11 weeks preggers

Here we are folks, 11 weeks preggers.  Will update you on the baby (now nick named Monkey due to all his or her acrobatics at the ultrasound last week), then on J and I.

Your Baby in Week 11 of Pregnancy

Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!

Your Body in Week 11 of Pregnancy

Hungry? Good — that's a sign your morning sickness is easing and your appetite is gearing up to help you nourish your body…and your baby. But don't go overboard just because you're eating for two: Try to gain efficiently by choosing the most nutritious foods during pregnancy and minimizing the junk. More smart nibbling tactics: Minimize bloating and gas (caused by digestion-slowing progesterone and your growing uterus) by grazing instead of gorging and steering clear of notorious gas producers, such as beans, fried foods, soda, and sweets.

Week 11 Pregnancy Tip: Feeling Tired During Pregnancy

Are your two favorite positions these days sitting and lying down? Pregnancy fatigue is normal. That's because you're running a baby-making factory that's in business 24/7 (and since you're the only employee, you're on the clock around the clock), causing your pregnant body to work harder at rest than your nonpregnant body did on the run. And for the next few weeks, a baby's not the only thing in production — so is the placenta, the magnificently complex mission control that will serve as your baby's life-support system until delivery. The result? You feel tired and overworked, even when you're not doing a darn thing. Your energy should pick up once the placenta is up and running and your system adjusts (as best as it can) to the hormonal changes of pregnancy — probably early in the second trimester. In the meantime, keep your blood-sugar level up with frequent snacks of complex carbs and protein (cheese and crackers; nuts and dried fruit), try a little exercise (which can actually give you an energy boost), and most of all — listen to your body. When it calls for a break, take one.

Week 11 Pregnancy Symptoms

Frequent urination: Blame that pregnancy hormone hCG (which increases blood flow to the pelvic area and kidneys) for making you feel the need to pee nearly all the time. But don’t be tempted to cut back on your fluid intake since you (and your baby-to-be) need to stay hydrated — instead, cut back on caffeinated drinks (they just increase your need to pee).

Breast tenderness and changes: Your growing breasts may be a turn-on for your partner, but your achy boobs are a turnoff for you. Warn your partner about your extra-sensitive breasts so that he knows why you may not be up for lovemaking — or even heavy-duty hugging.

Nausea and vomiting: Still feeling “morning sickness” — morning, noon, and night? Don’t despair since the odds are good you have only a week or two left of queasiness — most moms-to-be get over their nausea by weeks 12 to 14.

Excessive saliva: While experts aren’t entirely sure what causes this symptom, the most likely explanation is those darned pregnancy hormones. Keep your mouth as dry and minty-fresh as possible by brushing your teeth more often.

Food cravings and aversions: Are you still gagging at the smell of what used to be your favorite food — or jonesing for meat even though you were practically a vegetarian? The good news is that these freaky food preferences may lessen by your fourth month.

Bloating: How can your belly feel so inflated when your fetus is still only about two inches long? The progesterone in your system has caused your gastrointestinal tract to relax, which slows digestion and leaves you feeling bloated.

Occasional faintness or dizziness: Your body isn’t producing enough blood to fill your expanding circulatory system, which can lead to dizziness and fainting. Stave off light-headedness by keeping your blood sugar stable with regular, small meals throughout the day — and by keeping a stash of healthy snacks nearby at all times.

So now onto how J and I are faring. 

J: He's resilient and I guess not much has changed with him.  He still texts or calls almost daily when we are each working to see how I am feeling, especially if I was under the weather that morning.  He is feeding the animals so the smell of the food doesn't get me sick.  He's cleaning because I am not, just so exhausted.  And he's mostly in charge of dinner, although for me...well, we'll get there.

My progress:  I'm getting a bit more hungry and finding things that stay down well like...Country Crock Macaroni and Cheese, soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, Rosa's Mexican Food (only found in Tucson), some fruits, milk, tortilla chips, cheese, and did I mention Macaroni and Cheese.  Mac and cheese has become my go-to comfort food.  It's easy going down and calm on my stomach.  Even called Dr. OB's office today to make sure I wasn't shooting myself in the foot by not eating healthy or even much protein.  The nurse, Tami, told me that as long as I am eating and keeping it down, that's what we are worried about.  So eat often and what works for the time being.  So J really is just making dinner for himself as I eat from a can or mac and cheese or Rosa's.  But still, he tries to make me dinner and I say I don't want it!

I'm still tired, although seemingly less, but have now developed pretty intense headaches some days.  Sunday it was so bad that I finally gave up being awake and went and took some Tylenol and went to bed.  It felt like someone had a rubberband around my head and whenever I got up (no matter how slowly) they tightened it considerably.  YE-OU-CH!  Asked Tami about the headaches and she said it could be that I went off my meds (as prescribed by Dr. H) last Tuesday (YAY for that, no more shots or cream or pills) or that I am not eating enough small meals.  Still having that yuck feeling in my stomach and have actually now gotten sick once.  Although I can't blame it all on Monkey.  I took Tylenol again on Monday night for a headache and one of them got stuck in my throat and hit my gag reflex.  Eventually got the pill down but the stomach was still unhappy with the taste of the uncoated pill and yup, I yacked.  Not very much, but enough to never want to do it again!

Still not working out as getting through the day is all the energy I have and if I got up 2 hours earlier (like I usually do to workout) I fear I would be in bed the minute I got home. 

Have broken the news of our pregnancy on Facebook as I just couldn't take it anymore to not.  I was posting somewhat obscure messages trying to let people who knew we are preggers what was going on, but obscure enough that those who didn't wouldn't catch on.  I was initially waiting for the second trimester to start, but after we saw Monkey (and only 1 monkey) on Friday, we figured it was pretty safe to post.  The response was INSANE and very sweet.  Many people who don't read the blog were overjoyed and I think that is the most people that have ever responded to one of my posts.  Although, surprisingly, many close friends didn't respond...I know they have already congratulated us, but it just seemed a bit odd to me.  One of the sweetest things someone did was actually post on her page saying, "I can't think of anyone more deserving of a huge CONGRATULATIONS than Nikus!"  It was very sweet and above and beyond what I ever expected.  Now the fun begins right?!

We're slowly figuring out the insurance situation, but it also involves waiting that can't be helped and I am not happy about.  Thankfully Dr. OB's office is very understanding and I am so grateful!  I have yet to take a belly picture because I just look fat, not really pregnant.  Although I surely feel pregnant! :) 

Ultrascreen (test which looks for Downs Syndrome, among other abnormalities) is next week.  You know I'll be nervous for that one too, but we'll get to see Monkey again! 

And now this little post has turned into quite a novel, so I will sign off for now.  Happy Wednesday Blogites!Much love!