Baby #2 Overview Weeks Ten, Eleven, and Twelve

                                 

Week 10: During week 10 pregnancy the first time around I wrote about how wonderful my husband was... and this time I'm going to do the same thing. THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT TOMMY! He is a wonderful provider and takes good care of us. On top of working all day (and some nights) he still comes home to tend to Gavin and me. He takes over daddy duties right away, so I can rest. On the days he watches Gavin I come home to a clean house and dinner ready, and even hot tea some days! He rubs my back every night he is home to help me digest and make my stomach feel better. On the weekends he does the grocery shopping and always makes whatever I want to eat. I tell him all the time how much I appreciate and love him and he always responds with "I love doing it." He really is the best <3

The Baby: is the size of a prune! This week our baby's organs are all formed and beginning to function. He/she is also growing tiny nails on fingers and toes and tiny buds for teeth.

Mommy's Health: I thought I was going to be sick for a month because that's what happened when I was pregnant with Gavin, but after a week, I feel a little better.  I've been drinking orange juice and trying to get plenty of rest, which is almost impossible with a full time teaching job and an almost 2 year old. Gavin goes to bed at 8, so I try to go to sleep a little after that. I am now able to eat without feeling sick (yay!). I still get my headaches, but I'm used to them by now. 

                                          

Week 11: I can't believe I am almost in my second trimester already. August is going to be here before I know it! I have so much to do and time is going to catch up with me quickly. I rather do a little at a time than everything all at once. I can't wait to find out the gender so I can start the nursery!  

The Baby: is the size of a lime! This week the baby is officially called a fetus. The baby will start doubling in size every week. The baby's ears are moving to the side of the head. 

Mommy's Health: This week I feel much better, go orange juice! Although I'm feeling better, my boobs are a whole different story. They are sore, sensitive, and tender. That means they are gearing up for nursing!! I can't wait to breastfeed again. After a year of nursing Gavin, I'm a pro. I'm hoping to avoid the first month of "powering through the pain." Nursing the second time around is supposed to be easier. The bond between mother and baby while nursing is truly indescribable. I know I've posted and preached about this topic plenty of times before, but it's so important to at least try to breastfeed. The benefits for both mother and baby are scientifically proven. Here are some amazing benefits for nursing from http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/benefits.asp

Studies have demonstrated a number of important health benefits to breastfeeding. Among them:

• Breast-fed children are more resistant to disease and infection early in life than formula-fed children
• Breast-fed children are less likely to contract a number of diseases later in life, including juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15
• Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop osteoporosis later in life, are able to lose weight gained during pregnancy more easily and have a lower risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer
• A variety of studies have demonstrated that breastfeeding increases a child's immunity to disease and infection:
• Many studies show that breastfeeding strengthens the immune system. During nursing, the mother passes antibodies to the child, which help the child resist diseases and help improve the normal immune response to certain vaccines.
• Respiratory illness is far more common among formula-fed children. In fact, an analysis of many different research studies concluded that infants fed formula face a threefold greater risk of being hospitalized with a severe respiratory infection than do infants breast-fed for a minimum of four months.
• Diarrheal disease is three to four times more likely to occur in infants fed formula than those fed breast milk.
• Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the likelihood of ear infections, and to prevent recurrent ear infections. Ear infections are a major reason that infants take multiple courses of antibiotics.
• In developing countries, differences in infection rates can seriously affect an infant's chances for survival. For example, in Brazil, a formula-fed baby is 14 times more likely to die than an exclusively breast-fed baby.
• Researchers have observed a decrease in the probability of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in breast-fed infants.
• Another apparent benefit from breastfeeding may be protection from allergies. Eczema, an allergic reaction, is significantly rarer in breast-fed babies. A review of 132 studies on allergy and breastfeeding concluded that breastfeeding appears to help protect children from developing allergies, and that the effect seems to be particularly strong among children whose parents have allergies.
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• Some benefits of breastfeeding become apparent as the child grows older. Among the benefits demonstrated by research:
• • Infants who are breast-fed longer have fewer dental cavities throughout their lives.
  • Several recent studies have shown that children who were breast-fed are significantly less likely to become obese later in childhood. Formula feeding is linked to about a 20 to 30 percent greater likelihood that the child will become obese.
  • Children who are exclusively breast-fed during the first three months of their lives are 34 percent less likely to develop juvenile, insulin-dependent diabetes than children who are fed formula.
  • Breastfeeding may also decrease the risk of childhood cancer in children under 15 years of age. Formula-fed children are eight times more likely to develop cancer than children who are nursed for more than six months. (It is important to note that children who are breast-fed for less than six months do not appear to have any decreased cancer risk compared to bottle-fed children.)
  • As children grow into adults, several studies have shown that people who were breast-fed as infants have lower blood pressure on average than those who were formula-fed. Thus, it is not surprising that other studies have shown that heart disease is less likely to develop in adults who were breast-fed in infancy.
  • Significant evidence suggests that breast-fed children develop fewer psychological, behavioral and learning problems as they grow older. Studies also indicate that cognitive development is increased among children whose mothers choose to breastfeed.
  • In researching the psychological benefits of breast milk, one researcher found that breast-fed children were, on average, more mature, assertive and secure with themselves as they developed.
  Studies indicate that breastfeeding helps improve mothers' health, as well as their children's. A woman grows both physically and emotionally from the relationship she forms with her baby. Just as a woman's breast milk is designed specifically to nourish the body of an infant, the production and delivery of this milk aids her own health. For example:

  • Breastfeeding helps a woman to lose weight after birth. Mothers burn many calories during lactation as their bodies produce milk. In fact, some of the weight gained during pregnancy serves as an energy source for lactation.
  • Breastfeeding releases a hormone in the mother (oxytocin) that causes the uterus to return to its normal size more quickly.
  • When a woman gives birth and proceeds to nurse her baby, she protects herself from becoming pregnant again too soon, a form of birth control found to be 98 percent effective -- more effective than a diaphragm or condom. Scientists believe this process prevents more births worldwide than all forms of contraception combined. In Africa, breastfeeding prevents an estimated average of four births per woman, and in Bangladesh it prevents an estimated average of 6.5 births per woman.
  • Breastfeeding appears to reduce the mother's risk of developing osteoporosis in later years. Although mothers experience bone-mineral loss during breastfeeding, their mineral density is replenished and even increased after lactation.
  • Diabetic women improve their health by breastfeeding. Not only do nursing infants have increased protection from juvenile diabetes, the amount of insulin that the mother requires postpartum goes down.
  • Women who lactate for a total of two or more years reduce their chances of developing breast cancer by 24 percent.
  • Women who breastfeed their children have been shown to be less likely to develop uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer.
  • The emotional health of the mother may be enhanced by the relationship she develops with her infant during breastfeeding, resulting in fewer feelings of anxiety and a stronger sense of connection with her baby.
  • A woman's ability to produce all of the nutrients that her child needs can provide her with a sense of confidence. Researchers have pointed out that the bond of a nursing mother and child is stronger than any other human contact. Holding the child to her breast provides most mothers with a more powerful psychological experience than carrying the fetus inside her uterus. The relationship between mother and child is rooted in the interactions of breastfeeding. This feeling sets the health and psychological foundation for years to come.

  The benefits of breastfeeding go beyond health considerations. Mothers who nurse their children enjoy social and economic advantages as well. For example:

  • Women who breastfeed avoid the financial burden of buying infant formula, an average expense of $800 per year.
  • Breast-fed babies are less likely to need excessive medical attention as they grow. In one study, a group of formula-fed infants had $68,000 in health care costs in a six-month period, while an equal number of nursing babies had only $4,000 of similar expenses.

  

                                     

Week 12: We had an appointment last Friday for the first trimester ultrasound at a diagnostic center. We drove all the way down there to find out the receptionist at my doctor's office forgot to fax over the script. I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE CALLED!! I forgot to call on my lunch break to make sure the script was sent over, but it snowed and I had to worry about getting lunch because I didn't want to drive home on my break because the roads were bad and blah blah blah... I went to my regular doctor's appointment the following Monday and she said to reschedule it before the next time we meet. My doctor then went to get the HEARTBEAT MONITOR!!! We got to hear the baby's heartbeat. 160 beats per minute! My amazing little baby! We also talked about the Zika Virus. I'm sure everyone has heard of it by now since it's always on the news. I'm a little nervous about it. It's a virus passed along through mosquitoes or through intercourse with someone who has the virus. The Zika Virus especially effects unborn babies in the womb. The baby's head could be deformed and it can cause brain damage. I'm not due until the end of August and I live in an area where there are a ton of mosquitoes. My mom said I'm not allowed to go outside at all. Since that's going to be impossible I will just have to take extra precautions. My doctor didn't seem too worried about it. She said there are no cases in our state and gave us some healthy ways to make sure mosquitoes stay away from me. She suggested safe bug sprays with oils, citronella plants, and candles. I will be doing all of those things. Plus we spend most of our summer at the beach and boardwalk and there are rarely any mosquitoes there. I also had blood drawn for the harmony test! This will check the chromosomes for Down Syndrome and the gender! The results usually take 3-4 weeks. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

We finally had our first trimester (level 1) sonogram the Wednesday after my doctor's appointment. I love seeing the baby on the screen. We saw his or her arms, legs, fingers, toes, and the head. The baby was flopping around all over the place. Another active baby!! It is just so amazing to witness the baby moving around in my belly. I cry every time. The tech said everything is there and accounted for and everything looks good! The baby is measuring right on target and the placenta is also looking good. The back of the head measured normal (around 1.5).If the measurement is 2.5 or greater the baby could have Down Syndrome, heart problems, or other complications. Thanks to God for blessing us with another healthy baby. I do not have another doctor's appointment until week 16, so we will discuss the ultrasound with the doctor in a month.

The Baby: is the size of a plum! This week the baby's face is becoming more defined. The eyes have moved towards the front of the face and the chin and nose are more shaped. The baby's fingernails are now well formed. 

Mommy's Health: I was feeling better last week and now I have a sore throat. Hopefully this will be quick like the last time. The kids at school are always sick with something...I have to up my O.J. again. Other than that I feel great. I have some of my energy back and I'm not nauseous at all anymore. Just waiting for these headaches to go away!

                               

<3<3<3