I'm having bad body self-image lately. A lot. While I didn't have a rockin' bod before I got pregnant, in fact I put on weight which I didn't really need to, now that my gut is just bigger, looks like all the belly fat that I did have is now just bigger all the way around. Lumpy and rolls and yuck.

So I realized I'm vain! OH no! I liked how my clothes fit before, esp pants. And I used to feel pretty good about that. OH no, pride - eek - how many more can I list in one post?

I'm just gettin' big but I don't really look pregnant. Just fatter. I don't fit into any of my bottoms, nor my tops, and am having a hard time finding something to wear. I'll get out my summer stuff soon and hope that I find something in there. I'm more concerned about my work outfits. Luckily, a friend of my sister's offered to lend me a large collection of tops! They are really cute but I really don't fit into them at all yet. I've found some cheap XL size tops that are ok but now what about the bottoms? I  really don't want to put much $ into more clothes!!!

I've heard about a thing called a belly band there's a couple different types of bands. Anyone know where to get a belly band in SE Denver? and not order online?I've also seen an expander thing that has a piece of elastic between a new button and some sort of fastener on the other end, and a flap of fabric below to leave your pants or skirt unzipped and you tuck the flap in and fasten the button where the regular button would go. Looks cheesy to me but a good cheap idea. But I don't think that's for me. I like the idea of a belly band better.

Bottom line result is "within normative range". We did a nuchal translucency early ultrasound test (1st trimester) coupled w/ a blood test. This screened - not diagnosed - genetic screening (there's a BIG difference!!) for chromosomal abnormalities of Trisomy 21, 13, and 18. Trisomy 21 is Down Syndrome. I was concerned about that because of my age. The lab quotes a detection rate of approx. 97% of Trisomy 13 and 18 and approx. 90% detection rate of Down Syndrome w/ these combined tests. I won't get into all the medical mumbo-jumbo unless you ask and I'll re-type what's on my report for you.

Here's the weird thing: my Down Syndrome risk is 1 in 1200, which is LESS than a 35-yr-old's risk of 1 in 308. That's good. My Trisomy 13/18 risk is 1 in 3,081, which is WAY WAY less than 1 in 150.

So odds look great so far for a healthy baby! YAY!

I have what I'm calling belly weirdness. My belly keeps expanding, and it's a tad uncomfortable. Strange little pain zingers that start and stop within a second, but not all over my lower abdomen - just a poke here and a zing there and it's just WEIRD! And expansion. Like super heavy bloating. Yuck. I don't like it - and I am just looking fatter not pregnant. I'm having a real hard time with that. I think some of actually is bloating or so the books tell me - my intenstines sticking out further than they normally would be. What is a good web resource for the anatomy of pregnancy? like, i get where the baby/growing placenta is, but where does all the rest of the internal stuff go? Just pushed to the side and out of the way - what? I've only seen some hand drawings of just where the baby is sitting. Thx for your help.

Wow is this a big deal: prenatal nutrition. I have been reading and reading and reading. There are multiple sites that go thru a good meal plan for you. I know I upped all my carbs mostly because of my nausea - I ate what I thought would make me feel better which was some junk but also a lot less protein. Make sure to keep your protein up!! Can I put 'sous chef' on my registry?

Since I'm "Advanced Maternal Age" (age 39) I (we) was (were) referred to a genetics counselor. Her office recommends this office to all her patients. I only have had a real concern for Down Syndrome. If my baby had it, I would not abort - I am against that - but I would be armed w/ the knowledge and start to get educated about what raising a Down baby might entail. Other chromosomal abnormalities apparently are life threatening and likely will not live. So the book tells me. Amnio scares me and so does CVS. Apparently Paul and I are leaning towards the 'early screening ultrasound and blood test'. That's next.

So we made it to our first appointment. I think I may have sounded flippant or seemed aloof but it's still a very weird thing - the notion of this thing that's growing in me. Our doc did an internal ultrasound, found the baby, and could hear the heartbeat. I think this was the first time the hubby really had a sense that this was real and happening. HE'S got no symptoms and I think used to look at me like I was making it all up. I can't believe he'd think I have the propensity to do such a thing. Actually, I'm not really that creative - he should know that by now. Wow.

OK, so before I got pregnant I was tired all the time and I needed to have a nap after work sometimes {all right, all right - a lot of times!} and lots of times my weekends were shot just trying to get rested. So that said,I read all sorts of things about how tired I'll be. Yep - and HOLY COW!!! I just somehow didn't think I'd be THAT tired, that it couldn't be too much worse than what I was going thru b4 the pregnancy. Oh I knew it'd happen, but I was just not prepared. Some days are better than others.Boy am I having a hard time w/ it. I have so much to get done and I just get/am worn out. My other problem is that I'm not being really talkative/descriptive to my hubby about the tiredness mostly because of my history. It's a sticky point for me.  I'm trying to save face I think and I just need to fully embrace the sleepy. Not doing well in that arena. It bums me out to know that about myself: that I'm trying to sort-of cover up or hide or some weird thing ; that I'm not completely honest w/ him about how I feel day to day. As if he wouldn't be understanding. Yeah, right - he's been absolutely super about everything. What do I really have to be worried about? It's all in my head. And even before - he knows how hard I work and it really takes a toll on me (THAT needs fixing, definitely -how taxing my work is on my brain/body even tho I sit at a computer for 8-9 hrs a day and commute 1 hr each way... that'll be another post.) And sometimes it's about food; I get home and am just super sleepy but have a snack and I'm a little better. I'm definitely better if I actually get a nap.I think I'd better get on the exercise bike and COMMIT to getting regular exercise. Why don't we do what we know is good for ourselves? 

I found myself to be pregnant, suspecting at probably week 3 but I could NOT find a website that had CONCISE information about what I should be feeling, or how exactly a doc calculates from when a woman is actually pregnant. I had to piece together a lot of information for myself.I finally took a home test and it was positive. I immediately called my OB but, had to wait ANOTHER 4 weeks to actually go in and 'confirm' w/ an internal ultrasound. They did not want to see me till 8-10 weeks so that they could confirm a heartbeat. I cannot stress enough how HARD it was to WAIT! Nor could I find out how to tell if my bleeding was a real period, or not.Every day 'symptoms' got worse - nausea, tender and enlarging breasts, fatigue, all the usual suspects. Funny how they say you have 'symptoms' of pregnancy - like you are making it up or it's possible you have some sort of virus. And they continue to tell you about the symptoms that you'll continue to likely experience. Crazy.Can you people out there please offer a [[good website to reference for VERY EARLY pregnancy]] - exactly the process and science of what is happening? Looking forward to putting this first question into the FAQ area. Thx in advance for your kind responses.

Welcome! Well here goes! By now, I hope you've already read the start up blogs by the soon-to-be-new daddy. Yep - we're having a baby and I share his sentiments, still: HOLY COW!! We're intending this to be a documentary of sorts and a place to document the research we (I?) do/have done to fill up the FAQ area - but WE NEED YOUR HELP too! Why? To answer our questions! Boy do we have questions. Lots of them. And I'll get specific!!! I'll try to keep to one question per entry. I found that being able to go to one site for a lot of stuff would be useful. I found myself going from one site to another, and then searching for other specific things and getting to weird places, things like that. So, we want to try to cut down on where other newly-pregnant folks might need to go to do research, and we want this site to be IT! Ok, I need a lot of help, and we'd like all of you to contribute. Would very much appreciate answering at least one question from time to time....ahem...that means you - family members, at minimum! HA! So onward and outward (my belly, that is...). Join us often!