(Almost) 24 Weeks & Counting!

Tomorrow I’ll be at the 24-week mark.  For most pregnant gals, this is the part of the pregnancy where they feel their best and are in the “honeymoon” period.  For me, it’s a step in the right direction because I’m moving out of the “sick-and-puking-every-day” phase and into the “only-queasy-every-now-and-then-at-night-but-have-massive-heartburn” phase.  But it’s also a big step because according to the national average, 50% of babies born at 24 weeks survive.  We’re now in the 50/50 odds, folks, and I am relieved for that.  The survival rate is actually higher here locally in Iowa City, but of course that’s assuming you actually are in the hospital (or at least in close proximity to the hospital) when the baby is born.  ;)

The latest ultrasound continued to show good news: my cervix is still measuring at a good length, no funneling, and my placenta has moved up to where it should be.  In fact, all is so well that my doctor is willing to wait three weeks to see me for the next appointment instead of two.  Progress!  Lil Mac is still hanging out very low and even had his face crammed up against my uterus.  It’s no wonder I’m so uncomfortable and have so much pelvic pain and pressure.  The doctor says it’s fine for me to take some Tylenol to help ease my discomfort a bit and has reassured me that the baby is not going anywhere outside of the womb thanks to everything else looking as it should; apparently he has just decided that he’s where he wants to be so I need to adjust.  It was hard getting a good photo of him at the last visit because his face was smashed into me, and he would turn away from us every time we went in for a closer look.  Little stinker.  At one point, we saw him reaching for his toes, which was cute.  He’s still my little rock-n-roller and is quite busy in there at all times.  I was reading that maybe he has the hiccups and that could be some of the activity that I’m feeling.  Who knows; I just know that he’s much more active than Adalynn ever was, and I am still fascinated by how much movement goes on in there.  He’s got a heck of a lot more energy than I do, and I worry I won’t keep up with him when he’s here.

Adalynn’s reaction goes in spurts.  Now that we’ve made progress on the nursery, I’ve seen a jealous side of her.  She’ll say she wants the baby’s room now.  But other times, she hugs and kisses my belly and acts so loving towards her little brother already.  She still sings to him, and now she’ll “read” her books to him as well.  I know for a while I was worrying that Mac doesn’t have the same attention focused on him that Adalynn did in the womb, and I worry that he’s second-fiddle.  My friend, Petra, pointed out that he has different advantages that Adalynn never had – like a big sister to sing and read to him.  Petra's so right.  (He seems to like Adalynn the best anyway!)

Lookin' Good

I'm at 21.5 weeks and all is well.  I just had another ultrasound on Friday, and once again my cervix is measuring as it should, and there is no funneling or other signs of premature labor.  I get checked every two weeks to make sure I'm still on track.  I'm glad I didn't need to go through the surgery to have my cervix stitched up, but admittedly in the back of my mind I still have this constant worry that something will go wrong.  After all, everything looked peachy with Adalynn when I was at the 20-week mark with her, and she still arrived 10 weeks later.  But I guess that is what these every two-week check-ups are for, right?  It appears that so far the progesterone is doing it's job and keeping Lil Mac content where he's at, and it's such a relief with each ultrasound to hear that everything looks perfectly normal.  Even though I still have the pelvic pressure and pain already, each check-up provides me with peace of mind (for a little while anyway). 

I only had one picture taken of myself when I was pregnant with Adalynn, and it was when I was 20 weeks.  So I had Eddie take a picture of me when I was 20 weeks this time as well.  Not much of a difference, eh?

20 Wks W/ Adalynn

20 Weeks W/ Lil Mac

Our little boy is still very active; much moreseo than Adalynn ever was.  He even keeps me up at night sometimes.  He's hanging out quite low and is already head-down, which the doc said can contribute to my discomfort a bit.  I swear, he's also tap dancing on my bladder at all times.  I am peeing more now than I did in the beginning of the pregnancy.  But I have to admit, I find the little guy entertaining if nothing else.  At this most recent ultrasound, he looked like he was smacking his lips at me.

Still has the bad habit of sucking his thumb!

 

He has the same pouty lips as his big sis!



Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

From October 21, 2011

It’s a boy!  I can’t believe it!  I always wanted two children (one of each) but I didn’t think it would ever actually turn out that way.  And since Adalynn was so gung-ho on a girl, I figured she would get her way.  Deep down I felt this baby was a boy, and I would accidentally refer to it as “he” from time to time, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.  Sure enough, we’re having a son!

Better yet, despite how I’ve been feeling with all the pelvic pressure already, my cervix is still measuring just fine and there is no evidence of premature labor yet.  That took a load off my mind.  I know my doctor is great about monitoring me, and she’ll continue to make sure this pregnancy stays on course.  We have a healthy little guy.  He’s a brute weighing in at 11 ounces (normal for 19 weeks is 8.5 ounces) and he’s very active.  Everything looks perfect from spine to heart to kidneys.  He was playing innocent and sucking on his thumb when we saw him, but I know better.  I can feel the parties he has going on in there every day. 

Of course this news brings on a different worry…….. premature boys don’t always fare as well as premature girls.  Will our little guy be okay?  Can he be a fighter just like his big sis if need be?  Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

Speaking of big sis, she really surprised me and Eddie.  All along she has flat out insisted that we give her a “pink sister” and the fact that it could be a boy was not a possibility that ever entered her mind.  But for whatever reason she told me on the morning of the ultrasound that the baby was a boy.  She didn’t sound happy about it, just matter-of-fact.  I figured it as a fluke and didn’t think much of it.  But later on before our appointment, Eddie asked her if she thought the baby was a boy or a girl, and she told him it’s a boy.  He asked if she would be okay with that, and she said “ya”.  So when the ultrasound tech gave us the news, Adalynn acted as if “Duh – I already told you it was a boy.”  Then she proceeded to act up and want the attention on herself.  It’s starting already!

Little Guy's Profile

Awwww....sucking his thumb!



Proof that he's a boy!



He's so embarrassed now!



FAQ's

When is the baby due?  The technical due date is March 14^th.  But next year is a leap year and we have a history of odd things happening to us, so there’s a good chance the baby could be born on February 29^th.  Or if this child “pulls an Adalynn”, it will be here around Christmas.  Keep your fingers crossed that doesn’t happen because I have enough stress around the holidays!  So basically, the possibilities are endless are for Baby Thomas’ arrival.

Do you have names picked out?  I do, yes.  Eddie, however, does not.  And he can’t agree with anything I select or offer any suggestions of his own so we’re currently at a standstill.  We’ll revisit names once we actually know the sex of the baby. 

What does Adalynn think?  Initially I don’t think she “got it” and she insisted that she had a baby in her tummy too.  But as time goes on and my belly gets bigger, she gets more invested.  She keeps telling us to give her a “pink sister” or a “pink baby”, and she doesn’t understand that we don’t have control over such things.  Adalynn has already informed me that she will be changing diapers and feeding the baby.  So maybe we’ll luck out and have a little helper.

How are you feeling?  Tired, nauseas, and sore.  This pregnancy has been more brutal than it was with Adalynn, which I didn’t think was possible.

What is the baby’s heart rate?  It started off in the 170s and has gone down as low as 154.  It’s natural for the heart rate to lower as the pregnancy progresses, and the general rule of thumb is that girl’s heart rates are higher than boy’s.  However, Adalynn was always in the 130-140 range so I guess that doesn’t always apply.

Is this pregnancy different?  Yes, it’s actually been worse!  But on a positive note, I felt the baby move quicker this time around.  I didn’t feel Adalynn until 20 weeks, and this one would flutter from time to time around 16-17 weeks and then at 18 weeks really started moving and shaking.  I feel like it’s throwing a party in my tummy!  It’s quite amusing.  I can’t wait for Eddie and Adalynn to be able to feel what I’m feeling.