8 Weeks!!

"Remember how I told you about progesterone and how important it is to relax your uterus so it doesn’t contract this kiddo out? Well it has a buddy called relaxin and it does just that, it relaxes your muscles and joints so your body can unhinge like the jaws of a snake come labour time. Good stuff, right? Absolutely, except along with the birthing muscles, it relaxes the gastrointestinal muscles, which slows down your digestion, which forms gas. That gas turns into deadly farts that could take down a flock of birds in mid-flight."  -by Pregnant Chicken

 Size/Info: At 8 weeks, the babe is the size of a raspberry, a wild strawberry or a jelly bean and measures ~0.6". The little nugget has webbed fingers and toes and the facial features are becoming more prominent. The heart has separated into two chambers and even though I can't feel it, the babe is moving around like crazy!!

What is new this week? I started worrying about not  having another ultrasound until 11 1/2 weeks so I called and talked to my nurse to explain how the previous missed miscarriage was messing with my mind and she said that I should just come in that afternoon to ease my mind. I was more than happy to do that!! So I went in alone (it was last minute and Jason was working) and I got to see the little nugget or rather shrimp because that is what it looked like! The heart rate was up to 159 which is great and everything was measuring right on from my last ultrasound. So relieved. Now hopefully, my crazy PGAL brain will give it a rest. I know that I have said this before but I really really love my OB and her nurse. They are the best team and I am SO thankful for them.

Symptoms: Over the weekend, I had a reprieve from the nausea and tiredness which of course made me worry. I think the mellow weekend helped with the symptoms but they are back with the work week. Indigestion is ever present as is the smelly gas. I've had heart palpitations every single night. It might be a side effect of all the medications I am on (see below). This past week I have been very aware of my uterus. There is this presence in my lower abdomen that screams,  "Hello, I am your uterus and I am growing larger!"

Food aversions: Red sauce. My morning smoothie (although Jason has been modifying it to make it more palatable for me) Mostly I am sticking to the same foods so I haven't had to shy away from too much this week.

Food cravings: French fries, meat, sushi (we went but I only had the cooked rolls - still yummy), milk, cottage cheese and la Croix lime fizzy water.

Medications: I thought I'd add this category this week and continue it through the pregnancy. We had to science the shit out of this pregnancy and here is how we are maintaining it:

6am: 200mg vaginal progesterone and 2mg of Estrace

7:30am: 10mg prednisone, 40mg Lovonox injection in the belly

9am: 1 Prenatal and 2 DHA. I picked this specific one because it has methylated folate which is needed if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. 

2pm: 200mg vaginal progesterone and 2mg of Estrace

7:30pm: 40mg Lovonox injection in the belly

9pm (if I can stay up that late): 200mg vaginal progesterone and 2mg of Estrace

Blump/Bump: It is still all blump at this point. In the morning there is nothing to see but as the day progresses the gas and blump grow. I am using the rubber band trick on my button in the afternoon mostly because I don't like the feeling of my pants on my belly.

Baby preparations: While it is still really early, I am starting to think about contacting a doula. I am not sure how fast they book up and I think I know the woman I want. Also, I have started to clear room in the basement for my clothes so that Jason's clothes can go in our room and that will free up the closet in the baby's room. I listed the couch that is in that room for sale but only a few scammers have responded.

Sex prediction: Honestly, I have no idea. There are a few methods for predicting the sex and so far they contradict each other.

Lower heart rate = boy and higher heart rate = girl.   Prediction: Girl

Morning sickness = girl and no morning sickness = boy.   Prediction:  Girl

Salty foods = boy and sweet foods = girl. Prediction: Boy

Placenta on right side = boy and placenta on left side = girl.  Prediction: Boy