Welcome to the Second Trimester

I am now safely nestled in the second trimester!  (Queue the Trumpets!)  I am now 14 weeks and 2 days and I am psyched.

My morning sickness (or evening sickness as it was) seems to have abated.  The only time I get nauseous now is when I don't eat when I should.  I have always been super sensitive to being hungry and very easily get hunger headaches.  This has not changed with pregnancy.  Now, I tend to get these hunger headaches easier and they tend to be accompanied by the nausea.  Prior to pregnancy, this only happened in dire situations.  Now it is when I don't eat every 3 hours or so.  The exhaustion also seems to have eased up.  I can now stay up later than 7 pm without feeling like I am going to fall over.  I think that this is probably the best part about sliding into the second trimester.

Today, I had my first appointment with my new OBGYN.  I was told to be there at 1:15 and I arrived a few minutes early.  Things got off to a rocky start when I still hadn't been called back by 1:45 and other patients (who had arrived the same time I did) had already been seen and walked out before I was even called back.  And my bladder was full but I knew better to empty it before I gave them my urine sample.  Things began to look up when my name was called.  I was sent back to speak with a nurse.  Instead of having to fill out all of those questions about your health and your family's health on a questionnaire, they actually had a nurse meet with me to go over the questions with me.  She asked for details on the questions that I answered yes to and she was able to answer most of the questions I had.  And I got this great journal to record my pregnancy in.  Things were looking up.

Then she took me to the room to meet with my doctor.  Let me just say that I LUV HIM.  He was really awesome.  He took plenty of time to review my chart, talk to me about my history, and answer any questions I had.  He explained that they consider IVF patients to be considered "Higher Risk" than spontaneous pregnancies and that for that reason, they would be monitoring our pregnancy closely.  This means we will be getting more ultrasounds than the normal patient and that we would be starting the weekly appointments a little earlier as well.  Add to this the fact that he did another ultrasound for us AND the fact that he didn't write it on the chart so I was not billed for it. *  And then add in the fact that he told me I could feel free to come by ANYTIME, without an appointment, if I needed to hear the baby's heartbeat for some reassurance.  And now you know why I LUV my new doctor.  Wouldn't you?

And now, for some baby pictures.  Our last ultrasound, the baby was posing just perfectly for the camera.  We got a marvelous profile picture and got to see it's little arms and legs waiving around.  This ultrasound, the baby wasn't lying to where a profile picture was really possible, regardless of how hard the doctor tried.  He attempted all over my belly and from several different angles and pressures, but this was the best we could get.  I did get to see a close up of the baby's feet (crossed at the ankles) and I also saw the baby do a move that appeared to be reaching up and scratching it's head.  Too cute!!!  Our baby is about 3 1/2 inches from head to rump now - it is amazing how fast they grow!!!  Just 6 more weeks until I get to see our baby again!



10 Week Ultrasound (Posed Perfectly for a Profile Picture)




14 Week Ultrasound (A Little Camera Shy, Best Profile Picture Available for this Photo Shoot)

 And now, some pictures of me.  Just because...

12 Weeks Pregnant (In Our Georgia Rental)

14 Weeks Pregnant (In Our Michigan Rental)

*  Since Derek has changed jobs, we are in that in between period for insurance.  Our Cobra paperwork hasn't even arrived to be able to get the Cobra coverage and the new insurance doesn't kick in until March 1st.  All of the OB visits are billed by this clinic at the end of the pregnancy EXCEPT for labs and ultrasounds, which are payable when the service is rendered.  Since we have no insurance, I fully expected to be shelling out some cash for this ultrasound.  But apparently the doctor didn't list it on the billing sheet as I had no balance due when I checked out even though I asked about the bill for the ultrasound 3 times.