11 week update

You're getting close to the end of the first trimester. Most of the baby's critical development will be behind you after the next couple of weeks, and the odds of miscarriage will soon drop considerably. Measuring from the crown of his head to his rump, your 1.5-inch/ 4-centimetre fetus has all his parts, from tooth buds to toenails. Your baby is busy kicking and stretching; his movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. Fingers and toes have fully separated. Now the fetus's main task during the next six months will be to grow larger and stronger until it can survive on its own outside the womb.

Just two weeks away from my second trimester & I can see a light at the end of the tunnel! I have been feeling generally well this past week; very mild nausea but still quite a bit of fatigue. Insomnia has taken over my once restful sleeps and I know there will be no more sleeping in for many years to come!

I had a much more thorough 'second' first prenatal exam with my new doctor on Thursday. I was given a lot of information and felt I received great care so one less issue to worry about. We have another ultrasound booked for May 3. This is for the nuchal translucency test (http://www.babycenter.ca/referencedarticles/pregnancy/nuchaltranslucency/). I will go back to the doctors a few days after that to go over the ultrasound results and then possible have a blood test done to estimate the chance of having a baby with Down Syndrome. Though, I know everything will be fine, I am mainly doing another ultrasound just to see the baby! After this one, we won't have another ultrasound until 18 weeks.

I will see the doctor every 4 weeks until week 32 then it's every 2 weeks until week 36 and then once weekly until delivery. Hopefully Charles can make some of the appointments as I don't always catch everything the doctor says so maybe he can remember the things I don't! Like the 5 finger rule to eating... 3 P's & 2 B's - pork, potatoes and pasta, beef &... don't remember the second 'B'.

I've decided to return to work May 10th. By then I am in my second trimester & should be feeling close to 100%. Management agreed to my reduced working hours as there is no way I can work 11+ hours a day. So, I will be on the same rotation but work just 8 hours a day. It will be nice to still have 4 & 5 days off, especially in the summer when we want to do some traveling. I also really enjoy the people I work with & was worried I may be switched to a different rotation, so it all worked out well.

Charles returns home today which I am very happy about (as usual!). It is very quiet without him here & I tend to not be as active when he is away. He'll have to drag me out on walks during his days off as I'm having a hard time doing it myself. Though, the weather here has been awful so I'll use that as an excuse!