February 2001

February 2, 2001

I have been having quite a bit of trouble with my right leg and my stomach. When I walk or lay flat for any length of time I get a shooting pain down the back of my right leg and my stomach feels like... well, like the insides are going to fall out when I stand up. I asked the doctor about it when I went in today for my appointment and he said that it could just be my muscles and joints loosening up as I get more pregnant but to let him know if it didn't go away soon.

We had our first ultrasound today! Seeing our baby was wonderful but the news we got was a little disappointing.The ultrasound tech took two measurements, one of the baby's head and one of the femur and then said that our due date must be off. She estimated (based on those two measurements) that our due date is actually more like August 4, 2001. AUGUST?? We were stunned. I asked her if it was possible that the baby was just small and she said "we can't tell that at this point in time". Needless to say we are quite upset; I am getting pushed backwards by 5 weeks?!?!?

My blood pressure was 120/74 and my protein levels were a little low so the doctor recommended that I eat more protein-rich foods. I told my husband that it's hard to eat a lot of red meat and such when it makes me feel sick to even think about a hamburger. I did lose 4 pounds.. the first time I've lost weight in.. well, ever. *grin* My doctor still fussed at me though. He said that they only like to see a weight gain/loss of 3 pounds per visit and I has lost 4. Oh well, I was excited about the weight loss because I feel pretty sure that I'll put it all back on and then some. The baby's heartrate was 149.

There are three doctors who work out of this branch of the practice and today I saw the second one. I don't think I like him as much as the first doctor, not so much because of his ability but.. he has a terrible bedside manner. He came in, confirmed this awful news about the due date change, scolded me about my weight and then walked out without another word. I was not happy with this visit. My next appointment is on March 1, 2001 and I have another ultrasound scheduled then to check on the baby's growth.

February 4, 2001

I am concerned about the due date being changed. Andy and I keep going over and over it and it just doesn't make sense to us. We DID hear the baby's heartbeat on January 23 and at that time we were told we were 14 weeks pregnant. If this new due date is right, we would have been only 9 weeks then.. isn't that too early to have heard a strong heartbeat? I KNOW when I had my last period for a fact because I was keeping track of it for the monitor. The first day of my last period was definitely on September 23, 2000. And the doctor said that my uterus felt like it was 14 weeks in January... by this new date I am just now at 11 weeks. Things just aren't adding up right. I can see if the due date was off by a week or two.. but 5 weeks?? I feel like the first due date was correct.

February 8, 2001

I am still having a lot of pain in my leg and stomach so I called the doctor back. He placed me on temporary bedrest until my next appointment, just in case I was having a problem with my stomach muscles splitting in front (I forget what he called this). Apparently this could be causing the pain, or it could just be that I am out of shape and my muscles aren't adapting to having a baby pressing on them very well. I am only supposed to get up for short periods of time so I have been doing a lot of reading and a lot of sleeping. Let's hope this doesn't last for too long.

February 22, 2001

I think I felt the baby move today. It was hardly anything, just a little flutter really but for some reason I felt sure that it was the baby. It was just such a wonderful thing.. now I KNOW for a fact that this pregnancy is for real. *grin* I'm still not showing much. Andy swears that he can tell I'm pregnant but I think he's just trying to keep me happy. I've never in my life wished that I could look bigger but I do now.. I want the world to know how happy and pregnant I am!

Copyright 2001 by Heather Lakin