Quick Update

Just wanted to give a quick update as I have been pretty busy and forget to find the time to get on the computer...sorry!

I am still feeling great and moving right along.  I "look" pregnant now with this belly that continues to grow.  I am realizing that I will probably have a lot more discussions coming about the surrogacy now as people see that I am pregnant.  For some reason the first thing I can say when someone notices I am pregnant is "it's not mine" which does make them stop to think for a second before starting all the questions!

I might have felt a kick or two but not calling it official movement since I can't definitely say it was not gas and since it is not consistent yet.  Maybe this week?

I have almost survived the summer:)  Almost time for me to get a little more rest with the kids in school...finally. What a long summer, but I guess I can be thankful that I was not 9 months pregnant in the heat!  My oldest has had his first day of school and starts full time on Friday, my middle child starts preschool on Wednesday next week!!

21.5 weeks to go, almost halfway there!

Doing great

We had our second visit with the midwife today and all went well.  I was a little anxious as to how the appointment would go since the intended parents and I have only spoken via email and text since our last appointment.

I only had to wait a few minutes before I was called to the back for my appointment.  Before they even did anything Marcia (the midwife) spoke to me and I let her know how things were going between us and how we have decided to handle the appointments going forward.  She was glad to hear that we have figured everything out.  This is her first surrogate birth that she is a practitioner for so a learning experience for all!  They did my vitals and I gained about 3 pounds this last month and had a good blood pressure. The intended parents were called back to the room and were able to hear the heartbeat which was 150.  That was it and the appointment was over:)  I had to hurry back home to get the babysitter back to my sister's as she needed to go do something so there was not much time for talking. 

We met again at 12 for the ultrasound appointment.  They decided to do an ultrasound to determine the gender and to also have pictures to show their son as they were going to tell him this weekend that he was going to be a big brother. The ultrasound was fun and a really good experience.  The technician/owner was actually the ultrasound tech when I was pregnant with Finley (we might not have remembered each other but it was good to see someone I knew and trusted).  She started with the 2D ultrasound looking at the baby and then quickly moved to the gender determination.  I was pretty proud of myself as I was able to see pretty fast that it was a GIRL (especially since I have never seen the between the leg shot on my own kids)!  I am so excited for them.  As with most expecting parents you will take and love whatever God gives you, but one gender or another might be preferred.  Since they already have a boy they were overjoyed to learn that they will now have the experience to parent a girl.  We were in the ultrasound for about 25 minutes and had a great time seeing this little girl and how shy she was.  We did not get many face shots as she kept her hand up to her face for most of the morning!  Hopefully they will send me some of the pictures and I can put them up for you.

Personally I am feeling great and can't believe that I have already started to pop!  I don't know if I can fit into my regular clothes as I prefer dresses and soft skirts usually anyway and I haven't tried on anything without an elastic waist:)  Someone at the pool on Tuesday asked if I was going to have a 4th, I think that was her really nice way to ask if I was pregnant!

23.5 weeks to go!

Feeling Great

I have a tendency to not write when there is "nothing going on" but I forget that I guess that is news that I should share too.  I am finally feeling like I usually do when I am pregnant...pretty good, so that if I did not know I was pregnant then I would not be able to tell.  I am finally over the tired stage and able to feel a little more productive around the house.  I don't have any food aversions anymore or am I feeling nauseous.

I had a busy week and a half but luckily it is finally Friday and Tim and I are both going to be home this weekend (one of the only ones until later in the fall).  I had 5 days of bike races from Wednesday to Sunday last week.  Not hard work but long hours and lots of time outside.  I had a great time being with all the bikers but was glad when the weekend was over.  This week has been a full 4 days with 4 kids.  We took all 4 kids to Carowinds yesterday for Family day with Tim's work.  The day went better then I could have ever expected, the weather was great, the kids were wonderful and everything went perfect.  It did not even phase me that i could not go on any of the rides....don't know if that means I am getting older or what!

We have the next prenatal appointment on Wednesday so it will be interesting how things go since I have only really spoken to the intended parents over text and email since the last appointment.  I think we have worked everything out but just haven't spoken on the phone.  After the appointment we have a 3D ultrasound so they can find out the sex of the baby.  It is hard for me to grasp that I will know what the sex of this baby is as i have never known before, I feel like the secret is about to be ruined (even though I know that is not how a lot of people feel!)

My belly has finally popped and is becoming much more noticeable.  My weight is still pretty much the same so hopefully they don't cause a fuss about that this week.   I have not done anything to try and keep it down, just eating the same things I have always eaten and I am sure it will start to creep up soon as the baby continues to grow.  No matter what the scale says, I am starting to feel big:)

Just over 24 weeks to go!

Working it out

It has been a week full of emails and back and forth but I think that we are close to coming up with what will work with our 2 families for the prenatal appointments the rest of this pregnancy.  I hate that we had to have these discussions but hopefully it will help us as we move on. I will be able to go into the appointments alone and then they will join us after all my vitals are taken.  I will share the important vitals with them (weight, blood pressure) but it will at least give me a sense of some privacy.

I was surprised when last Thursday I got a call from the midwife's office telling me I had an UTI.  I have never had one before and did not have the classic symptoms to alert me that there was something going on.  Yes, I have been peeing a whole bunch but show me a pregnant woman who is not in the bathroom all the time.  I did think it was crazy that I had to go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night but just attributed it to all the water I drink these days!  I was prescribed an antibiotic but at the request of the intended parents I have been trying D-mannose instead.  D-mannose is a herbal supplement that is naturally occurring in your body so it is not harmful to take and has no major side effects.  The bacteria attach to the d-mannose and then are excreted with the urine.  I have been taking it since Friday and I am seeing some improvement in the frequency of my bathroom trips but wish I had a way of knowing if the bacteria was all gone or not.  I will run out of the bottle in a day or two so will just keep it up till then.

I  am feeling great and seem to have passed the tired stage.  I still get tired but my daily naps are no longer required.  Maybe I can not stop neglecting my house and sewing!  So far I have gone up and down on my weight each week but am right about at my starting weight.  I am not dieting but also not craving my nightly cup of ice cream (even though I want to eat it I just can't make myself!) which I can only assume is a good thing...maybe I won't crave that routine after another month or two!

26 weeks to go!

Back to the Ob, finally!

After being released from the fertility clinic 2 weeks ago, today was the first visit with my midwife.  I had mixed emotions about today as I was not sure how the appointments were going to go with 2 extra people involved.  During my other pregnancies it was usually me by myself at the appointments with my husband only coming to the main ultrasound appointment.

I switched from a normal ob to a midwife after my first delivery.  My second delivery was with a wonderful midwife whom I had heard so many wonderful things about.  She was great during the birth staying with me throughout labor instead of only coming in to catch the baby, and it was refreshing to see the same person at each of my visits and then to have that same person deliver my baby.  Shortly after my second delivery this midwife left private practice and went to work for a health clinic.  When I found out that I was pregnant for the 3rd time I was relieved to learn that the midwife had gone back into private practice part time and was accepting 4 due dates per month....we were in!  Another great birth with the help of a wonderful midwife. 

Fast forward 2 years and here we are again with more changes.  My midwife is now back in practice full time and has opened a birthing center in Statesville.  It was a decision to be made whether I continue to follow her or find someone new that is closer to home and a little more convenient to get to for my prenatal appointments.  I pondered a little what I wanted to do and came to the decision to follow her yet again and go with who I am comfortable with verses who is more convenient.  So, this will be my 4th delivery at 4 different hospitals/centers in 4 different cities!!

One of my concerns with the OB appointments is whether I would get any time with my midwife by myself to discuss anything in private.  But, I called on my way up there this morning and asked them if I could have a brief moment alone with the midwife.  It worked out fine and I was able to get the time I needed.  The intended parents and I are both struggling to find our place in this process.  I went into today's appointment thinking that this is my doctor and my body, rightfully they think this is their baby so should be a part of the whole process and all information.  I know we both have to adjust our thinking but hopefully we have a better feel of the process after today's appointment.

Our visit was very through and the intended parents even got to have another ultrasound.  After hearing the heartbeat on the doppler they did the ultrasound and it was amazing to see how much the baby has grown in the last 3 weeks.  It was hard to get a good visual of the baby last time but today we got to see everything so clear even seeing the backbone and vertebrae.  This baby was also a mover and shaker, he did not stop tossing and turning the whole 10 minutes of the ultrasound!

Another unknown was whether the birth center would be covered by my insurance and if it would be an option for this birth due to cost.  After touring the center and speaking to the midwife it looks like we will be heading towards a birth center birth!!  The center has 2 birthing rooms each with a queen bed and a big tub.  One of the best things about the birthing center is that you usually leave 4-6 hours after birth.  This resolves a lot of my questions regarding how we would work things after the birth...Would they get their own room with the baby?  Would they have to spend the night in my room?   Most likely I can get my insurance to cover the birth center birth but even if not, a birth there without insurance costs as much as a birth at a hospital with insurance so to me it is a no-brainer!

I am finishing up my 12th week and feeling pretty good.  I am still tired but I am finding that I am able to survive without my naps more and more lately.  I have only gained a little over a pound (which is normal for the first trimester) since the start of the pregnancy so feeling pretty good going into the second trimester where I know I will start to gain the pregnancy weight.  I am not showing yet but definitely getting a tummy bulge.  This is the time I don't like (especially in the summer where I am in bathing suits around my neighbors, they must think I am getting fat and lazy!) between normal belly and definite preggo belly.  

I am grateful to get this first appointment over with and to feel like the pregnancy is progressing and to be back on familiar ground again.

27.5 weeks to go:)

What a day!

Today was the coveted day of the first ultrasound.  I have been very anxious about this day as it answers the last big question I have had...how many of the 2 blastids that they transferred were able to survive.   While I was not totally against having twins, I was concerned about what it would mean for delivery day.  As most of my friends know, I have a huge fear of the epidural and an even larger fear of a c-section.  I know that complications can happen with one or two babies but are more common with two.

So, after leaving at 6:30 this morning for our 9:30 appointment I arrived with plenty of butterflies in my stomach.  Of course we had to wait more today then ever before and they did not take us back till 10:10.  Then, to make matters worse, they did not tell me till AFTER I went to the bathroom that I had to have a full bladder!!  So, I chugged about 50 oz of water and 20 mins later they were able to do the ultrasound.  I saw the image come up and could see a little bambino in the amniotic sac.  The Dr did not say anything so had to ask, "is it just one?"  The answer was YES!!  Whew, what a weight lifted off my shoulders!   That was about all to the appointment and at 11 I was on the road back home.  Good bye Raleigh, I will not miss your apppointments!

Driving home I began to feel a little selfish in my response to only one baby.  I know the intended parents only wanted one but I also know they would have been ok with two.  I just pray I did not upset them with my excitement.  But, in all this I have to think about my health and my ablity to care for my kids while pregant and having a singleton will help to keep me at my daily activities.

More good news came today when they confirmed I get to stop the patches and progesterone shots on Sunday.  I couldn't be more excited for the 10 week period then I will be on Sunday when my poor bottom will get a rest and return to normal:)

31 weeks to go!

Trucking along

I know it has been a few weeks since I have written, but not much has been going on.  My biggest struggle is to just make it through the day.  I finally had to give in to my need for naps!  Severe exhaustion is my biggest pregnancy symptom.  I did realize one day that this is the first first trimester that I have been home with the kids verses working mainly behind a desk so I am going to blame it on that!

I just spent the last week with my family up in Ohio and it was great to see everyone and to finally hear family members that were supportive of the decision I have made to become a surrogate.  Unfortunately my immediate family's lack of support has been the biggest disappointment in this whole process.  I can only hope that one day they will come around and see the good that I am doing for someone else.

I have the ultrasound this week (on Friday) so I am looking forward to seeing how many are there...and crossing my fingers it is just one!

31 weeks to go!