MiniSquatch » How E’s Feeling

A Belated Follow-Up to My Glucose Drink

Erin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:36:47 +0000

I got the good news that I don’t have gestational diabetes – it is nice to have one less thing to worry about. I also got another flier regarding iron-rich foods since I (as predicted) tested borderline anemic.

In other news, MiniSquatch went on her first plane ride this past weekend — we flew over to Ohio to visit Mom (and Dad and Aunt Karen). Its always nice to visit the Midwest. The trip was uneventful in all things pregnancy-related but there was frequent peeing and strategic planning to accommodate all the peeing. Its no wonder I have to pee so much — Mini Squatch is approximately 14.5 inches long and now weighs close to two pounds (see the new picture to the right to get a produce-visual!). Even though I feel like a walrus, I can’t imagine how she fits in my stomach.

My apologies for the infrequent posts. Hopefully as things progress into the third trimester I’ll have more exciting pregnancy happenings to report. My second trimester has been fairly easy and uneventful. The heart burn continues and now appears to be on a regular schedule — everyday around 5pm. MiniSquatch rolls around and kicks throughout the day and she also appears to be on a somewhat regular schedule of sleeping and being awake. I’m guessing that she’s going to be like Dan and be decidedly NOT a morning person, but we’ll see. Maybe environment can trump genes in that regard.

Its in the forties and raining today in RI, meaning, its feeling a little Spring-y this week. I’m sure we probably have a winter blast or two (or three or more!) in our future for March but still, its exciting to know that Spring and MiniSquatch are right around the corner.

Mmmm Glucose Drink!

Erin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:04:04 +0000

I hung out at the OBGYN yesterday evening to drink a glucose drink (think super-sprite) and then have my blood sugar tested. They also are monitoring my platelets and iron levels since my first blood panel showed my platelet count at the “low end of normal” and that I was just barely not anemic. The anemia thing is not new — I’ve been turned away from donating blood because I was at the low end of normal in regards to iron. I have no idea about the platelet thing…AND since I haven’t been eating sweets, I’m convinced I’ll develop gestational diabetes…just because. I think the only thing I could cut out of my diet at this point would be yogurt and the dab of honey I put on my oatmeal in the morning. Anyways, they are going to call if the blood screening shows anything weird. And I have to go back for another blood-related thing at the end of the month. I have O- blood so they have go give me a shot of the Rh stuff to make sure my body doesn’t try to kill off the baby in the event that she has a positive blood type. Because of my negative blood type, they had to test for gestational diabetes as early as possible (24 weeks) BUT I can’t have the Rh shot until 28 week therefore I have two lab visits and one doctor’s visit in the month of February. And then starting in March I’ll go to the doctor every two weeks. I’m just waiting for the next ultrasound — no idea when that will be but surely there’s another one in my future, right?!

In other news, the baby websites where we learn that our baby is about the size of such and such piece of produce, are starting to prepare me for birth. At the beginning, the weekly updates on baby websites were all about the baby’s development but now I am now being prepared for things like selecting a pediatrician, getting the nursery ready (there are “helpful” suggestions on selecting a decor, etc.), the possibility of early labor, the aches and pains and discomfort that are around the corner, etc. Let’s just say its getting less magical and more frightening with every passing week. I’m trying to make myself just look at the produce comparison and the few notes on fetal development without scrolling down the page to the scary zone!

And I’ve learned also learned recently that nothing is more depressing during pregnancy than a clothing catalog!

Shimmy-Shake in the Afternoon

Erin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:11:30 +0000

At my last Dr.’s appointment (on Dec. 31st), I was told that MiniSquatch was hiding behind my placenta and that’s why I couldn’t feel her (she, the Dr., also made comments like “Whoa she’s getting big!” and “Look at those big hands!” Yikes.) but she said it wouldn’t be long before MiniSquatch was big enough that I could feel her no matter where she was in relation to the placenta. In the ultrasound we could watch MiniSquatch bumping and pushing on the placenta but I couldn’t feel a thing.

I’m here to tell you today that MiniSquatch has reached that point where I can feel her everyday. Whenever I am laying down or sitting still, I can feel her moving around. I can’t tell exactly what she is doing — it still feels mostly like rumbles or butterflies. Apparently Dan can feel her too — he felt her moving the other night while I was sleeping. This DOES NOT bode well for the months to come!

Being able to feel the baby move is totally awesome. And I’m still feeling pretty good most of the time. Starving, though! And still having heart burn…

Post #1: Foods MiniSquatch Doesn’t Like

Erin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:33:28 +0000

So far, MiniSquatch has not been terribly picky or demanding about the food I eat but there are some choice items that MiniSquatch either refuses outright or punishes me (usually with heart burn, hence the name MiniSquatch) after eating them:

Cookies
Brownies
Cake
Ice Cream (most of the time)
Carbonated Beverages
Tomato-based Sauces
Pizza
Excessive Amounts of Cheese
Peanut Butter
Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers (most of the time)

You’ll notice that cookies top the list. Tums have been added to the Christmas menu because (1) I love cookies and (2) I’m very stubborn.