Mommy Mondays: 23 weeks

My 22 week appointment went really well.  Everything is going swimmingly with this pregnancy, and although I complained about the incredible back pain and sciatica I'm having, my doctor apologized and told me it's normal and it's going to get worse.  Thanks doc.  I'm gaining weight like someone was paying me to do so, but my doctor doesn't seem concerned.  It's hard to see the numbers jump on the scale each month, but given how vigilant my doctor was last time about keeping track, the fact that she's isn't concerned is a relief. 

I bought replacement maternity jeans and tried them on for the first time last night.  Which made me feel a little better.  On the one hand, I look skinnier than even pre-pregnancy when I wear them, because it's quite obvious that any weight in my midsection is BABY.  I look hugely pregnant.  (And trust me, it only looks like the weight is baby.  There is still a lot of "me" in there too!)On the other hand, I look hugely pregnant.  Like much farther along that 23 weeks.  Maternity clothes will do that to you.  Especially maternity jeans.  I'll do a little review of maternity wear in a later post, but in general, the fit of maternity clothes emphasizes the bump.  Jeans push everything up and out.  Wearing maternity clothes makes me look at least a month farther along than I do when wearing my regular clothes, even just jeans with a bella band.

Which could be why I'm still trying to get wear out of my regular clothes for as long as possible.  I don't know how I lucked out this pregnancy, but I have had no bloat.  Around 8 or 9 weeks last time I had to stop buttoning my pants.  This time I lasted until second trimester.  And since my pants and skirts fit everywhere but that button part, I'm still making use of the bella band instead of buying a million maternity pants and skirts. 

Total weight gain/loss: +15

Next Appointment: March 2.
Maternity clothes? I made a lot of use of my maternity dresses this week, which are perfect for work.  Lots of unbuttoned shirts and tanks, and my regular pants with the bella band.
Stretch marks: nada.
Sleep: Pretty good this week!  Still having the back pain, but it doesn't seem to interfere with me staying asleep once I get there.

Best moment this week: I love hearing the heartbeat at doctor's appointments.  I also think we honed in on the crib skirt for the nursery.
Movement: All the time.  In fact, Thatkid woke up on Saturday morning and started calling for us.  Oppobaby took that as a sign to wake up too and started kicking/punching me from the inside.
Food cravings: Cake

Food aversions: Nothing
Gender: Not finding out

Belly Button in or out: In.  But it never popped last time, so I'm not expecting it to this time.
What I miss: Being able to bend over or move without being in pain.

What I am looking forward to: Viability next week!  Not that I'm ready for this baby to show up, it's just another good milestone.

Contractions: I think maybe!?!  Since I never had, I'm not sure if that's what it was, but it was an especially long and stressful day, it was late, I was tired, and probably dehydrated.  Washing dishes when I felt this pressure going across my lower abdomen.  I'm still not 100% sure it was a Braxton Hicks contraction or just the spine of the baby pressing against and across my stomach, but it went away once I sat down, put my feet up, and grabbed a glass of water.

 Milestones:

-Keratization of the skin.

-finger and toenails are beginning to make an appearance.

- Baby is making regular deep breathing movements.  Cells are lining the branches within the lungs and producing surfactant which assists lung functions.