I don't know that I would call it "popping" like I hear from so many other pregnant ladies, but I definitely have a noticeable belly that can't really be hidden and kinda/sorta looks more like a pregnant belly than a fat belly. I've also for the first time, clearly noticed that my breasts are larger. I'm still in the larger of my pre-preg bras (perhaps I shouldn't be?) but the girls are definitely slightly larger. Not to mention I gained almost 3 pounds this past week. So yes - I just feel BIGGER. It's not a great feeling overall, but I have to admit that it made my fears about something being wrong with the baby (as I'd complained about the last couple weeks from not really having any "symptoms" and feeling so good) go away a little bit. Unless I'm just becoming a slothenly pig there is definitely something growing inside me! And I got proof of that yesterday, at my OB appt too... whew!
How far along: 17 weeks
What did baby do this week: Baby is the size of a large onion or rutabaga (it's vegetable week!) and about 4.5 to 5 inches crown to rump. One of the coolest things I read about this week is that since Baby's ear bones started developing last week and s/he can hear sounds, (muffled, like as if under water) a loud sound could startle the baby! Not that I want to startle my baby, but I love hearing about such a "human" reaction. Fat, called adipose tissue, is starting to form underneath the baby's skin and will continue to do so throughout pregnancy. This makes me think of chubby babies and makes me smile. :)
Total weight gain: 12.8 pounds
Symptoms: I haven't noticed it every day, but for sure last Thursday I noticed what I think was round ligament pain. It was more on the upper sides of my abdomen and not so much low or in my groin area. But I was noticing it in the afternoon and evening as I was getting up and down from the couch. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable - felt like a tightness, almost like a cramp but in my belly and not near my pelvis.
Queasy or Sick: Nope. Once in a great while (I mean like MAYBE once a week) I'll feel a little uncomfortable in my tummy at night. But I think this is more likely indigestion.
Sleep: Has been fine for the most part. Getting up (almost like clockwork) around 4am to pee, but thankfully not more than that! And no trouble falling back to sleep.
Best moment this week: Hearing Baby’s heartbeat (140 BPM) - FINALLY!! The past 4 weeks have been a little unnerving, as I've mentioned in previous posts. With my queasiness going away, I've been feeling good which has worried me in an odd way. That, and I'm just not used to waiting SO long between Dr. appts to have confirmation that everything seems fine. So it was hard waiting, but I made it and sure enough - everything sounded great yesterday.
Hardest part of the week: Seriously - it was dealing with how much weight I gained! I feel like I'm on the high end of what I should be gaining, especially since I was not underweight to begin with. I know, I know - I'm pregnant but it's still really hard seeing my weight climb like this. We had a couple social events this weekend which didn't help the situation (so.much.food.) I felt better though, when I went to the doctor yesterday and they said my weight "looked great". But it's like, the more I gain, the more I'll have to lose. *I* have to lose it - not the doctor or nurse! Like I mentioned above though, it was a big growth week for me, so I guess I'm not overly surprised.
Looking forward to: Feeling Baby move!! And our anatomy scan which is still 3 weeks away...
Movement: Still no. However, like I've mentioned before - my placenta is in the front so I might not feel the kicks until closer to 20 weeks (or more). I mentioned feeling something like vibrations last week - I noticed this again 1 or 2 nights this past week (while lying in bed) but that's all it feels like. Nothing that I would call a "flutter" or "bubbles" or any of the other terms I've heard ladies use to describe baby's first kick.
Food cravings: Not really. I think the reason I'm not cooking as much lately has more to do with laziness than not feeling like eating. Sorry Hubby!
Happy or moody: We had a great weekend and saw a bunch of family - so definitely happy and feeling very stress free lately!
Labor signs: No
Maternity clothes: I think last week was the last time I'm gonna wear any pre-pregnancy pants, even WITH them fully undone and a belly band around the top. They're just too tight overall. I guess that means I've definitely gained weight in places that are NOT just my belly (butt, thighs...) but I can deal with that. I put in a couple big maternity clothes orders at Old Navy, Pink Blush and LOFT this weekend and hope when it all arrives I'll have a couple pairs of pants and some dresses/tops that can get me through the next few months (or longer!)
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Stretch marks: No
Learnings from the week: I was wondering in Week 15 when I'm supposed to start sleeping on my side and got my answer from Dr. R yesterday: 20 weeks. So sleeping on my back is still fine - whew! And she also pointed out that I don't need to be ALL the way on my side where it's putting a lot of pressure on my hip. As long as I'm tilted a bit to the side, instead of flat on my back - that's better. And as I've heard from books, etc. if I wake up on my back - it's not the end of the world, just try to stay tilted to the side when you fall asleep, if you can.
Final Thoughts: YOU MUST GET THIS BOOK especially if you are a first time mom. A friend just told me about it and I can't put it down! I've been worrying myself with how I'm going to know WHAT to register for and WHERE am I going to get the best reviews of products. Well, Baby Bargains solves all of this. They are unbiased, do not take money from any product or company and are constantly releasing new versions of their book (every 2 years, I think.) They gather review information from places like Consumer Reports but also rely heavily on feedback from parents. They'll walk you through suggestions for everything from cribs and furniture to car-seats and strollers to breast pumps and bottles...and SO MUCH MORE. PS: Don't get the Kindle version, from reading the reviews, it sounds like there are no pictures in it.
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