Chronicles of the SeaMonkey: In the beginning

This post is going to combine the first trimester and all of it's events. (It's so much easier than trying to individually post everything...)

My first BFP (Big Fat Positive) was January 11th

1st belly shot at 5wks:

(all that's there is my usual pudge lol no sign of a baby bump yet... though I am gaining weight. It's cuz I'm so hungry all the time!)

Very first doc appointment was January 12th @ Planned Parenthood

They just did a urine test to confirm my pregnancy and tell me to get on prenatal vitamins as soon as possible, but that was it... I scheduled a full appointment with my regular gyno (who is also an ob) for 10 wks on Jan 31st, but with the strange crampy type feeling on my left side, I want to get in sooner.

Second doc appointment was January 13th

I went in to confirm that the baby was in my uterus, not my tubes. I saw the ultrasound tech and got labs drawn. "Anna" is the nurse who will be pretty much handling all of my stuff... I found out that everything is fine with me and the baby... Little Fishy is measuring at 5wks 2days, so I'm not quite as far as they had thought, but the tech said that can happen in the first trimester and because I've been pretty sick, baby may catch up later. It was still too early to see the fetal pole, but everything looked normal and they should be able to next time. They got some of the bloodwork results back later that day, and my progesterone levels were at 3,325. She said that's VERY good and because its over 3000 they are not at all worried and I don't need to go in Saturday for more bloodwork. They also told me my bloodtype is O+, so that's good to know. They want me to keep my appointment date for January 31st, so that'll be the next time I'll be going in.

First ultrasound on January 13th, to determine where the baby is, ie. not in my tubes:

(just a teeny pea in there, but definitely in my uterus)

6 week belly pics:

7 week belly pics:

8 week belly pics:

My technical third dr appt was on January 31st.

I got to meet with my OB for the first time, but I also found out that the place I go is a group practice... which makes me really really uncomfortable, because there are a few docs there that I DO NOT like... so idk. I'm just gonna have to keep my fingers crossed that I can afford to go to the midwife that I like. Anyway, my urine screening they did today was clear of everything, so that's good... I got my weight taken today and I have apparantly gained 13 lbs since the last time I weighed myself (which was towards the end of November. I was at 130, but am now 143). I KNOW that's way more than one should ever gain so early in their pregnancy, so now I feel like a moose. I joked with the doctor that id bet at least half of that is in my boobs. I have now officially gone up two cups and am at a 38E. I should also take into consideration that when she weighed me, I did also have a full bladder (and I do mean FULL) so that could be accounting for some of it too...My blood pressure was 110/60 this time, but I don't have anything to compare that to yet. She told me that the only thing they had screened for in the last blood tests was just progesterone and blood type. So they did a full screening this time around (5 tubes worth of blood! I think she said something like 18cc's!) And I will hopefully hear back on the results tomorrow. I'm really anxious to find out what my betas are. I was really looking forward to hearing my wee bean's heartbeat, but the doctor told me their dopplers really don't pick much up til 12 weeks at least, so I won't be able to hear it until my next appt which will be February 28th. I did get to see it flickering on the ultrasound though. That was pretty cool Baby was still measuring a week behind my due date based on my lmp, so she officially moved my due date to September 12th. So that puts me at about 8 weeks now instead of 9w2d. Baby was being shy, and everytime she went to freeze frame to take a picture, he'd move away from the probe hehe. But in the end I did end up getting quite a few pictures. And you can bet I will add every last one of them to here as soon as I can!

Second ultrasound was January 31st @ the new gestation of 8wks:

At 8 weeks, I did the "ring test" which is an old wives tale using a ring on a thread, held over your belly... if it swings side to side, you are having a boy, if it moves in circles, you are having a girl. Mine moved side to side. Boy it is :)

9 week belly pics:

10 week belly pics:

Intelligender taken at 10 weeks 1 day:

11 week belly pics:

Fourth dr appt was on February 28th.

It was relatively disappointing to me, because I was told at the last appt that I would be having my NT scan this time (which requires an ultrasound, so Baby's Daddy came with me to this appt, because he is SUPER stoked to see the baby finally) but the doctor didn't do it. In fact, she told me that they don't do it until they do the "big ultrasound" at 20 weeks. BIG disappointment. I won't get to see Seamonkey again for about another 2 months. I was really frustrated when we went too because the doc was running SOOOO behind so she was super rushed again and I didn't get to ask any of my questions. I swear if she is still this rushy rushy at the next appt, I am switching doctors. I understand that she has a lot of patients and all that, but it's really a pain when I have so many questions and she has no time for answers. BUT anyway. They weighed me, and I lost more weight (YAY! I'm getting closer to where I feel I should be.) I am now at a total of 9 lbs gained in my pregnancy so far (Am now at 139lbs.) They also took my blood pressure which was 110/72. Not bad. She DID get out the doppler though, and after having a kind of rough time finding wee Seamonkey, she finally pinpointed his heart (for a minute before he moved away and she didn't even try to find it again.... so I did get to hear it, but only for a minute ) At least mom and BD got to hear it.... It is currently at 156 bpm healthy heart rate for a healthy bean. My next appt is going to be a week ahead of schedule, because doc is going on a vacation for 2 weeks and I wanted to be seen before she leaves. Hopefully the next appt goes better....

There is an old wives tale about fetal heart rates, and there's actually an online predictor thing that uses heart rates according to the old wives tale and well... Looks like a boy again! :)