I'm up 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. My total gain is a bit more considering I lost 8 pounds from sickness and lack of fatty fertility medications during my first trimester. But I'm not comfortable saying there is an 18 pound gain yet ;) At this point it seems like it's all in the correct places since I hadn't even noticed the excess until my OBGYN office put me on the scale! Also, I wish I would have measured the belly before I grew even an inch, because now I'm up to 41 inches round in the biggest part.
For clothing, I'm mainly in my original get up. I had several shirts that were loose and those paired with leggings are my go-to's at this point. Since the cold has came in I've realized that my over-sized sweaters are the perfect addition, even if my darling coats are pointless. I can fit in the legs of my pants without a worry but since I've been about 16 weeks I have had a real aversion to zipping them. Now, it's totally out of the question! A good friend recommended a belly band which is a piece of spandex-like fabric that goes over the zipper, which allows me to wear my blue jeans unzipped without showing everyone everything ;) I do have about 4 maternity shirts and 2 maternity pants but they just have an odd way about them. Occasionally I also add a belly support piece to help keep the weight from feeling so heavy in that area.
All of the not-so-fun pregnancy symptoms I've always heard about include: bathroom runs, inability to sleep, stretch marks and physical exhaustion. I've had all of these, to some degree, at this point! In the past three weeks my bladder has felt so incredibly tiny! It's quite frustrating to know that I don't need to go, considering there I've been there within the past hour and a half, but if I don't I might risk an accident; it really cramps your style. One day I'm determined to write down how many visits I'm actually clocking. In regards to sleep I can easily go through the night without waking, but what I can't do is feel completely comfortable during the process. At night I use my pregnancy pillow (which makes me look like a loon if anyone was to see me since it's in the shape of a huge C but I pull it together like an O) because I have to use it between both legs and wedged under my belly. For the permanent side of things, I have dreaded stretch marks as if they were the bubonic plague! Well, that did nothing because I noticed them at 23 weeks along; I had Graham count them out this past week, I have 4 on one side and 2 on another. I'm currently oiling up nightly to see if I can possibly ward off more. All of this aside, my main complaint is the fact that I am drained of energy without doing much of anything! Walking up to my second story apartment leaves me to sit down on the couch panting. Lifting anything above five pounds makes me weak. Even after a day of relaxing I could still use more rest. After all the time I detested hearing pregnant people complain about pregnancy while I couldn't experience it, I finally understand that it's truly a difficult process sometimes, as great as the results will be!
Fun pregnancy symptoms I've always heard about include: feeling the baby move, everyone else's reaction to baby(ies), hormones galore. The best part is, by far, is the cute little kicks of my Baby Boy and Baby Girl. I was 19 weeks and 4 days when I noticed these occasional twinges, a bit like a little knee-jerk reaction, coming from my abdomen. After googling I was able to learn that I didn't need to worry about missing the fluttering feeling- because I was feeling my babies! The next day I put Graham's hand on the area where there was movement, suddenly he pulled back his hand and said, "Wait that tiny thing was a kick?" Cue tears from me for getting to share such a beautiful moment with the father of my children. They currently don't have such small movements- it's easy to identify them from the inside and outside. Due to positioning, I always feel movement in the same areas: Baby Boy always kicks the right side of my belly near my ribs (he also is super visible because he will ball up and push against my belly so I can feel most of him) and Baby Girl likes to humble me with kicks to the cervix (and she's wedged kind of beneath him so I only see her movements towards the lower abdomen if she changes positions), and yes it is very uncomfortable. Another great thing is how special I feel from other people knowing about the babies. I've had my belly rubbed, been asked about specifics from strangers and get to feel the excitement from those around me. Often I think I look and feel run- down, no wonderful pregnancy goddess for me, but then someone will often give a compliment to boost me up. A big part of me thinks it's a time that everyone appreciates and tries to make it a good experience. Thanks so much for that everyone- it's needed! Now there sure is a great rush of hormones for this pregnant gal. Keep in mind, I've been pumped full of them for the past three years, so this may not be much of a change to anyone but I certainly feel it moreso now. Anything to do with a parent's relationship with their child, a surprise in any form or the thought of a new baby is enough to bring on the waterworks.
I recently had THE most 'I'm Obviously Pregnant' experience at 25 weeks; I'm almost embarrassed to share it! One evening Graham called to see what did I want for him to bring home for supper- I was craving something healthy and he wanted a sandwich. We picked a place and I scoured the menu online, finally I told him to order me a huge plate of fruit- then I noticed that it was more expensive than getting half a sandwich and a cup of fruit, so I conceded that would be the best option to get some variety. My bizarre half-crazed pregnant mind was over-joyed with the idea of fresh fruit- it's something I always find myself wanting (not any of those weird cravings I always heard about). Graham pulled up, began dispersing the food and I noticed... he didn't have my fruit... The beloved fruit I had envisioned was ordered but the restaurant made a mistake and didn't pack it. I looked down at my tiny half- sandwich and realized it was an awful substitute for what I really wanted. Then Graham popped the lid off his own side, vegetable medley, and asked me if I wanted it. As this foul aroma of broccoli hit my nostrils tears welled up in my eyes and I had to leave the room. I had a real hard cry in the bathroom for at least five minutes, all the while feeling like I was an idiot and knowing I was being dramatic. Finally, I gathered the strength to go back to my husband who was totally bewildered at what was going on. As soon as I got out there I was able to play it cool until Graham asked what was up then I told him, "I'm just so disappointed about not having my fruit" and once again had another good cry while Graham burst out laughing at the frivolity of it all. It took about ten minutes for me to calm down all together, but BOY did I want some fruit! Luckily for me, my husband understood the necessity of having what I desired and he left just to bring me a bounty of apples, grapes and pineapple.
Currently, my babies are getting long and fat! My last appointment showed that Baby Boy, at 26 weeks, was weighing in at 1 lb, 15 oz, this puts him into the 51st percentile for weight! My Baby Girl, at 26 weeks, was weighing in at 1 lb, 13 oz, which puts her in the 41st percentile. They are both around 14 inches long. My sonographer told me that that is pretty accurate, but it will decrease as they get larger and too difficult to measure. It's hard to believe that they were once, and not all that long ago, the size of poppy seeds. I'm proud of them! Because of my experiences I held my breath until I was at 24 weeks along when it was medically possible to intervene to save their lives if I was to go into early labor. Now that I'm 27 weeks I feel like I can breath- there is an 80% rate that they would be fine, which will jump up as I continue to carry them closer to term. They just need to fatten up even more and work on their organ development. Go, babies, go!
All in all, I wake up every single day astonished that my body is capable of carrying a son and a daughter to join my family. Seeing the bump that has taken over my body is always a jolt to remind me that I'm not dreaming. At times I can't stand the physical ailments that come with pregnancy, if I was to be honest, but I never ever ever forget that this is my own miracle. These little babies were hand picked just for me! I'm counting down until they get to come home. My love for them doesn't seem to fit into words.
Profile shots! The top is Baby Girl, the bottom is Baby Boy.
