Pregnancy Wednesday: 10 weeks

10 weeks today...wow!  I am so excited and anxious to get to 20 weeks and see what this little one is and even more excited and anxious to hold this baby...but at the same time, how is it possible that I am almost done with the first trimester?  This pregnancy just seems to be flying!  I am already 1/4 of the way there!

Question: How early did you feel movement?  With Miss A, my placenta was anterior (in the front) and I really didn't feel movement until around 22 weeks.  It was a sad and LONG wait to finally feel those kicks and movements.  I know it is crazy because the baby is so tiny, but I swear that I feel movement at times.  It is probably all in my head though!

I am also excited to share a review with you...I am going to wait until later in the pregnancy and see how well it does at all stages, but I did buy a fetal doppler with my own money and I am excited with the results already!  As a Labor and Delivery nurse, I had the pleasure of being able to check on Miss A whenever I worked.  I was so nice to get to hear that heartbeat a couple times a week since I was working FT.  Now that I am only working casually (4 days a month) I wanted to get a doppler for at home so I could have the same comfort with this pregnancy of being able to check on the little one.  Working in the job I do, I see the good, the bad, and the really really ugly of pregnancy.  So with all of those experiences and memories, I sometimes have a very hard time just putting my faith in the fact that everything SHOULD be going ok with the pregnancy.  I have seen far too much to not have some control and be able to check in on the baby whenever I want.

So I did a ton of research and price comparison and then I stalked ebay for a good price!  I was shocked that I got it for such a great deal!  Yay Ebay!

Now, for those moms out there wondering...your uterus does not come up out of the pelvis until around 10 weeks.  So it is nearly impossible (and most practitioners will not try) to find the heartbeat with a doppler until 10-12 weeks.  With that knowledge in mind, my doppler arrived when I was 9 weeks and 2 days.  I wasn't going to try it out, but something in me just wanted to know!  So I decided to try and find the heartbeat the day that the doppler came.

I must say, it is hard to doppler yourself.  I am always standing over the patient and can visualize the landmarks and get the heartbeat right away.  But trying to do it to yourself it quite a bit more difficult.  So after a LOT of searching and feeling around for landmarks, I found it!  It probably took me 10 minutes, but at 9 weeks and 2 days, I was able to get the baby's heartbeat on my home doppler!  The heart rate was 125-130.  I was so excited to find it!

Now, for those of you wanting to buy a doppler and are hopeful that you can find the heart beat at 9 weeks, I want to warn you.  I am a Labor and Delivery nurse.  I know the landmarks and I know how to find the heartbeat.  At 9 weeks and 5 days, I could not find it.  It was very frustrating for me, but I was not surprised. Please do not expect to find the heartbeat until after 10-12 weeks.  More like 12 weeks for a home doppler. If you buy one and cannot find the heartbeat, do not get scared/worried/etc.  It can be very hard to find the heartbeat, especially before 20 weeks.  And depending on the position of the baby, it can be near impossible even with a good doppler; let alone a cheapie home doppler.

I am extremely excited to keep using it though and let you guys know what I find!  It was extremely affordable, so I am thrilled to share!  But not yet!  I want to thoroughly test it out first!

I am still feeling great!  I get a little tired at times but that is really my biggest complaint.  And I still can't get enough dill pickles.  I need to buy stock in Clausen!  Yum!

How are you guys this week?

Happy Pregnancy Wednesday!