Bumpdate - 18 Weeks

Warning: Ultrasound pics at the end of this post!

It's Bumpdate time again!!!

How far along: 18w1d

Weight Gain: I'm up another pound, that's up 8 total.  I'm doing well at this 1-2 lbs. a week thing!

Maternity Clothes: In NYC I wandered into the maternity section at Macy's, ironically I was looking for the bathroom and not actually shopping but OMG have you guys been there?  I've heard of Pea in the Pod but I've never actually been inside one.  It's amazing!  Everything a pregnant lady could possibly want!  Dresses, pants of every style, jeans, cargos, capris, corduroys, shorts, tank tops, T-shirts, blouses, tight shirts, loose shirts, bras, swimsuits.  You name it, they got it!

I finally broke down and bought my first pair of maternity jeans, I hate to admit it but they're designer jeans, that's right I totally overspent on jeans that I will only wear for a few months.  BUT, I plan on being pregnant for a good majority of the next 5 years (fingers crossed!!!) so I'm figuring I can get some good use out of them.  But I will not be living in these, so many of you have said how comfy they are, which is true, but I still can't see myself wearing them more than once a week or so.

I came home from NYC with the aforementioned maternity jeans, a dress, a tank top and a shirt.  Not too shabby for 18 weeks along and still fitting into the majority of my clothes.

Food Cravings: I had my first real craving besides that one many many weeks ago when I really wanted Oreos.  I was on the subway in NYC and suddenly I DESPERATELY wanted milk.  Like I was salivating specifically for MILK.  Water wasn't gonna cut it, orange juice wasn't gonna cut it, I had to have milk!  This is significant because I don't drink milk...ever.  I put milk in my coffee and every once in awhile I have cereal, but other than that, no milk, I don't even remember the last time I poured myself a GLASS of milk.  But suddenly I NEEDED it.  Conveniently when I arrived at my destination my friend just happened to have bought milk which she NEVER buys!  Perfect timing! It should be noted I was eating like shit the whole time I was in NYC also, so perhaps baby was just like OMG Mom, give me some CALCIUM!!!

Movement: I'm not sure.  BUT since I just wrote I'm not sure instead of a resounding NO I'm thinking whatever it is I'm feeling that I think might be the baby probably is indeed the baby.  It's definitely nothing distinct or strong and on the ultrasound today the little wiggle worm was moving around like crazy and I didn't feel a thing, so...I'm still not sure if I've felt movement.

What's up with my body: Traveling wreaked havoc on my digestive system.  I had the constipation under control with the magic oranges and then BAM throw me on a plane and all my hard work just went out the window, I have been SO uncomfortable the last few days, but here's hoping that with a few more days and a few more oranges we can get back to a little more regular.

Aside from the constipation there is SO much pressure on everything in there, I still have not "popped" so my uterus is sitting rather low and heavy on my bladder and intestines and boy oh boy can I feel it! I have pretty bad gas pains every time I eat and I can't stop peeing to save my life.

On occasion I'm also dizzy when I stand up.  I've had to lean against a wall or sit back down after standing up too quickly.

Gender:  I'm kind of stuck on girl now.  Are you guys sad that I COULD know now but I still don't?!  It was HARD to look away at the ultrasound today!  BUT, baby had it's legs crossed the whole time so I don't think she could have told us even if we had wanted to know.

Did you know they check your cervix at this ultrasound?  For some reason I assumed that a cervix check would have to be done via transvaginal ultrasound, but nope, they measure your cervix with the abdominal one!  For the record, my cervix is fine, even though I'm fully convinced at one point or another almost every other day that I'm going into preterm labor.  Don't know why!  I think all the gas pains make me think of contractions even though they're absolutely NOTHING like the contractions from my miscarriage.  I just can't shake the fear, especially now that in 2 weeks we leave miscarriage territory and enter stillborn territory and we're still 6 weeks from viability!

And another interesting little tidbit I learned from the ultrasound today and this gets all caps and a lot of exclamation points, I DON'T HAVE CYSTIC OVARIES RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!  Wait, what?!  I am now thoroughly, THOROUGHLY confused about my PCOS diagnosis because as far as I was aware with PCOS you ALWAYS have cystic ovaries and up until this point this has been true.  EVERY ultrasound I've ever had I have had polycystic ovaries, including the one immediately after my miscarriage.  But apparently right now they are beautiful cyst free!!!  So, if I wasn't already planning on it I pretty much have to have all my babies as soon as I can.  The MINUTE I start ovulating after giving birth (which hopefully breastfeeding will put off for at least a year) we have to start trying for #2, hence my being pregnant for the better part of 5 years reference above!  And that is also assuming that cyst free ovaries means ovulation for me!  But does this mean I don't actually have PCOS?  Why do I have polycystic ovaries that keep me from ovulating if I go hormone free for too long if it's not PCOS?????  So many questions I now have!  I guess it will all be a big fat wait and see game after giving birth.

So, without further ado...

Bumpdate:

And...Baby!

Baby Feet!