Baby #2, Month 4

How far along:
16 weeks. This post is for weeks 13-16, or all of month 4

Next doctor’s appointment:
July 10; that will be the anatomy scan!

Signs and symptoms:

Thankfully, the nausea and vomiting have abated quite a bit. In the past 4 weeks, I’ve only thrown up 3 times, and 2 of those were in week 13. I still get nausea sometimes, but that’s gone away for the most part. This definitely cleared up faster in this pregnancy than in Mia’s.
The heartburn has been pretty intense this month. Tums are a lifeline right now.
I’ve started having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (sometimes multiple times). Don’t really love this.
I’ve had some pretty crazy pregnancy dreams.
Movement! I’ve started feeling those rolling/shifting movements and a few little punches/kicks. I was pretty excited about this one. I didn’t feel any movement with Mia until 19 weeks, so it’s been nice having that a little earlier this time. The first time I felt anything was midway through week 14.
The baby has parked itself on the left side. I am noticeably ‘lumpier’ on that side. It was always Mia’s favorite side too; guess the real estate on that side is much better than the right!
Still having really intense thirst.
Pregnancy brain has started a little bit. I’m finding myself more forgetful these days.
I have a little more energy than I did in the first trimester, but I am still really tired most days. Some afternoons I really struggle to stay awake.
I’ve had more headaches in this pregnancy than I did in my pregnancy with Mia (which isn’t difficult; with her I had none). I’ve probably had about 3 this month.

Weight change:
I’ve gained almost 4 pounds this month, so only down 3 pounds from my starting weight now.

Food cravings:
The cravings have really stepped up this month. Since I’m feeling better, I’ve been wanting a lot more dairy (milk, cheese, cottage cheese). I couldn’t really eat much when I was sick, so I guess I’m making up for it now.
Sour candy has been really enjoyable.
I had a craving for pizza (which is unusual for me, I’m not big on pizza), but I pretty much immediately regretted it. It gave me terrible heartburn for like 2 days after.
Ice cream sandwiches.
Turkey sandwiches.

Aversions:
Sweets are not as much as an aversion anymore, but I do still have to moderate how much I have. If I eat too much in one day or in a short period of time, I end up feeling sick.
This is really random, but I haven’t wanted to eat pancakes. The thought of eating them actually kind of makes me feel sick.
I don’t want Sprite anymore. I drank quite a bit initially to help with my stomach, so now the thought of it is really off-putting. A similar thing happened in my pregnancy with Mia, and now I still can’t drink ginger ale.

What is going on with the baby:

At 16 weeks, the baby is the size of an avocado, about 4.5 inches long and weighing about 3.5 ounces. The legs are now much more developed and head more erect. The eyes are also in their correct position, and the ears almost are too. The patterning has formed on the scalp for hair, but still no hair growth. Baby is also starting to grow toenails. The heart now pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day, an amount that will continue to rise as baby grows. The skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone and the umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker. Baby can now move the joints, and the sweat glands are starting to develop.

What I miss:
Not being tired/napping
Being able to be outside for more than 15 minutes without feeling like I’m going to pass out.

What I’m looking forward to:
The anatomy scan!
No more heartburn!
Going an entire night without waking up to pee

Changes:
We announced our pregnancy to the world! Mia seems really excited which makes me extremely happy. Hopefully she still feels that way once her sibling is here :-)
Apparently I already look quite pregnant. I’ve had a number of people that I do not know (while out in public) ask me when I’m due, how far along, do we know the sex, etc. I feel like I’m carrying higher than I did with Mia, so maybe that’s why.
I’ve washed all of my maternity clothes, but aside from the stretchy shorts, I haven’t worn any yet. I can definitely tell that I’m pregnant in a different season than I was with Mia… most of my maternity clothes are more suitable for winter or early spring.
Baby bump had its first flight up to Michigan!
Everything was within normal limits for our first screen, and the heartbeat was strong and steady at my 16 week check-up.
We moved into our new house! Moving while pregnant was definitely an experience, and not one I’m sure I’d want to repeat. While it has been challenging, I suppose I’m probably at the best place in my pregnancy right now to be moving. Any earlier and I’d still be sick; any later and I’d probably be too big and uncomfortable. We are loving our new house and all of this room we now have for baby!