Week 14
Topic: Baby
It’s week fourteen already. I puked for the first time since becoming pregnant this morning, which is strange, considering that I didn’t get sick at all during the first trimester. I think it was also a combination of brushing my teeth and the lemonade I drank last night, though. =) On the bright side, I was able to go through the entire night without having to get up to pee last night!!!

According the week-by-week websites, I may be able to feel the small “flutter” of the baby moving, starting this week. So far, nothing… I also read that our baby is now probably about three-and-a-half inches long and weighs about two ounces. S/he’s beginning to practice inhaling and exhaling movements. The eyes and ears continue to move and develop, the neck is still getting longer, and the baby's chin no longer rests on his/her chest. The hands are becoming functional, and the baby is beginning to learn to move/use them (probably more reflex than anything). At this point, our little one is receiving all of his/her nourishment from the placenta.

Week 13 (First Day of Second Trimester!!)
Topic: Baby
How exciting! I feel like I’ve reached a real milestone in the pregnancy. I can tell I’m starting to feel better, as I realized this morning, I'm now able to wait until I get to work to eat breakfast, without feeling sick. I used to have to munch on something during the ride or the nausea would kick in. I'm still tired almost all the time, though. Hopefully, I'll start to get some energy back now.

Our next (abdominal) ultrasound appointment is scheduled for March 17th, at which time we should be able to find out if we’ve got a son or daughter in there!

Here are some significant things about this week, based on the week-by-week websites:

MOM
The second trimester is sometimes referred to as the "honeymoon of pregnancy." This is because women often regain energy, with much of the arduous work of organ development now almost complete. Morning sickness should subside and the risk of a miscarriage is reduced.

BABY
Measuring in at about seven centimeters, about 3 inches, crown-to-rump (our doctor measured ours in at about an inch and a half long at last Friday’s ultrasound) and weighing about two ounces, your baby-to-be will spend the rest of the pregnancy concentrating on growing and becoming strong enough to live outside the uterus.

While your baby won't be saying "Mommy" for some time, vocal cords are now developing. The face is looking more and more human each day as the eyes begin to move closer together instead of being on the sides of the head and the ears move to a normal position. It would be possible now to determine the baby's sex by looking at the genitals if we could only get close enough. (We usually can't "guess" via ultrasound until around the 16th week.) The intestines move farther into the baby's body; the liver begins to secrete bile and the pancreas begins to produce insulin. A very busy week indeed! The baby also has developed many reflexes and will squirm inside of you if your abdomen is prodded.

Week 12 Ultrasound
Topic: Baby
Today Colby and I went into Kaiser for our first look at our baby. Little did I know that this wasn't going to be the privacy-respecting type of ultrasound I had visualized. In other words, it was a vaginal ultrasound, not an abdominal one, with the use of a probe-like wand, resembling something you might find in a naughty, naughty store!

Poor Colby got a rude awakening of what goes on behind the closed doors of a gynecologist’s office. I told him that he may want to hang out in the waiting room until the gory parts were over, and come back when it was time for the view of the baby, but the feme-nazi nurse told me that I should make him stay for "all of it." He was a good sport, and besides, we did get some good laughs out of it. For example, I found humor in the irony that they took the care of rolling a condom over the magic wand, before putting it to use, imagining that it was to protect me from getting pregnant. And, during the "regular check-up" I found myself wondering again why nobody has yet thought to pin posters to the ceiling above the exam chair of uplifting images, like rainbows and stuff… Colby thought they should put math problems up there.

Anyway, despite the humiliation of it all, once the image of our baby appeared on the monitor, everything else became absolutely minuscule and vanished from my mind. Colby said later that it was at that point that I became a mother. I didn't really expect myself to get sentimental about seeing the ultrasound images, considering that all the ultrasound pictures I had ever seen have all seemed to look the same and required the interpretation of the parents to decipher what's what. However, when the images of our baby appeared on the screen… I can't really describe it. I knew it was in there, but I was seeing that it was really in there. And after all the pictures I've seen lately of unborn babies at this same stage of life, this one was distinctly set apart. It was ours. Our moms came in and crowded in the dark room around the monitor for their first look at their first grandchild. Debbie nudged Colby, asking, "So are you ready for this?" but I quickly rebuked her, reminding them that it is far too late to be asking that question! =) When our baby first appeared on the screen, I was so surprised at all the movement, that I assumed it was the magic wand moving around in there, but the nurse clarified that it was the baby that was moving. It seemed to be spinning and disappearing, then reappearing. Then it was still, almost as if to pose for us to take the pictures below! We could see its little heart beating away, appearing as a tiny, concentrated area of static on the screen.

The nurse said that Baby Waltenburg is about an inch and a half long, from head to buns, and estimated that it was 10 weeks and a couple days old, bringing my due date to August 17th. This makes more sense, since I estimated that I am in week 12 of the pregnancy, which includes the 2 weeks prior to conception, with a due date of August 20th.

 

Week 12
Topic: Baby
My Body:
Yay!!! It is the last week of the first trimester, which explains the subsiding of my nausea and fatigue. I read that the pregnancy may be affecting my dreams, causing them to be even more peculiar and vivid. I do recall a recent dream, in which I had an enormously pregnant belly and was taking a pee test to find out if I was pregnant with our next child… As I’m sure you’re wondering, the result came out negative, so naturally, I took a second test, which came out positive… Hmmm… Then last night, I dreamt I had dreadlocks again. They were really well done, too. I was quite pleased!

Apparently, my uterus, now being the size of a softball, has decided to move upward this week, giving that pregnant look that’s so popular in Hollywood these days (Brangelina, Gwen, Gwyneth, Tom Kat…). I’ve gained a total of about 5.5 lbs. since getting knocked up, 3-10 lbs. being right on schedule. Not bad, I suppose, considering the non-stop snacking. =) There’s definitely a visible bump, which I’ve concluded to be big enough for people to wonder, but small enough to deny them the confidence to assume out loud that it’s what they think it is!

Our Baby
Our baby-to-be is now probably 60 to 65 millimeters long or about two and a half inches long, and weighs about 14 grams. Hands, now complete, are growing fingernails. Even tooth buds are appearing. A big portion of the amniotic fluid from this point on will be baby urine. It’s starting to look like a baby, its face now having a distinctly human appearance, and has advanced to the stage that its brain can transmit messages. Vocal chords are complete, and the baby can and does sometimes cry (silently). The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. The fetus may even suck its thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.

Boy or Girl?
Tomorrow, we get our first peek at the baby via ultrasound. I believe it’s too early to tell if it’s a boy or girl, but I’m pretty anxious to find out. I guess it doesn’t even matter what the doctors see though, because, according to this ancient Chinese lunar calendar thing, we’re having a girl: Chinese Lunar Calendar

A Message to Dad
"Experiencing some pregnancy symptoms yourself? It's OK and even has a name. It's called Couvade Syndrome or in more modern terms "The Sympathetic Pregnancy," -anything from simple weight gain to back pains during pregnancy and stomach spasms during birth. As many as 80% of expectant fathers can experience Couvade in some form or other, although only a very few will display the more dramatic symptoms. All symptoms will go away after birth, Dad... So hang in there.”

Well, I’ve noticed Colby’s acquired a bit of a pot… Could it be?

Week 11
Topic: Baby
Today’s the first day of Week 11 (counting from the first day of the last menstrual period), which is around 9 weeks after conception. I'm still fighting the nausea with consistant snacking, but I think the fatigue is phasing out. I've gained 5 pounds over the last couple months and have a noticable pooch, which Colby describes as "too hard" to be just tub from the additional snacking!

I’ve compiled some interesting information below, about the significance of this week from a few different web sites:

www.babyzone.com
www.parenting.ivilliage.com
www.pregnancyguideonline.com

Starting this week, our baby has graduated from an embryo to a fetus. As you can imagine, this took a lot of consentration and focused effort on my part, but we did it… =)

This is a period of rapid growth. Right now our baby is about an inch long, but by the end of this week, it will be about 50 millimeters (about 2 inches) crown to rump and will weigh about eight grams (about a quarter of an ounce).

The irises are now forming. All major organs have been formed. The liver, intestines, brain and lungs are beginning to function on their own. The primitive "tail" is now gone. Now check this out: The intestines, which were forming in the umbilical cord, due to the small size of the baby's abdomen, are now beginning to migrate into the abdominal cavity... Crazy, huh? The external genitalia are present but difficult to distinguish. Now that most of the major organ work is done, our baby adds such details as hair, fingernails and toenails. While our baby's head is nearly as large as the rest of its body, head growth begins to slow during this period. Sometime during this week or the next week, blood will begin to circulate between the baby and uterus and the placenta starts to function.

The most critical part of the baby's development is over, and after the end of this week, the risk of congenital abnormalities goes down. That means the pregnancy is about secure enough to share the good news with people that I wouldn't want to share any bad news with... if that makes any sense.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, my uterus is now the size of a small grapefruit!

Week 10!
Topic: Baby
So, I've been surviving the nauseating & exhausting first trimester with the assistance of saltines & power naps. I've found that the only thing that will fight off the queasiness is constant, snacking throughout the day. It's when I get hungry that things start to go down hill. Today's the first day of week 10, so three more weeks of this and I'm home free, and into the second trimester, when my current symptoms will be replaced with others. Yay! Here's week 10 info from the week-by-week prego website:

Your Body
Is somebody a little MOODY? Wild highs and truly horrendous lows, sudden mood swings, and "crazy" behavior are typical during pregnancy. Some of this is due to hormones, and some of it is because this is, truly, a VERY emotional time! Take time for some light and funny reading: "I Knew My Pregnancy Hormones Were Out of Control When.........!," a Mother to Mother special feature.

I don't think I've been very moody, but perhaps Colby is more qualified to testify to that. =)

Whether this is your first or fifth pregnancy, babies bring big changes. How is your partner reacting to the pregnancy?

Fatigued? Many pregnant women spend the first few months so exhausted they can barely hold their heads up. Try to take naps, go to bed early, and delegate as much work as you can to others. Remember that you’re working incredibly hard. Your body is growing another human being!

Gaining weight? Check out the Fat Facts. And what about those breasts? Time to support yourself! Get a bigger, more bountiful bra. Budget a little extra money -- you’ll be needing a still BIGGER one after baby is born!

Although it's been some time since I've stepped on a scale, there's definitely some weight gain going on, which sucks because you can't yet tell I'm pregnant by looking at me. Just yesterday, though, I noted strong similarities between my belly and a water bed.

Your Baby
Boy or Girl? The external genitalia are becoming clearly defined. The embryo is moving but can’t yet be felt.

Colby and I both agree we would like to know if it's a he or she as soon as possible, as we're both confident that there will still be plenty of surprise involved when this new life enters ours. The first ultrasound has been pushed back to the 27th of this month. Not sure if they'll be able to tell us then, but I'll keep you posted!

For Dad
Dare you initiate a little hanky panky? In most cases sex is safe but whether your partner is interested or not is another story. Find out the "naked" truth.

Week 9
Topic: Baby
So, week nine begins today... this week's update on the website was kind of lackluster; no new pictures of a tadpole baby at this stage, nor comparisons of my baby's size to fruit. In fact, it's a bit grotesque. If I sent this link to any guys, you may just want to skip this week altogether. Except you, Colby. You have to read it to share in the experience, right? Cuz it ain't gonna be any prettier in the delivery room seven and a half months from now!

Your Body
Pregnancy does odd things to your skin. It's all those hormones! Some women break out as though each little pore were Mount Vesuvius. "Kablooey! Thar she blows!" For other, more fortunate women, bumpy complexions smooth to the softness of a rose. (Don't gloat... pregnancy has its share of inconveniences for everyone.) As your pregnancy progresses, your complexion may even out, though some women need to wait until after the baby is born before having nice skin again.

So far, I’ve been spared of any life-threatening break-outs.

Later in pregnancy, some women develop a "mask" of dark pigment around their eyes, on their noses, and cheeks. This is called the chloasma and will slowly fade once you are a mom. If you develop this "mask of pregnancy":

- Avoid the sun or use lots of sunscreen, as sun can intensify the discoloration.
- Avoid using skin bleach (it's unhealthy, and it probably won't work, anyway!)
- If it really bugs you, use a cover-up base

I do have dark circles under my eyes, but thought it was related to how tired I’ve been… Maybe not?

Your Baby
Help! What's that dull cramping? As the uterus begins to stretch, you may feel a dull aching and cramping. You may even find a slight brownish or reddish discharge. So long as the cramping is not severe, and the spotting is not bright red, you are probably just fine. Your uterus is beginning to grow, and the sensation you feel is the "round" ligaments beginning to stretch. This should lessen in the second and third trimester.

Let’s just say, everything seems to be in order.

Nurse or Vampire?
Topic: Baby
Colby accompanied me to my first doctor appointment today. All they did was give me about ten forms to fill out, take 4 tubes of my blood, and more pee. My fingernails were blue when we left. Oh yeah, they gave me a due date of 8/13/06. Not sure why it's a week earlier than I calculated online if they base it upon the same things, but whatever... it'll come out when it comes out, right? My next appointment is in a few weeks. They will perform my first ultrasound then!

Week 8
Mood:  spacey
Topic: Baby
Today's the beginning of week 8!

I caught a horrible head cold last Friday, which lasted through Chrstmas and am just beginning to get relief from it. I'm as tired & queesy as ever. It's difficult to tell what's a result of the cold and what's a result of the creature swimming around in my belly.

Colby and I have a name picked out if it is a girl: Jaqueline Sophia - Jacqueline after his Grandma (and sometimes Jackie O, but Colby doesn't know that part) and Sophia after the Greek word, sophy, which means "wisdom" (like philosophy - the love of wisdom).

If it's a boy, we're screwed. Colby's extremely reluctant to choose a name that will offer our son a fair chance for a decent life. So far, his top nominations are "Geranimo Killingsworth" and "King." Yes folks, King Waltenburg would be his name, if Colby had his way, but I will fight for our son! His explanation is that they're warrior names. I'm pushing for "Reed Alexander," however Colby's disinclined because it is the name he picked for Quincey, his 12 year-old sister, before he knew she was going to be a sister. Feel free to voice your opinion on the subject, using the "post your comment" link at the end of this blog. Perhaps we can settle this once and for all, without blood shed.

Anyway, here's info for this week from the baby zone website:


Your Body
Your waistline may begin growing this week, though you're probably not yet showing. If you press your abdomen, you may feel your enlarged uterus. It's about the size of a softball.

Your Baby
Your embryo is about 8mm long, and an ultrasound done now would detect the tiny thumping of the heart. Although all your baby's major organs have formed, they are not fully developed or functional yet.

Did You Know?
Women who have already had a child have weaker abdominal muscles and ligaments than those having their first baby, and they usually begin to "show" far earlier. It's as though the belly says, "Oh, THIS again!" and flops and pops!

Twins?
It's hard to tell this early, but pregnant women carrying multiples often have the following early symptoms:
- A faster rate of weight gain
- Faster growth of the abdomen and increased itching on its surface
- A feeling of heaviness in the pelvis or vagina
- A greater tendancy to retain water
- Varicose veins
- Increased fatigue

For Dad
To help reality settle in and make mom happy, try to accompany her on the first prenatal visit. Turn the day into a celebration with a meal out at her favorite restaurant.

Week 7
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Baby
Week 7 starts today! I've been feeling pretty queesy from all the newly released hormones in my body, but I haven't yacked yet, so that's good. Most of all, I'm just extremely exhausted. Colby's been a good husband, though. He cooks for me, and even did the laundry for me. He's going to be a great dad.

I started taking prenatal vitamins and am trying to take in 100 grams of protein a day because Daryl says babies are made of protein, so I need to eat lots of protein. So far, I've only gotten as high as ~ 76 grams in a day and I feel like I'm going to explode.

Here's some info from the week by week babyzone.com website for the week ahead...



Week seven of your pregnancy is very much more of the same in terms of symptoms as last week. If you're one of the 70 percent of women who feel morning sickness (which should be renamed 24/7 sickness), you're probably deep in the throes of it now. Even if it seems as though you're not keeping anything down, Your diet is important now. You're eating for your future child, too. Eating well means using your good common sense. Follow the basic pregnancy diet rules below to help promote a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Basic Pregnancy Diet Rules:
#1 Balanced Diet: Eat a variety of foods throughout the day.
#2 Sugars: Try to avoid sugary foods; they encourage weight gain and provide little nutrition.
#3 Fats: Try to avoid fried foods and maintain a low to moderate intake of fat.
#4 Water: Drink at least six to eight 8-ounces glasses a day.
#5 Drugs & Alcohol: Not allowed.

Your Body
You may have symptoms... nausea or queasiness, odd tastes in your mouth, bigger, more sensitive breasts, moodiness... or you may not. Some women have already gained weight, though others, due to morning sickness, may have actually lost weight. Both are common and normal.

I've gained 1.2 pounds already. So much for my 5-pound weight watchers ribbon!
So far, my symptoms are only a bit of queasiness (off & on), foggy-headedness, and exhaustion… Could be a lot worse!

Your Baby
Facial features are visible, including a mouth and tongue. The eyes have a retina and lens. The major muscle system is developed, and the unborn child practices moving. The child has its own blood type, distinct from the mother's. These blood cells are produced by the liver now instead of the yolk sac.

Did You Know?
The baby uses the mother's placenta as its major organ of fetal excretion before birth?

Does that mean what I think it means?!!

For Dad
Do you like to cook? Now is a great time to put on your chef's hat and prepare fresh food for mom and baby. Not only will Mom appreciate your help, you will feel like you're partaking in the growth of your child.