More of me to love.

Well--I think there is no denying it know--there is a baby in my tummy--I don't feel her move yet (at least I don't think I do--it is very hard for me to tell). A co-worker (after wondering if I was just fat) finally told me she heard rumor--and I said--it is Ok--Yes, I'm pregnant. She asked if I had started talking to the baby yet--I said no (should I be talking to her-what do I say?) Then she said wouldn't it be wierd if I started talking to her and she moved....I seem to be in the I'm starting to look pregnant, people giving me advice, peeing often, and feeling really fat stage--so I decided to google a few things--here is what I found on weight gain, talking to the baby, and movement.

WEIGHT GAIN

• It is not necessary to "eat for two" during pregnancy. It's true that you need extra calories from nutrient-rich foods to help your baby grow, but you generally need to consume only 100 to 300 more calories than you did before you became pregnant to meet the needs of your growing baby.

• A woman of average weight before pregnancy should gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Underweight women should gain 28-40 pounds during pregnancy. I'm considering myself in this underweight--I think I'm on pace for 40 pounds. ( Overweight women may need to gain only 15-25 pounds during pregnancy. You may need to gain more or less weight, depending on what your health care provider recommends.

• In general, you should gain about 2 to 4 pounds during your first three months of pregnancy and 1 pound a week for the remainder of your pregnancy. If you are expecting twins you should gain 35 to 45 pounds during your pregnancy. This would be an average of 1 ½ pounds per week after the usual weight gain in the first three months.
  

Where Does the Extra Weight Go During Pregnancy?

Baby-8 pounds
Placenta-2-3 pounds
Amniotic fluid-2-3 pounds
Breast tissue-2-3 pounds--That's it--I think mine weigh 5 pounds each.
Blood supply-4 pounds
Fat stores for delivery and breastfeeding-5-9 pounds
Uterus increase-2-5 pounds
Total- 25 to 35 pounds

So far at almost 20 weeks--I've gained 15 pounds--If each boob weighs 5 pounds then the rest of me only gained 5 pounds--makes perfect sense. The baby by the way, only weighs about 6 or 7 ounces....

What Should I Do If I Gain Too Much Weight During Pregnancy?

If you have gained more weight than recommended during the beginning of your pregnancy, DO NOT try to lose weight. It is never safe to lose weight during pregnancy.--Great, so I'm basically Stuck...

TALKING TO THE BABY

Even from within the womb, babies are trying to communicate. A return kick to a tummy rub, a punch to a loud song, these are the earliest forms of communication. The awareness of speech sounds is also developing at this time. Researchers have been able to determine this by using the fetal heart rate test to track an unborn baby’s heart rate in relation to external sounds. They have discovered that unborn baby’s heart rate will decrease at the sound of their mother's voice (Fitzpatrick, 2002). An important strategy for early promotion of language is introducing the unborn baby different types of speech. Having continual communication is important. By reading stories, singing, and even talking to the baby, parents can help to promote developing language skills. I guess we better start singing and reading stories--I hope she likes hip hop (just kidding)

Baby Movement

Some moms can feel their babies move as early as 13-16 weeks from the start of their last period. These first fetal movements are called quickening and are often described as flutters. It may be difficult to determine whether this feeling is gas or your baby’s movements, but soon you will begin to notice a pattern. First-time moms may not feel these movements as early as second-time moms. Some moms, especially those in their first pregnancy, may not feel movement until 18-20 weeks. Remember that each woman and each pregnancy is different, so you may not feel movement as early as another woman. There is a broad range of when the first detection of movement can be felt, ranging from 13-25 weeks. Ok---anyday now.