CHD Awareness Week Day Two:Pregnancy Post Week 17

I am very excited today, because last night I got an email telling me that the red dress I had picked out was on its way to my house! :) Miss Bella, the wonderful gal who is donating the dress to me, said she mailed it Monday morning. So by my calculations, the dress should come either tomorrow or Saturday. Yay!!!!! :D I will be sure to take a break from my CHD Awareness posts on Saturday and will do a Traveling Red Dress Update, so be sure to tune in for that!

Once again, Lon works today from 9 to 2. Alan and I need to get my car's oil change (that will be an adventure in itself lol) and then we are supposed to meet up with Kelsie and her son Kelton for a playdate, though we have yet to decide where to meet and what to do lol. :P Then I work at the Y at four.

Here's my heart healthy (for baby) Pregnancy Post! Enjoy!





Via

How far along: 17 weeks and 3 days

Size of Baby: Seven ounces and six inches long or the size of a red onion.

Developments of Baby: Baby's ear have finally developed fully and look like a normal ear now, Baby can also start to hear sounds! :) This is the first week first time mamas will be able to feel movement, but experienced mamas might feel it sooner! The skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to hard bone. Baby's sweat glands are starting to develop this week as well.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet lol. I keep thinking I am getting huge, but then I put on my work clothes and no one can even tell lol! And I work at a gym, so its not like the attire is baggy lol! Ugh I am actually starting to want a belly, just so people don't give me looks when I tell them I am pregnant. :P

Morning Sickness: Had morning sickness a little yesterday, but otherwise I have been doing a ton better. Yes!

Stretch Marks: Thankfully still none on my belly, and no more on my thighs and chest. I have been lotioning my body like three times a day now lol!

Gender: T-minus 20 days until Baby Gender Day!!!!!!!!

Movement: I haven't felt any movement so far this week, and I am hoping that I will soon! The early fetal movements are my favorite part of pregnancy!

Sleep: Sleep is still improving. I can now stay up until almost ten at night, whoo! And I will sleep pretty soundly through the night. Almost nothing wakes me up these days, well except a full bladder. :P

Best Moment This Week: Alan was being a little rowdy in our bed cuddling the other day. His foot accidentally kicked my belly and I made a noise. He covered his mouth, said "Oh no, sorry mama and baby!" and then bent over and kissed my belly! All by himself too! Oh my goodness, sooooooooooooo sweet! :) I almost melted. 

What I miss: I never thought I would say this pregnant lol, but being able to have a drink with the girls! This Saturday was the YMCA's staff "Christmas" party (I only say that because its February lol) and I didn't end up going for two reasons: my early bedtime and the fact I would have been one of the small few not drinking. Then I read all the posts on Facebook about how much fun the girls of ChildWatch all had, some of them even without drinking. Ugh, I should have gone. But oh well, not that big of a deal really. :)

Food Cravings: Salmon, cheeseburgers, cheesecake, pizza, Laffy Taffy, tacos, Cool Ranch Doritios, Starburst, Skittles, Snickers, chocolate, tator tots, chai tea, milkshakes, Sour Cream and Onion chips, grilled cheese sandwiches, and definitely lasanga lol!

Food Aversions: Eggs still, my husband's AWFUL beef jerkeys lol and raw meat. Yuck to the extreme!

Symptoms: Morning sickness, feeling weak or light-headed, round ligament pain, all around exhaustion, the need to pee ALL the time lol, out of breath easily, food aversions and nausea, major forgetfulness, odd dreams, heightened sense of smell, cluster headaches, leg and butt cramps, overly emotional at times (gotta love pregnancy hormones!)

What I’m looking forward to: Baby Gender Day!!!!! It seems that no one in my family can wait either lol!

What I'm not looking forward to: The glucose test and any other blood work. I think I am good on that for a while, right?????? :)

And now, for my CHD Awareness part of the post.





Via

The 5 Things Every Pregnant Woman Should Do

Take a folic acid supplement. There is a direct link to CHD and lack of folic acid in pregnancy. If you are planning your pregnancy, start taking folic acid supplements and prenatal vitamins before conception.

Don't smoke while pregnant. If possible, stop before getting pregnant and avoid being around smokers during. If you are pregnant and still smoking, stop as early as possible. The heart develops early in pregnancy.

During your twenty week ultrasound, ask about Baby's heart development, not just the gender. This ultrasound is used for your doctors to check on the development, including the heart. Ask your technician to see all the chambers of the heart.

After birth, request your child is screened with the pulse oximetry test within the first 24 hours of life. Ask the doctors if they hear a murmur. A murmur often will happen and can be completely harmless, but other times it can signal something more serious.

Memorize the warning signs of CHD in a newborn. These include but are not limited to: turning blue, dusky coloring, rapid breathing, trouble feeding, tiring easily and sweating along the forehead.

I received all of this CHD information today from Miss Kristen @ Cora's Story. A special thanks to her for that. :) Another reminder to check out the CHD fun on Pinterest! Please be sure to re-pin! Have a great day and tune in for my CHD Awareness Week post featuring Cora's Story!