The Baby Dos Experience @ 23 weeks

Right now, I'm 23 weeks and 2 days pregnant with Lil Dos. And still, it's been such a different experience. It's about this time when I was pregnant with Asher that we went to Vegas for my cousin's wedding. The plane ride was uncomfortable. The walking around Vegas was miserable. My feet hurt, my back hurt, my pelvis hurt. And sleeping required a specific placement of pillows. I remember thinking, this pregnant stuff isn't all that grand.

But this time. This time, I feel great. I have the occasional heartburn. But that's really it. My weight gain seems to have temporarily slowed. (Thank you sweet Jesus because I gained 20 pounds right off the bat!) I think that being at home, making my own schedule, chasing around a toddler and wearing comfy clothes most of the time have helped with the experience.

My psychiatrist told me at my last appointment that I could keep taking the Zoloft until 26 weeks and then slowly wean off. She even said (just like my OB) that I could keep taking it; that there is no point in making myself miserable just to come off of it for the last trimester. But, still, the risk - however small - of a serious effect on Dos makes me want to at least try to come off the meds. But don't you worry, I will have that bottle in my hospital bag ready to go once he's here!

She also asked how I've been sleeping. I said that I wake up a lot and usually spend at least an hour each night trying to get back to sleep. It's not that I'm uncomfortable (yet). I'm just awake. And those pregnancy dreams are so freaking crazy it's like sometimes I'm not even asleep. They are so real and so detailed and so all-consuming. Anyways, she told me that sleep deprivation in pregnancy is a risk factor for PPD. She said that getting sleep at this point is crucial to helping myself out in the long run. She encouraged me to take Benadryl to get some rest; and assured me it was safe to take every night. She said if that doesn't work, there are prescription meds I can take. I am doing the Benadryl now, and it's helping. But I still have that time frame where it wears off and I'm wide awake. Mind spinning. Listening to Rusty and Asher snore on each side of me. (Asher's monitor, that is.)

All of this to say. I'm feeling pretty darn great! My hips and pelvis never seemed to 'bounce' back after Asher, but now I'm thankful. I'm happy to be without that pain.

Looking forward to the holidays with my Asher and my Dos. I think being pregnant at Christmas is an extra kind of magical.

We'd appreciate your prayers for a safe and healthy pregnancy, as we anticipate Dos's arrival in February!