Tag Archives: 2nd trimester

Spontaneous Crying

Leave a reply

Have any of you pregnant ladies burst out in tears without warning?

The other day, we came back from our three-week trip visiting family out of state.  While we were there, our families threw us baby showers, which was awesome!  There were still some big things we needed, including our high chair that happened to match the pack ‘n’ play that we received.  We had seen it on display at the Babies R Us location there, but I decided not to purchase it there because it was still available online.  Well…once we got home, it was no longer available online.  We drove 1.5 hours to the nearest Babies R Us/Toys R Us combined store only to discover that the combined stores have a terribly limited selection.  When the hubster and I got to the high chair/stroller aisle and saw that there were only 3 high chairs and about 6 strollers to choose from, I burst into tears.

I don’t know if it was that I had my heart set on matching items for my little boy, or if I was just exhausted from our three-week out of state trip followed by a 1.5-hour drive to the nearest store.  But the tears came and I was unable to hold them back.  Embarrassing!

The story has a happy ending – thanks to my mom working some magic, she convinced the store where we had seen it on display to send it to us with free shipping.  That was awesome, because -1- they NEVER ship from a store and -2- they NEVER ship for free!  I am super excited to receive our high chair and for my little man to have matching pieces (even though I’m sure he would never care!). :)

Pregnancy Pillow Review

Leave a reply

It’s been over a week since I received my Preggle Comfort Air-Flow Body Pillow by Leachco.  I absolutely LOVE it.  While it has a rather awkward shape that the hubster and I get a laugh out of, it does a fantastic job keeping my hips aligned at night and relieving hip and lower back pain.  My old body pillow just wasn’t cutting it anymore and I was in desperate need of a thicker pillow to place between my knees to support my hip alignment.  I was in pain morning and night.

The Preggle seemed like the perfect size – not too large for our queen-sized bed, yet long enough that I could put my arms around it while it supported my legs.  Sometimes I also sleep with the long part behind me to support my back.  The velcro strap seems a little unnecessary at times, but it has been convenient in that I have been keeping the bar of soap tucked in place underneath the strap to help keep my leg cramps at bay.

I would definitely recommend the Preggle if you’re having difficult sleeping and need some more support.  The only problem that I can foresee is that it may not be long enough for taller women.  At 5’3″, it is absolutely perfect for my size.  Happy sleeping!

(Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated by Leachco for this review.)

Leg Cramps

Leave a reply

When I read about leg cramps in my pregnancy books, I was already several weeks past the point when it said they might begin.  I thought I was in the clear.  I was painfully mistaken.

The other night, I shot up in bed, screaming in pain as I was woken from a deep sleep with an excruciating cramp in my calf muscle.  My poor hubster had no idea what was going on.  All I could do was yell out in pain and grab at my muscle – which was hardened like a rock in the spot of the cramp.  In those moments, I thought I would not be able to straighten out my leg ever again.  Then it passed…but I was afraid to go to sleep again for fear of waking up in the same agony.

As I like to do when I am baffled by how to relieve a pregnancy symptom, I consulted my cousin who is currently pregnant with her sixth child.  She suggested chewable calcium supplements and said that her father-in-law, an avid runner, swears by keeping a bar of soap in the sheets while you’re sleeping.  I trekked to the store for some calcium and soap.

I also started stretching every night before bed, and every time I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  I thought that the soap and calcium were working, until last night.  The one night I forgot to stretch before bed, it came back to haunt me.  I have soooo learned my lesson!  Stretching, calcium, and a bar of soap.  Best wishes to all of you who have suffered from the same pain.

Have you found some tricks to curing leg cramps?

Pregnancy Pillows

Leave a reply

In the past month or so, insomnia has been getting the best of me.  Lying in bed for up to four hours before finally drifting off is just torture.  Now I’m also starting to get aches and pains in my hips and back, which certainly don’t help the sleeping situation.  Ever since twelve weeks or so, I’ve slept with a body pillow…but that’s not even helping anymore!

This week I scoured the internet looking for reviews on various pregnancy pillows.  They’re so expensive that I wanted to be sure to make the right choice!  Some of them were too bulky for our queen bed, others had poor reviews from users who are short, and still others were said to be too itchy.  I finally ordered one that was slightly less bulky, should work for my 5’3″ frame and looks to be breathable.  It arrived today and I cannot WAIT to try it out tonight!  I’ll provide a full review, including the name of the pillow, after trying it out.  :)

The Sleep Whisperer

Leave a reply

This insomniac is very lucky to have discovered that she is married to The Sleep Whisperer.  All the hubster has to do is rub my back and I get relaxed enough to actually fall asleep!  Fantastic news for me, as the previous few nights were quite miserable. :)

Weekly Update

Leave a reply

20 weeks, 2 days

Size of baby: Banana (7 inches, 11 ounces)…although via the ultrasound we know that he was 13 ounces last Friday!

Newly craved food: Assorted Creams – Chocolates by Russell Stover

Food aversions: Fried foods

What do you miss: Running

What are you looking forward to: Getting a bunch of stuff done this week and then going to visit family next week through the New Year!

What was the BEST part of last week? We found out that we’re having a boy!

What was the WORST part of last week? Insomnia.


Daycare Costs

Leave a reply

Yesterday I did some research that many moms-to-be likely do: how much will daycare cost if I go back to work once the baby is born?

Unlike some moms-to-be, I don’t currently have a job that I can go back to after maternity leave.  I lost my job as a by-product of my miserable morning sickness for the first 14 weeks of my pregnancy.  As a graduate assistant, I had to keep six credits of classes in order to keep my job.  Too sick with the dry heaves and intense nausea to sit through class, I had to drop two of my three classes due to attendance policies.  I couldn’t keep my job.  It was a very tough thing to have to withdraw from school and lose my job, but I’m so relieved now in retrospect.  There was no way I could have kept up with it all.  Trying to stay healthy during that period of time was a job in itself.  Looking forward to my third trimester, I can’t imagine having to waddle across campus to my old office.  It was really far away.

I feel well enough at the moment that I could probably work.  The problem is that, in this economy, no one would hire a visibly pregnant woman when they would have numerous other candidates that could  fulfill those same job responsibilities.

The hubster and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to go back to work before having the baby, but it was still up for debate whether I would go back afterward.  The average costs of daycare, however, are so high and the job market in our area so poor that I would probably end up working full time only to bring home about $50-100 per week.  That would be just enough to pay for gas, work clothes, etc.  Not worth it!

While I would love to go back to work to earn money for our family to live more comfortably, I can’t imagine leaving my little boy in the care of strangers to work in a job that I would possibly hate in order to bring home $50 or less (after expenses) per week.  I guess I’ll be staying home with him for at least the first year.  After that, the hubster will be finished with graduate school and we’ll be moving to a different area where he’ll be starting a full-time position.  At that point in time, maybe going to work would be worth it.  I just can’t believe that daycare is so expensive compared to wages – and how poor the local economy is!

Badonkadonks Anonymous

Leave a reply

The other day, I pulled on a pair of maternity jeans that I hadn’t worn in a week or two only to discover that they were a bit tight in the behind.  There hasn’t been any other change in the way my other pants fit, so I don’t know if my butt is expanding or if the jeans were in the drier too long. :’(  Needless to say, my body image took a bit of a hit at that moment.

Later, the hubster was lying on his stomach when I walked into the room.  My eyes went straight to his tiny, tight butt and I almost burst into tears.  I whined, “Will you still love me if I end up with a big butt?!?!?!”

Thankfully, the hubster has been very kind with my crazy body image issues lately.  He even offered up the ultimate sacrifice: he asked if I wanted him to get fat with me. :)

It’s a Boy!

Leave a reply

After waiting 12 weeks to see pictures of our little blessing, it was super fun to see that our bean has transformed into a healthy baby boy!  Seeing his little movements was so fun.  We came home with nine  ultrasound pictures of him, including his face, profile, hands and feet.  He’s also measuring a week ahead, although my doctor is not changing my due date.  We’re excited to meet our little boy in April!

The anticipation of seeing him had me cycling through moments of anxiety, excitement and complete calm that morning.  It was nice to see him, his healthy little limbs and organs and to find out who’s in there!  Now we can give him a name and stop calling him “it” and “the baby”.  It’s so much more personal now.

Hunnie, We're In For a Handful

Leave a reply

This week, for the first time, I was able to feel our baby move!  It was a very strange but exciting experience.  Exciting, because now I know that he or she is happily and healthily moving about in there.  Strange because, well, it feels like a small alien is doing flips inside you.  Sometimes it feels cool and sometimes it just kind of hurts.

Ever since I’ve been able to feel him or her move, that baby has been moving around like crazy.  I have a feeling I am going to be in pain during my third trimester once the baby gets larger and stronger.  I don’t know if it’s doing flips in there or just practicing her soccer kick or his right hook, but tonight I looked at the hubster and said, “Hunnie, I think we’re in for a handful.”