15 Weeks

I am posting one day early since I am going to be out of town early in the morning tomorrow and will not get a chance to post.  Happy New Year!!!

On Wednesday, December 30, I had my routine appointment with my OB.  I was 14 1/2 weeks.  I weighed in 7 pounds more than my starting weight.  My blood pressure went up since last time and read 120/76.  I believe I started this pregnancy at 100/60 and my 1st prenatal visit it was 110/70.  The baby's heartbeat was 155 which dropped from 168 from the last visit.  It is said to be normal for the heartbeat to slow down as the fetus develops.  My uterus measured at the middle of my abdomen between my pubic bone and my belly button.  All went well and I will be seen again in 4 more weeks.  I don't believe I mentioned it yet, but at my first appointment, they drew several blood samples and when my results came back about a week later, they said I need to be seen for hypothyroidism.  I have a very mild case.  But they wanted to start me on synthroid to get the levels back down.  So I'm on Levothyroxine at 75mg a day.  At my 18 1/2 week appointment, they will order more blood work and test my levels and also find out if it was pregnancy induced or not.

EXCITING!!!  When I was getting ready to go to my prenatal appointment on Wednesday, I felt something in the right side of my abdomen.  It was very, very faint, but it felt like a few taps or knocks.  It was only a few and then stopped so I didn't think anything of it.  Perhaps just a rumble in the tummy.  However, Thursday morning I woke up at 5AM and felt the same thing, except this time it was constant and I could feel it with my hand on my stomach.  I guess I can describe it like popcorn popping or small taps on my abdomen.  Later in the morning when Craig got up for work, I felt it AGAIN!  If it was the baby, he/she was going crazy tapping away. 

Our baby measures around 4 inches from head to rump and weighs in around 2 1/2 ounces.  That's one more ounce than last week!  The baby now compares to the size of an apple and my uterus is about the size of a head of cabbage.  The legs are growing longer than the arms now and he/she can move all of their limbs and joints.  Tastebuds are forming, although there is not much for the baby to be tasting right now.  Although the baby's eyes are fused shut and won't open again until about week 26, they are sensitive to light shining directly at the tummy.  If I were to have an ultrasound this week, I could theoretically find out if we are having a boy or a girl, but we won't cheat.  We're keeping it a surprise until the end!

Below is a belly picture taken at 15 weeks:

15 Weeks