20 & 21.

20 & 21.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

So I'm 22 weeks today and a little bit behind in pregnancy posts.

But here's what baby & I have been up to the last 2 weeks!

At 20 weeks...

- I had my 20 week appt with my OB. Baby's HB was 143 and sounding great!

- My weight gain is at +10 pounds

- I took a comparison picture of me at 20 weeks with Jack and 20 weeks this time...same outfit.

-I am clearly WAY smaller!

- We had our ultrasound! Baby is healthy and weighs 12 oz. The ultrasound technician said that is on the smaller size and not indicative of another 9lb baby...HUGE sigh of relief. But she also said you never know how many pounds they'll pack on at the end.

- Dr. Knight told me I am actually MORE likely to get PUPPP rash again this time time around since I've had it once before. I think I almost cried. He reassured me that it is still really rare since it occurs in less than 1% of pregnant women but just the thought of enduring that again makes me want to bawl. Oh and PS 71% of the cases of PUPPP are in women carrying boys. Oh BOY.

- I'm not waking up as often as I did in the first trimester to use the bathroom. I know it's coming back in the 3rd trimester so I'm treasuring my uninterrupted sleep while I can.

- I measured 22cm at my OB appointment.

- I had at least 5 breakdowns. I cry way more this pregnancy. Everything makes me cry.

At 21 weeks...

- I bought an exercise bike on Craigslist for $25! Deal of the century!

 I'm loving it and using it any chance I get...mostly while watching TV :]

- I wet the bed. Yep. No shame. You know why? Because I lost all my dignity when this happened to me at 30 weeks in my pregnancy with Jack. You can read about how I thought my water broke and went to L&D just to be safe here. This time I knew exactly what had happened...and was so mad! How does this happen to me ONLY when I'm pregnant!? Seriously so annoying. So. Annoying.

- I painted my toenails for what I decided was the last time for the next 19 weeks. It is getting so uncomfortable to reach! I already told my mama I would be needing her help in that department for the next several weeks.

- We found out that Baby is Baby Boy!

I knew this little face looked boy!

And if that picture doesn't convince you, this one will.

- I failed at my 1 dessert/week goal. I think I had dessert every night of 21 weeks. Oops.

- I'm still walking 5 miles five days a week.

- I was happy to note I can still sort of hide my bump with a loose shirt while laying down. Ha. The day will come when there is absolutely no hiding it so I'm savoring moments like this.

- Baby is moving like crazy. Mostly at night.

- T & I can't agree on a name. Mostly T just hates every single boy name except for Jack, which is taken.

- The billing person at the OB office called and told me we have to pay $525/month from now until January 1 so the delivery bill can be paid in full before the baby's due date. I cried. Actually more like I bawled. Really, I seriously cry over everything.

- I'm still experiencing round ligament pain, mostly at night when I roll over.

- I somehow resisted buying every cute baby item I saw at Target the 3x I went during the week.

But if I go into Target one more time I'm pretty sure this outfit is going to jump into my cart:

It has been really anxious to go home with me.

I told it "no" three times already

[one of those times it even made it off the rack and halfway into my cart].

I don't think I'll be able to resist a 4th time.

- I am so much more tired than I was in the first trimester. I thought the second trimester is when you are supposed to get your boost of energy? I think I took 3 naps during week 21. Most weeks I allow myself zero naps.

- I'm overall feeling great and being grateful for good pregnancy health!

On to week 22!

xoxo

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The Pregnancy Diaries: PUPPP

The Pregnancy Diaries: PUPPP

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

PUPPP.  Ever heard of it?  I'll tell you all about it.


It all started yesterday.  My abdomen was feeling itchy.  By nighttime I was miserably itchy.  My skin started to become red from all the scratching.  I tried everything to get some relief: hydrocortisone cream, benadryl cream, vitamin e oil, lotion, gold bond powder.  Nothing seemed to be working.  Finally I got a little bit of relief by laying in bed with the fan blowing directly onto my itchy abdomen.  By a little bit, I really do mean a little bit.  I pretty much didn't sleep last night because I was so miserably itchy.  Every time I woke up to go to the bathroom I couldn't fall back asleep because I just couldn't help but scratch to soothe the itch.


I was absolutely no better this morning.  Worse, actually.  I had developed a rash overnight.  It was red and bumpy and all over my abdomen except for a 1-inch circumference around my belly button that was totally unaffected.  Weird.  At work I was such a whiner.  Seriously.  But I was honestly just so completely and utterly miserable.  Toward the middle of the day I started to feel sick just because I was so itchy.  I scratched all day long and felt like I was becoming certifiably NUTS.  Extreme itchiness gets to your head!  I left work early (thanks to Chelsy and Jessica for covering for me and to Chelsy for convincing me!) and headed to Wal-Mart to buy oatmeal bath soak (I read online it helps for itchy skin).  I splurged at Wal-Mart and bought the Aveeno oatmeal bath soak, Aveeno anti-itch soothing lotion with colloidal oatmeal and the Aveeno anti-itch body wash also with colloidal oatmeal.  I was seriously determined to try everything and it was totally worth the mulah.


Well.  I was talking to my older sister, Laurin, on the way home and mentioned how completely miserable I was.  I told her I had the worst itchiness ever and that I had never been so miserable in my pregnancy.  She asked me "Have you ever heard of PUPPP?"  No.  Well, I kind of thought it sounded familiar but I had no idea what it was.  She didn't know much about it except that it was a rash some pregnant women developed.  She had read about it while she was pregnant with her first baby (about 4.5 years ago) but didn't remember much since she never had it.  She told me to look it up and see what it said about it.  So I did...and VOILA!...she diagnosed me!  I was seriously so happy to have a reason to be so ridiculously itchy and so whiny.


Facts about PUPPP:

• Occurring in one of every 150 pregnancies, PUPPP stands for "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy."
• In plain English, PUPPP is an itchy, bumpy rash that usually develops on the abdomen near the umbilical area. Check.
• Can spread to the thighs and extremities. Boo.  I hope I'm spared :[
• It’s most common in first-time mothers... Check.
• ...and those carrying multiples. No check.  I better not be carrying multiples.
• Sometimes itching can become very severe Check.
• The good news: PUPPP poses no risk for your baby. 
• PUPPP usually appears in the third trimester Check.
• Disappears after childbirth.
• It is the most common rash in pregnant women.
• PUPPP does not usually affect subsequent pregnancies. Thank GOODNESS!!
• The rash of PUPPP almost always begins in the stretch marks (striae) of the abdomen. Check.
• It does not involve the belly button distinguishing it from other common rashes of pregnancy. Check.
• The rash itself consists of small, red wheals in the stretch marks that grow together to form larger wheals on the abdomen. Check...I currently have the small, red wheals.  Not looking forward to larger wheals :[
• The rash is very itchy, or pruritic, hence the name. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK!!!
• It lasts an average of 6 weeks and resolves spontaneously 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. 
• The most severe itching normally lasts for no more than 1 week.
• The cause of PUPPP is unknown. 
• 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys. Check.

Yep, I'm pretty sure it's PUPPP.  And it totally sucks.

All the online articles suggest home remedies for PUPPP.  Oatmeal bath.  Check.  Anti-itch lotions.  Check.  I took the oatmeal bath as soon as I got home from Wal-Mart and then applied the Aveeno lotion.  I had complete, heavenly relief...for about 10 minutes.  I'm back to being a little squirmy with the itchies but it's not nearly as bad as it was before my bath.

I have the day off tomorrow for our 4 year anniversary (yay!) and I'll be calling the doctor first thing in the morning if I'm still miserable.  Delivery is the only real cure to PUPPP and I read that many doctors will induce you if you are close to your delivery date and the PUPPP is severe so that you can start oral steroids.  I'm still not into the idea of elective induction but I don't think I can handle a repeat of today.

Here's to hoping the lotion and bath help and to not having the rash spread to my legs, breasts, and extremities!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed learning all about PUPPP. :]

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The Pregnancy Diaries: Itchy Belly

The Pregnancy Diaries: Itchy Belly

Ahhhh!! The itchiness!!! My belly is so stretched to the max (hopefully) and I'm completely miserable with the itchies! I've tried everything! Hydrocortisone cream, Benadryl, gold bond powder, vitamin E oil, lotion. Nothing is working! I really feel almost certifiably insane from the constant itch. I'm almost considering induction for the sole purpose of relieving the itch! If you have any ideas, let me know. This is the most miserable part of my pregnancy to date. Ahhhh.

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