The baby is kicking

I have been feeling the baby move finally! It catches me off guard, like little flutters and thumbs in my belly, but it is definitely the baby moving.

In the afternoons the last couple of days, it almost feels like I ate something bad, but not quite as bad. The first day I didn't think much of it, but after a couple afternoons I realized it must be this kid twirling around inside me! It is definitely after I eat, and especially when I lie down still and quiet it will start to kick and move. And sometimes when I lean over and smash my belly it seems to almost punch back at me, kind of funny. I'd do the same if I was squashed in a watery sack. ha ha

17 Weeks Pregnant Belly Pic

Well it seems like lately I am still a couple of weeks behind everything I am trying to do, so here is my 17 week belly pic even though I am already 19 weeks. I'll catch up soon! It has been insanely hot here lately in the deep south, so it has really slowed me down as well. On days where we have to run errands and leave the house I am totally drained and end up on the couch napping away the time when we return. That is, when I'm not eating cold watermelon or ice cream!



Not the greatest picture, taken in a dim room with a flash, so I look rather pale. Although I am rather pale lol. As you can see, it looks like I am carrying high, but I just think its because all of my insides squished up inside of me because I have always had a small waist. It has filled out more on the sides now too. At the time of this picture my stomach measured about 33 inches around, so really not too big at all... yet. :)

My Pregnant Belly

So today I noticed my belly button is starting to look a little funny. I know, pics, pics... I just haven't felt pretty enough haha. But will get to it soon. I am at 4 months now so I am definitely showing in the middle and want to document it.

I've spent the last few days working long hours on some fabric design order I got, which is really great. It feels amazing to be able to do that again, when I was so helpless for like two months. No vomit for a couple weeks now, and today I had two scoops of baskin robbins ice cream, turtle caramel and butter pecan with whipped cream. A little sour stomach but it all went down okay, and after a lunch with salad. Aaahh, food. :)

Morning sickness drugs Reglan, Octamide and Maxolon

Thankfully I am past my extreme morning, noon and night sickness and into the second trimester, but I did have a few girlfriends suggest some medications to me while I was ill. I got through it without drugs, but just came across this interesting article about Reglan, Octamide and Maxolon, which are the brand names for metoclopramide. A drug occasionally used to treat morning sickness in this country. The article is from the LA Times and as follows:

Study finds little risk from a morning sickness medication
By Thomas H. Maugh II
June 11, 2009

The anti-nausea drug metoclopramide, used more on pregnant women in Europe and Israel, appears to have a statistically insignificant effect on fetuses.

As many as 80% of pregnant women suffer morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy. For the lucky ones, it can be controlled with saltines and frequent small meals. When such strategies do not work, physicians often prescribe drugs to control the nausea -- even though none are approved for such use in the U.S.

Now, in the first study of any of these medications in pregnant women, one has been found unlikely to affect the health of the fetus.

The drug, metoclopramide -- sold generically and under the brand names Reglan, Octamide and Maxolon -- is occasionally used for more severe cases in this country. It is used more commonly in Europe and Israel, although there has previously been little information about its safety. The drug speeds emptying of the stomach and reduces heartburn.

In this country, the medications Compazine, Phenergan and Zofran are the most frequently prescribed for morning sickness.

Two other drugs once used for morning sickness were pulled from the market over serious concerns, leading many women and doctors to fear any anti-nausea medication. Thalidomide, used in Europe and Canada in the late 1950s and 1960s but never approved in the U.S., caused missing or shortened limbs. Bendectin was withdrawn from the market in 1983 after lawsuits alleging similar problems.

"Most times, we try to avoid using drugs, period," said Dr. James Moran, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica. He said that he thinks the new findings should be replicated but that he "wouldn't hesitate to use Reglan at all."

In the new study, a team led by Ilan Matok of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba, Israel, studied 81,703 births among women enrolled in Israel's largest health maintenance organization; 3,458 of the women used metoclopramide during their pregnancies.

Matok and colleagues report in today's New England Journal of Medicine that there were no statistically significant differences between those who took metoclopramide and those who did not.

The findings, researchers said, "provide reassurance regarding the safety of metoclopramide for the fetus when the drug is given to women to relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy."

I have never had good results with pills though, they always upset my stomach too. So I still don't think pills would have helped me too much in the first timester, but who knows.

Eating better in the second trimester

Well I am officially at 15 weeks now, and I am feeling 1,000% better! I am still sleeping in quite a bit, until 10-11am often. I need my rest for sure. But food tastes so much better. I am still a bit queazy and some days more than others, but able to eat and fulfill my hunger cravings which is important.

As some may know, I am normally a vegetarian, and was unsure about what I would be eating when I became pregnant. In the first trimester, I was so hungry but unable to keep food down. My main dish became turkey lunch meat on white bread, with just mayo. Even tomatoes were coming back up! It was terrible. I had such bad acid reflux, nothing helped and everything I tried made me vomit. Even tums and emitrol made it worse and came right up. Then of course that resulted in terrible consipation but I won't get into that, lol. However, I made it through and gradually was able to eat other things. A lot of trial and error, eventually I just got used to puking things up rather casually. It was a solid 7 weeks of this, from about week 6 to week 13. Here and there I would have a good day, but it was mostly eat and then hit the sofa. I found that if I could go to sleep after I ate, I would wake up and the food would be digested. I had dreams about pizza and cake, but could eat neither. It was really torture.

When I discovered I could keep more food down, I decided to act on some of my cravings. Before I went veggie, I used to eat a lot of ground turkey. I had been craving homemade burritos, with refried beans, cheese, and seasoned ground meat. So I thought that ground turkey might be okay on my system. Boy was I wrong. Having not eating true fleshy meat for over two years, my digestive track was in so much pain. Adding to the prenatal vitamins and already a slowed digestive system from the pregnancy, it was more than my body could handle. I could feel the hard flesh moving through me for about a week, and it was the most pain I had ever dealt with in the bathroom. I'm not giving birth just yet!! So I had to back off the meat. And if ground turkey is too much, I'm not about to try chicken, beef or pork.

The one thing I can seem to eat some of it fast food meat. I've had a couple burrito supremes, and although they don't agree with me completely, they sure are good. So its eggs and fish, and we stocked up on morning star food, which we actually didn't even think the stores around here carried. We found the little frozen section at wal-mart beneath the waffles, and I love their morning sausage patties! They also have some really good italian sausage, yummy chicken patties, and delicious burger tasting griller patties. Lots and lots of protein content! Breakfast has been wonderful, and my awesome husband has been cooking it for me everyday. The meat replacements have been so great. I usually have three eggs, two sausage patties, three bacons, two pieces of wheat toast, hash browns and orange juice. It is sooooo good! And then I can take my vitamins and feel better all day.

And for those of you wondering, my OB doctor told me it is perfectly fine to not eat meat. She said to make sure I am eating beans, some cheese, and other food with protein. I also bought a big container of protein powder supplement which has 20 grams of protein per dose you mix with a glass of milk. I use soy milk which also has about 7 grams of protein. So at the end of the day I have one of these, sometimes a little throughout the day too, and I have no doubt I will make my quotas on the protein. My digestive system has been working smoothly, and I am no longer in pain and having no problems in the bathroom.

I was actually starting to get bad anxiety for a while there without being able to eat what I am used to. I also have been eating a huge, and I mean huge, bowl of salad greens everyday. I had a mad craving for Paul Newman's salad dressing. Although I am used to making my own vinniagrette, it just seemed like it would be too strong for my stomach. I love his basic italian dressing, and it is perfect for my salads. I like baby lettuces, the organic tomatoes, and fresh mushrooms. I have also been adding in an avocado and sometimes cucumbers. Our garden this year is also booming with these lovely red and orange cherry tomatoes from some plants we bought at the New Orleans Freret Farmer's market. So I have been eating a lot of those.

I have also been catching up on everything I left hanging before I was down and out at week 6. My new internet store project, Light the Darkness, and getting the house ready for baby time. I actually had just listed a ton of earrings and things for sale right before I got pregnant, luckily for me, and have a ton of projects half finished with intentions of listing them for sale. I managed to list one velvet scarf in the store and it sold pretty quick. Although summer is here, I am still gearing up because the cold season comes right after. I am moving my sewing room into the large breezeway room we have here, but it needs a little bit of cleaning and improvement, so that is next on the list. And of course the sewing room will be turning into the kid's room, which is exciting to me. I can't wait to find out the gender! I will get getting my 20 week ultrasound in the beginning of July, and then we should know if it is a he or a she. Then I can plan! I am not one big on surprises, so once I know the gender I will be able to decorate and make things for our baby. We are so excited!

That's about all for now, I have still been slacking on this blog it seems as I catch back up to things around here. I am almost back into a regular routine, and should be in the next couple weeks for sure. :)

Second trimester

I have had a couple technical issues with this blog which was not allowing the previous post to publish, but I just fixed it!

I have just entered the second trimester and have been feeling better and eating real food again, yay! Stomach is still a little queazy so I do have to watch my food combinations, but I am getting my energy back and feeling so much better.

I will try and get a belly pic soon, I'm showing just a tiny little bit but would like to document it. Stay tuned!

First Trimester & Terrible Acid Reflux

I haven't updated much lately because I have been very much down and out with extreme acid reflux, and can only eat what they call a "white diet." My body has rejected anything with acid, citric acid, or anything too complex. I am living off white bread and turkey sandwiches, bland chicken soup, and potatoes. Little bits of other things here and there, but I have not had a single day where I have not vomited in what seems like weeks now.

So I have many topics to write about, but as I hit 11 weeks, I hope to feel better soon and catch up. This is supposed to be over by week 14 when the hormone levels drop a bit, and the placenta is formed. Icky.

I'll refrain from giving "vomiting" it's own label though. Yuck!