Baby flutters!

I wasn't going to post anything until the second trimester started but this is too good to wait. Today, I was sitting in front of my computer looking up the latest updates on Hurricane Irene. I was surprised to feel something in the lower part of my belly. It continued to vibrate and it felt like bubbles. It was as though someone had put a straw into my stomach and started blowing. It lasted for 3-5 seconds. I panicked and stood up and immediately it stopped. Then I felt nauseous. I have to be careful with the sudden standing! I called the OBGYN nurse because this first time Mom worried. She told me that it was too early to feel anything because the baby was so deep in the uterus, but when I did some research online I found a whole group of women who experienced the same. Many of these women said that indeed they felt the fluttering as well and as time passed it continued to get stronger and turned into the full fledged movements that you could feel outside the belly too. I also read that second time mothers will feel the fluttering as early as 12 weeks because they tend to be more tuned into their bodies. Also, the movement happens in moments when you are relaxing, like sitting in a chair. After doing my own research, I am convinced that I felt BC today. BC is letting me know that he/she is there and would like some lunch please!

Lovebeats

      Today we heard BC's lovebeats for the first time! This itty bitty baby has a strong heartbeat and it flickered on the screen. BC, who is no bigger than a small strawberry, wiggled quite a bit when he/she heard his/her heartbeat. The doctor said BC was listening too. Today's appointment confirmed three things: 1. There is only one BC, 2. the due date is March 3rd, 3. and most importantly, BC has a heartbeat! I can hardly describe the sheer joy I experienced in listening to our baby's heartbeat for the first time. I can say that I am so in love! BC proves to be a little miracle and is coming along well. I am also in good health and trying my hardest to keep food down and my eyes dry! It isn't natural to cry while watching shark attacks on Discovery's shark week. Needless to say, the hormones are certainly increasing everyday. Nausea is probably the worst symptom and lasts all day with the worst parts in the evening. At 10 weeks, there has been no weight gain and a loss of 7 pounds in the last two weeks. The doctor had mercy on me and prescribed something to help with the sudden urge to upchuck everything. The doctor said that weight loss is normal in the first trimester and nothing to be concerned with at this point. BC is taking his/her nutrients regardless. Fortunately, fatigue has not been an issue. The first trimester is nearly complete and with the detection of today's heartbeat, a risk of miscarriage is extremely low. BC parents can now relax and enjoy the ride...until BC arrives of course.

       So what are these images you see? Well, it's BC of course! These are the very first pictures we have of our itty bitty baby. BC's head is on the left and it is half the size of his or her body. In the images, BC is sunny side up and you are looking at the front of BC's little body. The body is on the right and if you look closely you can see arms and legs protruding from the ends. The doctor assured me that the part between BC's legs is not manhood and is quite possibly the umbilical cord. In one of the images there is a tiny circle near BC's head - that is the yolk sac which will disappear soon. We are already such proud parents who now get to share our baby's first photos.