5 weeks
[Originally written January 10, 2010.]
I’m peeing constantly. Feeling mild cramping, but no nausea. Putting red pepper flakes on almost all of my food. Eating everything in sight and am already up to 138lbs. That can’t be right, can it?? Taking my pre-natal vitamin with folic acid each morning. Trying to eat fruit with every breakfast and veggies with every lunch.
Oh, and I haven’t had caffeine in 4 days. *sigh*
I peed on a stick on Sunday: two pink lines.
Brandon and I freaked out about the cost. So I went to talk with social services at the hospital on Monday.
Peed in a cup at the health department clinic on Tuesday: another positive. And an official estimated due date of September 14th.
Told our parents Tuesday. What did my mom say (after squealing with delight)? “You’ll eat like a horse. You’ll go from a small A to a big C cup, so be sure to use body lotion. Thankfully you come from a long line of 8-hour-no-hassle deliveries.”
The giant pimple that announced my surging hormones turned into two and is finally starting to fade. I’m wondering how new mamas think about ANYTHING ELSE during this period. I am devouring pregnancy discussion boards, do and don’t lists, and trying to conceive (TTC*) stories of other women across the continent. It’s all overwhelming and heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
Our parents are on board. Some reluctantly. And their support is important to me. Some moments I am so flippin’ scared.
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*You would not believe the acronyms used on these bulletin boards! TTC, FIL, MIL, DS, DD, DH, BFP, BFN. Reading is like trying to decipher morse code.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:07 am
my nausea started at 8 weeks and lasted until 15 weeks. i was soo thirsty but water made my stomach queasy – i probably ate half a dozen mini watermelons all to myself. yum. bring snacks with you everywhere – i found things like nuts really helped ward off the hunger (which turned to intense curl-in-a-ball nausea pretty quickly). september is a great month for birthdays (mine’s on the 12th)! my son was born 2 days before christmas after a frantic and surprisingly fast 3hr labour. he was breech and we didn’t find out until after my water broke. planned homebirth was scrapped and he was born naturally shortly after at BC Women’s. being pregnant and now being a new mom have been the most challenging and most rewarding experiences of my life.
best wishes for a healthy, normal, nausea-free pregnancy :) Looking forward to reading and seeing all your updates on your blog and flickr page. oh and I really liked babycentre.ca for their weekly email updates (“your baby is the size of a [insert fruit here] this week!”) and for their birth club message boards.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Oh my gosh!!!!! I gasped and my tummy did flips when I saw the picture!
Congratulations! Oh, I’m so happy for you and Brandon! This is one blessed little baby, and I pray that the pregnancy goes smoothly and wonderfully and ohhhhhh!!! I just can’t contain my excitement!!
Yes, those pregnancy boards are an education in and of themselves just with the acronyms. The most annoying one, in my opinion, is dh. Dear husband or darling husband. It’s just not manly. I don’t like it. And I’m not pregnant anymore, haven’t been for nearly 5 years, so we can’t blame it on the hormones. haha
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoooooooooooooooo!!!
March 13th, 2010 at 11:55 am
another virgo baby! fantastic!
are the two of you going to find out the gender prior to delivery?
March 13th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I just want to say, girl you’ve got this!!! Textbooks, hospital rounds, blogs, husband, family and cute puppy dogs – I think you are a rock star. You have many wonderful adventures ahead, and I can’t wait to continue reading about them. All the best to both of you!! xoxo
March 13th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Congratulations!
Not sure I understand the reason you went to see social services at the hospital…
March 13th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Congratulations, and best of luck during the pregnancy.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
woah, congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 13th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Joy joy wow friggen big JOY!!!
March 14th, 2010 at 2:09 am
Hi, Jen- I’ve been reading your site for several years but I don’t think I’ve ever commented. Wait, I think I did once when you offered to send folks postcards from Paris if they wanted one. I still have the postcard you sent me! And this is definitely an occasion to delurk… again. CONGRATULATIONS! I’m so happy and excited for you, even though I don’t actually “know” you. Having a baby will completely change your life. I just had my first child, on December 22, and it’s like nothing I ever expected. I’m sure you’ll hear that alot too. My son, Matthew, has Tetralogy of Fallot and will be going in for heart surgery next week-exactly at 3 months. Again, congratulations and enjoy the pregnancy.
March 14th, 2010 at 3:58 am
[...] jenniferhawke.com :: Baby Bump :: 5 weeks [...]
March 14th, 2010 at 8:55 am
love you and love baby…
March 14th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Hi,
I haven’t commented yet either, but I found your site in search of people dealing with the whole med school process and have really enjoyed it. Congratulations!!
Callie
March 14th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Wow! Congratulations!!!
March 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Now you should know, clothes that will fit between 135-165 are right around the corner. Not so many with elasticized waistbands, but we can fix you up. And of course, anything else you want, I am here! Even got decaf on hand if you get the latte cravings. I know zero about pregnancy and babies outside of textbook land, but am totally stoked for you guys and will help wherever you’ll let me:)
YAY!!
March 14th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Got to add my CONGRATULATIONS!
You guys will make fantastic parents.
You guys are going to be busy.
All the best.
March 14th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Hi, I have never commented before but I read both yours and Brandons blogs and sort of feel like I know you guys. Congratulations!! I am so happy for the both of you and dont let anybody bring you down. You both should enjoy every minute of this first pregnancy because the first time only happens once !
March 14th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Coming out of the woodwork (been a long time reader, since 2004 I believe) to say congratulations! I live in Vancouver and saw you a couple times in the streets walking Maddy and was too shy to say hello. You’re read, and you have staying power the way many blogs have not. Congrats again
March 15th, 2010 at 4:23 am
Aw, I knew it from that pink elephant post last week! CONGRATULATIONS to you both (plus puppies). You are gonna do just fine, my dear. All my best to you and Brandon. xxx
March 16th, 2010 at 7:59 am
Thanks for all the congratulations from everyone!! I hope things go as well as you all pray. I know Jen is having a heck of a time with everything and is doing so awesome at keeping it all under control. I think if I was her I would have went crazy by now. It is such an amazing (and SCARY) experience.
Jillian: I really want to find out the sex of the baby so that we can have things on hand that are male or female determined instead of color neutral items…