Compare/Contrast: This pregnancy has been feeling different - hormonally speaking. I've broken out a ton this time around (even behind my ears!), which NEVER happened with my pregnancy with Cara. In fact I had the best skin during and after that pregnancy. In fact when I got my first postpartum zit I knew my pregnancy hormones were all gone. This time my forehead is covered in them, it's awful, but honestly I don't mind. I know they'll probably go away eventually and they aren't too obvious so I'm not stressing about it. I've also been a bit more sad/"blue" during this pregnancy. Not for any real reason. I remember with Cara I had about 3 days where I freaked out about how much our life was about to change, but the very next day I felt completely fine and wondered what had me so freaked out. This time I'll go through days where I'm feeling a bit down and just want to curl up on the couch, or stay inside our home. But since it's warm outside I try and get Cara outside as much as possible. I think the sun helps, but I think I almost just miss working out so once the sickness isn't as bad as it has been in the evenings I think I'm going to go back to those (just taking it a little easier) to get my endorphins back. I forget how fragile I feel while pregnant, but I know it's worth it.
Speaking of the sickness it is more at bay (during the day) these past couple weeks so that's subsided earlier and still hasn't been nearly as bad as my other pregnancy. Also, I can confirm that the baby is on the right hand side (Cara was more on the left) so that's another difference, I feel a lot more stretching aches and pains on my right side this time. I can also tell my ab muscles are shot already. I tried dancing with Cara one morning when I was wearing loose pajamas and I could feel all my organs just shift to the center and my belly was SO tight. Reminded me of when I was in my third trimester with Cara, so I went upstairs to lay down for 30 second to get everything back and I realized I need to be wearing my belly bands (on the maternity pants or whatever) if I'm going to be doing stuff like that. So now I'm making postpartum goals to get my abs back into shape after this one is born.
Best Moments This Month: I had my 12 week appointment where we got to have another ultrasound and even though the lady was checking on the baby on the left hand side (where the pictures weren't the greatest) it was so cool to see the little limbs all of a sudden there. It was pretty exciting. She didn't tell me the heart rate though (she did let me listen, but didn't measure it) so I caved and bought a doppler thing so that I don't have to depend on them giving that to me, I can check it on my own. Although my rule is I can only check on Saturdays (since that's technically when I turn the new week, even though I take my pictures on Mondays) so that I don't go crazy checking every few hours or every day. The first time I checked the HR was at 160, the next day it was between 140 and 150, but I was having a hard time finding it so I'm guessing the baby was in a different position than the night before. Both were on the right side though, so that's how I know baby is more on the right side than left.
I've also felt so much more motivated towards the end of this month, I've gotten some cleaning done here and there and I'm feeling a lot more energetic (still really tired, but more motivated to get it done while I can and then just going to bed early haha).
What I'm Looking Forward To: The gender reveal, this time we're just going to do it in office, no secret paper with it filled out, no gender reveal with us, we're just going to find out together and reveal to our families after that. I can't wait to have the news out there at this point, it's getting hard keeping it a secret when I feel SO big. I also am excited to get into the 2nd trimester (after this week), because I remember feeling SO much better at that point last time around.
