18 Week Pregnancy Update: My Pregnancy Journey

Hi friends! I can’t believe I’m already sharing my 18 week pregnancy update. Pistachio is the size of a sweet potato, croissant, nintendo controller, or Sugar Glider (see below).  Now that I’m getting deeper into my second trimester, I can confidently say that most of my former and current preggo friends were right: It does. get. better. As I strut into this nineteenth week of pregnancy, I can safely say that my nausea has subsided and with that, friends, the hunger is real. Which is kind of strange because, simultaneously, I feel super full. Is that normal?

The plus side, I can actually consume vegetables and healthier foods again, which psychologically makes me feel better. I’ve been craving vegetables more often and would say that my other cravings err on the salty side. Gender prediction? 

Of course, now that the 1st trimester symptoms have left the building,  some “new-ish” symptoms are popping up:

1. Muscle pains: specifically in my abdomen and hips. Admittedly, I freaked out a little, but I’ve been reassured that it’s simply growing pains due to all the stretching and shifting going on in my body to make room for Pistachio. Pretty crazy how much your anatomy changes during pregnancy. Does anyone else find this fascinating?
2. Bloody noses: Ugh. So bloody noses and I go way back, and they typically happen at the worst times. Like the time I was delivering a massive, national presentation for work or when I was walking through Chicago with my 7-months pregnant friend without a bathroom in sight. Good times. So, when I read in my What to Expect When You’re Expecting book that bloody noses are common during pregnancy due to blood vessel expansion and increased pressure, I wholeheartedly knew that I wouldn’t escape this symptom. Nailed it. At least this time I knew it was pregnancy related and I didn’t think I had an aneurysm or tumor, so I consider this progress.
3. Baby feels?: Is it baby movement or is it trapped gas? The eternal question. Still not sure, but I’m pretty sure I’m starting to feel little flutters of movement that have nothing to do with my digestive tract. However, I think until I can actually feel body parts shoving against my organs, a small part of me will still think it’s gas.
4. Mood fluctuations: The highs are real high, which is fantastic. However, there have been quite a few cries over the past few weeks and I’ve found myself really needing to utilize a lot of the techniques that I’ve self-taught or my therapist taught me to manage my anxiety. For a few of these tips check out my Anxiety post. To be fair, we’ve had a lot of personal, emotional situations going on, which I’ll probably discuss in later post.
5. The bump is exponentially growing: If you can’t tell from my latest bump pic below, things are definitely picking up speed in the growth department. I’m going to take a minute here to thank everyone that posted or messaged me with such kind comments on my first bump pic post. I want everyone to know that, despite some initial insecurities, I’m really learning to “embrace the bump.” I posted that because, per usual, I wanted to be as raw and genuine as possible. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that, at least with your first pregnancy, it’s a little uncomfortable at first. Especially when you aren’t sure what to expect or what’s considered “the right way” to gain weight. For those who have struggled with body image issues in the past, or maybe even ascertained them while going through pregnancy, it’s a very real and natural feeling. Being able to admit and address that is really important…because then we can work on changing our frames of mind. I’m happy to report that I’m team bump all the way now!
6. Pregnancy Brain: I left my deodorant in the kitchen cabinet and accidentally signed my male co-worker up for Motherhood Maternity emails because I wasn’t paying attention. We’re lucky I remembered what to write in this pregnancy update. I blame it on pregnancy brain.

So what’s to come over the next couple weeks? BIG THINGS!

We, fingers crossed, should be closing on and moving into our new house next week! While I’m a little sad about leaving our little townhouse in my adopted city, I’m embracing the next chapter. Let’s be real…I’ve already started planning out the nursery in the new abode.  It’s been a tad chaotic leading up to this move (see point 4 above), but it will all be worth it. Buying and selling a house is no joke. Look out for a future post covering the big move. It will, at the very least, be entertaining.

Next week, we have our 20-week anatomy scan! A little part of me is nervous (typical), but 95% of me is super excited, specifically because we find out the gender of Pistachio!! I don’t know how all of you awesome ladies and gents out there wait until the baby is born to find out the gender. I’m literally chomping at the bit. Matt and I WILL be sharing the gender in a future pregnancy update, but the name (if we ever agree on one) will be hush-hush. Want to throw in your guess before the big reveal? Comment below or on Facebook/Instagram. We’ll be taking a tally to see if the audience is better at guessing than we are! Matt says “girl,” I say “boy.” I’m not asking you to pick sides…but I kind of am. Also, Grammy says “boy” if that sways your decision…

In the “checking off my massive list” category, I finally started my registries. “Started” being the key phrase.  Massive shout out and thank you to all my lady cronies out there that shared their thoughts and suggestions! I can’t tell you how helpful that is. I ended up going with Babylist, Amazon, and Target. I know…three. I felt like I needed that brick and mortar option, and I couldn’t decide between Babylist and Amazon. So, there you have it. My goal is to finish the registries (for the most part) over the next week or so. We’ll see how that one goes.

A quick note on sleep: I’ve actually been sleeping WAY better than I have in a long time. I got 7.5 hours of sleep a few nights ago and that’s the most I’ve had all year. It’s almost more than I’ve had my whole life. I’m not ignorant to the fact that it’s probably going to change soon. I’m a stomach sleeper, and I think my days are numbered. Pregnancy pillows: worth it?  SEND HELP.

Those are the big things going on in the land of pregnancy. So what can you expect on the blog?

I posed a question on Instagram and got an overwhelming response, so I’m going to put this out there right now.  I’m working on generating some video content for all of you fantastic followers. Problem: I don’t really have an awesome vlogging camera just yet, so bare with me during the first few “vlogs” that will be recorded using my trusty iphone. Total rookie. Between some blogs and vlogs, I’ll be able to incorporate some really fun topics, and even get Matt involved (he hasn’t 100% ok’ed this yet, but I’m working on it.) A few things I have in the queue for upcoming topics:

• GENDER REVEAL (obviously)
• COUPLES Q & A: We’re about to get real on our thoughts about pregnancy, life after pregnancy, and other questions you may have
• BABY NAMES: NAMES WE LOVE, BUT WONT BE USING
• SECOND TRIMESTER ESSENTIALS
• AND ANOTHER PREGNANCY UPDATE!

Just to name a few. I’m grappling with the idea of a birth vlog. More to come on that.  So there you have it: my 18 week pregnancy update. Until next time dear friends,

Xtina