Pregnancy Now and Then

There are many differences and of course similarities between my current pregnancy and my first pregnancy. The most obvious similarity is the timing - both times I got pregnant in early January and am due in early October. The most striking difference is the shape and protrusion of my belly this time versus the last time. While the overall circumference measurement is basically the same (as is my weight gain), this baby is sticking out in front (visible via profile view) significantly more than my first, whereas the first caused my sides to expand (an unfortunate condition) as observable via belly cast comparison from that pregnancy to this (visible via back view with belly cast).

Below are notes on differences that I kept in a pregnancy journal through both pregnancies. I'll try to show pictures wherever possible too. I will use the LNMP (last normal menstrual period) convention for Weeks (1-40), but note that the baby is not actually conceived until the start of week 3 in this convention! So if I say that I am 7 weeks along (LNMP assumed), the baby was conceived only 5 weeks prior.

Item	Pregnancy 1 Jan (conceived Sat 1/13/07)- Oct 7, 2007	Pregnancy 2 Jan (conceived Sat 1/10/09)- Oct 3 (est), 2009
Trimester 1: Nausea	Weeks 7 - 10, not sick every day, at least part of each day not sick - wrote in journal that it was going away in Week 10	Weeks 7-14, daily low level nausea, especially sensitive to smells, and specifically the horrible floral "air freshener" in the women's bathroom at work
Trimester 1: Cravings / Food	No specific food cravings noted, though I did note the need for carbs almost every 2-3 hours and especially in the morning, and I wanted HOT food (like oatmeal or eggs), not cold food.	Craved very simple tomato sauces - tomato, basil, olive oil - and plain pasta. Also felt the need for more protein (including steak which I very rarely feel the need to eat). Steamed milk in the mornings was good.
Trimester 1: Physical Changes	Breast tenderness felt almost immediately - noticed it the day we found out (baby was conceived 2 weeks prior, 4 weeks LNMP). Noticed: breaking out, perpetual stuffy/bloody nose, hair falls out less.	Never felt breast tenderness - amazing. Noticed: breast size increasing, late week 13 felt baby flutter! Totally exhausted by the end of the day. No noticeable breakouts or nose stuffiness. Did not note hair falling out less, but I think that did happen (for sure thick now at the end).
Trimester 1: Ultrasounds	First one baby was 28 days after conception (6 weeks LNMP)- all we saw was a line with the heart beating at 122 bpm. Second one was 42 days after conception (8 weeks LNMP) - heart rate 164 bpm.	Dating ultrasound at 48 days - called it 9 weeks - but since it was a Thursday, I knew it was 2 days shy of that (felt ovulation on Sat 1/10/09). That is why my doctor says my due date is Thurs 10/1/09 - but I know better. :-) Heart rate not shown on image, but I wrote that it was 180 bpm.
Trimester 1: Ultrasound Photos
Trimester 1: "Showing" Status	Not showing. Thought I was at the time, but I was seeing things.	Showing a little! Check it out below.
Trimester 1: "Showing" Pictures
Trimester 1: Exercise	Running	Running (a bit slower)
Trimester 2: Weight Gain	4 lbs gained Trimester 1; Tracking at average 1 lb/week	Tracking 2 pounds higher than previous pregnancy to start Trimester 2, and again 1 lb/week gain.
Trimester 2: Baby Movement	Finally felt movement on Mother's Day - 5/13/07 second day of Week 20 (so 19 weeks and 2 days along)	Had already felt baby move in Week 13 as mentioned above, and continue to feel flutters and stronger movements in Trimester 2.
Trimester 2: Ultrasound	On 6/4/07 3rd day of 23rd week after we returned from a trip to Japan, heat rate was 150 bpm.	On 5/22/09 last day of Week 21, did not note heart rate.
Trimester 2: Ultrasound Photos
Trimester 2: Physical Changes	No major issues (as listed below) - felt great and not more tired than usual.	Leg cramps - "sciatic nerve" problems - have to sit down, started in Hawaii ~Week 22 and continued off/on through remainder of pregnancy. Heartburn - also started in Hawaii ~Week 22. Had it twice there, then a few times after only. Chloasma - dark patches of skin on the face, a small triangle on my right cheek, slightly on my upper lip and forehead. Physically exhausted a lot.
Trimester 2: Exercise	Last day of running was 6/10/07 - beginning of 24th week. Swam 4-5 times/week, walked other days.	Continued running through June and into July (slow shuffle!), stopped mid-July and took up more walking, lifting (upper body light weights), and swimming ~2 times/week.
Trimester 2: "Showing" photos at 27 weeks
Trimester 3: Exercise	Swimming 5-6 times/week, walking 3-5 times/week all trimester	Swam ~2/week until week 36 (finished work), then 4/week. Walked 5/week until week 36, then ~4/week (so far)
Trimester 3: Energy Level	Felt more tired in 8th month (August), but not too bad. 1 10 oz cup regular coffee daily really helped, bed by ~10 pm	Exhausted in the morning and evenings - had to drink 1/2 decaf coffee or felt too "buzzed," bed by 9 or 9:30 really helps.
Trimester 3: Doctor's Items	No Gestational Diabetes, No Group B Strep	No Gestational Diabetes, Screened positive in week 37 for Group B Sterp (bummer)
Trimester 3: Weight Gain	By the end, gained 35 lbs	So far (week 38) only 30 lbs - finally has slowed. Hopefully won't gain the last 5 to match last time
Trimester 3: Belly Button & Waist Size	Had a little "lip" but never fully became an outie. Measured 42 inches around at 38 weeks.	I've had an outie for the last several weeks. Measuring 43 inches around at 38 weeks.
Trimester 3: "Showing" (photos at 38 weeks)
Trimester 3: Belly Cast Shape Comparison at 38 weeks	Had a belly cast done by our doula at 38 weeks. By itself it's just kind of cool, but compared to this pregnancy, there are definite things to see.	The belly cast has "air" on either side - and does not fit quite properly on top. I seem to move out with a greater slope this time than last, and did not grow as much on the sides. See the several photos below for what I mean.
Trimester 3: Belly Cast photos
Labor & Delivery	In a nutshell: felt bad all day Saturday 10/6 due date (like I had to pee but nothing would come out), contractions started around noon, began "active" phase around 7 pm, to hopsital around 1:30 am, dilated to 8.5 cm by ~4:30 am, stuck at 8.5 at 6 am, got epidural at 6:30 am, slept ~1 hour, pitosin around 8 am, ready to push (10 cm) by 11 am, pushed 2 hours - out came LUCIA SUSAN with her head and left arm together at 12:58 pm 8 lbs 5 oz, 19.5 inches and 36 cm head circumference, Sunday October 7, 2007.	To be determined...

So given all that - what are my conclusions? Is the whole point of this exercise to determine whether I'm having a girl or a boy? Do I even dare make that prediction now?

Given that I predicted Lucia would be a boy, I figure the predicting odds are not in my favor. I will state for the record that Annie Duong predicted Lucia would be a girl, and was correct. This time she called boy around Week 28, but is apparently starting to waffle on that prediction. As for me, I'm going to remain silent in print, but I will say that given the differences in pregnancies - especially in the shape and show of my belly - if this is not a boy, there is absolutely nothing to that whole shape myth (i.e. girls go out on the side, boys go out in front) - or at least not for me anyway.