal, veggies, and Activia yogurt daily and it's not keeping the bowels flowing all of a sudden. (maybe due to the Zofran I've been taking for last couple of weeks.)
Also, I stopped the Reglan recently and just use the Zofran, so that might have changed things also. Is there something I should eat or should I just get back on the Reglan (which was taken before meals)?
The Zofran could be adding to it. Constipation, now and then, is pretty common in pregnancy to begin with. Try the usual remedies: increasing your fiber intake... whole grains, fruits, veggies, increasing your fluid intake... when you increase fiber you need to increase fluids as well, and get some exercise each day.
If those types of things aren't enough, check with your doctor about any sort of medication or supplement he/she may suggest. Check with them too about stopping or starting any of the medications you were using. Obviously they should only be taken if necessary.
Hey everyone! I've been feeling so much better with the Zofran. My question for now is about fetal movement. Is it normal at 22 weeks, to feel lots of movement some days and little movement other days?
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:33 PM. |