Weeks 4-7

As soon as we found out I tried to make a doctor appointment to get a blood test to triple confirm the results, but of course they won’t see you until 8-9 weeks. We found out at 4 weeks, so this waiting is torture. It’s still a week away from our appointment as I write this, and I am becoming more anxious every day. I just want her to do the bloodwork, give the exam and tell me everything is progressing and looks normal!

Physically, every week I’m feeling more bloated. My pants are feeling tight already. No weight gain, but things are shifting and I’m losing my waistline. My six-pack is completely dissolved. My boobs continue to grow every day and in the morning they are sore grapefruits (fun for Armando, not so much for me). I have a “Cyclops boob,” where my left boob is noticeably larger than my right. I googled it and this is supposedly perfectly normal, and it means I will most likely be using my left boob primarily for breast feeding. My nipples permanently stand at attention. The bloating has started the burping and gas, and I have some days of cramping. Also started having crazy dreams at Week 6 (I’m going to start writing down the content, all I remember is the last one had Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland from back in the day, completely random). Week 7 is where the tiredness has fully set-in. I would have the occasion tired spell here and there, but the last two days I have down right lethargic. I could lay on the couch all day, which is so far beyond my comfort zone. But I will work on the fact that I am growing a human being in my belly, and I need to give myself a break here and there.

Initially I had the hardest time with giving up alcohol. I stopped drinking immediately, and I honestly think the cold turkey approach threw me through a loop. I didn’t even feel pregnant, yet I could no longer enjoy a glass of wine with a delicious meal. I felt angry and annoyed, like is this how I am going to feel for 9 months??? I started reading information every day about alcohol during pregnancy. Here is what I found out: There is no evidence that a moderate amount of alcohol damages the fetus. Unfortunately, there are not enough studies to be conclusive about what/if any amount of alcohol is safe while pregnant. I read many of studies that reported how European women continue to drink moderately throughout pregnancy, with no adverse effects on their children through age 5. All of the studies that the US bases their “no alcohol” during pregnancy guidelines on were done on malnourished, alcoholic women, and that’s a fact. But of course, US women have no understanding of what moderation means, so due to liability issues all healthcare professionals much say that no alcohol in any amount is safe during pregnancy. In the end, it is up to each mother to find her comfort level. As much as I believe there is no adverse effect of moderately drinking while pregnant (and by moderate I mean 1 beer or glass of wine a week), I have not chosen to have any alcohol to date. Truth is, it’s week 7 and I’m already almost over the craving. I never really understood it, but your body really does self-regulate for you. I’m sure I’ll have my days when I still want a glass of wine, and I may imbibe once I reach the second/third trimester once the baby is formed, but as your belly grows bigger you realize you are literally growing a human being in your stomach. The seriousness of that responsibility ends up outweighing your desire for a drink (at least in these early stages, when your baby is developing). On a similar note, prior to becoming pregnant, I had to have coffee every single morning to get me moving. Every morning without fail, right Armando? I read I needed to decrease my caffeine intake to no more than 200mg in total per day, so I started just drink 1 measly 10oz. cup a day. Slowly I am realizing I am already not even finishing that cup, and eventually I am sure I’ll just phase it out. My goal is to replace coffee with green tea, as I’ll still need something in my mug for my morning Today Show viewings, and it has less than half the caffeine of my coffee. I also eat dark chocolate every day, which has a minimal amount of caffeine but is worth every bite!

Personally, outside of the pregnancy, things are hectic as usual. Armando opened up his brand new billion-dollar terminal in Santa Teresa for the Union Pacific. It’s been two years of hard work, and opening this facility is the reason we were moved to El Paso two years ago. He’s working 14 hour days, and under a ton of stress. I’m still working real estate and despite the time of year, things are going well. I’m planning to work as long as possible; the last thing I want to do it to sit home and be depressed about how big my butt is becoming.

I am learning pregnancy is something I am going to have to gradually grow into, which is probably why it takes 9 months. It really is mental and physical preparation for the new life awaiting you. I need to find a balance in my life between living the way I did before I was pregnant, and going off the deep end obsessing about everything that I put on/into my body.