Fun symptoms
So, not necessarily fun (actually, pretty uncomfortable), but new and exciting this week are Braxton Hicks contractions. Weirdly, I feel them most in the front of my thighs.
Could-do-without symptoms
Still with the heartburn. And as much as I'm digging these new hips, they are making it hard to wriggle into my pants in the morning. Also, I can't get up from laying down without help! Otherwise, just the regular aches and pains that go along with growing a human.
How big is baby?
Our fruit comparison this week is a grapefruit, but we've reached the point where babies can actually vary quite a bit in size and are getting harder to measure. The average baby at 23 weeks is 10.5 to nearly 12 inches long, and weight is somewhere between 13 and 20 ounces. Based on our last ultrasound, I think we're on the upper end of that range, but that could change anytime. Even womb fruits have growth spurts!
Baby's ears, face, and eyes are becoming more defined, and is actively listening to my voice and heartbeat. Babe can also hear loud sounds outside - like car horns and dog barks. I haven't noticed a consistent response to any noises, except when Elliott reads to the baby. It's always a dance party when Dad reads.
Movement
Elliott finally felt the baby move! It was wonderful. My dad was able to feel the baby as well, which was cool. I feel a lot of movement now. It's not constant, of course, but it is frequent and pretty regular. I wasn't sure if I would love it or be totally weirded out - turns out I love it! It's nice to get those swishes, kicks, and smacks. It's like a little hello.
Maternity Clothes
I got a new pair of maternity pants in the past couple weeks, and a couple of tank tops. I am all about the bass right now, and bending over is something of an adventure, so squeezing into my clothes is a spectacle in the mornings.
Highlights of the week
On Monday, we got to see baby again at our follow-up ultrasound. Babe's heart looks great, and since I avoided orange juice before we went, he or she was nice and calm and we got great pictures.
On Tuesday, I turned in my senior thesis! And then on Friday, I received my grade for it - I got an A! I'm proud of myself. I worked hard on that paper, and it paid off. My professor recommended that I submit it to the undergraduate research journal, which was nice to hear.
Now to finish the rest of my finals...
Low moments of the week
On Thursday, after bouncing around urgent cares, I ended up in the emergency room with heart palpitations. They started on Monday, and I attributed them to stress (see above - my thesis was due the next day!), but when they didn't stop I decided to call my doctor and see what she thought. She told me I needed to go in right away. They ran some tests, and everything is ok, but I'm evidently substantially anemic, so I had to start taking an iron supplement. If you've ever taken one, you know... I'm not having a whole lot of fun right now. The ER doctor said that if the iron doesn't take care of the palpitations, I'll need to be seen by a cardiologist. I'm giving the supplements a week, and we'll see how it goes!
I also had a weird experience at Safeway. This creepy, ancient lady was in the checkout line in front of me, saw my bump and immediately reached out and rubbed it (side note: please don't touch people you don't know, pregnant or not - it's strange and uncomfortable) and said "Oh, you're growing a little girl in there, aren't you?" I awkwardly laughed and tried to back up, and then she looked at my face and said, "I'm sorry, you didn't want to know." Since we aren't finding out baby's sex, it was definitely bizarre. I think she was a witch.
Dreams
Nothing good. The dreams I've been having aren't nightmares, per se, but they aren't pleasant. I'm sure it's all stress related.
Cravings
Just sleep! No major aversions this week, either. I wonder if I'm past it now.
What I'm looking forward to
Next week we reach viability. While I haven't had any markers or signs of preterm labor, it feels like a good milestone to hit. I'm also looking forward to finishing up this semester and graduating - with any luck, it'll happen on Friday!
So between the mad dash to finish and turn in my thesis and an exhausting day in the emergency room, am I forgiven for missing a post and being late on this one? Please say yes!
Here's a picture from our follow-up ultrasound on Monday. Baby is looking more and more human (and less like Skeletor) every day!
Happy Saturday, friends! By this time next week, I will have graduated and will be the proud owner of a small piece of paper that is hopefully worth all the money I promised for it.
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