How far along:
23 Weeks 5 Days
Symptoms:
It is very true when they say that every pregnancy is totally different. This week really holds true to that statement. I ended up having lots of braxton hicks this past weekend, which lead to an ultrasound to make sure my cervix is not funneling. Which it wasn’t, thank goodness! But I’m glad that I did have an ultrasound because they found something else in the ultrasound that the other scans did not pick up. God really works in some mystical ways. It looks like may have a hypocoiled umbilical cord, which is very rare and not much information on it. I will know more about this on Tuesday. But I did some research on my own and a normal umbilical cord has two arteries and a vein. These three vessels are stuck together and “twists” between the placental and bub. The twist allows the cord more flexibility. So if you can imagine liquorice.
A hypocoiled umbilical cord (which I will get a second opinion on Tuesday) is when the vessels don’t twist or twist minimally. Essentially they are like 3 straight vessels stuck together but not twisted much. This is quite rare. Rarer than the “two vessel cord (aka one artery and one vein)” which is quite commonly heard about.
There are risks to having a hypocoiled umbilical cord- the main ones being increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction (where baby doesn’t grow as well as the norm, or where the growth will start to reduce and drop off), and an increased risk of intrauterine fetal demise…
Having said that, if I end up with this for sure will know on Tuesday. It will be monitored with consistent monitoring by my OB, Perinatologist, and regular ultrasounds to make sure the baby is growing like it should, this will result in a c-section (which I already was having, so no biggie). I will be using my heart rate Doppler to check the heart rate, so glad I have one and doing kick counts to ensure she is moving.
Cravings:
I craving apples, and salads this week. I have had red meat this week (I have not consumed red meat until this pregnancy since 1999) this is such a HUGE craving and I just want a hamburger with a lettuce wrap. Just weird and annoyed that I gave in, but seriously these craving are the strong! I have also been eating a ton of kale salads, with chicken, hard-boiled eggs, tons of veggies
Movement:
I’m feeling her move a ton right now, I think she has gotten stronger this past week because her kicks and jabs are really strong and during the ultrasound she was bouncing off my bladder and cervix with her head. This seems like she really likes this position because I feel the need to pee every minute of the day. But I will not complain, it is a great feeling to feel her more often.
Exercise:
I’m still feeling like a beach whale so everything feels hard but I have been doing all the workouts. I’m grunting more just picking stuff up off the floor and breathing really heavy with any movement. Being pregnant really makes you feel sexy, doesn’t it?
With my workouts, I have been slower and taking more breaks in-between the workouts but I haven’t changed weights on any of my strength training routines. The running, well, sucks. I have been running despite the feeling of having to run to the bathroom every 10 minutes, so I have been running more on my treadmill in my studio. That has helped (closer to the bathroom).
My workout regimen during the 22nd week, has looked like this:
SU-Rest day (my rest days are more like active rest days, I will clean like a crazy woman and organize, go for a light walk with the family)
M-Full body strength training workouts (my online training program workouts)
T- Ran inside on the treadmill 4 miles, elliptical 20 minutes.
W- Full body strength training workout (again, my online training workouts)
Th-Ran on the treadmill for 3.5 miles and elliptical for 30 minutes.
F- Full body strength training workouts (my online training program workouts)
SA-Run/elliptical 1 hour total.
Sleep:
Still get the numb feeling in my arms while sleeping if I sleep on my back. The last few nights the baby has woken me up at 4am and she is SO busy kicking, punching and moving for an hour. I’m a light sleeper, so I can’t get back to sleep until she finally slows down or goes back to sleep. This week has not been a great week for sleep, my husband, my daughter and myself all been sick from allergies which leads to all of us coughing in the middle of the night. We are all just a hot mess, last night was a good night for sleep for the hubby and Adrianna so that is good!
Belly Bump:
My belly is growing but the inches stayed the same, so weird how you look and feel bigger. My shirts are getting tighter and tighter every week. My pre-pregnancy leggings are still fine but not jeans…I won’t even try….
Weight gain:
I have gained .5lbs. this last week, so altogether 11lbs.
Doctor appointment:
I had a couple this week, just the ultrasound and also another for the sinus infection and sore tailbone. Found out I have a poly cyst on tailbone, I think it was from too much activity from filming last week. Super painful to sit but since I’m on antibiotics, it should go away.
Food aversions:
None.
Miss anything?
Just the feeling of not having anything to wear.
Excited for anything?
Just getting through a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby girl!