First Date

Please don't read this post if you do not wish to hear about intimacy between myself and my husband (ie if you're my mother or otherwise related to me and don't want to hear about it) lol

After avoiding my husband for a full two months (for fear of miscarrying after having sex), I asked my doctor if I need to worry and she said that it's perfectly fine to have relations during pregnancy. Now, I already knew that deep down, but have also heard horror stories as well. So, I said "what the heck" and did it anyway. :-) I figured that the babies are now fetuses (as of tomorrow) and have grown all of their various body parts which just now need to develop and mature. They're secure in there and their placentas aren't going to just separate from the uterine wall if it contracts slightly and the worst that really could happen as a direct result of intercourse would be bleeding/spotting from the cervix (which didn't happen anyway).

Conclusion: Sex during pregnancy is not harmful to your babies and fun for the parents. :-)

Doctor's Appointment

So, I had my 10 week doctor's appointment today. My blood pressure was pretty high at 138/80, so the doctor will probably have me start back on the baby aspirin when I get to 2nd trimester (in 2 weeks!!). She felt for my uterus, and it's already pretty high. She also listened for heartbeats. She found one really easily, but the second was hiding. There were a few times she *almost* found it, but we think the baby was hiding behind a particularly loud blood vessel of mine, which was blocking out his/her heartbeat. The doctor isn't worried, especially since my uterus is growing perfectly for twins at 10 weeks, so I'm not worried either. And I think I found that second heartbeat yesterday with similar difficulties. We scheduled another appointment for 2 weeks from now (it will be the day before my neuchal translucency ultrasound). I can't wait!

10 Weeks!

Yay! I've made it to double digits and I'm 1/4 finished with my pregnancy! I got some really neat outfits at Destination Maternity and Kohls on Sunday and even wore some to work yesterday and today. I only have a small belly (comparatively), and it's mostly fat...so I'm faking it, but it works anyway. I do believe that my belly has grown a bit...a few shirts have become too small and the maternity shirts I wear look more believable than they did a few weeks ago. Here's the fertility friend update for this week:

Your baby is growing incredibly rapidly right now. She is approximately 1.75 to 2.4 inches (4.4 to 6cm) when measured from crown to rump. She will double her length in the next three weeks. Your growing baby weighs about 0.3 ounces (8g).

The neck is developing and the chin lifts up from the chest. Fingernails are also present. While your baby's sex was already determined at the time of fertilization, male or female genitalia are now visible. Essential organs are formed and most have begun to function. The blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in number to meet your baby's increasing nutritional needs. Her ears are moving towards the sides of her head, away from the neck. Your baby's head is still not in proportion with her body. Your baby's head accounts for about half of her body length.

Whoops

I just realized I haven't posted since last Wednesday!! Oops on me! I'm going maternity clothes shopping with a friend tomorrow. She's actually due at the beginning of November, so I believe she only really needs one skirt and that's basically it. I, on the other hand, need a whole wardrobe. I have a $100 gift card for K-Mart as well as a $100 gift card for Kohls, which I am hoping to use for a nice shopping spree. :-) My hubby tried to buy me a pregnancy body pillow, but I think I'm going to return it and get a different one...I haven't tried it out, but I don't know if it's a "real" pregnancy pillow and don't want to try it out, hate it and not be able to return it. My friend and I may also stop at Destination Maternity if we have time, but since we'll be leaving home at 9:30 and she wants to be back by noon, we may not have time.

That's all for now. My next prenatal appointment is scheduled for this Wednesday, and hopefully the doctor will be able to hear heartbeats on the doppler. I still haven't had much luck with the one I've bought, but the babies are still pretty small and tucked away...and since I do have a retroverted uterus, they're probably even farther away from the doppler than they usually would be at 9 1/2 weeks. But I'm looking forward to my uterus flipping forward within the next few weeks!!

Ultrasound Pics

I finally got my scanner working again, so here are the pictures I know you've all been waiting for!

This is a picture of both twins @ 8w 3d


This is a picture of Baby A


Unfortunately, the ultrasound tech forgot to give me a picture of Baby B by him/herself, so we'll just have to wait until our 12 week ultrasound for that. Now tell me, don't they look like little frogs?? :-)

Uncommunicative

Sorry I've been such a bad blogger lately, but nothing's been happening. I can't get my scanner to work, so no u/s pics until that happens. No new symptoms--still have BIZARRE dreams, one of which my husband actually laughed at, my nausea comes and goes, still tired, and I got up to pee at least twice last night (may have been three, but I can't really remember...I was barely awake at the time and am surprised I actually made it all the way into the bathroom and back without getting lost). I've been getting some headaches since my doctor told me to stop the baby aspirin (and I think the two are probably related) and my blood pressure has been up ever since I got pregnant (today it was 125/85 with a heart rate of 94...it's usually around 110/70 or lower).

In other news, I'm 9 weeks today! Here's the update from fertility friend:

The crown-to-rump length of your baby is about 1.25 to 1.68 inches (between 3.1 and 4.2cm). He weighs about 0.18 ounces (5g).

The placenta is now producing progesterone which helps to make nutrients for your developing baby.

Your baby has passed the stage when he is most susceptible to damage. By the end of this week, the danger zone for congenital abnormalities has passed.

The plan for your baby's body has been completely laid down by now. Further growth and cell division will build on this plan.

Taste and tooth buds have appeared.

Your baby has recently developed fingers and toes which are now well-formed. Ankles, wrists and the inner ear have formed. Your baby's nose is flat and his eyes are far apart. His eyes, ears, mouth and nose are all recognizable. The tail is disappearing.

Your baby is moving around the amniotic sac, and moving his feet and ankles. You still will not be able to feel these movements but you may be able to see them on an ultrasound.

Blood is circulating through the arteries and the vein of the umbilical cord.

The brain of your baby is developing at a phenomenal rate. About one quarter of a million new neurons are produced every single minute at this stage in your pregnancy.

If your baby is a boy, his testes, though they are not even clearly visible, are already producing testosterone.

Your baby is no longer called an embryo, but rather a fetus.

Ultrasound

The ultrasound went great--will post pics probably on Sunday if I can get my scanner to work... Two babies, both measuring perfect for 8w 3d; two heartbeats, one at 176bpm and the other at 190bpm!