Third Trimester... the Final Days...

I've hit 37 weeks.  Baby is full term and can come out any day now.  My other two were both born a few days before 39 weeks.  This baby seems much larger to me.  I've already surpassed my pregnancy weight when I gave birth to the other two.  Well, they were pretty small... one was 6 lb 5.8 oz and the other was 6 lbs 9 oz.  This baby is estimating to be over 7 lbs already.  Why so much bigger?  Well, perhaps it is because he is a boy... or perhaps I've just really indulged and not paid attention to all the ice cream and chocolate I've had throughout this pregnancy!  Normal weight gain is between 25-35 lbs and I'm already over 35 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight.  Guess it is never too late to start keigel exercises, back exercises etc to strengthen the pelvic floor.  I've been using my busy life and two other kids under the age of 4 as an excuse to the lack of discipline and exercise I've had this pregnancy.  But perhaps I just had a false sense of security thinking that I was in such good shape (after all I did run 26.2 miles at 9 weeks) and that that would just carry me through all 9 months!  Wrong... I really should have been exercising as much as I can throughout.  I think I'd be experiencing much less back pain and discomfort...  


Regardless, here I am heading to the final days and starting to worry if all will go smooth.  The problem with going through residency delivering about 50 babies in a high risk population is that I start to think about and worry about all the potential complications that can happen before, during, and after birth.  I could list them all here but then this would become a pretty depressing read and I believe that in many cases ignorance is bliss.  Better to just take things one thing at a time and worry about whatever it is if there is a need to worry about it...


So here I wait.  I better start getting my overnight bag ready and getting sitters in place for who knows when I'll have to rush off to the hospital.  Especially since this is my third... things may go much faster than expected.


Here is a list of things that is supposed to help one go into labor:

• Eating spicy foods or pineapple
• Walking (especially going up stairs)
• Doing the hanky panky (or nipple stimulation if sex is too uncomfortable)
• Certain teas (like rasberry leaf or cinnamon stick)
• Accupressure
• Your physician can also strip your membrane

Well, maybe the next time I write baby will be out!

Third Trimester... Endpoint in Sight!

To continue my previous thread on pregnancy, here are some thoughts about the last trimester...




Reflux with a vengeance!
With increase in abdominal girth and pressure pushing up against the stomach, there is just less space to digest huge volumes of food.  Therefore, where in the first trimester eating is difficulty due to nausea I find this trimester, eating is difficult due to limited space.  


Things I find helpful to combat this includes:
-  small frequent meals
-  avoiding foods high in fats and grease (like fried foods)
-  avoiding your usual foods that exacerbate reflux like mint, caffeine, chocolate, tomato based foods etc.


Lower back pain
I especially experience this when I'm climb out of bed in the middle of the night to head to the bathroom.  Often I find myself bracing myself with my arms and needing to take small baby steps until I work out the kinks.  Sometimes the pain shoots down my legs.  I probably could avoid or alleviate a lot of this discomfort if I would exercise more and use heat to relax the muscles.


Oh.. then there is the joys of leg cramps...
This usually occurs in the middle of the night when I'm stretching my legs.  Ouch!  It can be quite painful.  When this happens I know I'm not drinking enough fluids.  Eating more bananas and foods high in potassium would probably help as well.


Braxton Hicks or false contractions
These actually can be pretty painful.  It basically feels like tightness across the belly and can usually be relieved with hydration.  Warm baths, changing positions, deep breathing are all measures to help relieve the discomfort.  However, one needs to be careful because sometimes these are hard to differentiate from real contractions which may be early signs of preterm labor.  When in doubt and you are getting these more frequently or intensely, you should call your physician.


Finally... interrupted night time sleep...
Whether it is from constantly needing to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or simply the difficulty of finding a comfortable position to lie in... sleep is interrupted.  It is too bad because both my other girls are actually sleeping through the night these days.  Few more weeks and I'll soon have a newborn to wake up to every 1-2 hrs.  Now based on the amount of kicking I feel in the middle of the night these days, this kid is probably not going to sleep very much during the hours of the night.


So these are some of the discomforts of pregnancy that I experience and that some other pregnant moms have come to me for.  Again some folks have a fabulous 9 months of pregnancy all glowing and symptom free.  I think it helps to know what may be experienced so things can be done to either alleviate or prevent the symptoms.


I really should have stayed more physically fit through the second and third trimester of my pregnancy this round.  I truly believe it would have made a big difference.  Guess it is not too late to start... 

New link between mother's pregnancy diet and offspring's chances of obesity

You may not have expected this, but there is new research to suggest that what a mom eats during pregnancy can impact the baby's chances of becoming obese.

Here's the press release:

New link between mother's pregnancy diet and offspring's chances of obesity found
Scientists have discovered that a mother's nutrition during pregnancy can strongly influence her child's risk of obesity many years later, by altering their DNA

Scientists have discovered that a mother's nutrition during pregnancy can strongly influence her child's risk of obesity many years later.

An international study, led by University of Southampton researchers and including teams from New Zealand and Singapore, has shown for the first time that during pregnancy, a mother's diet can alter the function of her child's DNA. The process, called epigenetic change, can lead to her child tending to lay down more fat. Importantly, the study shows that this effect acts independently of how fat or thin the mother is and of child's weight at birth.

2nd Trimester is the best!

Well, I'm well into my second trimester (17 weeks exactly) and I feel great!  This is the best trimester because usually the morning sickness goes away and you get your appetite back!  Now, some people never lose their appetite and never get sick.  Those are the ones who glow the entire pregnancy =)


For me... I usually have a pretty difficult 1st trimester so the 2nd trimester is a nice break.  This pregnancy, however, my first trimester nausea was not so bad therefore I did not notice as big a difference.


This is also the trimester where some people describe a "burst of energy".  For me, the extreme fatigue that I had during the 1st trimester is lessened.. so I feel more energetic than before but I'm not sure if I'd describe myself as being really energetic.  At least I feel like I can do a few things now after dinner whereas previously, I just wanted to hit the sack!


This is the best trimester because pretty soon, the belly will get so large that it will be uncomfortable to move around and uncomfortable to sleep!  I better sleep when I can because finally my younger daughter is sleeping through the night.  So I may get 5-6 months of relatively uninterrupted sleep before #3 is born!  (Anytime there is a sickness and throwing up is involved... sleep goes out the window again)


Well... in a couple of weeks we may find out if we're having a boy or a girl.  The second trimester ultrasound scheduled around 18-20 weeks is when you can find out.  So... we'll see...

Pregnancy and Reflux!

This blog series is lovely isn't it?  Symptom after symptom of various ailments and discomforts that come with the joy of a new baby... only to then have your sleep interrupted and sanity stretched =)  Yet... people still opt to have kids!  Ha... we're on #3 and though a bit fearful of what's to come, actually excited.  I suppose I'm always one who rises to challenges.  Though having a nanny is huge and I don't know what I'd do without extra help.

So...  about gastroesophageal reflux or heart burn...


This can happen to folks who are not pregnant but it is a common symptom in pregnancy.  Starts in the 1st trimester and may very well last or even get worse as the belly gets bigger and more pressure is pushing on the stomach.  Usually, one notices discomfort like a burning sensation in the chest and a sour taste in the mouth though sometimes it is subtle and one may only experience bloating or belching.


Foods that can exacerbate heartburn include:
-  tomato based foods
-  caffeine
-  chocolate
-  mint
-  carbonated beverages
-  fatty foods
-  spicy foods
-  dairy


There are some meds that can exacerbate heartburn as well so make sure you talk to your doctor.


Things you can try to do for it include:
-  avoid those list of foods that exacerbate the symptoms
-  eat smaller meals more frequently
-  eat slower
-  drink less during meals
-  avoid bending or exercising right after eating
-  avoid lying down sooner than 2-3 hrs after eating
-  avoid tight fitting garments or belts around the waist
-  avoid smoking and alcohol (well if you're pregnant you shouldn't be anyway!)


If you need meds you should speak to your doctor.  Tums or maalox may help.  You may also be put on something like Zantac or Prilosec or even Reglan.


I'm glad that I actually don't get this symptom too badly though certain meals do trigger it.  I had indian buffet for lunch today which is a lot of food and a lot of creamy sauce... so probably was not the best idea.

1st Trimester Fatigue

Alright so I find the first trimester the hardest time of pregnancy because of the onset of symptoms that can occur during this time.  Some folks get it real bad and others not so much... and lucky me I get to experience it all!


My previous blog focused on nausea.  I'll talk about fatigue next because that is usually the other huge give away!  I get soooo tired during this time.  During the day, it is hard to have energy to do the things I need to do.  Being at work and needing to interact with patients is one challenge but being home and chasing around a preschooler and toddler is another thing altogether!  I'm usually so spent that I have no desire/energy to do anything else at night after dinner except crash in my bed.  So my house is a complete mess and I'm so disorganized... which drives me nuts!


So how am I still up right now blogging?  Well,  I think I'm getting some energy back as I'm heading into my second trimester.  Noticed how I didn't blog at all in November?  Heh.  Most people will feel better by the second trimester... only to feel tired again by the third.


It is a challenge to feel so tired and needing sleep... but then having sleep interrupted at night from increased frequency of urination!  That of course is another common symptom in the first trimester.


So what to do about it?


-  may seem counter intuitive but exercise actually does help
-  small frequent meals with extra protein
-  eat healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables
-  decrease activities and cut out unnecessary activities that tire you out
-  get rest!  take a nap if you can
-  hang in there.. should improve in the 2nd trimester

1st Trimester Morning Sickness

I've been waiting for the word to get out before I started blogging about this topic... pregnancy!  Now folks can be radiant and happily pregnant or sick and miserable and then there is everything in between.  I figured I'd share some of my experiences as well as some lessons I've learned.  Here I am on baby #3, you would think that wisdom comes from experience?  Well, not always...


There is so much to talk about!  I'll start with "morning sickness" since this is usually my dead give-away at my work place.  Even though it is commonly called "morning sickness" nausea does not always or only occur in the mornings.  The medical term for this is hyperemesis gravidarum.  It can last all day!  Hide it as I may try, people usually grow suspicious when they hear me hurling in the bathroom.  I had it the worse with my first where I even lost weight during the 1st trimester.  It was somewhat improved with my second child where although I was pretty sick to the stomach, I did not actually vomit enough to lose weight.  With this third child, I actually experienced very little nausea and I think it is because I was training for a marathon and didn't even know I was pregnant until 3 weeks before my race!  Exercise is known to help with 1st trimester symptoms and I can now say first hand that it definitely helped my nausea!


Usually, nausea starts at around week 6 and lasts into the beginning of the second trimester.  Most people feel much better by week 14 or 15, however, there are some reports of unfortunate souls who have nausea the entire pregnancy.  Some folks have it so severely that they end up needing to go to the hospital for IV fluids.  The important thing is to stay hydrated.


So some things that may help with nausea include:
- eating small frequent meals especially foods that are high in protein and complex carbs
- having cheese or crackers by the bedside so you can eat before sleep and even before getting out of bed
- drink water water water!
- ginger (I can't eat this plain but they make ginger candy) and ginger ale helps
- switching to different prenatal vitamin or take different time of day (this definitely made me sick that I had to resort to gummy vitamins)
- supplement with vitamin B6 (I tried this... maybe it helped)
- sea bands (I bought them... I personally did not find it too helpful but maybe I was just too sick for anything to help)


If it is so bad that you are losing weight... then you may be prescribed something like zantac, phenergan, reglan or zofran.  You have to talk to your OB to see what is right for you.


So with this child, I actually experienced very little nausea/vomiting!  That is until last night but I think I caught a GI bug.  Getting sick while pregnant is a whole other topic... not fun.  I'll save it for another post.