7 Quick Takes Friday – Second Trimester!

I started this as a regular post yesterday, but then I realized that today is Friday, so I’m just going to turn them into 7 QT.

** 1 **

I am now 14 weeks and 4 days pregnant. One week ago I got to hear baby B’s heartbeat on the doppler. I entered the second trimester. It would seem that there’s going to be a small child making his or her grand entrance in about six months. Even though I’ve had two ultrasounds and heard the heartbeat, I still have a hard time accepting that I am *actually* pregnant.

I’m sub-fertile, remember? I think I started to identify myself with my failed fertility after trying for over a year (which I know compared to some people is nothing), so that now that everything seems to have worked the way its supposed to, I’m still a bit surprised.

I’ve been hesitating on thinking too much about baby items, what I might need, doulas, birthing methods, etc. because I didn’t want to get too into any of that stuff before I “knew everything would be ok.” So now, it’s the second trimester, and everything is ok. It’s time to get going.

** 2 **

So here I am friends, with an appeal for your opinions, suggestions and advice on some questions I’m having about this whole pregnancy/birthing a child/being a parent thing.

I am having nearly constant lower back pain. Is/has anyone experienced this while pregnant, even during the first and second trimester? Did you find anything that helped relieve the pain (other than tylenol?).

** 3 **

To doula or not to doula? I am giving birth in the hospital, and I will be induced one week early. I’m not 100% sold on “natural” birth; meaning, I’m open to an epidural at some point, though I’d like to go as long as I can without one.

Of course, all of this depends on the size of the baby. The biggest risk in diabetic women giving birth is large babies. SO, if I’m having some 10 pound monster on December 27…I don’t know. The doctor already told me that if the baby is huge, then she’ll want to do a c-section (her words exactly — “If it’s the size of a toddler, I’m not going to let you go too long”).

So if I end up needing a c-section (which I’m hoping I won’t), then is there even a point to having a doula? What exactly, does the doula do? (which sounds like a tongue twister!)

For currently pregnant ladies, are you using a doula? If you already have children, have you ever used one? What’s good/bad about it?

** 4 **

Has anyone gone the route of using an infant car seat with a stroller frame rather than using a regular stroller right off the bat? Did you like it? At what point did you switch to a regular stroller?

It seems like it’s cheaper, and since you HAVE to have a good infant car seat, it makes sense to me to just snap it into a frame and have your stroller.

But since you will need a regular stroller at some point, do you register for both?

** 5 **

What are the three parenting/new parent books I *have* to read before the baby is born?

I know I have about six months until then, but given the current state of my brain, it will probably take me that long to get through three!

** 6 **

What has surprised you the most about your experience being pregnant?

This time around being pregnant has been (so far) not really like what I expected. I thought that as soon as I found out I was pregnant I would immediately become the healthiest woman on the planet. No coffee, no sweets, no processed food, and exercising every day.

Then I went to Italy three days after finding out and ate pretty much nothing but pasta and gelato. Oops.

Even now I drink an occasional iced coffee and/or diet coke. I didn’t end up feeling the dire need to drastically alter my life that I thought I would before I was pregnant. It’s been a surprise.

** 7 **

and of course, what pregnancy related post would be complete without a belly shot? Here I am yesterday, at 14 weeks 3 days.