11 Weeks 4 Days - Symptoms & Heartbeat/Ultrasound Appointments

Hello, and welcome to The Pregnant Doula!

I am halfway through my 12th week of pregnancy (11 weeks 4 days today), but I figured I would make a belly comparison up to this point and do a little "up until now" symptom, weight gain, and appointment catch up post!

No belly yet! Which should be expected, but I was really hoping to start showing earlier with this Little Bug. I can't wait for a beautiful belly, feeling kicks, knowing their name and preparing for birth! For now, I just feel like I'm passing time and enjoying all the nights I have left to sleep on my belly. 

Symptoms By Week: 

Week 4 (before we knew/as we found out) ~ Overly tired, comfort eating, moodiness, mild cravings, gassy, mild heartburn, constipation, achy back, bloating, nausea when smelling our niece's formula. Starting weight: 114lbs.

Week 5 ~ nightmares, drop in breastmilk supply, tired, lack of appetite, tired,

Week 6 ~ lack of symptoms, stress dreams, craving ceasar salad, tired.

Week 7 ~ nausea, have to eat small meals, tired.

Week 8 ~ craving caesar salad, fish & chips, Subway (with lots of veggies & house dressing), couldn't eat chocolate/sweets, tired, round ligament pains, contractions with nursing?

Week 9 ~ first time almost throwing up, nausea, tired. Weight gain: 1.5lbs.

Week 10 ~ tired, worried, nausea, happy to hear the heartbeat.

Week 11 ~ worry, happy to see the baby, nausea, heartburn.

Week 12 ~ tired, nausea, heartburn, contractions with nursing?

Heartbeat Appointment: 

We had our first midwife appointment at 8 weeks, 4 days pregnant, which went well, but it was a bit too early to hear the heartbeat (we tried). Our midwife sent in a requisition for a dating ultrasound, as my cycles have been very irregular (25, 33, and 15 days), but said if it wouldn't be in the next week to call in for a quick appointment to try again. 

After a fall on ice, I decided to take them up on that offer, and at 9 weeks, 4 days we came back to try again. I was fairly nervous, as this entire pregnancy I'd had this awkward feeling of foreboding, and I had half convinced myself the baby wasn't there. When our midwife said "Oh, there's Baby!" and placed the doppler right over it, I could hardly believe it, it didn't seem fast enough (160bpm), and I think I was just in shock! It was a beautiful, healthy, consistent sound though, and so, so reassuring.

Also right after our appointment, H proposed by saying "Now that our family is complete and healthy, will you marry me?", which of course makes the day even more special! (I said yes, of course!)

Ultrasound Appointment:

After hearing the heartbeat, I felt a lot better about the pregnancy, but I was really looking forward to seeing the baby for myself. Finally, I got the appointment confirmation - we would be seeing the baby on January 20th, at 10 weeks 6 days pregnant! 

Finally, the day arrived, and we were of course running late. Rushing to check in, and completely undress (they make you do that at my hospital - weird!), my heart was pounding a million beats a minute. They called me in, leaving H outside to wait, and had me lay down, screen turned away. I was actually surprisingly calm, just waiting, asking about if my uterus appeared tilted at all while he took the measurements. 

At least, he said, "There is definitely a baby in there, and a heartbeat. You're measuring about 10 and a half (4 days) pregnant, so a little off from the dates they gave me (they said 11 weeks 1 day). What's the dad's name, so I can call him in?" And he turned the screen to me! As he went to go get H, I just stared and stared at the screen, a big smile on my face. My baby was there! And okay!

H only got to see our little Love Bug quickly, but we were told the heartbeat was 169bpm earlier, and was now 152bpm - perfect scores, and good that it could change. He printed out some pictures and hurried us on our way - but we were on cloud nine, our baby was in there!! 

That's all for now! A 12 week belly picture and update soon to follow, and once we hit 13 weeks I will have some comparision photos of my first pregnancy and this one - so exciting!

For now, I'm just trying to sit back, relax, and enjoy the mobility, I know the belly is coming soon.

As always, love and happy gestating,

~ The Pregnant Doula