23 Weeks

How far along? 23 weeks.

Total weight gain/loss: As of my OB appointment this morning, I am up 4.5lbs overall.

Maternity clothes? No, overall I am still in my regular clothing. I have one pair of maternity pants & a handful of shirts I wear for extra coverage.

Stretch marks? None but I am giving major side eye to the ones I gained when I "got hips" as a teen. R pointed out some that may be coming in due to her sitting transverse across my belly (making me go wide instead of high/low).

Sleep: Without my evening workouts I am only sleeping well thanks to benadryl.

Best moment this week: Watching R try to figure out the dynamics of putting a cloth diaper on a wiggling "newborn" (aka our 8lb yorkie). As the baby of seven, he's never changed a diaper in his life.

Movement: Daily, usually while I’m eating (which is frequent) & if we’re sitting in a movie theater she goes nuts, I think the added volume drives her batty.

Food cravings: Twizzlers, Coke floats, watermelon, chips & salsa.

Gender: Girl but getting confirmation again during my next ultrasound.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly Button in or out? In but becoming more shallow.

What I miss: Anything I’d normally be allowed to do without the modified bed rest + pelvic rest. Working out, lifting up the dogs, being able to carry in a basket of laundry - anything that allowed me to be independent.

What I am looking forward to: Last OB appointment with this doctor before I switch, seeing her via ultrasound, hopefully moving off of bed rest.

Weekly Wisdom: If you’re getting a bad vibe from your doctor or their staff, it’s okay to switch mid-pregnancy. I noticed after my initial appointments my OB started to change her tune about a low intervention/natural birth & her office hasn’t returned any of my phone calls in three weeks about if I was allowed to go swimming or what my new due date is. I interviewed a new OB, toured a new hospital, and put in paperwork to switch my insurance plans.

Milestones: Hiccups & outside movement for the first time on Friday night while laying in bed - fascinating & extremely creepy.