Pregnancy | Geek in Heels

I read this on BabyZone this morning (when my head was not bent over the toilet): The Scoop: Although it can be a major nuisance for moms-to-be, morning sickness may actually make for smarter kids, according to a recent Canadian study. In an effort to understand the effect of first trimester nausea on fetal brain development, researchers followed 121 women who had contacted a pregnancy hotline. Among children (now between ages 3 and 7) born to these women, those whose mothers experienced morning sickness scored higher on certain tests of IQ, memory, and language skills, compared to those whose mothers had no symptoms of nausea or vomiting during pregnancy. For Baby: Women in the study who reported the most severe...

Personal, Pregnancy

Pregnancy Update, Week 5

Aug 26. 2009

When the doctor first told me the approximate age of Tater Tot, I was shocked. That's it??! I thought to myself. But I've been having symptoms for over a week! They say that most women start experiencing symptoms of pregnancy at 6-8 weeks. I started getting symptoms at 3 weeks, which is just one week after conception. I was super-tired, cranky, bloated, and my boobs were swollen and sore. In fact, that is what prompted me to take the pregnancy test. "You're pregnant? Are you sure???" Needless to say, the symptoms have intensified since then. I need to take daily naps in order to function properly. I am an emotional train wreck, being gloriously elated one minute and sobbing into my pillow the...

Baby, Books, Pregnancy

My First Happy Tears as a Mother

Aug 21. 2009

Yesterday, I had written that we received a surprise gift in the mail: the book Oh, Baby, the Places You'll Go! A Book to Be Read in Utero. As I sidled into bed last night I decided to take the book with me so that I can read to Tater Tot for the very first time. The book itself is very similar to the one from which it was adapted - Dr. Seuss' Oh the Places You'll Go! - with a few changes here and there. I quite enjoyed myself, although occassionally stumbling over the funny words, colorful rhymes and frequent alliterations that is the trademark of the author. Then I reached the last spread. You'll find that this world'sa great place to begin,but...

Personal, Pregnancy, Relationships

The Lonely Pregnant Woman

Aug 21. 2009

I got married at 27, a fairly young age in my group of friends. When I returned from my honeymoon, I suddenly felt like a pariah. You can't deny it - people treat you differently once you're married. Invitations to girls-night-outs slowed to a trickle. When you strike up a conversation with a man (even in a 100% platonic manner), people give you strange looks. Dinners with single friends became less and less common as dinners with other couples seemed to become more typical and expected. Do I no longer like to have fun? Am I a different person from the one pre-marriage? Now that I am pregnant, the loneliness has grown even more severe. The majority of my friends are still single, let alone...