Pregnancy Weeks 16-18

Holy headache. I planned to post something crafty today, but I am experiencing one heck of a lingering headache annnnd forgot to pick up my Fioricet Friday when my script ran out. I swear this time that medicine is the only thing keeping me alive. With Reese, I did physical therapy/mechanical traction/chiropractic. It helped, but took months and money-money-money. Today reminds me of all the agony I endured a year ago. Well worth it in the end, as everyone says, but DANG! when you're in the middle of  it, the race seems endless. Thank God Reese was an angel today, and super-sleepy. I think she's going through a growth spurt.

What's bugging me right now is that I wanted to do a tough workout/work on revising my novel/bind a journal/write in my other journal/post a tutorial. And Reese went to bed early, giving me the perfect opportunity to do all of these things, in breezy 80 degree perfection nonetheless. But instead, I feel incredibly barfy and just need (not want, NEED) to lie down.

So, here are some belly pics. No weird cravings. No real discomfort, aside from my usually-taken-care-of headaches. No notable fatigue. I've been doing HIIT workouts with slight modifications, and strength training with heavy-ish weights (though not as heavy as I would normally do), and of course walking with the stroller along the same six streets. Baby's heartbeat is on the low end of normal and "boyish," according to the doctor. And altogether I've gained about 7 pounds (with Reese I'd gained about 15 by now--eek).

Something I'm interested in: other moms' thoughts on the occasional glass of wine/glass of beer during pregnancy. In both pregnancies, I sometimes have had a glass of red wine with dinner, and personally, I am totally comfortable with it. Here is an interesting study:

http://news.discovery.com/human/alcohol-drinking-pregnant-women.html

I recall a couple of years ago seeing a pregnant woman that I knew out enjoying one glass of white wine with her dinner, and I was shocked. I'd always thought it was totally off-limits. Well, the woman is a nurse, and upon talking with her and other moms, and doing my own research, I've come to the conclusion that one drink is fine, and something that I enjoy every once in a while so that I don't feel totally insane and deprived for 40 weeks. Of course, my belief is that it's the choice of the woman whether she feels it's okay for her body or not. And obviously, binge drinking while pregnant is ridiculous. 

Although I indulge in a bit of vino at home, I do feel apprehensive ordering a glass in a restaurant when I'm visibly pregnant. I need to get over this. In my first pregnancy, I listened to all the judgey people with views on not only alcohol, but exercising while pregnant (I did, and will continue to), being a vegetarian while pregnant (I am so conscious of my health and my protein intake, and am happy to say I am just FINE and Reese is thriving--and eats meat), and especially BREAST FEEDING (I tried to, and Reese and I both had many problems, so we stopped. She did fine on Enfamil. I also made most of her baby food, and am very conscious about giving her organic, hormone-free foods whenever possible. I've seen many women preach the nonnegotiable benefits of breast milk, then give their child strictly cheap jarred baby food, then eventually fast food on a regular basis once the child can eat solids. Hello.) This pregnancy I am more confident in my ability to make my own decisions as a parent, and will be telling the hospital staff to keep the nazi lactation consultants outta my $1000/night room. (No, not all lactation consultants are nazis, but the ones who barged in and harped on us last June certainly were skilled at making my lack of milk production feel like a personal flaw.) 

Anyway, I'm getting off my soap box to get my cold compress out of the freezer. 

Thoughts?

lindsey.