My sense of smell is very strong, and only stronger in pregnancy. This can be good and bad. Good smells are strong and bring happy emotions. I love how a smell can bring back wonderful memories. I think I must have had a very happy childhood because smells that remind me of childhood make me so happy. I love the smell of books (and have blogged about that a few times on my Lainiefig blog). I also love the smells of crayons and those scented markers I recently rediscovered.
When I get morning sickness (which is usually actually evening sickness for me) it seems to be triggered by smell. I get a strong smell aversion to the food I’m about to eat and just can’t eat it. Luckily I’m not the type to toss my cookies. I only did that once with each previous pregnancy. I just feel nasty and queasy and have to lie down for a little while until it passes. I also have to get away from the smell.
Even good smells can be too much sometimes. The other day I smelled a really strong soap smell from my husband–he hadn’t even left the bathroom (at the other end of the hall). That didn’t make me sick, exactly, but it was really strong. I’m sure he wasn’t overdoing the soap (though he is a clean man)–it was just my nose in overdrive.
I went to see my OB/GYN today for my confirmation appointment. She said my due date is September 17th, so now I have the magic date! I know it’s just a date, though, and last time I was 5 days past that before going into labor. Still, nice to have the date.
It has arrived. Not feeling well enough to write more at this time (because my personal “morning sickness” seems to hit me hardest in the evening).
OK, this is turning into a string of posts about me stressing out, which is unusual. I consider myself fairly relaxed in general. Not all the stresses are equal, though. Today’s stress is really not monumental, though it’s about my fear I’ll become monumental.
With both my previous pregnancies, I gained 50 lbs. Both times I was already trying to lose weight when I got pregnant. Here I am again heavier than I like starting out my pregnancy and I wonder if I’m going to gain a whopping 50 (or more, please not more!) this time.
I know I can’t precisely diet while pregnant, but I’m trying to be careful about my eating anyway. I’ve stocked up on the healthy green stuff. I got my steamer out so I can use it more (I’m sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind with my kitchen appliances) and I’ve cut out a lot of sugary things or things with nasty additives. I haven’t had morning sickness yet so maybe I won’t have it at all this time and have an easier time choosing foods.
Of course, I’m also exercising better with the previous pregnancies (so far) and plan to continue. I don’t think I exercised at all with the first one and with the second one only lasted a few months of working out. This time I’ve stocked up on pregnancy workouts so that even when I’m in my 2nd and 3rd trimesters I’ll have lots of workout choices. Variety is key to keep me interested in working out, so that should help.
I read an article about how much I should gain (do they really have to give me guidelines on this so I can feel I’ve failed when I gain 50 again?) Apparently as I’m overweight I should only gain 15 to 25 lbs. Dagnabbit. Don’t they know overweight gals are exactly the ones who tend to really pack on the pounds when they get pregnant?
How about you? Did you gain a ton with pregnancy or were you like my sister who gained less than 20 lbs?
It occurred to me that I’m going to be 35 when the baby’s born (well, only for a few weeks, but still) so now I’m reading in books and online articles about the RISKS of having a baby over 35. Eek! I just have to remind myself of the several friends I have who’ve had lovely healthy babies over 35 without mishap and that the odds are still in my favor. It just got me wondering if my OB/GYN is going to do extra tests on me this time that I didn’t experience before. I was also remembering how when I was pregnant with Ewan we had some blood tests come back at a higher risk for Downs syndrome, so we ended up getting an amniocentesis. That was no fun.
Gack. Like a pregnant woman needs something else to stress about.
Anyone have some stories about being pregnant or trying to conceive over 35? Feel free to share in the comments.
So obviously I’ve announced my pregnancy here on this blog, and I’ve told some family and close friends, but otherwise I haven’t mentioned it elsewhere (like on my other blogs). So it’s not exactly a secret but I don’t want to trumpet it around everywhere until I’m further along and feel safer that I won’t miscarry.
It feels kind of weird not to mention it on Fitness Fig, though, since I’m talking all the time about my workouts and eating, etc. Obviously being preggers has an affect on those things. So I’ve dropped Body for Life because of being pregnant, but haven’t mentioned it over there. I just stopped talking about it. So readers over there who don’t come over here may just think I’ve flaked out on it without a good reason. I guess if they keep reading I’ll eventually announce why, but I hate to seem flaky.
I’m just scared to announce it further and then have to come back if anything bad happens and explain. Ugh.
(So far so good, though.)
So I can’t seem to stop doing pregnancy tests. They all come up positive. A friend asked me how many it would take for me to believe it. I’m not sure but I still have a box in there I haven’t opened.
It feels weird at this stage of pregnancy (I’m about 5 1/2 weeks along) because I don’t feel very pregnant yet and I haven’t told many people yet (well, other than posting it to the world on this blog, but I don’t have many readers on this one). So it feels sort of unreal at this point. I have already been buying pregnancy books and workout DVDs, though.
Of course I look forward to one of the bonuses of a new baby–shopping! I can’t help it. I was walking through a store the other day and only allowed myself a glance or two as I walked by the baby section, but those baby clothes are soooo adorable. I didn’t keep everything my big boys wore and used, so I will need a few things. I will also need all new maternity clothes because I think I only kept one dress from the whole lot. So today I went on Ann Taylor Loft (just to look, I swear) and couldn’t find the maternity stuff. Please tell me they aren’t already discontinuing the maternity line they just started last summer or so! I love ATL and I’d planned on buying some of their maternity stuff.
OK, now I’m rambling. Gotta get up and go pee again (I do have that symptom already).
I have been peeing like a racehorse and I had a super-big cry watching something on TV tonight. I mean huge heaving sobs–not normal for me.
I feel very blessed that I have had great obstetricians (and midwives) in the various places I’ve lived. I went to my first OB/GYN in Houston and she was the one I went to during my first pregnancy. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to deliver Isaac because she’d already been in the hospital all night when we arrived in the wee hours of the morning. Instead we had one of her colleagues (also a woman) for his birth. Anyway, that first OB, Dr. T. was fabulous. She had long fingers. Not to be gross or anything but that seemed like a good qualification for an OB/GYN. She was also very gentle and easy to talk to. All I knew about when I chose her was that she was a woman, so it was nice to find that she was a really great doctor as well. She turned out to be the senior member of her practice and one of the most respected gynecologists in Houston.
I continued to go to Dr. T. even when I lived in Europe–I’d visit her on trips home. Then when I got pregnant with Ewan while living in London I realized she wouldn’t be able to see me through my second pregnancy. I had to choose a local hospital for my prenatal care and birth, then I’d be seen by a rotating group of midwives. I chose a hospital two tube rides away because I had researched thoroughly and it seemed the best place. My general practitioner argued that I should go to the nearer hospital (in retrospect a fairly sensible opinion). I was annoyed, though, because he said “It was good enough for Princess Diana.” Yeah, like I’d get the same treatment as Princess Di. The hospital process in London turned out to be rather frustrating so instead we chose to switch to a private birth clinic. It was much more expensive (as in not free) but so worth it. I had two midwives assigned to me, and they would visit me at my flat. That was wonderful for a pregnant mom with a toddler–much better than dragging Isaac to and from the hospital on the underground.
My midwives were completely fantastic–so personable and helpful. When I thought I might be in labor (false alarm) one came to the house and checked me out. When I did actually start labor they met me at the birth center and spent the whole time with me. It was nothing like the first experience in the hospital with Isaac with nurses constantly going off shift (we were there a long time) and the doctor only popping in every couple hours to take a look. Then when Ewan came out blue and not breathing, the midwives immediately set him up with oxygen and called the ambulance to take him to the hospital (which was practially right next door anyway). Then they did followup checkups in our flat for his first 6 weeks. I only wish I could fly those two here for my next baby!
When I came here to NY I had to do the search again. I found another local female OB/GYN and she seemed great–even reminded me of a younger Dr. T. I’ll call this new one Dr. P. Then a couple days after my first appointment with her, I went to church and realized she was a fellow church member. I have to admit I was a little weirded out at first–felt a little odd socializing with her over coffee after she’d examined me two days before. Then this year I started helping with the 1st grade class in church school and she turned out to be one of my fellow teachers. That weirded me out a little more. Finally I just asked her if it was o.k. if I was her patient and a co-teacher and she said, “of course, it will be fine” or something to that effect. She said if I was o.k. with it she was. Since then I’ve even asked her a couple questions while at church (like can I still take so-and-so prescription while trying to get pregnant) and she was very helpful. I was glad about that since it takes ages to get appointments if you’re not yet pregnant.
As for this potential baby I’m trying to conceive, I’m not sure yet whether I want to do the hospital route again, even with the kind Dr. P. delivering. I had such a better experience at the Birth Centre in the UK, even in spite of the pain of a natural birth with a big baby (9lb 11oz). I may find out about doulas and the like and see what kind of birth centers they might have around here. Last time I researched I didn’t see any very close, though. Of course, considering how long it takes me to deliver babies I could probably drive a ways. I don’t know if I’m prepared to do an actual home birth. A natural birth is such a screaming bloody experience that I don’t know if I want it in my house (or with my other kids around).
How about you (the few readers out there)? What kind of experience have you had with obstetricians and midwives? Do you prefer women or are you o.k. with a male doctor? Comment if you have a story to tell.
