Birth Story: Part 1 - Pelvic Problems, Due Dates and a Bag of Waters

At my 36 week appointment, my OB, a previously gung-ho believer in me being able to have a vaginal birth despite what looked like a narrow birth canal, started to change her tune.  She had hoped that as the weeks progressed, my pronounced pubic bone would shift or that the baby would have enough space behind my pubic bone to descend.

I went proactively looking for a solution to my skeletal problem through walking, sitting on a birthing ball daily, doing hip circles, pelvic stretches, you name it.  I googled, binged and read everything I could on spinningbabies.com.  I was determined.

By week 39, my cervix hadn't changed, my pubic bone was still in the way and my OB suggested that even if I wanted a vaginal labor, if when I went to the hospital and I had labored for a few hours without result, I should ask for a C-section.  There was no need to labor needlessly if the baby wasn't going to be able to descend; it would end in surgery anyway.

My due date, September 9, also happened to be a major work deadline for my Dear Husband, who asked that if there was anything I could do to put off labor until after September 9, he would really appreciate it.  As though I had any control over the situation.  But given that I was a first time mom, I assumed I would go over my due date by about a week.

And my due date came quietly and uneventfully.  DH went to work and came home.  We had dinner and went through our typical nightly routine.  At around 8pm, I felt a trickle of water on my leg and went to the bathroom.  Urinary incontinence?  That's odd, I've been doing my kegels.  So I hopped in an epsom bath to clean myself off and to stave off some the pregnancy swelling and felt a few more leaks. "Hmmm... maybe this isn't urine?" I thought to myself.

As I dried off from the bath, I went to DH and said, "We might need to take a trip to the hospital tonight.  I think I'm leaking amniotic fluid."

"Did you want to call ahead to the hospital?" he asked.

"I'm just going to sit down for an hour and wait and see if the fluid pools up and comes out in more of a gush before I call," I explained after placing a pad to catch the fluid, while I sat down for a game of League of Legends to wait.

An hour later, I stood up quickly and there was no gush.  "False alarm I guess," I told DH as I headed to the bathroom.  I sat on the toilet and urinated and then felt a gush of water come out in the toilet.  I wiped and checked the pad and saw tinges of pink and decided it was time to call the hospital. They confirmed I should go head into the hospital.

DH went to go load the car as I went to take another shower, do my make-up and hair and pack up some last minute items. We loaded Charlotte Bark the Corgi in the car, called my mom and went to go drop Charlotte off at her house.  By the time we got to the hospital, it was 11pm.

Pregnancy Dreams Decoded

My mother has clairvoyant dreams.  She's dreamt about people being pregnant before they ever knew themselves.  She's dreamt of people who have passed away trying to communicate things that end up being true.  She dreamt about a little boy she didn't know following her around during a family party before she realized she was seeing her unborn grandson.  This was before we knew he was a boy.

Me?  My dreams are just a dumping ground for my subconscious.  They've gotten more vivid and focused on my marriage and baby during pregnancy.

Preterm Labor and Birth: An early dream I remember from 24 weeks was about dealing with my pregnancy discomfort.  DH, in the dream, told me to just take the baby out for a little bit to give myself a rest and that I could put him back in later.  I insisted that things don't work that way but dream DH assured me it would be fine.  I pulled the baby out and he was tiny.  I saw his face and a full head of hair and loved him instantly and then realized what a terrible thing I had done and started panicking because we should be in a hospital.  He's so early, he should be in a NICU.  He couldn't survive outside the womb.  But he was doing just fine, happy, smiling and laughing.

Meaning: I realized after I woke that I had that dream because I had hit the 24 week mark which meant that if something catastrophic were to happen and the baby needed to come out, he would have a high survival rate! Generally, however, dreams of preterm labor are the subconscious mind dealing with feelings of being unprepared for an upcoming event.

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Cheating on DH: A recurring dream I have is about cheating on DH.  Or rather, getting close to cheating on DH.  Only in one dream did I actually cross the line and immediately had that "Omg, what have I done, I've ruined everything and my life is never going to be perfect again" feeling until I woke up.  It's never with the same person or anyone I actually know.  It's never really lusty, just guilt ridden.

Meaning: I know part of the cause of the dream is a change in our "marital" activities, or lack thereof, since I've been pregnant.  And another part is feeling guilty that I'm just not fulfilling my roles at home or at work because I'm so tired and uncomfortable. I honestly feel the dreams are less about the cheating and more about the guilt associated with it. 

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Breastfeeding: Last night I had the most confusing and amazing dream. I dreamt that I was taking care of two children.  One was a little girl, probably close to 1 year old and the other was my baby, basically newborn.  They were both hungry and for some reason I had never breastfed.  So I went to breastfeed my son first and he immediately knew how to suckle but the breastmilk would squirt out in the wrong place so instead of it getting in his mouth, it sprayed everywhere. We finally got it so he was getting fed, which was amazing, but I had this nagging guilty feeling about not feeding him sooner and being upset that he was probably hungry for a very long time before I finally fed him.

Meaning: In my Birth Club, a lot of women have started leaking colostrum or breastmilk while I'm worried that my milk won't come in.  My mom didn't breastfeed and I worry that as a result, my body doesn't know what it's supposed to do.  I have a feeling that the little girl was me when I was a baby, not getting breastfed, and the dream was to reassure me that though I might not get breastfeeding right off the bat, I will eventually get it and it'll all be worth it.

Pregnancy dreams.  Pretty inevitable considering how much time I spend sleeping.

Weird But Pregnant: Pregnant Bikini Contest

Today, my friend from San Diego informed me that he recently went to a Pregnant Bikini Contest thrown by his DJ friend's radio station. I thought he was joking until he showed me the pictures.

http://www.rock1053.com/pages/Pregnant_Bikini_Pageant/

 Now, I always thought the girls who do things like wet t-shirt contests, bikini contests or lingerie contests at bars had to be pretty drunk to be willing to strut their stuff in front of a crowd of drunk people but pregnant women? They've got to be sober right?

The winner of the contest is crowned Missed Period of the year and they win $1,000 plus a free photoshoot. You know, to capture how awesome they look pregnant in a bikini. Now these women must be blessed with no stretch marks, relegating the possible contestants to a fairly small population of pregnant women.

And I reasoned this is a pretty funny idea, probably a one time joke or something. No, it's in it's 17th year! They found 17 years worth of contestants for this insanity. This particular year's contest even ended in a chick fight!

The winning contestant's Baby Daddy's current girlfriend went to the contest to heckle her boyfriend's Baby Mama. When she won, the only reasonable response to the heckling was for Missed Period 2013 to throwdown in physical violence, tiara, pregnant belly and all. With any luck, the child from the first year's contest winner will be the winner of next year's contest. You know, the circle of life and all.

Class Review: Preventing Preterm Labor

The perpetual student that I am cannot pass up any class offered on my topic of obsession.  Currently, that's pregnancy.  So when Kaiser gave me a list of classes I could take to prepare for pregnancy and childbirth, I signed up for every single one of them.  DH, lucky man that he is, also gets to come.

Last night we went to a Preventing Preterm Labor Class.  Here's what I learned:

Preterm Labor is any labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy.  Not all Preterm Labor ends in Preterm Birth as there are many drugs that can be administered to delay birth even after labor occurs.  Preterm birth is particularly dangerous as it accounts for 35% of infant deaths since premature babies often have underdeveloped organs and are unable to stabilize their own temperatures.

Risk Factors:
- Alcohol, Tobacco or Drug use during pregnancy.
- Previous preterm births.  If a mother's first child was a preterm birth, her second child has a 30% chance of going into preterm labor.  If her first two children were preterm births, there is a 70% chance that she will go into preterm labor with her 3rd.
-Twins and triplets pregnancies.  This is more a matter of not having enough space for multiples for a full 40 week term.
-Lack of prenatal care.  Anything from abnormally shaped uterus, vaginal infection, excess fluid in the uterus and shortened cervix that can be detected during the course of adequate prenatal care and addressed to prevent issues may cause preterm labor if left untreated.
-Placental Issues.
-Mothers age under 17 or over 35.


Keep in mind that some women have no risk factors and go into preterm labor while others have many risk factors and don't go into Preterm Labor.  There is no way to know for sure which mothers will go into Preterm Labor.

What to Look For: (Contact a doctor if experiencing any two of the following)
-Contractions.  As a FTM, I don't know what these feel like but it's been described to me as pressure building from the pelvis, coming up in waves to the top of the abdomen and then back down.  The pressure causes the stomach to go from the squishiness of the tip of a nose to the hardness of a forehead and can last anywhere between 10 to 60 seconds. It feels like the abdomen is tightening like a fist.
-Change in vaginal discharge.  An unusual change in quantity, texture or both may be a sign of preterm labor.
-Pelvic pressure. Again, any unusual change in pressure on the cervix or pelvis, as though the baby's head is bearing down, is a sign to look out for.
-Lower uterine cramps that feel similar to menstrual cramps.  By the second trimester, anything that feels similar to period cramps are a cause for concern.
-Low, Dull and constant backache.  This is different from the normal back pain experienced during pregnancy.  Again, this symptom should feel unfamiliar and as a result, a cause for concern.
-Upper abdomen cramps, specifically in the stomach area, that feels abnormal like food poisoning, pain or pressure.
-If experiencing any spotting in pink or red, go to the doctor or hospital immediately.  Do not wait for other symptoms, red means go.

How to Address Contractions:
-Stop whatever activity is being performed when the contractions began.
-Go to the bathroom and empty the bladder.
-Drink 2-3 glasses of water or juice.  Nothing caffeinated.
-Go lay down on the left side of the body for 1 hour.
-If contractions have subsided and are not accompanied by other symptoms, there is no need to go to the doctor or hospital.  Spend the rest of the day in low stress activities.  Do not return to the original activity at the time the contractions began.

-If the contractions occur more than once in an hour, after emptying the bladder, drinking the fluids and laying down, immediately call the doctor or go to a hospital.
-If another contraction occurs after the hour of rest, immediately call the doctor or go to a hospital.


Tip: If going to the hospital at less than 32 weeks, make sure the admitting hospital has a NICU unit that can accommodate babies under 32 weeks.  Some hospitals, if unequipped, will transfer the baby to the closest hospital capable of treating and under 32 week baby while the mother has to stay put in the hospital originally check into.  This results in the mother being unable to see her baby until fully recovered in separate hospitals.

What to Expect If Admitted:
-Mothers in preterm labor may be admitted anywhere between a few hours to a few days depending on cervix dilation.  Not all preterm labor will result in preterm birth
-The mother and baby may be put under monitoring.  The baby's heartbeat will be tracked as well as the mother's contractions.  The monitoring device is unable to tell the difference between weak and strong contractions and the doctors will depend on the mother to detail the strength of the contraction. 
-There are a number of different drugs that can be administered based on the individual situation to prevent preterm labor if the baby cannot survive outside of the womb.

For more information, visit the WebMD, March of Dimes or Babycenter.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.  This is not medical advice.

First Trimester Purchases

In going with traditional Chinese superstition, I resisted the urge to buy things for the baby but as my first trimester proved to be uncomfortable, I had to pick up a few essentials. 

1. Jumper Prenatal Heart Listener/Detector. This is also known as a fetal heart doppler.  This is really a must have for anyone who has previously suffered a loss.  Being able to hear the heartbeat at around 10 weeks, between doctor's visits, especially when it's too early to feel any movements did a lot for my peace of mind.

There are other dopplers that will do things like track the Beats Per Minute of the heartbeat, compare records, or are hospital grade which allows for better detection of the heartbeat.  Those are higher in price and weren't necessary for me.  I just wanted to be able to check in and make sure all was well with the little bean. $28.18 at Amazon.

2. Nursing Bras.  I was told that my cup size would change wildly between pregnancy and breastfeeding.  Well, I ended up needing new bras pretty early on in my first trimester as I had gone up a cup size. Instead of buying regular bras, however, I opted for nursing bras so that I would have a large number and variety of them by the time breastfeeding and constant bra changes from leaking milk became an issue.

Walmart had the cheapest bras but they aren't very flattering.  Target had great bras that were very flattering but a little pricier.  Neither were nearly as expensive or comfortable as my typical Victoria Secret bras. $9.00 for two at Walmart.

3. Crane Drop Shape Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. There are things people don't tell you about pregnancy.  Like how in the first trimester, there is no glow.  There is merely dryness and sometimes itchiness.  And the dryness doesn't just apply to skin, it goes deep into nostrils and eyes.  A good humidifier helped me tremendously. $45.36 at Amazon.

4.  Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow. I used to sleep on my back.  And my stomach.  Sometimes my sides. But because of the Vena Cava, that blood pathway that helps get blood to the Little Bean, left side sleeping is optimal.  After a couple of uncomfortable nights trying to force myself into a left side sleep position, I gave up and bought the Snoogle.  It is by far my favorite First Trimester purchase.  It feels like being cuddled to sleep with the perfect amount of neck/shoulder support. A must have for those who don't naturally side sleep. $47.09 at Amazon.     

5. New Chapter Perfect Prenatals. There are a lot of prenatals out there that make women sick.  So sick in fact, they opt not to take prenatals at all.  These are the only ones that didn't make me sick and didn't require me to eat a meal when at the time I take them since they are made from whole foods already.  They are also organic and gluten free which makes them accessible for everyone!  And if you join Amazon Mom, you'll get 20% off when you order them via Subscribe & Save. $45.29 at Amazon.com    

Nausea, Morning Sickness, Vomiting

Nausea is that terrible feeling in your stomach when you're pregnant letting you know that everything is ok with your little bean.

Morning Sickness is a misnomer since it's more like All-Day Sickness or After-and-Between-Every-Meal Sickness, a friendly reminder that your body is changing into an incubator.

And vomiting, well that's baby's way of letting you know that he/she doesn't want you eating that. Or the other thing.  Or whatever else you're thinking about putting in your craw.

I have been battling these three symptoms for what feels like two months.  I've lost 10 lbs and gone through almost every natural remedy and here are my reviews of commonly suggested natural nausea cures.

Preggie Pop Lollipops and Drops. I opted for the Preggie Pop Drops because walking around with a lollipop sticking out of my mouth just wasn't going to communicate the level of professionalism needed in my workplace. The Preggie Pop Drops worked more often than not but I quickly got bored with the flavors.  It tastes a lot like an extra sour apple jolly rancher which is not very pleasant in your mouth for over a few hours a day.

I've read that people ate other sour candies like War Heads, Jolly Ranchers, Sour Jelly Bellies, etc.  I tried all of these and stand by the fact that Preggie Pops are superior for 2 reasons. One, the sour and sweet combination stay constant in the Preggie Pops which is actually what staves away the nausea when they work.  Warheads are only sour up front (and the extreme level of acid in the beginning does more harm than good.)  Jolly Ranchers simply aren't sour enough.  The same with Sour Jelly Bellies. Two, Preggie Pop Drops melt in your mouth much slower than any other candy out there which reduces the amount of sugar intake while attempting to keep nausea at bay.

I bought one of the organic boxes ($7.99 for 12 drops at my local Babies R Us) and then just bought 2 packages of the non organic ($7.99 for 21 drops).  When they ran out, I didn't buy more.

Lemonade. This seemed to be the only beverage that took the edge of the nausea while I was eating.  It didn't work all the time but when it did, I was grateful.  I hosted a Cricut Party during my first trimester and made a couple of gallons of Country Time Lemonade from a mix and added fresh lemons.  It kept my nausea at bay for hours.  My only issue is that a large intake of lemonade everyday is not great for tooth enamel. And I would cross a fine line where the acid from the lemons just became too much.

Lemonade is not pleasant to throw up.

Ginger Tea. Instead of using ginger tea bags, DH would just slice fresh ginger and steep in hot water for me.  This worked a total of two times and had to be at the perfect temperature.  Too hot and I couldn't drink it fast enough to make a difference.  Too cold and it upset my stomach more than helped.

Sea-Band. I'm not sure how these work at all for other women but all they did for me is irritate my wrists. I understand the concept is pressure points but they just didn't work for me and I'm a big believer in acupuncture and acupressure.


Vitamin B-6. I've read over and over again the Vitamin B6 or the combination of Vitamin B6 and Unisom can beat morning sickness.  Well, I'm not about to start taking Unisom (trying to stay all natural) so I opted to try just the Vitamin B6.  It is somewhat effective taking the edge off the nausea but not getting rid of it entirely.  I am continuing to use the B6, however, because it's supposed to work better over time.

Ice Chips. This has been my savior.  I read about it on my friend's blog and had DH immediately break me off some ice chips.  I ate 3 bowls of them keeping me both hydrated and virtually nausea free.  The combination of constantly having something in my mouth, a slow drip of water into my system and not adding any unwanted flavors or calories to my body seems to do the trick. A must try.

Ginger Mints. These work a lot like Preggie Pops for me except depending on the day the flavor may or may not be pleasant.  They are much cheaper than Preggie Pops and less of a tip off that you're expecting.  I prefer Trader Joe's brand in the tin but couldn't find the picture so you can see Newman's Own in the picture.

What worked for your nausea and morning sickness?
 

Our Announcement!

We decided we would not be posting an announcement on Facebook and just opt to tell people individually as it became relevant.  After considering multiple ways of announcing to our grandparents, we decided on this:

The Bright Side of Symptoms

During my first pregnancy, I was constantly tired with breast soreness and very little nausea.  When I miscarried, in my furious research for an answer, one of the common themes with women who miscarry is a lack of morning sickness.

This pregnancy, every little discomfort, soreness, pain or nausea (of which there has been plenty) has been reassuring as though the worse I feel, the stronger the baby must be.  For instance, the mere thought of seafood (one of my most favorite kinds of food) now makes me physically gag.  I wonder if I'll ever be able to look at a piece of salmon an not throw up a little in my mouth.

And I've tried everything.  Eating a small breakfast, eating a big breakfast, having a breakfast smoothie, snacking through out the day, eating 3 normal meals a day, no dice.  Everything either makes me nauseous, before, after, or while eating it.

And my chest is going through some serious soreness.  Sometimes it hurts just from the light movement of walking or from an accidental brush up against something.  Other times, usually when I've had plenty of rest (read 10+ hours because that's how much I've been sleeping) there is no pain and then the paranoia sets in.

In fact, at any given moment if I have the coincidence of feeling no nausea, no breast pain, no tiredness and no headache I then have paranoia that there's something wrong. I remember distinctly that before I started spotting as a sign of my miscarriage, my symptoms had disappeared almost overnight. No more sore breasts, a renewed energy, no big craving to lay on the couch and do nothing.  Naturally, any sign of feeling like my normal pre-pregnancy self is now met with insane paranoia.

And I'm glad to feel crummy if that means this baby is going to make it.  And I don't think I'm ever going to stop worrying.  Ever as long I live.

Is that the true essence of motherhood?

Is morning sickness and all the pains of the first trimester a lesson in the pain and selflessness that is supposed to come naturally with being a mom?  The paranoia and worry over things that are no longer completely in our control? In fact, are all of these symptoms and the range of emotions just getting us mentally trained for the reality that lies ahead?

I'm going to think about that while I lay here curled in a ball hoping trying to ease my nauseous stomach.

Note:  These posts have been delayed because we have waited to announce our pregnancy until after the first trimester.

I Drank Pickle Juice

DH has taken to following me around the house.  I believe it's a combination of wanting to help me with anything I need (reaching high places, lifting heavy things, opening stuck jars) and a genuine curiosity of what I'm going to eat.

For instance, last night ( 4 weeks and 4 days into my pregnancy) I decided a tuna salad sandwich just sounded AMAZING.  It didn't seem odd to me since tuna salad is fairly common.  But DH reminded me that I never make tuna salad, nor do I ever order it when it's an option.  Point taken.

But what did surprise me was that in opening the pickle jar, I thought that a little of pickle juice would taste pretty good so I poured an ounce or so into a goblet.  When I took a sip, DH's eyes popped out of his head, he whipped out his iPhone and snapped a picture of the first visible signs of weird pregnancy food cravings.

For the record, pickle juice is delicious.  Like having a cocktail without the alcohol.

Note:  These posts have been delayed because we have waited to announce our pregnancy until after the first trimester.

My BFP

I tested twice.  Once at 11dpo which resulted in a light positive then again at 14dpo which resulted in the line you see below.

It's all feeling a little surreal.

When I told my mom she said "Congratulations, you worked really hard for that!"

And I realized that this whole time I was so frustrated because it seemed like getting pregnant was something so simple that every woman should be able to do when they want but for me, and countless other women, it's been a long journey towards a most precious goal.

I'm finally pregnant!

Note:  These posts have been delayed because we have waited to announce our pregnancy until after the first trimester.

The Aftermath

First, I want to thank everyone for their kind words, thoughts and prayers.  You all are amazing, and J said that you were all such a wonderful group of people after reading all the comments and messages. But you know, I already knew that!

I thought I would write something on my experience yesterday because it’s cathartic, but also to remember what happened and to talk about little things that might be valuable to someone else going through this.

TMI: I woke up yesterday morning with a brown discharge when I went to the restroom.  When I googled the symptom, most posts and responses on the topic said that it was no issue.  Some even called into their doctors and were told not to worry.  That they didn’t need to come in to be checked up. I called my doctor anyway and he had me come in.

That made me feel good.  Thankful that he’s so overcautious, which is what I thought he was being.  I also figured I might get to see an ultrasound which I’ve been wanting forever anyway.  J wanted to come with me and was trying to get out of a work meeting to get there.  I even told him that it wasn’t important, that he didn’t need to come.  I had another appointment scheduled for next week so it’s not like he wouldn’t see the ultrasound.

So I was not prepared. I genuinely believed that nothing was wrong.

When the doctor performed the ultrasound, he couldn’t find the baby.  He said he was concerned that I had implanted with a bad egg.  The fetus should have started to migrate to the front area readable by an ultrasound already.  Then he tried the vaginal ultrasound where he did find the embryo, measured it, couldn’t see the heart beat and told me that the embryo had stopped growing at about 6 or 7 weeks. 

I’m kind of in disbelief but I can’t see the heartbeat either.  Just a little bean completely still.

At this point what he’s telling me is kind of a blur.  He’s explaining how I’ll need to come back so he can perform a procedure to clear my uterus and prevent hemorrhaging.  But I’m just starting to realize everything that this means and try to hold back the tears and concentrate.

But I can’t. He tries to comfort me and tells me that it’s very common, that 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, that it doesn’t affect my ability to get pregnant in the future.  That most women will experience a miscarriage in their life.  His words were just making it impossible to hold back the tears.  I took my return appointment card and rushed out of the office to my car when J calls and I start crying hysterically. 

And I don’t really stop crying for a couple hours.  My mom came over and after a bit of time I stop crying because she’s such a strong woman I feel weak crying in front of her.  And it worked, because I haven’t hysterically cried since. 

She said something to the effect of how it just wasn’t meant to be.  That wasn’t the baby I was meant to have.  She reminds me that when she was pregnant with me, I survived a refugee camp and her falling out of a hammock 2-3 times.

I thought about how I should have known something was wrong because I hadn’t been as tired lately, my chest wasn’t as sore, I wasn’t getting nauseous.  I thought I was just getting used to the pregnancy.  Then I felt worse.

After my mom left I fell asleep and when I woke up I felt awful because the first thing I realized was that I was alone.  Not that J wasn’t there but that for the first time in a month, I didn’t have the baby with me. Kind of empty and aimless.

It’s hard for me to believe that this was so painful after just a short time.  The combination of the loss, plus worries about my future fertility and possibly going through this again and feeling bad about myself as though there might be something wrong with me was completely overwhelming yesterday.

Today is better.  I think about all the things I’ll do before the next time I’m pregnant (like make sure I have my vaccinations, painting the baby’s room so I won’t be exposed to the off gassing, taking prenatals 2 months in advance, etc.), or while I’m pregnant in the future or even having hope that I will get pregnant in the future.  

Mostly I think about the things I’m grateful for, like J being so amazing during this whole thing, my family who are not usually sentimental being completely sappy, my friends who sent me flowers and just let me talk, this wonderful Tumblr/Fitblr community, and the ability to lose some weight and get healthier before we try again.

I Miscarried

I might write more on this later. I might not. It’ll depend on how I feel. Right now I am devastated.

I’m going to take today to be super sad and keep crying my eyes out in hopes that I can move on tomorrow.

Summer Sander’s Prenatal Workout

didn’t know exactly what to expect from a Prenatal Workout DVD.  You know what I did figure?  That it wouldn’t be very challenging.  But yesterday, feeling a burst of energy, needing a break from my Chinese New Year cleaning and experiencing a renewed sense of Fitblr purpose, I popped in the DVD.

The menu is split into 3 different opening options, naturally, for each trimester.  Then each trimester has an introduction and the option for an extended workout (54 minutes) or an express workout (20 minutes?).  I’ve only done the extended workout so I’m not entirely sure.

Summer Sander’s is about 7 months pregnant as she’s being trained in the video by her sister-in-law and personal trainer Keri. It is seriously amazing to see how physically fit she is while working out with this ginormous belly!  And encouraging.  If she can do it with a beach ball in her way, I sure as heck can do it.

The workout is easy using plies, lunges, squats, resistance bands and basic ab exercises to tone up the muscles.  The pace is somewhat slow but that’s ok because I’m not trying to knock myself out.  In fact, I feel like this is a pretty typical training session that most non-pregnant people would do, just not as quickly to prevent overheating.

I can imagine getting pretty sick of this workout DVD, as I do with anything I watch over and over again for more than a couple of weeks.  Also, the extended workout basically takes the viewer through a series of workout moves and then repeats, which is also a little mundane.

I wasn’t at all sore the next day but I did feel great after I finished it.  I logged it as calisthenics in MyFitnessPal and it came out to about 220 calories burned in 54 minutes.

I imagine I’ll need about 5 different workout types to cycle through, including walking, prenatal yoga, some gym time and another workout DVD. 

Maternity Clothes Too Soon

There’s a few problems with me making this post in the middle of my first trimester.

1. I’m not supposed to even be showing until I’m into my second trimester.

2. I thought I would shun maternity clothes entirely.  I almost never wear pants so I figured I could get by with a combination of the belly band when I do wear pants and just pair all my high waisted dresses with some leggings until September.

3. I haven’t gained any weight so far so my clothes should fit just fine.

4. I’m trying to stay as active as my energy levels will allow to keep my muscles toned and my body healthy.  I’m also trying to avoid much weight gain in the 1st trimester (keeping it to a couple lbs per my doctor’s orders) since I know I’ll absolutely have to gain consistently half a lb or a lb every week or so of my 2nd trimester.

So when I tell you that I bought maternity jeans last night you should know it’s a total shocker. This is how it happened:

I have been unusually cold lately.  My body is usually pretty good at keeping a level temperature, especially in California where the range of temperatures is so small. So I wear dresses all year round. Until I felt like I was constantly freezing the past few days.

I decided I would go buy some new jeans which any woman can attest to as sometimes self esteem plummeting. But then I realized: any jeans I buy now that fit perfectly won’t fit in a few months when I’m actually showing and I have no idea how my hips are going to change after the baby so I might never wear those jeans again.

Le sigh.

My friend told me that early on in her pregnancy she had bought maternity jeans that didn’t have the full panel.  Just a stretchy adjustable waistband with buttons that adjust for each trimester. 

So I popped over to Target and they had these Liz Lange Boyfriend Jeans on clearance for $20.

They were pretty good looking so I bought them. When I got home and tried them on, they fit through the legs but of course the waistband was too loose which makes the pants feel like they’re falling down.  I popped on a belt and now I am warm and comfortable in jeans while still being a little embarrassed that I’m wearing maternity clothes at 8 weeks.

Epigenetics

Last night I had a great conversation with my only pregnant-with-her-first-baby-right-now-just-like-me friend.  She’s 10 weeks farther along than I am but I tell you, it’s great having someone to talk with about the silly pregnancy stuff that J just can’t understand.

She recommended You Having a Baby by Dr. Oz (picture and link above) because it goes over a lot of interesting things like Epigenetics. Of course, being as obsessive as I am, I immediately went out to Barnes and Noble, despite the fact that I have Amazon Prime and it being $4 cheaper online, and bought it. That says a lot considering my typically thrifty self.

I’m about a 3rd of the way through the book already and obsessed with epigenetics.

In simple terms, epigenetics is the study of what genes are actually expressed. It doesn’t change the genetic makeup of cells, rather, it allows us, especially incubators like me, to influence what characteristics from the DNA structure actually manifest in the child.

We can’t determine what eye or hair color the child ends up with but we can affect what diseases the child is predisposed to, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

For instance, how often a pregnant woman eats can effect the child’s future metabolic rate.  If the mother doesn’t eat for extended periods of time, the genetically determined metabolic rate slows preparing the body for the experience of famine outside of the womb. This was an effective method of survival when the mother and baby were actually living in a scenario of famine but in a 1st world country it results in a predisposition for obesity.

And not just for that first child but for that child’s future children.

This doesn’t mean that the child can’t end up being perfectly healthy but it does mean that what the mother does and does not eat during pregnancy can create health challenges that her children has to work harder to overcome for generations.

A few things that I am going to do after reading information from Dr. Oz (who is currently the only doctor/author who is providing epigenetics information in layman’s terms in relation to pregnancy):

1. A list of things to avoid

2. Eat organic whenever possible. My doctor also recommended this.

3. Do not drink out of plastic bottles that have been heated (which means really to avoid plastic bottles at all since you don’t know how heated the store bought plastic bottles were during transit).

4. Do not eat food microwaved in plastic, including tupperware. Use microwave safe pyrex, glass or ceramic instead.

5. Get houseplants to clear the air of any chemicals or gases emitted by paint or new building materials (we just finished a lot of home improvement work.)

6. Switch to green cleaning products.

What do you think about epigenetics?

That Kind Of Gal at Week 8

never thought I’d be the kind of woman so obsessed with being pregnant.  In fact, for a while during my early 20s I didn’t even think I wanted to have kids.  And I when I realized I did have kids, I convinced myself that I wouldn’t turn into one of those women whose pregnancy and subsequent child becomes all she can think and talk about.

But I have become one of those women. Truth be told, I don’t mind.

I love being pregnant.  And until I became pregnant, there was no way I could know that my body would change in ways I couldn’t control.  I didn’t know how encompassing the idea of being completely responsible for a little being growing inside my belly would be. How could I?

I also didn’t know that I would have such a hard time toughing it through the first trimester.  My big plans of daily workouts, jewelry projects, photography trips, all fall lower in priority to my ability, nay, uncontrollable urge to fall asleep instantaneously. All I really have time for these days is eating right, working, getting in the occasional walk, reading everything I can about healthy pregnancy, cleaning here and there (not doing a good job, btw) and falling asleep for 12+ hours a day.

Don’t get me wrong. I still keep up with current events, entertain friends and family in our home, do a lot of the things I used to.  Just less often, with less energy, and always considering what I can or cannot do with a bun in the oven.

Like tempt myself with sushi appetizers.  Or get riled up and angry about some ridiculous political issue.

So life has changed from hectic and constantly being productive and occasionally spontaneous to something like this:

Wake up. Make a healthy breakfast. Eat said breakfast. Contemplate packing a healthy lunch. Maybe packing said lunch. Getting ready for work. Talking to my friend CJ about his daughter, pregnancy related things and random topics during the drive to work.  Drinking as much water as possible. Working. Debating the best lunch for baby. Reading Tumblr and pregnancy website. Planning classes to take Occasionally shopping for pregnancy related items. Going home and contemplating a healthy dinner that will hit my prenatal nutrient goals. Picking up dinner or cooking it. Having a big glass of ice cold milk. Eating dinner. Taking prenatal vitamins. Rubbing body creams like Lansinoh and tummy butter on my body. Falling asleep. Waking up after napping for a couple hours. Going for a walk, reading or doing something else that needs to be done. Falling sleep again. Repeat.

Yeah, it’s like that. And I love it. Most of the time anyway.

First Belly Post!

Random stuff I’ve been eating because I think it’s good for me and a baby belly picture.

Currently I love apples and artisan cheeses.

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta enriched with calcium and fiber. It’s delicious.  I top it with a very veggie heavy meat sauce.  It has lots of shredded carrots, celery and onions in it to give it a nutritional boost.

Grilled cheese on Orowheat Double Fiber Bread and Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Tomato Soup. 

My mom also gave J and I items for our Buddhist altar which we put fruit on everyday before lighting incense.  It’s resulting in a constant supply of fresh fruit in the house that fills my tummy with nutrients.  Yaaaaaay!

My OB and his Strictness

1.  shortmom replied to your photo: Good news guys, Jamba Juice is ok! Bad news, so…

   Not to make you nervous or anything, but I think your doctor seems very old-fashioned and un-knowledgeable?! How can we convince you to go see a different one? You can jog and do yoga and fly and c-section recovery is awful (I should know)!!!

   block
2.  happyhealthyheidi replied to your photo: Good news guys, Jamba Juice is ok! Bad news, so…

   Your doc sounds pretty strict… There were recently two pregnant marathon runners (of half runners) featured in Runners World. I flew at around 32 weeks. They discourage it very late in pregnancy, but I’ve never heard because of radiation…

   block
3.  beckyc liked your photo: Good news guys, Jamba Juice is ok! Bad news, so… block
4.  hifitness replied to your photo: Good news guys, Jamba Juice is ok! Bad news, so…

   Is the no jogging just for you, or is that what’s normally recommended? I thought jogging was ok if that’s what you’re used to doing.

   block
5.  runningmyassoff replied to your photo: Good news guys, Jamba Juice is ok! Bad news, so…

   UMMM YOUR DOCTOR IS CRAZY! You can jog- some mothers have completed half marathons while pregnant. Tea tree oil for pimples. I STILL use it. Flying is ok. I flew to Iowa for my baby shower at 34 weeks and Elin is Perfect!

Lol, I found these responses pretty on par with my response at first.  I was hoping that when I went to my OB he would tell me that I was being overly cautious.  I particularly hoped that he would be able to dispell a lot of the things my mom and mother-in-law warned me against (they are both very conservative when it comes to things like this and expressed their concerns about me jogging and running and what not.)

After meeting with him, it made me feel like I was actually not being cautious enough and I feel like I’m a pretty prepared type of person! 

In regards to the radiation worry, my doctor is talking about the new airport full body scanners which emit a higher level of radiation than previous screening processes.  1 in 20 people, more often in children, have a genetic predisposition to increased cancer risk from the scanners because their ability to repair the damage is inhibited. And because the scanners are so new they don’t know about all the possible side effects.  For instance, one recent study shows that the radiation intensity is actually 20 times higher than previously estimated.

As for the jogging and the running, I think it has to do with the fact that I wasn’t consistently jogging or running for an extended period of time before I got pregnant. I was only consistently jogging starting in November and ramping up to a consistent run in December when I got pregnant.  I’m sure he would say that there’s no problem if I had been running regularly for 6 months or so but I wasn’t.  :(  It’s not really his fault I didn’t start focusing on getting fit until a month and a half before conceiving.

He did say I could do Yoga, just that I should wait until my 2nd trimester (as do all the yoga schools recommend) and that I  might not enjoy it well into my 3rd trimester.  I am glad he gave me that warning because I might have bought a 6 month prenatal yoga package that might end up with 3 months wasted. But he said I could do it as long as I wanted to after my 2nd trimester.

As for the C-section, it’s kind of personal, but given a few different factors about my anatomy down there, I completely believe that he’s correct. And he’s an excellent surgeon.  I read a quite a few reviews of patients that had c-sections performed by him that said they were up and walking within 12 hours of the surgery with virtually no scarring.

I actually really trust this doctor.  He spent a good deal of time with J and I, he comes very highly recommended both by people I know and by numerous reviews from patients on review sites. 

I do totally appreciate all of your concern though!  The feedback really means a lot.

First Trimester Checklist

• Schedule your first prenatal visit with your practitioner when you’re about nine weeks along. Plan on seeing your practitioner every four weeks.  I saw my GYN immediately after my positive Blood Test.  I then scheduled a meeting with my new OB for 2 weeks after that which would put me at 7 weeks.
• Avoid alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. 
• If your immunizations are not up to date, let your practitioner know. I don’t remember the last time I was immunized!  
• Drink lots of fluids, especially water (8 to 10 glasses a day). 
• Stick to a diet naturally high in folic acid (oranges, melons and dark green vegetables). 
• Eat plenty of iron-rich foods (whole grains, beans, raisins and nuts). 
• Keep your blood sugar level elevated by eating lots of high-protein and high-carbohydrate foods such as breads, brown rice, potatoes and cheese. 
• As a general rule, avoid medication and consult with your doctor before taking any. 
• Get plenty of sleep, and try to nap if you feel tired during the day. I am actually really bad at this right now. I’m working on a deadline at work so I’m not really getting much rest at all.
• Exercise, but moderately. Don’t start a new exercise regimen when you’re pregnant, and be careful not to become overheated for prolonged periods. Also bad at this, probably because I am not getting enough rest to have energy levels for this. 
• If you’re a coffee drinker, cut back, switch to decaf or try herbal or decaffeinated tea. 
• If your family has a history of genetic disorders, you have a high risk pregnancyor simply desire it, consider prenatal testing. 
• Start budgeting for your new life with baby.
• Choose a place to give birth (hospital? birthing center? home?).
• Consider starting a pregnancy blog or diary and having someone take a picture of you (and your expanding belly) each month.
• Consider refraining from getting perms and other hair treatments involving heavy chemicals.
• Get smart — buy a few pregnancy books and dive in.

7 Week OB Appointment

Am I really at 7 weeks?  Holy moley. Why does 9 months seem so short and so long at the same time? 

Anywho, J and I walked around Disneyland and DCA last night for about an hour after catching dinner.  Yay for getting in a long long walk.  It wasn’t a very brisk pace but at least I was able to keep it up without getting so tired I wanted to sit down.

You know, the waves of tiredness really make me wonder if I’m just being lazy. All you wonderful fitblr mommies and pregnancy books have assured me that it’s just 1st Trimester fatigue and I believe it.  It’s just when it comes and goes like that it just makes me want to power through it which is probably the opposite of what I should be doing.

Lucky for me my OB appointment is today at 4:30.  I have a slew of questions like:

1. Is jogging ok?  2 books and a few articles I’ve read recommend not jogging. But then I was jogging before I got pregnant so I should be able to sustain that level of activity right? If Jogging is not ok, is there a list of approved exercises?

2. What should I use to deal with my pimples?  I usually have pretty clear skin but the hormones can reverted me back to high school.  I read in What To Expect (my wonderful neighbor got me a copy 2 weeks ago as a surprise) that salicylic acid might be bad for the fetus if absorbed through the skin. But how else am I going to get rid of the pimples? 

3. Is my prenatal workout DVD safe?  I’m fairly certain it is but I want to make sure there aren’t any weird complications that might prevent me from using it. 

It’s funny because almost every workout DVD I’ve ever used recommends contacting a physician before starting the program and this is the first time I’m taking the warning seriously.

4. Are my prenatal vitamins I’m taking sufficient? I’m taking standard prenatals but in case I have some kind of deficiency I want to make sure.

5. When can I take Prenatal Yoga? Do I really have to wait until my 2nd trimester?  One of the Yoga schools I talked to said I would need to provide a doctor’s note if I was going to start in my first trimester.  It’s not like I’m in a huge rush, I just want to know what the real dangers are in case I want to pick up a prenatal yoga DVD.

6. How much should I be sleeping?  Do I really need to sleep when I feel tired?  Can I just try to work through it or will that be bad for the baby?

7. What classes should I be taking to prepare for childbirth?  Recommendations for Lamaze and related classes?

8. What are my birthing options at the hospital?  Are there private rooms, birthing rooms, etc?

9. Can I really not have unpasteurized juices?  That’s got to be just something ridiculously over cautious right?  Jamba Juice can’t possibly be off limits!

10. What effect does early exposure to lidocaine have on the fetus? I had some dental work done before I knew I was pregnant, which included lidocaine (6% over the course of 3 visits, I specifically asked my dentist right after I found out I was pregnant because I was so freaked out).

11. Is there a checklist or calendar of items that I should be focused on accomplishing during each month?  I’m currently using the one on The Bump but I figure one from my OB is better.

12. What is better, natural birth or c-section?  There is just so much information out there on this and I originally thought c-section would be the way to go but after reading about how long the recovery is, plus I want to breast feed which means I won’t be able to take pain killers after the surgery, I just don’t know.

13. How much is the birth going to cost? I know the insurance will cover most of it but I’m making our 2011 budget now that we know a baby will be involved and this is a big ticket item.

14. Can I fly during each trimester?  We’re considering a babymoon, my friends are getting married in May in New Orleans, etc.  I need to know what kind of travel plans I can make during each trimester.

That’s all I have for right now.  Am I missing anything you would ask?