Boob and Book Roundup

So, the newest fun pregnancy developments have to do with my boobs! As in, I grew another cup size in one month, making me currently a size 36E/36DD (normally a size 34C). I had to go up a band size because my belly starts to protrude directly under my chest (probably due to my very short torso). I grew a cup size to D during the first trimester, and recently grew another cup size in the last month. I think they're supposed to grow through the second trimester and then level off.... I hope that doesn't mean I have more cup sizes to go, because they are pretty huge now, I think.

Also fun is that my boobs have started to leak a little. Which I knew would happen eventually but 24 weeks seems really soon! It's nothing anyone would notice other than me, but I've seen some wet spots in my bra and of course had to...... ahem.... test it out (aka, do a test-squeeze). And sure enough, some clear fluid came out (pre-colostrum?). Sorry if this is TMI for some of you, but I'm pretty sure I've handed out my blog address to all women, and for those of you with kids, you know, and if you don't, you're welcome - now you do! :) I've been reassured that the leaking is a good indicator for future breast milk production, so I hope that's true!

Other than boob issues I'm generally feeling very round - all over. I feel like my belly is huge, but technically I am six months pregnant. Six months! It sounds so far along, it's hard to believe it's happening to me. Baby continues to kick and move like crazy - sometimes bulging my stomach out a little painfully. I'm still stretching out and I feel like my ligaments and ab muscles and torso just don't know what they're in for, and resist being distorted! But this baby does what she wants!

24 weeks (6 months)... ROUNDDDDD

I thought I'd share a little today about the books I've been reading and plan to read, and my thoughts on each, in case anyone is interested when their time comes. I still consider myself a student, and now my subject just happens to be myself and pregnancy/babies in general. Somehow I don't think that all my studying will directly translate into "acing" the final test.... whatever that is.... but it can't hurt!

What to Expect When You're Expecting
I'm gonna categorize this as what NOT to read.... If you are prone to any anxiety at all, this is not the book for you during pregnancy. A friend gave me this book early on as a kind gesture, and it is full of information, but the format was just terrible for me. Essentially it's like, "We're going to lay out this book in a Q&A format addressing every possible concern you could have, month by month. So if you weren't anxious about most of this stuff before, YOU ARE NOW!"

When I told my counselor that I was reading it early on in pregnancy, she advised me to STOP immediately, as it was, in her opinion, the most anxiety-producing pregnancy book you could read. I've since picked it back up occasionally just to see if there are some tidbits that I haven't found in other books, but mostly I'm taking the whole thing with a grain of salt now that I'm in a better head space.

The New Well Pregnancy Book
This is the book that my counselor recommended to me in place of What to Expect, and I really enjoyed it. It's pretty big and Caleb kept calling it my "text book," but it was very informative without being scary. It did probably lean a bit more towards natural childbirth, but it did comprehensively cover all other interventions and just what is happening with your body in general. It's a little outdated (written in the 1990s), but I highly recommend it.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
This book is totally geared towards natural, or unmedicated, childbirth, so if you're not interested in that, move on. It is pretty crunchy-granola-power-to-women.... but I like it (shocker!). And because I am pursuing an unmedicated birth, it has helped me reframe some fear and preconceived notions of pain and expectations for childbirth, and I think it's helped me mentally prepare for the task that will soon be at hand.

The Knocked-Up Fitness Guide to Pregnancy
I mentioned this book before as the one that I won at the baby conference I went to a while ago. I haven't read it yet but I heard the author speak and have done some of her pregnancy workout videos, and really like what she has to say. I need to start reading this book soon before I'm unable to use her helpful tips at all!

The Birth Partner
This was lent to us by our doula and I've heard of it before as a great book for partners/coaches and pregnant women to read about tactics to successfully get through birth. I'm guessing it is more geared towards natural childbirth, but I bet the breathing and pain management tips would be good for anyone. I'm hoping Caleb will read a least some of it..... :)

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
This came highly recommended to me by a friend who had struggled with breastfeeding her first child, but has since had great success with her second. She found it very helpful to prepare for breastfeeding and she felt it had some advice that she never received her first time around. I'm really interested to read it (even though right now, breast feeding kind of sounds terrible, to be honest...).

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
Pretty self-explanatory. Another friend gave this to me and said it had some good tips for early on when you sometimes just don't know what to do to comfort baby! Fingers crossed that something in here or whatever we try works!