We don't know if the baby is a girl or a boy, but it looks healthy, and of course that's all that matters. We have names picked out, and I can't wait to find out which one we will get to use. I've had no morning sickness, my blood pressure is perfect, and overall, I just feel pretty incredible.
At my appointment last week, I was up about eleven pounds from where I was the day I found out I was pregnant. I admit that I've been pretty hard on myself, worrying about weight, during this pregnancy, but I try to just keep telling myself that it's normal to gain weight, and a healthy baby is the goal, no matter what. My OB isn't worried though, saying that even if I gain another 15 pounds by the end of the pregnancy, it's still a good number. Also, I tend to have 'big' babies (my first was 10 pounds 14 ounces and my second was 10 pounds 8 ounces) so obviously I know that a lot of what I gain will be lost immediately.
I've always been fortunate enough to have pretty easy going pregnancies, even at my biggest weight. I'm finding though that at 100 pounds less, it's even better. Energy levels are good, and if these Braxton Hicks contractions would stop for the next 10 weeks or so, I'd say that things could be pretty darned perfect.
In my previous pregnancies, I had to do the glucose tolerance test a couple times. My levels always came back under the number you have when you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I remember with my son, I needed a 130 or less on the one hour test, and I ended up getting a 131. I had to do the three hour glucose tolerance test. Passed that one with flying colors. This time around, because I've had the surgery and sometimes cannot tolerate a lot of sugar, I told my doctor I wasn't comfortable doing the standard test. My fear was that I'd drink the stuff, get sick, void the test and have to do it again. Luckily, he was pretty understanding and instead we did an A1C. I wasn't sure what it was, so we discussed it and once I understood, it was definitely the way to go. Last weekend I fasted for 12 hours (which let me tell you, even after you've had the portion of your stomach removed that sends out hunger signals, fasting for that long while you're pregnant is still pretty much hell). I had my blood work done and I was so anxious for the results. They said I'd have to wait until at least Monday when my doctor office opened. I called that morning, and he hadn't reviewed the results yet so they were unable to tell me. I was afraid I'd have to wait until my next appointment to hear the results. The alternative of course, is them calling me and telling me that my levels came back super high and I was being referred to the diabetes specialist. The call came the next day. I was terrified. Thankfully, the woman on the phone just wanted to talk to me about scheduling a c/section, and I was able to ask her for my test results. After a bit of phone tag between her, the nurse, and myself, I got them. And again, I passed with flying colors! I did better than that really. My A1C level was a 4.8 (on the low side of the ranges) and my average glucose level for the past three months is a 91. So if 130 is the cut off, I dare say I'm doing pretty awesome. It would be a lot lower I'm sure if I wasn't eating so many carbs, but that's a whole other vent/blog post. One I'm not too proud of. :/
Overall though, pregnancy is going great. In the beginning I thought it would be a lot different having a pregnancy after weight loss surgery, and while I guess on one hand it is, on the other, it's not. I'm so thankful for this little babe I have growing in me, and I cannot wait to meet him/her!
And just because, here are a couple pictures. One is from 25 weeks and the other is from 26 weeks. I think I definitely look bigger in the 26 week one!
