I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’m on the road to medical discoveries - natural routes while pregnant.

I don’t like the thought of taking medicine while pregnant, nor herbs - so I’m in a tight bind right now. As I’ve been talking about, I’ve really been having a terrible time with a virus or something. Symptoms started with headache, tight jaw, fatigue, fever and chills.

Then I ended up with sore throat, stuffy head, ear pain, head pressure. Yep - a full blown mess. Of course, being pregnant, I didn’t do anything except take honey and lemon juice. Monday, it was too… bad, so I called the dr. to see that IF I went to an ENT, if I would even be able to do anything they suggested.

I then decided to call the pharmacy to see what meds on the list from the OB I could take with Mitral Valve Prolapse. The pharmacist was extra nice, feeling so bad - saying first it was bad since I was pregnant with a cold - but then to add Mitral Valve on top of it….

She had to be honest with me and told me I really couldn’t take anything to help with congestion. BUT she did share an option she uses…. A Neti Pot. Ever here on those?

You pour a saline rinse into one side of your nose, tilt your head to the side, and it flushes out the other. Hmm… I didn’t think I was up to it!

Well, let’s just say I’ve been desparate, and being unable to taste or smell ANYTHING for days, became open to at least ‘thinking’ about it. So I sat down and googled how it worked, and watched the videos. Then, I tried an alternative method - using 1 cup of warm water to 1/4 tsp. non-iodized salt and a baby ear syringe.

Much to my surprise - this felt WONDERFUL!! It really clears your head out - like you wouldn’t imagine - and then your nose feels so clean! I was actually able to breathe out of both sides of my nose for the first time in days. I ended up doing it twice the first day, then again the next morning - wow, I’m keeping up with this for life - really!

It’s a great way to keep your nose clear - and keep from getting sick in the first place. So, back to my story - the next morning my nose had settled down enough to see I had more of a problem that I orginally thought. I could see a very large nasal polyp - which was my problem!! I still couldn’t taste or smell, but I could breathe!

So, back to calling the ENT - they told me to come in to check it out. Sure enough, I had them in both sides (he could see them with a scope down my nose), and one HUGE one blocking the entire nasal passage on one side - that’s the one I could see.

The bad news, which is where I am stuck, is the dr. said it was so large that nothing would even touch it except taking an oral steroid for 15 days. That is pretty powerful stuff, but he said I’d be wasting my money on the nasal spray ones, since it’s just too big to even touch it. (Not to mention the 14 days of antibiotic he wants me on for a sinus infection - which probably won’t clear up due to the blockage from the polyp)

The pharmacist wouldn’t even let me get it - saying that’s just not done with pregnant women…. Great… now what do I do? I called the OB, and today’s on call dr. said no way - not this early in the pregnancy….

Called the ENT back, and he was pretty mad that I was questioning him. But shouldn’t my baby’s health be first and foremost on my mind?? Yesterday’s on call dr. told him it was fine, and he’s given it to plenty of women at 12 weeks. PLUS, I came to him asking for help - he told me what would make me better. He kinda had an attitude to say the least. But it was my body, do what I want - he said.

I’m now considering alternatives - such as herbs (which I said I wouldn’t take this time around) - but they have to be better than steroids. I’ll continue to do the nasal irrigation morning and night - as it does help cleaning out everything else.

The polyp was actually larger today, swelling up to fill the entire passage, so the rinse wouldn’t even drip through. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

I apologize for such a health posting, but part of the purpose of the blog is to share on things that affect pregnant women and their health - in case something I’m going through might be relevant to them.

At least now I know what’s wrong - and the dr. said I would regain my sense of smell or taste until on the steriods at least 2 weeks. He said nothing but this oral steroid would touch it. Well, those were fighting words to me as a Christian - God can touch it - and we’re praying He will (if only to show His power to the dr!!).

“Little Mommy”

Well, instead of recovery, my younger two and myself have actually come down with another virus. YUCK! This makes 3 different bugs we’ve had this past week - and thankfully DH seems to be fairly well so far. There were a few sneezes here and there today, but hopefully he’ll miss it.

If anyone has other suggestions of how to relieve cold symptoms while pregnant, I’d love to hear them. Saline spray seems to make me worse. Friday my temp was anywhere from 96.6 to 99.8 - I had the heat on that morning, in long pants… and by afternoon, was in shorts, but wrapped up in a blanket - still covered in chill bumps.

I thought nothing about it, except that I thought I had turned the air back on. UNTIL DH got home and asked if I’d had the heat on. Well, yes, that morning, but I switched it back over. Didn’t I?? He made a quick remark about having to lose clothes since it was so hot, but if we were okay, the temp was okay he guessed.

Well, curiousity got the best of me, and I checked the thermostat. Nope! I hadn’t switched it back, and the house was 79 degrees. Kinda warm after being used to 76. And there I was all wrapped up in a nice warm throw someone gave me years ago. Ha!

Happy to say, my temp has been more normal today, but the two little ones and myself still have horrible head colds…. Another thing hubby had to point out was that I couldn’t hear, and had the Little House on the Prarie movie blarring tonight. Okay, so my ears are pretty stopped up too…. But what can I do??

I do remember taking Benadryl for a short while during my last pregnancy, but can’t remember if it’s encouraged or not. I do know an herb that always helps me tremendously, but I’m trying to stay away from them this time as much as possible. Since you never really know what they could do….

I am happy to report I’m 12 weeks - yesterday - and it’s been 9 weeks since my suspicisions were confirmed. I’ve yet to write the baby’s letter that I try to write the day I found out about them, by the 4th - there’s not much time for anything other than surviving some days.

But, still the same, this baby is just as much of a blessing to our lives as the others, and we’re grateful the Lord has blessed our family with another life to love.

My oldest - out of the blue - said to me yesterday morning that he had ‘just thought of a name, all by himself’. Well, what was the name?

“Newts”

Alright, when prodding him further to see where he had learned that, he said once again that he just made it up. There is a Newt Gingrich….

By evening, when telling his Daddy at dinner, the name had changed to “Newt” (without prompting from me), and he said something about a ‘newt’ being in his Things That Go book. I’ve yet to see the book and have him show me what it is he’s talking about, but I’m doubting a newt is in this vehicle book??

BTW - the baby is approx. 2 1/2 inches long now according to a baby book I have!

We’re not 100%, but we’re getting better. After I wrote my last post, all 3 children and myself came down with another virus - running fevers, stuffy and runny noses, sore throats, chills. And don’t you just love that you can’t take a thing while pregnant!!

I’ve found that pretty much, a tsp of honey and tsp of lemon juice helps a sore throat and congestion/ cough tremendously - so I’ve been downing a lot of that. A mouth full of honey first helps the lemon juice go down easier.

My oldest son, 4, shared something with me probably a month ago, and I’m pretty sure that I never got it put on the blog… But if my pregnancy brain is acting up and I did post it, well, humor me.

We love to sit and talk about the new baby - what it will be, when it will come, what we’ll do with it. This particular day, he thought and thought, and came to a pretty brilliant conclusion for a 4 year old I think.

Here’s a general idea of what he said…. “Well, the baby will be a girl, cause that’s the ‘patterin’. The ‘patterin’ is boy (gesturing to himself), girl (hand to sister), boy (hand to baby brother) - so the next in the ‘patterin’ is a girl.”

He’s got it all figured out - now only if our ‘patterin’ is boy, girl, boy, girl - he’ll be right.

Sorry for the break - I’ve had (and still have) sick little ones. My oldest started feeling bad on Friday evening with fever on Saturday. Middle one running low grade fever now, and the baby reaching 103.8 this afternoon, and then 104.3 fever tonight.

I’m beat and pretty much tied up taking care of everyone, but wanted to let you know what was going on.

I do have one sweet thing to share. My daughter, the middle child, loves to say the days of the week. Her version is “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday”. Well, the other day, it was “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, APRIL!!!”

In case you’re new here, April is my due date month. The older two can hardly wait - they are thinking in terms of days, so I’ve had to start counting out months for them, and holidays in each one that has to come first.

I’m not sure if I’m happy or discouraged when they ’several times a day’ daily come up to me and say how much bigger the baby is getting….??? I’m 11.5 weeks now, and you can see a little tummy. Partly I think because I’ve slimmed down - due to food making me feel so sick, there’s not much I can eat without wanting to throw up.

I’m getting anxious, because if memory serves me right, I’ve felt baby kicks around 15 or 16 weeks before…. I can’t wait!

I was doing so good not getting into all of the ‘time’ counting - until I went to the dr. Now I’m constantly thinking what week and day I am.

I am SO ready to get through this first trimester - I have saltines coming out of my ears!! DH mentioned this seems like the longest I’ve felt so queasy - still popping soda crackers every day. I am getting better, but my favorite foods still don’t agree with me. There’s very little at all that I can eat without feeling icky 5 minutes later.

I have had my first baby dream this past week - it was a girl, but that’s about all I remember about it. During my last pregnancy, I had horrible dreams about spiders!

One night, I dreamed a huge one was on me, but DH wouldn’t believe me - he was trying to hold me down. I couldn’t speak because it was so big and I was so scared, but was trying to break free from him to get it off.

Well, that’s when I woke up - in the living room floor, on my hands and knees - shaking and bawling! DH said I screamed “SPIDER”, jumped (more like flew) through the air, landed on my knees on the floor, and either ran/ fell/ and crawled, or just crawled at lightning speed into the living room. That’s where he caught me and held me. (I guess that’s why I dreamed he was holding me down in my dream)

It was terrifying, and my knees were all cut up from carpet burn. Over the next few days, I discovered I had muscles and bones in my body that I didn’t know existed. Apparently I fell on those.

Not too much later - I again dreamed about a spider - jumping out of the bed, landing in the floor. But at least this time I woke up and realized it was just a dream. Well, I think it was just before 10 weeks with this baby, it started again.

Thankfully, my mind is on high alert - so I came to pretty quick. None the less, I didn’t enjoy a spider dream! I dreamed (or at least I hope it was a dream) that I was in bed asleep, and opened my eyes, only to see a huge spider on the headboard - right before my face!

I remember jumping up, out of breath - frantic about killing the spider. In my drowiness, I wondered if it was a grasshopper?? (Don’t laugh, my pregnancy dreams are so…. weird!!) But then I remembered, no it was a spider - so I flipped on the lights (DH loved this…) and had to assure myself it was only a dream.

I still wasn’t 100% sure, but was so tired I somehow convinced myself it was indeed a dream and got back in bed.

On a lighter note, I looked in the mirror the other day, and began to doubt my “BOY” predictions. There, right on my hips, was WAY too much fat!! Where in the world did that come from so quickly!!!???!!!

My experience is to gain weight all over with a girl, but only in my tummy with my boys. And another thing, I’m not really enjoying chocolate too much - and that was HUGE with my boy babies.

But why am I so sick feeling?? That’s screaming boy! We have either 9 weeks or 29 weeks to find out - not sure which yet…..

I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel (end of the 1st trimester tunnel that is)!

I can’t really remember how I felt with my 1st pregnancy, but in my mind this one is ranking right up there with it.

I’m starving all the time, which makes me weak and queasy, but when I eat, I feel queasy. My grandmother told me she KNEW it was bad since I can’t even enjoy pizza!

I was reading another blog yesterday, that brought up a book - something about a Green Womb?? I’m curious about it for sure!

I learned with my last pregnancy that my body had reached it’s limit of aspirin. ANYTHING with something called salicylites or tartrazines (aspirin is high in one of these), would cause terrible itching and rashes on me.

The aspirin as a precaution for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome - an autoimmune disorder that causes blood clotting which leads to clots for the mother and/ or baby (miscarriages).

I learned in this personal quest for answers (since the medical world really doesn’t know a thing I’ve determined!), that many of today’s foods are filled with these chemicals. Yellow and Red food dyes are especially a problem.

Besides these ingredients, I learned to avoid anything with hydrogenated oils, mono and di-glycerides, malt flavoring, BHT, and the list goes on.

My problems got so bad last pregnancy, that besides developing a large rash on my leg that was raw and itchy, my lips would tingle and go numb, as well as my tongue. It was pretty frightening - and even more so to know it was from foods that our family ate all the time!!

My child from that pregnancy was never able to eat baby cereal without breaking out into a rash, or even drink cow’s milk.

I had determined to get healthy - and for this pregnancy to be a much healthier one for me and the baby. But when I read this blog, and about being ‘green’ for the baby - I looked at my diet.

Somehow in the midst of pregnancy cravings, I’ve gotten pulled back into some old, bad habits as far as food is concerned. I’ve even developed that awful red, itchy rash again.

One thing I believe that triggered it this time was a prenatal vitamin sample the dr. gave me. Yes, I’ve found that most vitamins, even over the counter ones, contain red, yellow, or blue dyes! Now why in the world would they have to add those to a vitamin??!!?? Especially a prenatal one! Don’t they stop and think that it’s being absorbed by the baby too!

I myself thought nothing of any of this, until I saw last preg. HOW much it affected my body, and then my son’s.

So, for any other moms out there, PLEASE check your vitamins - these are completely unnecessary, and can even be harmful to you and your baby. Sure, it might just be a little bit of dye, but at some point your body reaches it’s limit - and then you’re really in trouble.

Believe me, it’s no fun not being able to eat many foods - because of the reaction I know I’ll have. Even yummy lemon cakes - can’t eat those anymore with major itchy and tingling. Beware of the food industry - they’re out to make money, not to protect you.

I’ve already let several days pass without writing, and feel I’ve missed so much! As I’ve mentioned before, part of the idea of the blog here is to keep a sort of record book for myself and the baby.

Last Thursday night (8w, 6d), I rolled over onto my stomach, and for the first time could feel the bulge - and had to get off quick! I’ve since been able to still lie on my stomach, so I’m not sure what’s different… but I remember with my first, being able to feel something very early.

That was one of the things that led me to take a test - and I was only 2 or 3 weeks at the time. Yep, I’m one of those people that know within the first couple weeks… makes for a LONG pregnancy! At least with my daughter I was more like 4 weeks before I knew.

I’m amazed at how quickly this baby belly is coming out. I can hardly get into my regular shorts/ skirts anymore - so for comforts sake - I’ve already made the switch to maternity clothes.

My baby is right at 13 months, and this weaning has really been hard on him. Add cutting two top molars this past week and you can just imagine the week we had.

He went from 8 feedings a day at the end of July/ first of August, to now 3 a day. 5:30 AM, 1:15 PM, and 8 PM. They all put him to sleep… Yeah, wondering how the sleep thing will work after I’m completely dry??

I do know that my supply is way down - so he’s maybe only getting 2 or 3 ounces at a time. Poor little guy. No milk and his momma’s ready for him to be weaned. He’s just so big now, it’s getting kinda strange. Besides the fact that I’ve never been able to nurse another child to their 1st b’day.

Food is still icky - no acidic foods, no dairy, no garlic… I eat them some, but don’t like it, and really don’t like it 5 minutes later. I can’t wait to enjoy food once more!

Little Mommy

Thursday finally arrived - yea!! The little ones allowed sleep until 8′ish, which was WONDERFUL - thank you my children!

We made it through our morning, and I finally just had to leave the baby screaming in his crib long enough to jump in the shower around lunch time - the babysitter would be here soon.

I was clean, the little ones fed, the baby nursed… and so we waited for the babysitter. The baby was falling asleep, so I had to wake him so he could at least know he was going to wake up to a new person.

2 o’clock came, she came, the little ones were smiling and happy - so out I rushed to the dr. Now, this visit (thankfully I called to check), the ultrasound was different than last time. They no longer use VHS to record the ultrasound, so I called dh and told him to find DVD+RW.

He called back to say WalMart didn’t have that one, everything else though. We met at Target on the way, and they were out of them too! They did have a 25 pack for $20, but that was crazy since we needed just one.

They had told me that they sell them at the office for $3 a piece, so I figured it best to pay them that much instead of driving all over town to find one. In the back of my mind, I did hope they had them and weren’t out……

We made it with 15 minutes to spare - beating a few of the other 3 o’clocks (yes, I like to get in first). After sitting for 10 minutes or so, they called me up to the desk….

“What was I there for today?”…. umm… my 1st OB appointment, ultrasound, and lab…..

Somehow, August 1st, my appointment (which was at 2?) was canceled. Yeah, I had one that I questioned, but in the end settled on the appointment at 3.

Not good! Here we were, babysitter at the house (which we’ve only had to pay for that twice ever), dh off work (new job and very little time saved up) - and they tell me that I have no appointment, but they’ll send my chart to the dr.

Great, I was trying to stay calm, but told dh this had to affect my BP reading - if they took it. I was going to work on Sonbeams, and get a little ahead on typing out the lesson guides, but now my mind was wandering too much, I was too jittery and anxious - hoping they’d still see me.

My dr. only had one other name on the sign in sheet - so how busy could she be?? Did I mention the waiting room filling up AFTER we got there? And the dr. being on call that day?

A little while later I hear the ladies at the desk say “Tell her that’s what the dr. said”. Uh-oh… didn’t sound good….

My name is called and I go up. Much to my surprise and excitement, they tell me that my dr. said I could either go ahead and have the ultrasound and come back later for my visit with her… OR if I wanted to wait (at least an hour), I could see her too. Thank you Lord!

Since I already had the babysitter there, I told them I’d wait and see her too, rather than have to come back another day. By 3:20 we were having the ultrasound.

Our tech was the same one for my 1st and 2nd children, and she’s not any nicer than she was 5 years ago. We couldn’t hardly get a word out of her, and then came the ‘battle’.

I mentioned something about the video, to which she replies that she doesn’t do them until the 20 week visit. To which I reply, I had them done with my 1st and 2nd children at the first one AND I had left my 4 year old at home telling him that I would bring him home a movie to see the baby.

(She was VERY upset when he whimpered just a few times when we had the ultrasound of our daughter years ago, so we thought it best not to bombard her with 3 children this visit.)

‘Couldn’t she do just a little movie for him?’ Well, not too happily, she asked if we had a disk. I told her we had looked for them, but couldn’t find them, but we had a VHS - could she still do that?

No, only the DVD’s - and she seemed relieved to avoid that. She wasn’t prepared for me to come back with ‘but the front desk told me that you sell them here, in case I couldn’t find one at the store’.

Not sure why, but she seemed like she didn’t have a clue about that, but was stuck having to look for one - telling us she didn’t know that she had any. Thankfully for us, she had 2 left!

So the ultrasound began - it was very quick. I was making sure to try and stay on her good side, even thanking her for them working us in (though it had nothing to do with her). Within a minute, she turned the screen around and we got to see our baby!

Tiny little arms, but a HUGE body - our baby was 8 weeks, 6 days old. So, it will have it’s weekly b’days on Fridays - turning the next week - so it was 9 weeks old yesterday. Our due date is April 10th, 2009.

We even got 30 seconds (woo-hoo) on video to bring home to big brothers and sister, which we watched that night of course.

Everything was good - heartrate was 190 - and we were told to come back in 4 weeks. It was funny watching the other moms/ couples there - you could especially tell the 1st time parents.

Not that we aren’t thrilled with our new addition - but we are a little used to the ‘cattle herding’ at the drs. by now and are a little more relaxed this time.

Oh, and in reference to my BP - it was 96 over 54 - not too stressed out I guess… Again, seeing why I’m so tired. They are checking my iron levels - since I have been anemic before.

Now, for those guessing the gender:
I’m still feeling VERY queasy - unable to enjoy any foods except Saltines and chicken (without BBQ sauce). With #1 (boy), salty foods were what made me happy - especially Tostitos.

With him, I also craved roast/ steak, but not so with this one. Anything acidic, or garlic flavored isn’t so good - even Caesar dressing (vinegar maybe?)

Boys I feel pregnant and icky, my daughter I kept asking if everything was still going already because I never felt pregnant.

So, for now, signs are pointing to boy. My next thing to wait and see is how I carry them. Boys are low and painful to my right leg - my daughter was so much higher. That’s a few months down the road.

I’m happy it’s just one, being too tired to imagine more. My oldest was hoping for a brother and a sister! But if just one, he’s wanted a sister from the start.

Recently I told him that we wouldn’t know what the baby was for a long time, but that Mommy felt sick with boys, and not with girls, so maybe we could guess. Since then, he’s said many times that he hopes it’s a girl, so Mommy won’t be sick - how sweet!

You’ve heard the old saying, “Never go shopping when you’re hungry”. Well, I can top that with, “Never go shopping when you’re hungry AND pregnant!”.

We only went into Wal-Mart for a few things, chicken for dinner being one of them. Well, let’s just say we came out with a lot more things NOT on the list - and not on my list of healthier eating lately.

Despite my best efforts starting out with sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, cantaloupe…..

We came out with Froot Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, frozen pizzas, ice cream sandwiches - yum, yum, yum!! (At least I hope!)

I’m getting more and more excited about the ultrasound - it’s like waiting for Christmas morning at this point. And it’s still 2 more days away!! I’m going to explode!

“Little Mommy”

Not that I really even eat tomatoes, but I eat a LOT of tomato based products! BBQ sauce, pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, taco seasoning - my food has become a pregnancy nightmare.

I’m not really having heartburn, but I’ve quickly found that any of the above mentioned foods leave me very queasy and ‘not well’ within 5 minutes or so. Add to that my beloved Arby’s sauce, and bacon, even chocolate milk - which I thought would be so good!

What can I handle? Hot chocolate (that I don’t make hot since it’s summer) and Rice Krispies. Yep, that’s about all that doesn’t bother me at all. Oh, can’t leave out the Saltines!

Thankfully, breads aren’t killing me as bad, like breakfast foods, but still aren’t my best friends. I can’t wait to get past this first trimester, so I can go back to enjoying my food!

I was so excited to have DH home today for Labor Day - I had a chance to sleep in until 9, then still have a nap a little later. I even managed to get in 4 or 5 loads of laundry before the day was out.

I’m getting more and more excited about Thursday - and will post our results that evening!

“Little Mommy”