Week 24

How Far Along: 24 Weeks

Baby Size: Canteloupe

Symptoms: Heartburn, depending on what I eat. Calf muscles are tight when I wake up. Low blood pressure still pops up every once in a while. Drinking water helps with that. 

Weight Gain: 11 lbs from prepregnancy weight. I'm right on schedule. I've started tracking my intake to make sure I'm eating enough. I've always struggled with weight gain so I'm keeping an eye out. Also trying to up my protein intake as much as I can.

Sleep: Still sleeping solidly. I love my body pillow. I'm waking up really stuffy every morning which makes it hard to go back to sleep after I wake at 4am or so. The first sleep is solid, the second is not so I find I'm more tired now.

Best Moment of the Week: Gilles painting the nursery. Almost done!

Worst Moment of the Week: Feeling light headed from low blood pressure

Any cravings or aversions: Bacon. I can't get enough of it!

Wedding ring on or off: On

Belly button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: The nursery being done and setting things up

What I miss: Running. Lifting weights. I really miss working out hard lately.

Emotions: Happy. Slow stress building. I have a lot of things to do that aren't baby related before baby arrives.

Nursery: Paint! We went last weekend and got paint. Gilles started painting. The top colour and bottom colour are done. He just has to do a line between the two colours and it's completely painted.

Shopping: I bought some maternity yoga pants, another pair of tights and two shirts. I needed some workout wear for the prenatal yoga class I'm starting this week.

To-do: Schedule Gestational Diabetes blood test

Week 23

How Far Along: 23 Weeks

Baby Size: Grapefruit

Symptoms: Round Ligament Pain, back ache

Weight Gain: Didn't gain anything this week. Must be detoxing all the Christmas goodies

Sleep: Still catching up

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing the heart beat at 150.

Worst Moment of the Week: Going to urgent care because I thought I might have had a UTI. Turned out to be ligament pain and the fact that my uterus is now pushing on my kidneys. Lovely!

Any cravings or aversions: Veggies are more and more appealing

Wedding ring on or off: On

Belly button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: The nursery getting painted!

What I miss: Shrimp. I've been wanting a quick shrimp dinner for a while.

Emotions: Slow panic arising. We have a lot of time but also not that much. Really need to get things organized

Nursery: Bought paint after deciding on colours! The baseboards and outlets have all been taped up and it's ready for Gilles to paint.

Shopping: Stopped at my sisters and picked up a bunch of things she saved for us. I'll have to inventory it and see what we still need. (which is a lot still)

To Do: Schedule my glucose test for a few weeks

Week 22

Week 20 and 21 went by so fast with the Christmas holidays that I completely forgot to blog. I feel like I completely missed 2 weeks of my pregnancy. The great thing is, we're that much closer to meeting our baby!

How Far Along: 22 Weeks

Baby Size: Papaya

Symptoms: Low blood pressure, fatigue, some back and hip aches

Weight Gain: 8 lbs total

Sleep: Starting to really need the body pillow. Everything feels more comfortable with it. Can't sleep on my back at all because I get short of breath

Best Moment of the Week: Having family want to feel kicks. Seeing the baby move my belly!

Worst Moment of the Week: Being so tired and not getting to sleep in.

Any cravings or aversions: Really digging guacamole right now.

Wedding ring on or off: On

Belly button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: Sleeping! Christmas was so busy I'm looking forward to sleeping in.

What I miss: Putting my shoes on and off without having to sit. Putting my socks on without doing a tree yoga pose

Emotions: Excited and nervous. We are getting closer and closer

Nursery: Moved everything out that wasn't nursery related. It's ready for painting.

Shopping: Haven't done anything. 

To-do: Go to bed earlier

Week 19

How Far Along: 19 Weeks

Baby Size: Mango.

Symptoms: 
Low blood pressure. Feeling dizzy but this is getting less and less.
Frequent urination. Somedays it feels like all the time, other days not as much. I think it all depends where baby is sitting.
Fetal Movement. I can feel the baby move all the time. Love the little kicks or punches and rolling feeling

Weight Gain: Up 4.5lbs!

Sleep: I'm having trouble getting comfortable to fall asleep, but once I do I'm out until I wake up to pee. Sleeping solidly between those breaks.

Best Moment of the Week: Gilles feeling the baby kick! It was amazing to see his face. Hearing the heartbeat at 157. Realizing the baby responds to deep voices. Gilles has a deeper voice and I've noticed I get kicks more often when we're relaxing and talking.

Worst Moment of the Week: Feeling dizzy

Any cravings or aversions: Nothing strong

Wedding ring on or off: On. My hands are so cold my rings still feel big on me

Belly button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: Our ultrasound on Saturday. Can't wait to see the baby and have Gilles there

What I miss:  Watching a movie without having to pause.

Emotions: Elated. We're reaching the halfway point. Most people can notice I'm pregnant now. My bump is much bigger and I'm still so excited. I love every change, every feeling and know that although this is temporary, I'm doing something amazing.

Nursery: Gilles set up our dresser. Took him a long time with all the pieces, but it's done! We also started researching ideas for the wall colours.

Shopping: Bought a video monitor on sale.

To-do: Relax and enjoy this week. 

Week 18

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Baby Size: Sweet Potato or Papaya or Pickle. I have three different apps that tell me different food.

Symptoms: Low blood pressure, I think. I've been really faint the last few days and having to lie down a lot.

Weight Gain: Up 3 lbs since prepregnancy.

Sleep: Still sleeping soundly. Getting harder to flip over.

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling more kicks. Having someone notice my belly!

Worst Moment of the Week: Feeling faint a lot

Any cravings or aversions: Nothing this week

Wedding ring on or off: On

Belly Button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling more movement

What I miss: Sleeping on my back as an option

Emotions: Happy. I love being pregnant and all the changes

Nursery: Our crib, dresser and stroller came in on Friday. Set up the stroller already and will check the boxes for the rest. Can't set up the nursery until after Christmas but nice to have most of what we need

Shopping: I bought 2 dresses on consignment. Wore one to a Christmas party

To-do: Prenatal appointment this week. I also need to start doing my workout more consistently

To Doula or not to Doula?

When we first got pregnant, the one thing I wanted to research right away, was a doula. I knew that I wanted one there for our first child and birth experience. My oldest sister had one with her last of 3 kids and had a natural birth. The research supporting the success of having a natural birth with a doula is enough to convince me it is worth every penny.

I had to convince Gilles that a doula is not a replacement for him. He is my main support, my rock and the one I want by my side through the birth. A doula is simply there to help him, me and remind us of the decisions we intended to make. They've been there, they have experience.

I went through the doula websites in our area of the city as a way to narrow down the search. I found one website that just felt like "the one". At around 8 weeks I emailed to get a meeting/interview with them. I fully intended to make more meetings with a few others, but after we ended up talking for so long with the duo and being kicked out of Starbucks because it was closing, we knew we'd found the right team.

The Serene Mama Doula team is great. We essentially get 2 doulas for the price of one. We meet with them both for all our meetings and on the day our baby comes, one of them will be there with us. They are each others back up and we get to know them both.

We get support through the moment we hire them to a few days after we get home with our new bundle. They will go through everything from nutrition, tips for exercise and relaxation, a lending library of books, videos and just a quick call to reassure me when I have questions. They help us picture our perfect birth, and help us achieve it. They also talk with us about realistic expectations. They don't shy away from the details or the things no one talks about.

For us and our birth plan, we are planning to be in a hospital. From experience with my sisters and reading books, I feel like having a resource there for the duration that knows what is going on and provide support is key. The OB or Dr comes in infrequently and really only when it's time to push or there is something wrong. Nurses can be great, but depending on how long your labour is, you may see a number of different ones. Having Gilles and a doula there as constant support is priceless.

Week 17

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Baby Size: Onion, 5 Inches long

Symptoms: Stuffy nose. Hungrier a lot more, but having to eat smaller meals. My back has started to breakout a little which I haven't had since high school. Hopefully that stops soon. It could be due to dairy intake, so I'll play with that a little. I have about a two hour window before I have to pee. Back aches if I walk too much or sit too long.

Weight Gain: Up 2 lbs from prepregnancy weight

Sleep: Definitely side sleeping permanently now. I have to get up 1-2 times a night to pee now.

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling more movement from baby.

Worst Moment of the Week: Feeling irritated for no reason

Any cravings or aversions: Milk. I love just having a glass.

Wedding ring on or off: On

Belly Button In or Out: In

What I'm looking forward to: Gilles being able to feel the baby.

What I miss: Relaxing on my back

Emotions: Alternating between being super happy and content to irritated.

Nursery: Went through everything that we have for baby already and did inventory. I didn't think we had much left to register for, but we will have plenty. 

Shopping: I bought a two new shirts this week. One is sparkly for Gilles Christmas party this weekend, and the other was 50% off. Also picked up new undies!

To-do checks: Blood tests Tuesday. Prenatal appointment Friday