Pregnancy

I have been meaning to do a post for a long time about this pregnancy, but just keep forgetting to get to it.

I have had mixed emotions about this pregnancy from the beginning.  We wanted to have another baby, but I knew that it was going to be exhausting to be pregnant and chase Calin around and then to have an almost two year old and a new baby.  However, I am lucky to be home all day and to have such an awesome, involved and supportive husband that I knew we could do it.  Even though it is new and somewhat scary I am mostly just very excited!

The nausea this pregnancy was much worse than with Calin.  However, thankfully I did not have the same cramping that I had when I was pregnant with him.  Mostly it was the nausea causing dry heaving and gagging.  Many times I just wanted to throw up to feel better.  The nausea started about 7 weeks and stuck around until somewhere in the early 20 weeks.  It is hard to pinpoint exactly whether it was 22 weeks or 25 weeks or somewhere in there because it faded in and out for a few weeks.   Poor Calin had to put up with a not so exciting mom for a lot of weeks while I tried to keep meals coming and play with him all day. Robby did a lot of cooking and we ate a lot of very unexciting meals.  Often times Robby and Calin were left to fend for themselves while I tried to avoid the smell of whatever they were eating.

Way back in October (have I really been pregnant since June!?) we found out that we were having a girl which was so so exciting!! However, at that ultrasound we also found out that I had a placenta previa (placenta is blocking the cervix).  When the ultrasound tech told me this and explained it I kind of just nodded like I knew what she was talking about.  She then said that if things didn't change I would need a c-section but she made it seem like it was no big deal and I was just thrilled to be seeing the baby and finding out it was a girl that I left not really worrying at all but just storing her information in my head.

However, once we got home I did the dumbest thing ever and looked it up on line to understand what exactly was happening.  Mostly I needed to see a diagram or picture because I was having a hard time picturing exactly what was in the way of what.  (I'm a very visual learner).   So, along with seeing what all was happening with my full previa, I read all the things that could go wrong and had a little bit of a panic attack.  The biggest worry was bleeding towards the end of pregnancy and having to go on bed rest.  It just made me worry about something happening to me or the baby and also about taking care of Calin.

I have a fantastic family though and the support from everyone gave me peace.  I know that everyone's prayers helped me to be at peace for the 12 weeks we had to wait until we could check again to see if things had changed.

The night before our 32 week ultrasound Robby gave me a blessing and I had a feeling that no matter what the outcome that things would be ok.  I honestly thought that that meant that I would need the c-section but that everything would work out.  However, we found out the next day that as my uterus had stretched and grown it had allowed for the placenta to not be in the way anymore. (It doesn't move from where it is attached on the uterus, but just "moves" with the uterus as the uterus stretches) Robby and I were both very relieved.

 At that same ultrasound we found out, right after finding out the previa was good, that the baby was breech.  However, in comparison this didn't seem like a big deal to me at all. Plus I still had 8 weeks to go and knew I had time for her to flip.

Finding out that the previa was not an issue any longer was a huge blessing.  I am so thankful for the power of prayer and priesthood blessings that allowed for me to feel peace during those weeks waiting to find out.  I am grateful that I have such a supportive family who kept us in their prayers and that we were blessed because of those prayers.  I am so grateful for the love we have from our Heavenly Father and for my knowledge of the gospel and the blessings that brings into our life.

The nausea has continued every now and again but the last couple months I have also had some problems in the mornings with lightheadedness.  It seems to always come at the most inconvenient times.  Like at the dentist when I then throw up...:( Totally embarrassing! Or while substitute teaching...   It only seems to be on mornings when I have to get up and ready and going early in the morning.  So I have stopped substitute teaching for now since I have a hard time in the mornings and don't wish to have any more mornings lying on a classroom floor with students wondering what is going on with the substitute.

At my 34 week appointment I found out the baby had flipped and was no longer breech so that was another big relief! Things are going well and at my 36 week appointment yesterday everything seemed good, but we are still probably a couple weeks out.  I am getting super uncomfortable and have some pretty bad pelvic pressure, but otherwise am feeling pretty good.

I am excited to not be pregnant and to meet this little girl, but have daily panic moments about being a mom of two.  However, mostly I'm just excited and anxious to get this baby here!