My Big Fat Belly - 12 Weeks

My apologies!  This post is rather late given that I’m actually 13 weeks today.  I just got back from my trip to New York (yes…again) with my friend Carina so I was just now able to do this post.

How far along:  12 weeks

Symptoms:  So I think I jinxed myself last week when I said I was having the best pregnancy ever.  During my 11th week, I threw up for the first time.  I had some orange juice at my house along with a nutri-grain bar and drove to work.  On the way to work I started getting a little hot, which I thought was weird.  When I got to work, I managed to turn on my computer and respond to a few emails, but then it was all over.  I couldn’t even make it to the bathroom, I had to yak in my trash can.  Since I couldn’t make it out of my chair, I obviously couldn’t make it to close the door, which means the whole hallway heard me.  Three girls came rushing to my rescue to make sure I was ok, one of which is a senior manager that I never work with.  She brought me some wet paper towels and put them on my neck as I was throwing up.  Talk about support!!!  I haven’t gotten sick since that day and I find it strange that it happened in the 11th week only, but no complaints here.  I have a newfound respect for moms that literally threw up every day of their first trimester. 

Another symptom I’ve started having lately is cramping.  I’m told that this is ligament pain from the ligaments in my body stretching to make room for my growing uterus.  It’s not so much painful as it is a constant discomfort.  If I stand up too quickly, I feel it, if I sneeze, I feel it, if I laugh too hard, I feel it.  It wakes me up in the middle of the night sometimes too.

Maternity Clothes:  Zero….and I mean ZERO of my pants and shorts can be buttoned.  If I’m not wearing a dress or skirt, I have to wear the belly band.  I’m not ready to move into maternity clothes yet because I’m just not big enough and most maternity stuff will not fit me, so I’ll have to use the belly band for a bit longer until I start getting a more defined bump.  I am however about to purchase a maternity bathing suit.  Not the one piece ones, but a little tankini.  We have a couple of things coming up on our schedules that require swimwear and I’m just not comfortable in a two piece anymore because my body does not look like what it used to look like in a two piece. 

Weight Gain:  I’m up to four pounds now!  Yes, do the math, I gained two pounds in one week.  I’m blaming this on the throwing up and the ligament pains this week.  It was hard to do any exercise when I felt sick or when I was having constant cramps, so I literally did not work out at all last week.  I did have my 12 week appointment on Tuesday and discussed the weight with the doctor because I was afraid I was gaining too much too fast and she assured me that I was doing perfect.  She said that especially since I haven’t been best friends with the toilet in my first trimester, 4 pounds is actually great weight gain (otherwise I would have lost weight like those who have morning sickness usually do in the first trimester).  She could tell the weight gain upset me because, let’s be honest, I officially weigh the most I have ever weighed…EVER.  She told me it’s about to get a lot worse and instructed me to gain a pound a week in the 2nd trimester.  A pound a week???  Holy crap!

Sleep:  No complaints on the sleep front except that I have to pee more now that I used to.  I’m usually getting up two to three times a night these days, but I seem to fall right back to sleep so I’m good.

Cravings/Aversions:  For some reason, I continue to crave breakfast food at all times of the day.  I have eaten lunch at the Egg and I twice this week.  Also, for the times that I get up in the middle of the night, I tend to crave chocolate milk.  No idea why, but it’s just so good and it helps me fall back asleep.

Baby Size:  Plum!!  Also a fun side note - Won Ton can now curl his/her fingers and toes in reflex.  Reflexes in general developed last week to where anytime I touch where he/she is located, he/she instinctively moves away from that spot.  Unfortunately, I can’t feel this yet.  And I seriously hate typing “he/she” and “him/her”.  It’s annoying.  I’d rather say “it” but that seems kind of insensitive.

Gender:  Don’t know but I’m still thinking boy.  I had a dream last night that he was a he.  I will say, however, that my urge to want a girl spiked recently.  I really will be happy with either, but I just keep getting this feeling it’s a boy.  My next appointment is July 15th, which will be my 16 week appointment.  The doc told me I wouldn’t have to wait the 4 weeks to come back again to find out the gender (appointments usually happen once every 4 weeks).  They’ll let me find out at 18 weeks, so we plan to make the BIG APPOINTMENT for July 29th, if possible, since I’m off work that day. 

What I Miss:  Well, I talked to my doc about ab workouts and she was against it.  Even on a ball.  Bummer.  So I miss my ab workouts. 

What I’m Looking Forward To:  Since our gender appointment will be on the 29th (hopefully) we’ve planned to have a “gender reveal” party on July 31st to tell our family and close friends the sex.  It’s going to be at my in-law’s house since our house is too small to fit everyone and the new house won’t be ready yet.  I plan to get cupcakes, half with pink icing and half with blue icing.  When everyone shows up we’ll have them pick the cupcake of the gender they think it is and when everyone has picked what they think Won Ton is, Justin and I will announce which group is right.  I’ve gotten some comments asking if we plan to do a gender reveal, so the answer is obviously yes :)  I’m not usually big into making a big deal about stuff, but this is our first child and I do want to make it a big party when we find out boy or girl!

Bump Pic for the Week:

I’m getting bigger!  I will definitely say that week 12 and week 13 have been big growth spurt for me and Won Ton.  This picture was taken in Hoboken, New Jersey at a park that overlooks the financial district in New York. 

Advice I Need:  To all the pregnant people or previously pregnant people, where did you get your maternity bathing suit?  I’ve heard Motherhood, but I didn’t know if there was a cool online site that had a better selection.  HELP!