Week Nineteen

As I mentioned in my general update, I've still not been doing all that well. At my week 16 doctor's visit I found out that I'd lost another 10 pounds, putting me down 17 pounds in 8 weeks. Not so good. The doctor emphasized that she'd really like me to gain some weight before my next appointment. Me too doc, me too, because I think that would coincide with decreased vomiting and the ability to eat more than 4 or 5 bites at a time. Both of which would be very much appreciated.

Sometime around week 17 I did notice an overall improvement; I would go stretches of time without feeling queasy and managed to go 4 days in between vomiting sessions a couple of times. And, I no longer had to be QUITE so careful about getting breakfast within the first few minutes of getting out of bed.

I do have to be extremely careful about the amount I eat still; I can manage more than just the few bites it was earlier, but portion sizes are still much smaller than normal, and if I eat even a bite or two too much, it all comes back up. So basically I have to quit eating while I'm still a little bit hungry because I can't really tell for sure what will be too much and it's a risk I don't want to take. After an hour or so I'll feel safe enough to have a tiny snack if I think I can keep it down, so I've been doing a lot of grazing.

My week 20 doctor's visit is this week and I fully expect to hear that I've gained weight - I know that generally I'm doing much better and think I've managed to graze my way into enough calories to have moved the scale the other way. The doctor's visit this week includes a ultrasound where we hope the little one cooperates and has widely spread legs so we can see what we're having! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much that we'll know for sure since I know that there's no guarantee that they'll be able to tell. I'll post pictures once I get them scanned (no promises on how quickly that will happen).

I am showing a bit now though, even having lost weight - it shifted from other areas and I've changed from my usual pear shape to an apple which just makes me laugh - I definitely don't recognize my body! I'm still wearing my regular clothes but they do fit differently. I'm pretty sure I'll need to buy some pants this week. I expected to need to last week, but with the bad cold, most of my week was all spent in pajamas/yoga pants/sweat pants which still fit. Once I go back to work this week I think I'll need something. I was hoping to feel well enough today to try and buy some things, but I think I'm better off resting some more. I'll probably be stopping somewhere on the way home from work tomorrow to see what's available.

I've been feeling the baby move (at least I'm assuming that's what I'm feeling) - I thought I felt something one day, then nothing for a week, and then then it started up again. So that's exciting. And if that really is what I'm feeling, then the baby is very active today - much more so than any other day so far. I think L is really looking forward to when he'll be able to feel the baby kick - it's definitely not to that point yet.

I'm also just starting to realize how much we'd like to get done before the baby arrives and how quickly that time will disappear. June is no longer sounding quite so far away! I still can't believe that I'm at the halfway point.