Yes, It's True

I'm pregnant!

And there's his/her current profile, hot off the presses!  Currently I'm almost 14 weeks and due January 23, so it'll be at least  another month before we know whether it's a boy or a girl.  And trust me, we will be finding out!  It's going to take me at least 20 weeks to pick a name.

So far the first trimester has been a little different from my pregnancy with Lydia.  First of all, whereas I didn't gain any weight with Lydia, I've already gained about 12 pounds ... oops.  I credit that to going crazy (7 pounds) after going off Weight Watchers (can't diet when you're pregnant), and then I gained 5 pounds on vacation.  I'm watching it a bit more carefully now because I really want to minimize extra weight gain, but I'm not going to stress and agonize over it.  Just try to eat healthy and apply the principles I learned while I was doing Weight Watchers.  Oh, and exercise would probably help, too ...

The other thing that was different about this pregnancy is that with Lydia, I felt nauseous only at night.  This time around when I started feeling nauseous at 7 1/2 weeks it hit me in waves at any time of the day.  It was awful! I couldn't even cook dinner because a nausea wave inevitably hit around 5pm and then I was on the couch until 6:30.  I was calling my husband to bring home take-out every night and I decided our budget really couldn't afford to keep that up.  I asked my doctor what I could do for the nausea and he suggested I try taking unisom, so I have been taking one every night before bed and it is like a little miracle pill.  It has nearly wiped out my nausea.  Now it only hits me every now and then, such as when I'm in a room that is far too stuffy.  I still have food aversions: fresh vegetables? Ick!! But overall I'm feeling pretty good, just soooooo tired.  I don't remember being this tired when I was pregnant with Lydia.  But, I wasn't chasing around a very active 2-year-old back then.

And, I'm excited to announce that I am trying for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) this time.  My first birth experience was ... well ... it's difficult to describe it using any sort of negative language when you get a beautiful baby girl out of it, but it wasn't the positive experience I was hoping for.  I'm hoping for a much different outcome this time.  After spending a lot of time on The International Cesarean Awareness Network I've switched to "the VBAC" doctor in Atlanta and I feel so blessed to have this man in the same area.  I feel very passionate about all the pressure that women feel to have a cesarean in our society today (mostly from doctors).  Granted, it is definitely the right choice for a some women.  But not 33% of  women which is what the cesarean rate in the US currently is and climbing.  I could go on and on.  I'm not judging you if cesarean is your choice, I'm simply upset at doctors who take that choice away from women by not supporting a vaginal birth if that is what they truly desire.  It's not completely their fault either ... again, I could go on and on.  But, I know with my new doctor this time around, I won't have a cesarean unless it is truly necessary.

If you're interested, my doctor was featured on the local PBS "Religion and Ethics" weekly a few years ago. It's a pretty interesting video, if you've got the time.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/august-14-2009/dr-t/3115/