The Quickening

I've a strong positive feeling at 17 weeks, I've experienced quickening. Several times today in the afternoon I felt it again. This time it's just right below my navel. But everytime I put my hand over, you stopped. Yea, I know it's still early days. And the flicker is so soft it's probably not possible to feel from outside. Think Daddy's feeling a leftout a bit, dear baby. Keep on growing now so he can start feeling you too!

I've the strangest crave. Corn chips, dim sims and boxed drinks. No matter how much I try refrain from drinking coffee, for few days now I've been enjoying it. Doc advised no more than 2 mugs daily to prevent low birth weight and other conditions following it. Daddy's been switching to decaf coffee in the house but bought a small bag of good freshly grind Colombian coffee in case Papa would like some when he comes. We head off to get a bag of corn chips and yummy blueberry bagels for my morning breakfast.

I've also turned rather clumsy. Been dropping things on the floor etc etc. My centre of gravity shifts everyday. As for sleep deprivation, it's because I'm sleeping like a baby, that is to say not much deep sleep but plenty of REM (Rapidly Eye Movement aka Rapidly Enraged Mother-to-be, as Kaz Cooke calls it) sleep. Also because I wake up very so often during REM sleep, I remember my dreams more vividly.

Adding to some remarks I've received:
1 - Maybe you're having twins and you don't know it coz it's hiding behind one another
You will know if you're having multiples by the first few weeks of ultrasound, even as early as 5 weeks pregnant. Only one yolk sac was found in mine at 5 weeks, thank you for being imaginative and providing false-hope remark.
2 - Stretch marks
Evidently there's close to nothing can prevent you from it. Especially if you've a history, that is you've had it before. The best help is smothering your skin with lotions or moisturizers to keep skin soft, elastic and moist while it's expanding rapidly. Try not to be fooled by those fancy stretch marks brands, any good cheap moisturizers work just fine. Though I am tempted to get those cocoa butter stretch marks moisturizer. Maybe when my normal marks&spencer tub finishes. And if you're worrying your husband or anyone else won't be attracted to you because of your stretch marks, think again. If he's your husband and you're carrying his child, there's a lot more attraction he finds in you than few milky lines on your skin the day he married you. It's a phase, I went through it too when I was younger. A pretty immature stage, I'd say =) Then again, I might be wrong. Depends who you end up marrying. Though I personally feel it's totally inappropriate if he finds your stretch marks disturbing because you were carrying his child. Unless of course if he's willing to scorf up loads of money and offers to do something about it like surgery =)

Speaking of skin, after I got out of the shower, I find my skin's turning soft, milky white and healthy. Everywhere except my face. It's very dry. My ob pointed out at 14 weeks pregnant my fundal height is halfway up my navel. Looking forward to her measuring it again soon in two weeks time.

No varicose veins. No skin tags. Just spider-webbed skin due to the 50% increase in blood volume. Hands and feet are not swollen, face looks puffed occassionally from fluid retention and no leg cramps. Yet. Gums are still bleeding but not too much. Nose gets stuffed but am used to it by now. Mild headaches comes and go. Backpains sometimes occurs but bearable. Backbone tail hurts only sometimes and still bearable.

In my pregnancy book, there's always something for me to fill in at the end of each week. I'll start doing those in here than messing up my book. This week's record, "Do a little drawing of what you bosoms used to be like, and what they look like now. Oh, what the hell, draw your whole body or paste in a photo"

Okay I've uploaded photos in here before. You'll see my 17 weeks preggie pix soon when I'm good enough to lean over and reach out for the camera to upload them =p