Week 23

I thought I'd do a post on the comparison between my pregnancy with Rory and little Baby H since I've had some people ask what the differences in the two pregnancies have been. And they have been two different experiences. Besides it' s kinda my way of recording a little bit more of my pregnancy with Rory. I definitely was not this detailed the first time around.

Comparisons:

1. Hair & Skin
Rory- My hair grew super fast and it was long and thick. From the beginning of my pregnancy it was this way. The only downside was that I suffered from postpartum hair loss not once, but twice. When Rory was four months old my hair started to fall out at an alarming rate. I'm talking about chunks at a time. My hairline was about 3 inches farther back then where it is naturally. I had no idea that postpartum hair loss existed until it happened to me. My hair eventually started to grow back. And then a few months later, it began to fall out again! By the time Rory turned one year old my hair was back to normal. Immediately my skin cleared up and I didn't have a single breakout my entire pregnancy.

Baby H- My hair seems to be growing even slower than usual. The texture and thickness is also the same as when I'm not pregnant. I'm hoping that this means that I won't have to suffer from postpartum hair loss. Fingers are crossed. But I've had a few breakouts. It's definitely not acne, but I've had a half a dozen or so breakouts over the last 5 months :0(

2. Weight Gain
Rory- At this point in my first pregnancy I was well on my way to gaining the 50-60 pounds I did with Rory. (I gained a total of 60+ pounds, but lost 10 of those pounds during the three weeks between I went on maternity leave from work and when Rory was born.) The day Rory was born I was carrying 52 pounds of pregnancy weight. My best guess for my weight gain at 23 weeks was around 30 pounds.

Photo taken minutes before we left for the hospital.
That's me at an additional 52 pounds!

Baby H- My weight gain this time around is much, much slower. I'm at a total weight gain of 16 pounds. Hoping to be in the 35 pound range when I deliver little Baby H.

3. Food Obsession
Rory- I had a mean obsession with guacamole and chips during my first trimester. Even during those first few weeks when I didn't know I was pregnant, I ate guacamole and chips EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Some days multiple times a day. When I entered into my second trimester my obsession turned to a chili cheese dog. Randy even tried to make me one with a veggie hot dog, but sadly it was not the same. And my body knew it, because I was still craving a chili cheese dog the morning Rory was born as I was being prepped for my C-section.

Baby H- My food obsession this time around is a foot long ham sandwich on white bread with mayo and mustard, lettuce, pickles, and black olives from Subway. Enough said. My mouth is watering just by typing this!

4. Health
Rory- I was never sick with Rory, not a single cold, not a single cough. My energy level was lower though. I worked full time at the time, but I took a nap almost everyday after work. In fact I remember waking up from a long nap when the news of Michael Jackson's death was being reported on the TV (I'm one of those people that always falls asleep watching TV). And I never had any desire to exercise. I even tried to get on the elliptical one afternoon and it felt like torture.

Baby H- I've been sick from day one, going back and forth between a sinus infection, a cough, and congestion. And although I'm no longer working, taking a nap everyday is not an option with a three-year-old running around. I do take an occasional nap every now and then, but I don't feel like I need one as often as I did with Rory. My energy is much higher with Baby H and for the past month or so I've gotten back to exercising again.

5. Pregnancy Symptoms
Rory- With Rory I had severe acid reflux and nothing helped to calm it. I also had mild nausea throughout my pregnancy. I always had a package of saltine crackers near by. And I always felt like I was on fire, like I was literally baking a bun in an oven. But I was pregnant during the miserable Las Vegas summer, which I'm sure had something to do with it. I use to keep a spray bottle of water near, because my legs felt like they were overheating! And finally, my feet swelled to the point where I no longer looked like I had ankles. They somehow just disappeared somewhere between my knees and my toes.

My swollen, pregnant feet at about 26 weeks
(I love how Pinky's tiny little feet are in the picture)

Baby H- Morning sickness hit me so hard in my first trimester and in the first few weeks of my second trimester that I had to take anti-nausea medication. It was nothing like Kate Middleton, but it was still a difficult time. Once the morning sickness ended, heartburn set in. This is definitely more manageable and usually occurs late at night. Swelling and having a feeling of overheating hasn't been an issue so far. I drink a ton of water throughout the day and I know that helps to combat swelling. Plus it's not 115 degrees outside (I'm sure that helps too!)

6. Carrying the Baby
Rory- With Rory I carried him all over. I was just a giant round ball of pregnancy.

Photo taken at 38 weeks, 5 days.
Rory was born 4 days later

Baby H- I'm carrying Baby H more in the front. I've notice that a couple of maternity tank tops I wore with Rory are becoming a little short in the front, almost to the point that they barely cover my bump.

How far along? 23 Weeks & 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: 16 lbs (I workout just so I can eat oreos & milk at night :0))
Maternity clothes? Still rockin' a mixture of both non-maternity and maternity clothes
Stretch marks? Maybe :0( It's hard to tell right now. But Randy has reassured me that I can get any removal treatment needed if necessary. I hoping that all the lotions and creams will help. 
Sleep: Pregnancy: Great! 
Best moment this week: Every time I feel the baby move becomes the best moment. It's a feeling like no other!
Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss Anything? My Subway sandwich :0(
Movement: A lot more. 
Food cravings: my Subway sandwich and every once in a while, coffee.

Anything making you queasy or sick: fast food
Have you started to show yet: Oh yeah! 

Gender prediction: Still think the baby is a girl. 
Labor Signs: Nope!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On and still loose. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: HAPPY!
Looking forward to: My doctor's appointment next week. And more baby prepping! We are moving right along and it's so exciting... a lot work, but so exciting.