16 Weeks

As requested by my lovely friend who lives far away (Shelby!)here is a belly shot at 16 weeks!  I got this vinyl chalkboard in the mail a few days ago and thought it would be fun to do the Pinterest-inspired weekly pics.  :)  There is definitely a "bump" there this week.  On Monday when I had a tighter fitting shirt on at work, I had about 10 different people stop and go, "Whoa!  Look at your belly!"  It was like it popped out all of the sudden!  

• How far along?  16 weeks
• Baby size:  An avacado
• Total weight gain:  I'm not going to lie, I'd like to start skipping this question.
• Maternity clothes?  I got a few new maternity tops and pants online this weekend, so I am anxiously awaiting their arrival!  I am wearing mostly maternity pants, and probably will need to start wearing some maternity tops soon, too!
• Stretch marks?  Nada.
• Sleep:  Still sleeping great, and still having some totally ridiculous dreams!  
• Best moment this week:  GETTING MY BRACES OFF!!  Yay!  I am so relieved that I won't be a pregnant lady in braces. :)  Also, we went to the doctor tonight for our monthly checkup!  It was some pretty standard things this time around: blood pressure, the dreaded scale, and some time to chat with the doctor.  She says everything is looking perfect.  Oh!  And we got to hear the baby's heartbeat!  That was definitely the highlight.  Baby Wallbank's heartbeat was 152 beats per minute tonight.  Slowed down a bit from last time when it was 179!
• Miss anything?  I've been missing my large Diet Coke from McDonalds this week.  Might need to drive through and get a kiddie size tomorrow!
• Movement:  Nothing else yet...hopefully soon!  That will be very cool.
• Food cravings:  Arby's Fish Sandwich.  Gross, I know...I don't know why it sounds so good!  That commercial makes it look so tasty! 
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not really! 
• Gender:  February 4th is the big day. :)
• Labor signs:  None!  (This question kind of freaks me out.)
• Symptoms: Feeling quite a bit more energy these days which is fantastic!  Still having some back pain.  I just got the ok to see the chiropractor from my OB, so I am going to make an appointment ASAP!
• Belly button in or out?  In. Chris told me the other day that pregnant ladies shouldn't have belly button rings (and I have to agree), so I took mine out a week or two ago.  It's like my belly button is naked!  Haven't had it out in so long.
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Super happy!  
• Looking forward to:  Visiting my BFF Megan this weekend in Chicago!  It will be great to have some girl time.  And we are going to hit up some trendy Chicago maternity stores.  They will surely have cuter things than Destination Maternity in good old Michigan, right?! :)
• Diabetes update:  Not too much happening this week diabetes wise!  No news is good news, right?  I see my endocrinologist next week, so maybe I'll have some more to report then.  He says I'll be on an "escalator" soon, where my insulin needs will consistently get higher and higher throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I wonder how many units I'll be taking each day at that point!

15 Weeks

Chris and I had a relaxing weekend, and it was so nice!  On Friday we got Chinese and watched a movie in our PJs, and last night we had some friends over for pizza.  Today we have been organizing around the house - "nesting" if you will. ;)  I love weekends at home!!

• How far along?  15 weeks
• Baby size:  An orange - baby is getting big so quick!
• Total weight gain:  Still at 8 pounds.  I think now that I'm in my 2nd trimester I am supposed to gain about a pound a week, though.  Yikes!
• Maternity clothes?  Loving my maternity pants and Bella Band (thanks Mol!)!  I am still able to wear all my normal tops.  
• Stretch marks?  Nope.
• Sleep:  Sleeping well.  I am having some CRAZY dreams, though!  I really need to start writing them down!  Last night I was getting married to Chris (again).  We were ready to book the date at this beautiful venue, and then I remembered I was 9 months pregnant.  Oops - such an easy thing to forget... ?!?!?! :)
• Best moment this week:  Each Sunday morning when we wake up, Chris and I read our weekly "update" about the baby on one of my pregnancy apps.  It's a great way to start the new week.
• Miss anything?  Nothing I can really think of this week...
• Movement:  I might have felt something!!!!  I am not sure, though!  Yesterday I kept feeling this weird little vibration type feeling in my belly.  I thought maybe it was my phone in my pocket (although it felt pretty faint to be my phone).  I kept checking my phone - no calls, no texts, no emails.  Maybe it was a few little kicks?! :)
• Food cravings:  Basically anything I see on TV.  Seriously.  You name it - Burger King, Olive Garden, pizza... They are very random cravings!
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still not enjoying the smell or taste of coffee.  
• Gender:  3 weeks to go until we find out!
• Labor signs:  Nope.
• Symptoms:  Still pretty sleepy, my back is sore, and have to go to the bathroom ALL the time. :) But other than that I feel really good!  I have been very lucky.
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy, but also emotional!  I find myself tearing up all the time over nothing!!!
• Looking forward to:  Next weekend my mom and I are going to Pottery Barn Kids at Somerset for a "Nursery Style Event".  They are going to show off all the new things for spring.  I can't wait for a day of shopping, lunch, and fun with my mom, and to start picking out some of my favorite items for our nursery wish list!
• Diabetes update:  This is sort of Diabetes related, but also good for all pregnant moms to know!  After I got my thyroid out, my Vitamin D levels were very low.  I had to take a supplement for a few weeks.  I recently read an article about very new research that has shown Vitamin D to greatly affect a baby's brain development.  I asked my OB about it, and he said a year ago he wouldn't have worried about Vitamin D levels, but he too had just read this new research.  We checked my levels and they were, in fact, low.  I am now on a supplement of 5000 units per day.   This is a good heads up for any of my mommy-to-be friends out there!!!  There are only 2 prenatal vitamins on the market right now that have the NEW recommended Vitamin D amount in them.  Most prenatal vitamins have not yet caught up to the recommended 1000 units per day.  If yours doesn't have enough, you may need an additional supplement.  Living in Michigan, we are at more of a risk for low Vitamin D levels anyway.  Be sure to ask your OB to check your Vitamin D levels!!!  If I hadn't asked, it might have gone overlooked, and it is super important for your little ones brain development.

Must Haves for a Diabetic Mommy-to-Be

Pregnancy is an exciting, but challenging, 9 months.  Being a diabetic brings an entire new set of challenges into the picture!  If a type 1 diabetic's blood sugars aren't in good control prior to conception and throughout the pregnancy (especially the first trimester), the baby can suffer.  Serious complications, birth defects, and even miscarriage can occur if a diabetic mom isn't in super tight control.  However, if the mom is educated and committed to being in good control, she can have a healthy and successful pregnancy.

At first, I was a little terrified about becoming pregnant.  I worried that I wouldn't be able to keep my blood sugars in good enough control, and that I would harm our baby.  To be honest, there are still days where I worry - A LOT.  But there are a few tools and tips I have found that really help me overcome some of the challenges and fears!  Maybe these can help another diabetic mom out there...

Must Have Item 1: Continuous Glucose Monitor

I cannot say enough good things about wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).  It tests my blood sugar every few minutes and displays the reading on it's little computer screen.  This shows me when my blood sugar is starting to drop or rise before it actually does, allowing me to correct the problem before it even occurs.  My doctor can upload the data from the device to see trends or patterns.

I switched over from the Medtronic CGM to the Dexcom GCM and am SO happy with the Dexcom.  It is much more accurate, way more comfortable to wear, and I only have to change it every 7 days (as opposed to every 3 days).  Plus how cute is it in this new pink color?! 

Must Have Item 2: Snacks with 15 Carbs for Lows

When you are trying to stay in this tight of control, it is inevitable that lows will happen.  My doctor says that lows do NOT harm the baby, so as long as I am not passing out from them, it's ok to run a bit on the low side.  I find it necessary to carry several different types of snacks in the 15 carb range for when low blood sugars happen.  At work it is easy to have juice boxes close by, but when I am on the go that is the last thing I want weighing down my purse.  So I found a few other things to treat lows that are pretty tasty, light weight, and easy!

Stretch Island fruit snacks are really yummy, quick to eat, sold at the grocery store, AND a full serving of fruit. :)

Glucolift glucose tablets are the best tasting tablets I have found.  They aren't too chalky, and the Wildberry flavor is pretty good.  I find these are a pretty safe bet to have in my purse because they aren't delicious enough that I will eat them as a mid-afternoon snack rather than saving them for when I'm low. ;)  You can order them online at Amazon!

Squeezable applesauce snacks don't have to be just for kids. :)  They are pretty delicious, and work quickly in the event of a low blood sugar!  You can find them in the grocery store.

Must Have Item 3: Unified Lifestyle Restaurant App

Chris and I love to eat out, but it's not always the easiest thing on my blood sugars.  Who knows exactly how many carbs are actually in that cheeseburger and fries?!  This restaurant app does!  It has a HUGE variety of restaurants to choose from, with carbs for each item on their menus.  I have found it to be pretty accurate.  And best of all - it's free!

Shout out to my awesome niece (and diabetic mommy!), Abbie, for introducing me to this app! :)

Must Have Item 4: Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-Existing Diabetes Book

There are an abundance of books on pregnancy out there, but not many on pregnancy and diabetes - especially pre-existing diabetes (rather than gestational).  I found this book to be an intelligent, reassuring resource with tons of great information. It was an easy read.  I'd highly recommend it!

Well, there's just a few of my must haves that have helped me get through the first 4 months of pregnancy with good control.  If there are any diabetic moms-to-be (or moms already!) reading this blog, I'd love to hear about the tools you used to have a healthy pregnancy!

13 Weeks

It's hard to believe I am already almost 4 months pregnant!  It seems like just yesterday we found out we were expecting.

The holidays were extra special for us this year.  We saw a lot of family and friends in person for the first time since we broke the news.  Everyone was truly elated for us - it was so sweet.  We have the BEST family and friends. :)  We even received a few gifts for the little one already!!

We spent the week after Christmas in Marco Island at my parents' house.  The picture above was taken there at the beginning of the trip.  It was wonderful to relax in the sunshine after the busy-ness of the holiday season!  It was also great to spend time with my sister-in-law, Andrea, who is about 26 weeks pregnant, and my niece, Abbie, who just had a baby 5 months ago.  There was lots of baby talk happening!

• How far along?  13.4 weeks
• Baby size:  A peach :)
• Total weight gain:  I'm up to about 8 pounds - yikes!
• Maternity clothes?  All of my shirts still fit fine, but the pants are another story.  Some of my regular pants will still button, but some will not!  I have worn my Bellaband a few times (thanks to my sweet friend Molly for this awesome gift!) with pants that are too snug.  I also just invested in a few pair of maternity jeans, and let me tell you - they are FAB-U-LOUS.  I'm really not sure why anyone would want to wait it out until they absolutely had to buy maternity pants.  They are the most comfortable things ever!  I'm happy I took the plunge. :)
• Stretch marks?  No.
• Sleep:  Still sleeping great.  I feel like I have a bit more energy back these days which is really nice!
• Best moment this week:  The whole trip to Florida was wonderful, but one special memory was when Chris and I went for a bike ride to the park by ourselves.  We sat on a bench there, talking about all the exciting things we have to look forward to in the next year!
• Miss anything?  The grocery store in Florida has my favorite kind of lunch meat (Boar's Head Lemon Pepper Chicken), so I was missing that this week!  I did heat it up and have it on a panini one day though.  Yum!!
• Movement:  Not yet.  Can't wait!
• Food cravings:  Last night we got home from the airport and had NO food in the house.  I was craving Subway and broccoli cheese soup from McDonalds (?!).  My awesome hubby went out and got it for me, and it was delicious. :)
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Still not enjoying the smell or taste of coffee.  
• Gender:  We find out on February 5th!  
• Labor signs:  Nope.
• Symptoms:  I've been having some severe lower back pain.  It runs down the right side of my back into my butt and leg.  At times it is so bad that it takes me a minute to stand up!  I have read this is normal for pregnant women, but I am hoping there is some type of treatment I can find because it is pretty painful.
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Super happy!
• Looking forward to:  The day when I will "pop" out!  Right now I feel like my stomach just looks like I ate too much over the holidays (which, by the way, is a true story).  My body definitely looks different to me, but I am looking forward to the day when others will be able to tell there is a baby in there!
• Diabetes update:  My last A1C was a 6.2.  Not bad, but I am still working for the 6.0 next time!  My thyroid levels (TSH) continue to be elevated. :(  The main risk associated with high thyroid levels is miscarriage.  Thankfully, we are past the point in my pregnancy when miscarriage is most prevalent.  The doctors assure me they are being as aggressive as possible with treating my thyroid condition, and that there is no risk of harm to the baby at it's current level.

12 Weeks

We had our second ultrasound on December 21st, and it was incredible!  Hearing the baby's heartbeat was truly the most amazing sound.  The baby was bouncing ALL over the place like a little jumping bean during the ultrasound.  The look on Chris's face as he watched was priceless! :)

We decided to have some genetic screening done at this appointment.  Some couples choose to forgo this testing, while others (like us) complete it.  The test (called a Sequential Screen) we had done posed NO risk to the baby, and was simple to do.  It consisted of an ultrasound where the technician took some measurements, and blood work from me.  You definitely didn't hear me complaining that I got to see our little jumping bean one more time. :)

Chris and I ultimately decided to do the testing not because it would change any of our plans, but rather to be prepared if the tests showed our baby had unique needs.  The sequential screening we had done determines the baby's risk of Down Syndrome (which is prevalent in my dad's family), Trisomy 18, and Spina Bifida.  The doctor says the ultrasound measurements looked perfect so far.  We will get the final results after I do some more blood work in 4 weeks.  

It was an amazing week!  I already can't wait to see the baby again on February 5th at our next ultrasound!!