Fourteen Weeks

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Today marks my 14th week of pregnancy...officially in the second trimester. I am feeling a little better than I have in past weeks. Nausea only hits a few times of the week and usually just before bed. I still get tired, but am not napping for 2+ hours after work in the evenings. I think I have gained some of my weight back (I lost 11 lbs. in the first trimester) but I am not overly worried since I am still under my starting weight. With my travels for work last week, I was eating larger portions and catered food, so who knows what the sodium and fat counts were in all of that banquet food? Now that I am home again, I am definitely upping the fresh veggies and fruits, lean proteins, whole grains and watching added fats and sodium. Now that I am feeling better, I plan to walk on my treadmill 30 minutes/day. I was doing that consistently before my BFP, but not really since. So I will take it slow and get back into the habit.

Other than that, I am just plugging along. I find that I am less anxious these days and am enjoying just feeling good about the pregnancy and our Little Being on the way. I am sure the anxiety will rear it's head again before he/she arrives, but it's nice not be feeling so worried these days. My body is changing and I cannot quite decide if my regular pre-pregnancy chub has actually transformed itself into a baby bump. My belly is definitely firmer than before and any semblance of an actual waistline is nearly gone. Still, I have a "B" belly rather than a "D" Belly.

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Many plus size women experience this "B" or "double belly" where the part of the abdomen above the belly button protrudes as does the part below the belly button, the middle (where the belly button is) goes in a bit, so that the side profile is a "B" rather than a "D" that is typically how we're used to seeing baby bumps pictured. My "B" is inching ever closer to that "D" shape and with a fitted tank top (with some spandex in it) it most certainly smooths out into a more rounded shape.

I am still wearing my pre-preg clothes, although they fit differently than before and I know it's only a matter of time before I am ditching them for my maternity wear. I have managed to score some great items from eBay. For about $50 I have a various assortment of slacks, capris and pants for work as well as some cute tops and a couple of sweaters. I am going to wait a little while longer and then spring for maternity jeans. I hope I can find plus size and tall...we shall see. Unfortunately, most designers haven't figured out that not only do plus size women get knocked up, but when they do, they aren't all under 5'6"! Don't even get me started on this rant...I was so bummed last week when I was Baby's R Us and found their maternity section, which had a lot to offer. Unfortunately, nothing was larger than a size Large and most were Mediums and Smalls. So disheartening. Thank goodness for eBay and my plus sized sisters who generously offer their gently used items a great prices. It's been my saving grace, really!

So, here's what's happening with our Little Being this week, according to BabyCenter:

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This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Next week, Mr. Divasaur and I get to see our Little Being on the u/s. I will also get the Triple Screen test. We shall see about that lack of anxiety then! Until now, I am going to stick with being content and enjoying the beginnings of my real baby bump.