Pregnancy Update: 25 Weeks

Baby Size: Eggplant, 13.6 inches (grew more than a inch and a half this week!)

How Far Along: 25 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: still 18 pounds. No gain this week. I could tell that baby was going through a big growth spurt because of last week's gain (must have been making room or making nutrients or something super sciencey) and because of my insane hunger. As of last night's dinner, I feel normal again in my eating and hunger.

Sleep: I counted the number of nights this past week that I had to get up and pee: 2 out of 7. It was at 3am and 5am. I'm trying to limit my water intake after 8pm, but I just love water - and I love to drink lots of it at a time. Sleeping is pretty normal, and I don't find myself switching positions too much in the night.

Food Cravings: Bryan took me to lunch yesterday, and as soon as we looked over the menu, I fell in love with the Reuben: corned beef, Russian dressing, sourkraut and grilled onions. I don't think I've ever had one before, but it was all I wanted. And it was so delicious.

Last night, I was a little hungry after our sketch rehearsal last night, and we don't really have any snacks at the moment (we skipped grocery shopping this week in favor of eating out), but I found myself eating chips and salsa with the Kit Kat bar I bought before Christmas but hadn't wanted...until last night. The chocolate, the salty crunchy chips and the spicy, cold salsa was the best combination (and maybe my first weird pregnancy combo) of food I'd had since lunch.

I've also become a regular at our local Italian restaurant. It's within walking distance of our house, and I've created my own favorite dish (off the menu) taking the sauce from the tortellini alla panna and the noodles from fettucini alfredo to make fettucini alla panna. As soon as I say this, they say, I know who you are. Want a house salad with house dressing? Yup. Be there in ten. We eat there twice a week, probably. I just love it! And we split the pasta, so it's a perfect portion and a good deal. And no dishes!

Food Aversions: None really. I've been quite agreeable about what's for dinner. I'm down for anything but fast food.

Symptoms:
Burps - they better go away. I'm constantly releasing very pubescent burps. According to internet sites, it's normal.

Slight Back Pain - If I sit too long or with bad posture (leaning forward) or in a bad chair, I feel pain in my lower back. I feel most comfortable laying down. I am assuming the extra 18 pounds is just pulling on my back. Girl needs a massage.

Doctor's Appointment: May 8. Though I'll be at the doctor's office on Tuesday evening for our first birthing class.

Movement: Much of this week, baby was not moving too much. Slight movements as he readjusted his position, but for the most part, he was sleeping. He was growing a lot this week, and it was exhausting for both of us.

As of last night, around 8pm, he was back to his normal movements. He really loves improv warm ups, and he likes it when I laugh. Which is tougher with sketch because I've seen the jokes a bunch, but when they improvised a forgotten line or used a prop unexpectedly, I laughed and he moved. After practice, I sat up watching Chopped and enjoying my salsa, chips and Kit Kat and felt him move.

He's quite a chill baby. He moves, but it's not kicks like most people say. It's definitely movement, like readjusting or swimming or brushing up against me. Right now, he's moving a lot. I think it's quite adorable. And his movements have become more active at night. I wonder if this means he'll be a night owl like Bryan? The two of them staying up late playing board games or video games?

Gender: Still a boy. I'm actually the only one I know pregnant who is having a boy. All my friends are having girls. I always wanted a boy first, but my boy feels extra special since he'll be quite the pimp around all these ladies. I am so excited for my shower in Florida because the woman hosting is a mother of four boys, so you know we will be celebrating boy!

Best Moment of the Week: Monday night. It was just a normal night except we were silly, we made dinner (out of the last food in the house), cuddled and spent the evening being sweet. We remembered that this Saturday is our 6 year dating anniversary, and it was fun to talk about life back then (crazy), life in between (crazy) and life now. It was super sweet, and it made me relish the short time we have left just the two of us.

What I'm Looking Forward To: The Florida baby shower in two weeks. But this weekend, I'm looking forward to celebrating our 6 year anniversary. We've got some romantic plans for a get-away (to Tulsa, but who's judging?) and I'm packing my cutest dresses (that still fit).

What I've Got for Baby: This week, we got a sweet present from the lovely Burris family. We just love this couple so much, and it was a surprise to get their package in the mail. They were the first ones to mail sometime to the baby (remember our cute squirrel/fox doll and improv baby book?), and now they've outfitted the baby with some super sweet stuff like monster sheets (ah! so cute - these will be the sheets we use when we change the bed for baby's arrival) and a swaddle me blanket (for first time parents who need some help with swadlling infants).

Fun Fact I Learned This Week: My grandmother didn't breastfeed her children. They were born in the 1960s and she was a very popular, trendy lady. She hopped on the new bottle feeding trend, and she tells me, "It was wonderful! I could enjoy all the wine and outings to the bowling alley that I wanted!"

Breastfeeding is pretty controversial. I don't know enough about myself, my baby or breastfeeding in general to be able to say what's right for me. When I heard my grandma talk about bottle feeding so non-chalantly, I found it so interesting that I did some research:

As formulas evolved and research supported their efficacy, manufacturers began to advertise directly to physicians. By 1929, the American Medical Association (AMA) formed the Committee on Foods to approve the safety and quality of formula composition, forcing many infant food companies to seek AMA approval or the organization's “Seal of Acceptance.” Three years later, advertising became regulated so that manufacturers could not solicit information to nonmedical personnel, which facilitated a positive relationship between physicians and the formula companies. By the 1940s and 1950s, physicians and consumers regarded the use of formula as a well known, popular, and safe substitute for breastmilk. Consequently, breastfeeding experienced a steady decline until the 1970s.

(Fomon, 2001).

 ALSO: this paper on breastfeeding trends in the 1970s is super interesting.