:thumbup:Hi guys! I know we have been keeping each other posted in various other threads, especially "Banded & Hoping to Get Preg", but since the title of that thread doesn't exactly give out the best info, I am starting a new one for all to post their fun pregnancy stuff, like how appointments go, how the baby is, when we find out the sex, due dates, etc etc!!

Here's my info for today!

We had our 13/14 wk appt today. I am very aware of my ovulation/menstrual cycle, so by my dates we are 13 weeks, however the docs say the baby is measuring 14 weeks. Whatever, it's gonna come when it's good and ready! We got to hear the baby's heartbeat today and it was good and solid, also fast. About 160 Beats per Minute, so there is a good chance the baby is a girl if you go off the heart rate literature. Lower rates like 120-145 BPM are often boys, higher rates from 150-180 BPM are often girls.

Other than that, all is well! I'm officially out of 1st trimester and had another lb lost, which is great as that means I technically didn't gain. The first few weeks I was starving so gained 4-6 lbs real fast, then the hunger tapered off and the band got kinda tempermental and tight on certain days, so I have lost what I gained...YIPPEE! Hearing the heartbeat was wonderful, it made it more real, just like our first ultrasound did.

Can I just say for the umpteenth time how time is flying for us preggos?! I was so jealous of all of you that were a few months ahead of me, and I'm just about at the 7 month mark myself! Life is super busy, we are getting the nursery slowly together and tomorrow is my "work" baby shower. I am having one with the tons of fantastic women I work with, and another one with family and friends later this summer.

I have a bit of anxiety about my lap band secret, as most of our friends and family who will be at the delivery are not aware I am banded. It was and remains a private decision for me. At my appt yesterday, I discussed with the doc and he feels it won't be a very big deal to keep it under wraps during labor. My nurses will be instructed not to mention any medical issues with anyone in the room, and my tummy will be mostly covered up, so I am hopeful. The fact that this is a secret seems to get me picked on when I have confessed to it in the past on LBT, so feel free to offer your opinions, but please be nice.

Also had the diabetes test yesterday, gosh that sugary orange stuff tasted awful! It gave me the worst head and tummy ache all day!

Heather, I am OH SO HAPPY for you girl! Your preggo pic was darling! Other than lots of back aches, pregnancy so far is agreeing with me...although I'm about to hit 15 lbs gained, which sucks as that was what I hoped to gain for the whole pregnancy and I have 12 weeks left...:thumbup::crying:. Trying not to be disappointed, but I really am hungry all the time.

They had me get dressed & set up in L&D before they brought back DH and my mom. Then my belly was never shown to anyone. I filled out all the forms before they came back too, where they asked about surgeries and I told them about the band. There's no modesty for the vajaja, but luckily your band isn't in your vajaja :thumbup:

15 hours of labor & c-section it was never once brought up again. It's not like they let you eat or anything, its all ice chips.. and I only got sick at the very end when they told me I had to do a c-section, I guess I got overwhelmed and I started heaving into a bed pan-even then, no one said anything about the band.

EJMdiva, you have done so well. Your weight gain is nothing, so try not to worry too much. 12 weeks will go very quickly and then we can all start a post pregnancy weight loss support group

I have gained 11 kilos (approx 25lbs). Which is way more than i wanted to gain. I am now 33 weeks and can't wait to have bub so I can start to lose again.

With my first son, I actually put weight on while breastfeeding, so i am a little worried, but my obstetrician says there is no reason why i can't be filled and breastfeed:smile2:

I am up a little over 20 pounds myself with 5 weeks to go. I thought I would only gain a little because I didn't gain through the first half of pregnancy. However, I am HUNGRYYY and my band is empty. I am trying not to eat crap, but I am definitely eating.

I really think I can take it back off afterwards. I just have to get back on the plan :0). I know I can do this.

ejmdiva, you really aren't far behind me. I can't wait for this baby to come. Now that I have about a month left . . . I am just too eager to see my babies face. I can't imagine what she is going to look like.

I had a baby shower on Monday and got some awesome gifts. It seems a little funny but I am kind of sad to be finished with the baby shower. Before, I didn't have to really focus on the baby coming because there was still a shower coming. Now that all the big stuff is out of the way, the nursery is done, the shower is done, what is there left to do but wait, and wait, and wait . . . and I am an impatient kinda gal. So what now, lol???

I wanted to mention, I was present for the birth of my sisters baby a week ago. She ended up with a c-section. She isn't banded but I can see that, unless you mention it yourself, no one will be the wiser. The stomach doesn't really show and it is not a topic of conversation.

If it was going to come up at all, it is more likely a doctor/nurse might notice your port after delivery when they are feeling your belly to make sure the uterus is contracting properly over the next day or two. I would imagine that if it was disclosed in your charts, the nurse or doctor would already be aware.

5 weeks will go so quickly Heather and then you can start your weight loss journey. You will be so busy, all your free time will go to sleeping, not eating:unsure::laugh:

I have 6 weeks left, wll 6 weeks and 2 days. I am finding it daunting thinking of the weight i have gained, so I have decided to stop weighing myself and commit to eating as healthy as I can.

Hopefully the breastfeeding will help with the weight loss. :cool2:

I wish my free time was sleeping...or eating..my free time is prepping for the next time he wakes up, or trying my best to clean what I can lol.

Hi good friends,

You are all SO right about the weight gain. One of my biggest goals in life is to enjoy the truly memorable, rare moments. Being pregnant and getting to eat lotsa yummy food or justifying a bowl of Cereal every night before bed is one of those fun parts and I will not give that up. So I'm resigned to the fact that I may hit about 30 lbs before this over...that allows me to gain slightly more than a pound a week, very fair. Besides, there are weeks where I don't each much and don't gain at all, so hopefully it'll even out. I was like Heather and gained very little the first 4 months, so I figured it would continue that way.

I wanted to say thanks for your remarks about my surgical scars. They bother me, but I'm more confident every day that it shouldn't be a big issue to keep them under wraps. I just have loved ones that won't understand, won't respect my decision, etc.

As far as updates go, it's been kinda a crazy week. I had my work baby shower last Friday, it was a blast and we got tons of cute stuff! I will have one with friends and family next month. Also Friday, I had to rush to the OBGYN's office because I had gone 2 days without feeling the baby move and a blood test showed elevated levels of B12, which can put the baby in duress. Everything was fine, but it was a scary ride to the doctor's office! I've felt him daily since then, but the doc was great and basically said I could drive to the clinic every day if I wanted to hear the heartbeat and they wouldn't mind.

Weekend was nice and pleasant, got a maternity swimsuit for those weekends at the pool that me and my girlfriends love so much, went out to lunch and shopping with a girlfriend. Late Sunday afternoon my hubby got in a bad car accident. He is completely fine, but he totaled his car. This actually works in our favor. We had 4 or 5 yrs left of payments on it, it was starting to have expensive repairs issues (it's an Audi), and he missed his Jeep days, so now that the insurance co has declared it a total loss and paid off his car loan, we get to find him a better car, more baby-friendly and less expensive to maintain. So it looks like we're both getting new cars soon, because my trusty old Ford Focus, while an amazing and perfect car for the past 10 yrs isn't the most baby-friendly either. I'm actually a bit sentimental and sad to see it go!

Cherry, I am so excited to start post-baby weight loss support! I know we will do great. Fairy, how is life as a mom? I'm a first-timer like you.

I wish my free time was sleeping...or eating..my free time is prepping for the next time he wakes up, or trying my best to clean what I can lol.

I am starting to panic as to how I will cope with 2 kids. with my first I always slept when he slept, now this time I won't get that chance......Startingto freak out a bit :thumbsup::scared2::grouphug::drool:

Everyone says to sleep when he does, but I'm not someone who can sleep on cue, so I don't get any naps during the day, just my sporadic time at night. If you can sleep when they sleep, that's clearly the way to go lol.

Most of my friends find it hard to sleep in the day. I think i am the only person I know who can fall asleep on demand:lol:

I can usually fall asleep on demand too, especially when I am tired, which I suspect I will be, lol. That should work to both of our benefits.

I had a baby-shower last week which was really nice. It is odd, but I will actually end up with three events. I have a dinner/shower out and about with a few friends tomorrow and another baby shower on Saturday. It is strange how it all worked out.

Something funny happened last Friday. I was at a friends house for dinner along with a lot of other friends. One of my friends touched my belly out of the blue and said it was a little soft, moved her hand over and touched my port on the upper left side of my belly and said "omg, what is that?" This caught the attention of another friend who then touched my port as well and they were saying maybe it is her head, or maybe it is her knee.

No one knows I am banded. I just said, I am not sure, she moves around a lot and I can't distinguish the pieces parts yet, lol. I know I blushed when they asked me (it happens a lot to pale, freckled people like myself). They still don't know I am banded but I never expected a random person to "feel" my port, lol. It would have been a lot harder to explain if I wasn't very pregnant :0)

I guess a port would feel a bit odd to a non banded person:w00t: I have only told a few close people in my life, but lucky for me no one touches my belly.....I have a huge red scare where the port is too, that would be hard to explain:huh2:

When I was pregnant the first time many people gave me lots of advice, most of it useless. But my best friend said to me "If you think its tuff initially, just hang in there till you get to 6 weeks, your hormones calm down and they sleep alot more, it gets so much easier "

And it does, so I am passing on those words of advice :thumbup:

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting on this thread. I am 20 weeks pregnant with my third child. I was banded a year ago. My first child was born at 29 weeks and my second 32 weeks. They have no idea why I was early my water just broke. This time I feel like I spend every other day at the doctor. My ob still sees me every 4 weeks, but I see a "high risk" doctor for shots every Friday(to try and ward off preterm labor). I also see her for ultrasounds. Anyway I have read your posts and happy that all seems well. Good Luck to everyone.

Wow Brubear, congrats on the third pregnancy. I hope this one is smooth sailing for you, godo luck, keep us posted :thumbup: