14 weeks

Hmm, yeah....

I just haven't felt like there was much to post. Still pregnant. 14 weeks and 1 day, all testing fine so far, all systems go. I don't think I have another US until May, so it will be a while until I find out if we are having a boy or girl, unless I see my OB at work again and convince him to do a freebie US. :)

(I did see him last night when I worked 3-11. He was hanging out in L&D, waiting for a patient to get her epidural from a colleague of mine so that he could check her and see if he could deliver her baby. We chatted and watched the UNC-UAB game.)

I can report that my slight unfill to 2.5 cc was totally the right thing. I still have restriction, amazingly, and yet am more comfortable. According to my home scale, I've gained 6 pounds in the pregnancy, which I think is not bad. I do still have fairly regular heartburn, but I don't think that has anything to do with my band and don't think it would help even if it was totally unfilled. It's just pregnancy heartburn, it's mild and occasional, and it is what it is. 80% of pregnant women have heartburn. Mine happens sometimes after I eat. Tums helps.

In the meanwhile, I am still jobless and graduating in 44 days. My hospital doesn't know if they can offer me a job yet. I have one interview done elsewhere (Seattle) and don't know yet if they will tender me an offer. I have 2 more interviews in 2 weeks (Portland). I hope to know something soon, like, am I moving?? Can I work?? But, meanwhile I am just going to work and being patient.

Second trimester is much nicer than first, like everyone says. All my symptoms are better, I'm really not nauseated anymore, and I have more energy. I still get tired easily, and sometimes still take naps, but it's not nearly as bad as that first trimester fatigue. Ugh. I can even start studying again, which is nice.

So thanks everyone, for reading. I want to send a special shout-out to my blogger friend in Texas with her broken leg with her baby plans on hold--I feel good things are in store for you, I thank you for your support, and things will get better soon! And I hope this is the year. :)

Update

Well, life has taken off, and I haven't blogged...I expect it will probably be like this for a while. Things are crazy busy now with school ending in just over 2 months (?!) and trying to find a job SOMEWHERE and having a baby...

I was finding myself eating a lot to quell the morning sickness, and then getting overfull and uncomfortable. Not barfing or PBing at all, but very uncomfortable. Then I was also having pretty frequent reflux, so I went back to the band doc for an unfill. I wasn't sure if they would insist on a complete unfill or if I could get away with just a partial.

As it turns out, the PA I saw actually didn't have any experience with pregnant bandsters. (Say what?) Being in the fairly secluded and specialized world of bariatric surgery, he didn't really have experience with pregnant women at all, and didn't understand why I would tend to have more reflux in only my first trimester. (Answer: increased hormones like relaxin start early in pregnancy, causing the lower esophageal sphincter to loosen and reflux as a result.) He didn't really see why I needed an unfill at all, and questioned whether I could keep my eating under control with no fill in my band. I answered: no! I can't! I'd prefer a small unfill please, just 1cc?

So I went from 3.5cc to 2.5cc. It has helped a great deal. I can eat, but I still have reasonably good satiety. The reflux is almost gone now, just the occasional Tums. And I have the morning sickness under better control (thank you B6, Unisom and Phenergan) so I don't have to keep eating all the time to keep that under control. I've gained about 6 pounds, more than I'd like at this point but still not terrible.

The pregnancy seems fine. I'm having a screening ultrasound in a couple weeks, and I'm going for all the testing, due to my "advanced maternal age". I want to be prepared for anything. There is a history of birth defects in a family member, so I want to know ahead of time if I should be prepared for something.

Someone asked in the comments if I have to tell potential employers that I am pregnant. That is a dicey question, and there's no easy answer to it. I am going to tell anyone that I interview with, at or before the interview. I think it's only fair, since I am looking at taking leave about 3 months after starting work, if all goes well. If they don't hire me because of it (which is technically illegal) then it's probably not a place I'd want to work anyway. I want them to know that I wish to start work as soon as possible, and I don't want any later problems of trying to figure out how to tell them.

Finding work with a pregnancy hanging over it all isn't easy and is a bit more stressful. But there is no perfect time to have a baby, and I'm just glad this is all going okay so far. Fingers are still crossed, though.