Baby Update

Gestational Age: 16 weeks, 2 days
Weight Gain: 7 lbs (Eeek! Oops!)
Blood Pressure: 114/70
Fetal Heart Rate: 150 BPM

Baby continues to check out wonderfully and all seems to be well. I'm feeling tons and tons better these days, although I'm aware of tiring easily. This appointment was with my actual OB rather than his RN and it was nice to meet him again. The conversation naturally gravitated to my previous "difficult" labor experience, his first comment being, "Wow, you had quite a time of it didn't you?" And, his second - to Eleanor - "Yes, there is a baby in your Mommy's tummy, but it's not coming until September. And I think we'll stick to September because we don't want Mommy to go over her due date." (Mental hoorays!) He assured me once again that he won't let me go beyond 41 weeks this time, and if there are any signs of progression at the time I hit 40 weeks, he'll consider inducing me then. His main concern is the size of the baby, so we'll see as the time comes.

The one thing I find interesting with all this is how afraid I was the first time around of having to be induced. I so wanted to wait until my body knew it was time. I think the same thing is true this time, but I am aware of the benefits of having a slightly smaller baby. And, I'm always concerned with the problems we had with fetal distress... and a post date baby... and certainly don't want to experience that again. I just pray my body knows what it is doing and will get this little one to the correct developmental place and then naturally go into labor - and that this will happen right around 39 weeks. :)

It was kind of fun to take Ella to the appointment. She was enthralled with a huge poster on the wall that showed, to scale, fetus' in the womb month by month. She kept saying, "Babies Mommy's tummy!" and we had fun talking about the size of our baby and what he/she looks like. She also loved hearing the baby's heartbeat and thought it was very funny when baby moved and made static noises on the doppler (which was happening a lot - we have another active one, folks).

Also, about a week before this appointment I felt the first tiny pokes from this little one. Then I felt he/she again 2 days before. Now I'm feeling quite a few bonks and wiggles each day when I take the time to sit still for a while - usually in the evening, curled up on the couch with a book. It is very nice to have these reassurances of life, not that I've ever had any reason to worry... I just find I am worrying more this time around for some reason.

I'll get a belly pic posted for y'all here soon - but there still isn't much to show. I'm in the super awkward phase of being larger than my normal clothes, but still way too small for maternity clothes. I try on approximately 10 outfits every morning... I am definitely bigger than I was at this point with Ella, but I'm once again getting "thick" rather than "round."