Sunday, June 19, 2011

Happy Father's Day!

Today I'm celebrating what a great, hard-working Dad I have, and I'm also busy imagining what an amazing Dad my husband will be.  He's already so involved with the pregnancy and supportive and excited about all that's ahead of us, I have no doubt in my mind that he'll pour an equal amount of energy into being a Daddy.  Picturing him with our baby in his arms literally brings tears to my eyes.

I am now 15 weeks along and still feeling great.  My symptoms are few and definitely things I can handle.  I've had a few very dull headaches that seem to be a result of not getting enough fluids.  Since I was dehydrated at my first doctor's visit, making sure I take in sufficient liquids is something I really have to stay on top of.  I also notice that I get tired easier and prefer to go to bed earlier, but I'm happy to have much more energy than I did in the first trimester.  An occasional sleepless night is something that I'm sure I can attribute to changing hormones.  My occasional back pain and muscle spasms in my legs come and go, as normal, but don't seem to be any worse due to the pregnancy.  Also, I'm definitely experiencing the "swelling" that I've heard so much about, and since it occurs mostly in my feet and ankles - where I can't feel, I just make sure to pay attention.

It's interesting and exciting to observe the changes that are happening within me.  Some things are visible, including my growing belly, but others are more subtle.  For example, my taste buds are different.  I'm not quite craving anything out of the ordinary, but there are things that I used to love that just don't sound good anymore.  Once in a while, it's even challenging picking something that does appeal to my appetite.  Also, I can't help but laugh at how often I cry.  Anything that touches me emotionally brings tears to my eyes. 

I'm so happy and thankful to be spending the weekend with my husband.  He's been working almost non-stop for the past two and a half weeks, even spending some time out of town.  While I never like being without him, this time felt unusually tough.  He's my rock and when he's not around, I feel like part of me is missing, especially now.  When we were able to see each other, we'd steal some quite moments and lay on our backs and dream.  There's so much to imagine and it's so fun sharing what each other are thinking of. 

We can't wait for the next appointment with our perinatal doctor on July 6th, when there's a really good chance we will found out the sex of the baby.  It seems like baby names are constantly running through my head in all sorts of combinations, and it will be nice to be able to narrow them down a bit.  Also, I believe I've entered what people are calling the "nesting phase" because I'm so eager to start preparing the baby's room. 

We patiently await the arrival of our sweet little baby and continue to be appreciative of all the people that are sending love, blessings and happy thoughts.  Happy Father's Day to all the great Dads and Grandpas out there!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Happy and Healthy

I’m having the time of my life. I am nearing 14 weeks into my pregnancy; just beginning the second trimester. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t moments that are a little challenging or times that I don’t feel my best, but for the most part, I feel fantastic. Many of the symptoms I experienced in the first trimester are just about gone. I have much more energy, almost no morning sickness and a decent appetite. I’m also more in love with my husband than I’ve ever been. I really can’t complain.

One of the reasons I know I’m feeling great is that we have been doing a lot to improve our health and lifestyle over the past two years. I’ve been seeing a naturopath/dietician, a personal trainer, and an acupuncturist/Chinese medicine practitioner. Along with my OBGYN, these wonderful people make up my wellness team, and I’m so thankful for them. I’ve learned so much about the benefits of natural and holistic approaches to health and in turn, have been able to make better lifestyle and nutritional choices for Jacob and I, as well as our dogs. Everybody’s feeling good!

In the last week, several people have noticed and commented on my “baby bump”. I can definitely tell my belly is growing and actually, I’m surprised it took this long, with my lack of stomach muscles. While I don’t mind starting to show - in fact, I feel very natural - I am very aware that soon, I’ll start needing to change the way I do things to maintain my independence. Luckily, I’m pretty creative in figuring out how to get things accomplished because I’ve had a lifetime of practice. Plus, Jacob is excellent at thinking outside the box and taking the best care of me.

One of the coolest and most recent developments is the fact that I’m feeling some definite “flutters” inside me. I know it’s early, but after poking around on some of my favorite baby and pregnancy websites, I’ve found that I’m not alone in the sensations I’ve been having. Other women report feeling these tiny movements or little jolts of energy from within their belly - even this early. I’ve noticed this a few times over the past week when I’m lying very still. I wasn’t quite sure I’d feel movement, do to my lack of feeling in the abdomen. So, the fact that I can already feel something is awe-inspiring, and so very exciting.

I’m still elated after meeting with the high-risk doctor. It was such a relief hearing from a doctor that obviously knows about spinal cord injuries and is very comfortable talking about my specific situation. He was so optimistic - expecting no complications throughout the pregnancy. I was so excited to hear that he also believed that the possibility for a normal delivery was really good. He explained that my muscles are active and strong and while I don’t have control, contractions would happen regardless. The power and resilience of the human body never fails to amaze me.

Keep an eye out for more updates, as well as some video we've been shooting. Thanks for reading and please feel free to send me an email if you have any specific, or maybe more personal questions. I’m grateful for this opportunity to share this experience with others.