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Tonight as we were going to bed, Embers started moving strongly. I told Fred to put his hand on my belly and he felt the movement! I’ll never forget the look on his face when he felt it - he was so happy! Embers gave him a few movements. It was such an exciting moment.
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This weekend, I realized that I must be more unmistakably pregnant.
I had a birth early Saturday morning. While there, one of the nurses asked me, “when did this happen?” as she pointed to my belly. She and I know each other pretty well, and she has had five of her own kids, so it wasn’t surprising to me that she asked me. Today we went to a bris for Fred’s friend. We were surrounded by mostly strangers. I was wearing a dress that I think made me show more. Right away, the first people we talked to asked me when I was due and if it was my first. This was my first encounter with complete strangers asking/assuming I was pregnant. It felt weird! We got asked a few more times. Later I went to the hospital to round on my patient. Some of the nurses already knew and made some comments about me showing more now. I had a few other people who asked me or mentioned it as well. One woman had seen me the night before in scrubs and hadn’t noticed but asked me today. It’s funny how people react and say “I didn’t know”. I have to say to them, well I’m not exactly the kind of person who runs around and just announces it. Tonight we decided it was time to out it on social media. We had typed our announcement a few days ago while on the way back from Wisconsin. We posted it, along with our 16 week sonogram picture. It was so amazing to see all the positive comments and love! It definitely made us feel special and loved! Today was the first day I felt fetal movement...finally! Did you know that fetal movement is called quickening? Most women feel the first movements more around 16-20 weeks. For me it was a bit later because of my anterior placenta.
I woke up feeling it. Little flutters or something. I find it really hard to describe what it feels like. I actually woke Fred up to tell him. He couldn’t feel it, but I knew he would want to know and he was happy. When he came downstairs and I was working out, he actually said he felt like I was showing more than ever as well. I guess it all kind of happened at once - the showing and movement! Today was also the first day I wore my baby on board button on the subway. Needless to say, it doesn’t seem to work all that well. I stood the whole way to Manhattan. On the way home from work, one very nice young guy actually noticed the button and got up for me (saying it was because he saw the button). But most people definitely don’t seem to notice. It will be interesting to keep track of this throughout the pregnancy. Overall, a very eventful day for Embers and me! I feel so happy to be feeling the movement. All day in the office I noticed it and kept wondering, is this really it? But I know that it is movement since I am writing this entry late and I have felt the same thing every day since. It feels so funny, almost surreal! Today was a sad day. I mourned the loss of most of my jeans.
Over the past week, I started to pop and show more. It was a crazy transition. Of course this also coincided with me being back on sugar (Lent was over) and so now I can’t help but think that it is partially due to my eating habits... I definitely haven’t been eating super well and snacking a lot at night. I’m trying to get lots of healthier things, but at night, I’m not so great. Going out/ordering delivery doesn’t help either. The one good thing is that I’m craving fruit a lot. I’m still liking the oranges, but also now I’m really into canned fruit - especially pineapple and peaches. I’m getting the kind in juice, not syrup. It’s such a weird craving. And despite the new bump, I am not yet feeling movement! I understand my placenta is in the way, but I’m still sad. I was really hoping to feel something by now. I try every night and no such luck. Last week, I even had a dream I felt something. I woke up and felt it, smiled and went back to sleep. But I really think now that it was just a dream. On another note, we finally decided today to remove my belly button ring. I haven’t touched it in years to change it. I had no idea how it would go. I bought some plastic ones that are supposedly more flexible so that as I grow, it moves. Fred and I got everything prepared. I soaked the new ones in alcohol. I had bought antibacterial soap to wash the area. It was a little dramatic, but mostly funny. Both of us kind of got grossed out at times. The old one was really stuck, until we got some soapy water to move it. We managed to get a flexible plastic one in there for now. We’ll see how it goes. Worst case, I can take it out all together and just periodically push one through so the hole doesn’t close. |
ElaineA pregnant midwife living and working in New York City Archives
April 2019
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