8 Weeks, 4 Days (?) and Pregnancy Calculations

There are a lot of different ways to calculate a pregnancy out there with the most common being by the first day of the last monthly period (for me, July 29). There's also the date of conception (which we believe was August 3....if not, then it was August 20-something, which would mean I'm a LOT less than 8 weeks...TMI? Sorry!), gestational age, age based on in-utero measurements, etc. It is all quite confusing.

Doctors offices tend to base the baby's age by the last period method, which is what puts my due date at May 4, 2013 (Matt's birthday, too!). However, when we got the ultrasound, the gestational age (i.e. how old the baby is) was estimated to be around 7 weeks because of the measurements of my gestational sac.

If we base the baby's due date off of the date of conception of August 3, then baby's due date is April 26.

I'm looking forward to getting more information about our progress at my next ultrasound, which will be in mid-October! I'll also get some bloodwork done. :)

I'm still nauseous and vomiting, but my sinus infection gets better every day! It's not really an infection at this point (yay!). Yesterday was the best day yet, and today when I woke up I wasn't all snotty (but do have sinus pressure). I think I'll probably be stuffy for most of the pregnancy because a) nasal and sinus passages become more swollen during pregnancy, b) I have chronic sinus issues, and c) allergies.

I had a very emotional day yesterday and am trying not to worry about everything that could go wrong. I googled "empty gestational sac" at 6, 7, and 8 weeks, and read that some women who do not see anything in the gestational sac end up having a blighted ovum, a type of miscarriage. Of course, that did nothing for my "stay positive!" frame of mind. However, it's important to note that most women can't see anything in the gestational sac this early on if the ultrasound is external, like mine was (on my abdomen). A transvaginal ultrasound gives much more detail, so hopefully this will be the ultrasound I receive in mid October.

My mom also pointed out that ultrasounds are a relatively new advancement. She only had an u/s done on my brother (who is 28) when she was 7 months, and that was only because she was measuring big so they wanted to make sure she wasn't carrying twins. I can't imagine going that long! For many years, women survived without utrasounds, so that helps to calm my anxiety a bit (although I am still very impatient)!

I need to trust in my faith in God and know that he is in control. I think that is the hardest part for me-not being in control of the pregnancy, or being able to see baby whenever I want because the military isn't as customer-service oriented as the civilian medical community (in general).

On to more exciting news...I'm definitely getting a baby bump! My lower abdomen starting to grow first, but now my upper abdomen is more pronounced. Of course, I'm not a thin person so I have to take that into consideration, and bloating can affect it as well, but I am definitely shaping up differently now than a few weeks ago. I think I'm getting to the point where I can pull off working the bump! It's amazing how many changes a woman's body goes through to prepare for baby.  :) I'm self conscious about taking pictures of my abdomen (which has never been my greatest physical feature), but might start doing that soon. I also need to get a maternity bra, and my pants are starting to feel tight. Not going to lie, elastic sounds so appealing right now.

This week I have been craving beans, rice, burritos, and tortilla chips. What?!?!?! I usually eat my main meal at dinner (I usually get less nauseous as the day progresses), and that's when I eat the Tex-Mex stuff. For breakfast and lunch I have a carbs (toast, pasta, potatoes) because that's all I can keep down. I was drinking a bunch of ginger ale when I was sick (I can't drink water when I'm sick because it's always made me nauseous), but am trying to switch to healthier beverages. I am drinking lots of water, apple juice, and just found Celestial Seasoning's Honey Vanilla Chamomile tea (well, technically Matt found it), which is AMAZING hot or cold with honey! I'd rather put honey in my body than aspartame or anything artificial.

I also found out I can't eat deli meats (cold cuts, bologna, hot dogs, salami, etc. unless they're piping hot) or soft serve ice cream. No Sweet Frog anytime soon, Aunt Kitty! I can't eat seafood, and haven't been able to keep eggs down, so my main protein sources are beans and chicken (although the only time I've had chicken was with my pasta on Saturday). It's a delicate balance trying to eat healthy for baby while being nauseous....and a generally picky eater with strange dietary restrictions. :)

The medicine I was prescribed for nausea, Zofran, takes the edge off nausea but doesn't work miracles for me like it does for others. I think I'll only take it when I really need to, because I don't want to put anything in my body that's not necessary...especially a chemical. Nausea/Vomiting in the first trimester is actually a good sign of baby's health...strange, but true! Not gonna lie...I'm jealous of those women who don't feel sick!

Baby brain is kicking in. I'm much more forgetful and spacey than I usually am. I won't say some of the silly things I've done because they're embarrassing, so just trust me on this one.

I am sleeping less now-about 8-12 hours a day, compared with 12-14 hours a day the past few weeks. My energy levels are slowly picking up (the sinus infection going away helps with that!), and was able to get some laundry/dishes done. That's progress.

I woke up at 3AM in a cold sweat, and started shivering. The past few weeks I thought I was sweating at night more because of weather changes and the dogs, but now I think it's pregnancy. I took a shower, and couldn't get back to sleep...although I didn't really try, because Parks and Recreation distracted me. This will help justify a nap later in the day. :)

Please keep prayers/warm fuzzies sent our way. We are so blessed!

We hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!