It's harder to blog, too, because there just aren't that many things to make decisions about during this pregnancy. I was reading over my last blog and we had so many new opinions! This time feels much more decided and familiar. We also have almost everything we'll need, and the primary unknowns are around the actual birth and how the baby's personality manifests in the first several months.
So... I guess I'll focus on the things that make this pregnancy special.
First of all, having a big sister expecting her baby sister makes things fun and exciting. Aisling is very aware at all times of my growing belly. She spontaneously kisses and cuddles it all the time, and asks me what her baby sister is thinking and saying. We talk a lot about how her baby sister will be small and helpless, how she will only drink my boobies for a long time, just like Aisling did. We talk about how Aisling was born in the hospital, and needed to stay in the hospital for a few days. It's actually helpful that Doug was in the hospital recently, because she has a whole context now that she would otherwise be missing. It's also helpful that a couple of our friends recently delivered their second babies, because she's gotten to see how small they are and how slowly they grow up. There are younger toddlers at her daycare, too, who were infants when they started and are now 15-16 months old. So there's an awareness that I'm not just going to birth another 3-yo playmate for Aisling.
The pregnancy itself is going pretty smoothly. Because I delivered Aisling pre-term, I'm taking weekly shots of progesterone, which evidence indicates prevents 30-50% of subsequent preterm deliveries. The doctors aren't terribly worried, though, because Aisling was so close to full-term when I delivered. I'm being watched as a high-risk mother, because I'm "old," I delivered early last time, and my placenta was 2 MM closer to my cervix than they'd like to see at 20 weeks. It will almost certainly move in time for the delivery, though.
My weight gain was slightly slower this time, though I'm mostly caught up now; my belly seemed to get bigger faster, though. In fact, the way my uterus got bigger faster seemed to give this baby tons more room to move than Aisling had at that stage, because I've felt soooo much more movement than I remember with Aisling, in a very different way. Flips, kicks, tumbles, rolls, gymnastics! This baby also had the ability, for many weeks, to lay transverse (sideways) across my pelvis when I was sitting down, and she would wiggle her hands and feet so that I could feel little tickles right up against each hip bone in front, way down low, at the same time. So strange!
She started getting the hiccups right on time, at about 26 weeks. Hiccups help me figure out her position: when they're low in my belly, I know her head is down. Sometimes she'll flip and I'll feel them up high, but like Aisling she seems to prefer head-down (hope it stays this way). Over the last 2 weeks things are starting to close in on her and she's getting so much stronger. She likes to brace her feet on the right side of my belly, up near the top, and puuuuuussshhh! Aisling did this too, but I don't remember her being strong enough that it was as uncomfortable as it can be now.
About this time last pregnancy I did a "second trimester recap." Might as well do that again.
Her size: Up to 2.5 lbs and 16" long
My size: I was trending bigger a few weeks ago, and I definitely feel uncomfortable if I eat too much, but I don't feel humongous right now. I'm measuring right on track. I can clearly feel baby through my belly.
Belly Button:still an innie, like last time. Getting shallow but not close to popping out.
Stretch Marks: None so far, at least not on my belly. I think Aisling did end up giving me a few, but they're on my lower sides and hips, and they're pretty faint. In fact I just noticed them when I was looking for stretch marks from this pregnancy and found some old ones I never noticed before.
Weight Gain: I've gained 20-25 lbs and expect to gain 10-15 more before we're done.
Sleep: Like Aisling, this baby is good about sleeping at night when I sleep, and not keeping me awake with too much late-night partying. Unlike Aisling's pregnancy, though, I have a toddler now who wakes up sometimes and requires a little settling or tucking or hugging or pottying, which is always interesting and exciting to baby sister, who usually wakes up too. Luckily she usually settles right back down again.
I had some epic mega-dreams during the second trimester, which have mostly gone away. These dreams were like intense action/fantasy/sci-fi movies, and I'd wake up to pee and then lay down and fall right back into the same dream. It was crazy. I kinda looked forward to them every night.
Maternity Clothes: I still have what I wore last pregnancy, plus a few hand-me-downs from some mommy friends, plus a few new purchases (mostly t-shirts). Since we live on the peninsula this time, the weather is different -- warmer, drier, more consistent than the city. It will soon be genuine summer, which it never was when Aisling was born in SF. I remember bringing her home in mid-June and getting a wool hat from REI because our apartment was soooo cold.
Food Cravings and Aversions: None, really. I ate tons of watermelon with Aisling, and I also like it this pregnancy, despite having eaten very little of it in the 3 intervening years. I'm probably eating slightly healthier this time, if only because I don't work someplace with delicious catered lunches every day and a fully-stocked snack bar in the kitchen.
General symptoms: I definitely get more braxton-hicks contractions with this baby. I remember getting them when I climbed hills and stairs with Aisling. Now I get them all the time when I stand up from sitting, and sometimes when I think about having a contraction, one starts.
I've experienced way less bladder trauma during this pregnancy, too. It's not that it's comfy or anything; this baby just doesn't seem to have the same instinct to pummel, scratch, and torment my poor bladder the way Aisling did. On the other hand, I officially leak a little pee when I sneeze, which is extremely annoying.
I was WAY more active during this second trimester than I was last time. Partly because I only work part-time and walked or hiked 3-5 miles every day in late Feb, all of March, and early April. I've been doing less lately though, and I need to amp it back up. I have been getting tired and a little out of breath more easily lately, though.
What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Baby Sister! I can't wait to start our new life as a slightly bigger family. Also, having a beer or a glass or two of wine while relaxing and laughing with friends will be such a relief. And sleeping on my back again.
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