Week 19

How far along are you? 

19 weeks. 

How big is the baby? 

The baby is about the size of a mango. It is roughly 6 inches long and weighs around 8.5 oz. 

How I’m feeling: 

I feel good!

Healthy eating? 

I'm eating lots of fruit and more veggies. I do want a sweet treat every day. 

Food cravings: 

Sweet things. I looked up the calorie count for the butterscotch yum yums and it is 529 a serving! So, I started looking for alternatives. Over the weekend I made these baked chocolate chip doughnuts. At 87 calories a serving they're much healthier. I made them in a muffin tin this time. However, I did decide it was time to order a doughnut pan. They are my favourite thing to bake so it seems like a good choice! 

Food aversions:

None.

Exercise: 

I skipped prenatal conditioning on Sunday to have a sleep in and enjoy the sunshine. Otherwise, I stuck to my regular routine. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

+ 13 pounds

Maybe I mismeasured last week? Or this week? I have felt hungrier in the past couple of days. Perhaps Zeb is having a growth spurt? 

Sleep: 

I am now sleeping with a pillow under my head, another between my knees, and one more under my arm. I still wake up a few times a night but this set up seems to help me get some quality rest. 

Maternity clothes? 

On Thursday I tried on all the clothes I ordered online. I bought 6 pairs of jeans, 4 pairs of leggings, 1 maxi skirt, 1 dress, and 1 top. In the end, only the maxi skirt and the top fit. Part of the problem is that I always buy my jeans back in the States so I don't really know my size here in the UK. Most of the stuff I tried on was too big. Like this: 

I mean, it's ridiculous, right? I burst out laughing when I put those on and ran to show Dave how silly they looked. 

On Friday I met Ria for tea and scones in Soho at Dean Street Townhouse. Oh, how I love scones with clotted cream and jam! Then she accompanied me to New Look to see if they had any of the jeans I tried on in a smaller size. They only had one style I liked available but they did fit so I bought them. 

Over the weekend there was a big sale at Old Navy in the States. They do ship internationally but the sale didn't apply to overseas orders. I asked Lauren if it was okay for me to send the package to her house and then send it on to me. She agreed and the parcel is on the way. When I was home over Christmas I tried on several maternity pieces on from this store so I know my size. Mostly I bought tank tops that I can layer under cardigans or jackets. 

Stretch marks?

Not so far. 

Best moment(s) this week: 

The sun! The sun! The sun! It is finally beginning to feel like Spring! 

A blooming tree in our yard. 

A lone daffodil in our yard.

We spent most of the weekend outdoors. On Sunday we went to the gym, had breakfast, bought groceries, and went to the garden centre. Then we went home and worked in the backyard for awhile. Dave decided to demolish a bush. I left him to it while I planted a few herbs: rosemary and parsley. Dave also cleaned the BBQ. 

Dave looks annoyed because I distracted him from his very important work.  

Dave's creative method for making more room in the green waste bin. 

On Sunday we headed back outside to plant more herbs and veggies including chives, several types of lettuce, many different tomato varieties, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, zucchini, and corn. Afterwards Dave fired up the grill and cooked steak, mushrooms, and onions. I made a corn, tomato, and halloumi salad. It was delicious!

Planting seeds! 

Mmmmmm… Dinner! 

Movement: 

I have started to feel the baby when I am in other positions besides being slumped down on the sofa. I've felt it lying on my side, standing up, and also squatting down in the middle of teaching a yoga class. 

Belly button in or out? 

In. 

Symptoms: 

Heartburn is a new symptom. Or is it acid reflux? It's flared up a couple of times at night but with enough pillows to prop me up a bit I was able to get back to sleep. Occasionally I feel it start up when I bend over too. 

Gender:  

My clients like to ask me about the pregnancy and the question of the week was if we'll find out the sex of the baby or not. Assuming the baby cooperates, we'll discover the gender at the next scan on March 26th. Not long to wait now! 

The ladies I work with also like to share their stories and I love to hear them. Most of the women found out the sex of their baby before the birth but a few waited for a surprise at the end of labour. One client raised an interesting point. She found out it was a girl at her scan and was thrilled because she'd always wanted one. However, she said another part of her was quite sad because it meant the baby definitely wasn't a boy. So, she'd have to let go of any day dreams she had about the possibility of life with a son from that pregnancy. I'd never thought of it that way before and could understand her perspective. 

Labor signs: 

No. 

What I miss: 

In Zumba class I had one of those moments when you realise everything is about to change dramatically. We were doing a cool down dance and it dawned on me that once the baby was born we wouldn't be able to hit the clubs as easily. Um, I can't tell you the last time we went dancing at a nightclub but for a fleeting moment I wished we'd been out shaking our booties every Saturday night! 

What I'm looking forward to:

I bought Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally by Janet Balaskas. I look forward to reading it over the coming weeks. I am a huge geek when it comes to the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and birth so this book is right up my alley. I am keeping an open mind about how the birth could unfold and the resources available in this modern age. At the same time, the human body, particularly in a birthing setting, is awe inspiring and capable of so many wondrous things. I'd like to become even more familiar with the ways I can help myself during this life changing experience. I've had lots of feedback from my pregnant clients that the breathing techniques and active labour positions learned in yoga class helped them through the challenges of their births. I too would like to put these exercises to practical use when the time comes.  

Weekly wisdom: 

Read the return policy when you get a package delivered. I assumed I had the standard 28 days with one parcel and was surprised to find it was only 14 days! I realised on the last day I could return it. Whew! 

Milestones: 

I finally have a pair of maternity jeans!