I am one of those insane women who decided to have her first child during law school. If all goes well I should give birth during my summer break this year. I am taking spring and summer off and am planning to return to school for my third year in the fall of 2008. We have cool nursing room at our law school, so I will be able to take the baby with me and watch the lectures from a monitor. Thanks goodness I am attending such a progressive law school!

Originally I am from Germany, but I have been living in the states since my early twenties. Beautiful Seattle has become my home of choice. One of these days I might even get my American citizenship, although I have yet to find the benefit in obtaining it. I certainly wouldn't give up my German citizenship to get it.

We got pregnant the month after we had the IUD removed. Any potential concerns about fertility were apparently unfounded :)

Like most first trimester women, I have had my hormonal challenges. Days of complete and utter exhaustion and the constant feeling of seasickness. Luckily I never had to throw up. Fortunately things have changed drastically in the beginning of my second trimester. I have most of my energy back and I am feeling so much better. It is finally fun to be pregnant!

In the beginning of my 17th week I also finally felt the baby move and kick. It has been so exciting to feel the actual physical presence of the little creature inside of me. While on vacation in Maui I could actually see the little bumps coming out of my belly - it was hilarious!

I am very happy to announce that we are having a girl!!!

As if having a baby is not excitement enough this year, my finance and I also got married on April 12th of this year. I was a pretty curvy bride, as the wedding took place in my last trimester. I am still amazed how I found the energy to party it up for an entire weekend :)

Our April 12th Wedding

Pregnancy Survey
About You
Name?:	Tanja
Age?:	32
Height?:	5'11
Pre-pregnancy weight?:	151
About The Father
Name?:	Adam
Age?:	40
Height?:	5'10
Are you still together?:	Yes, we just got married on April 12th!
About Your Pregnancy
Is this your first pregnancy?:	Indeed
When did you find out you were pregnant?:	Three days after my expected menstruation
Was it planned?:	Yes, although we were shocked how fast it happened.
What was your first reaction?:	I almost fell into the toilet bowl...
Who was with you when you found out?:	By myself. Adam was out. At a very inopportune time he had left his cell at home - that noodle!
Who was the first person you told?:	Couldn't reach Adam right away, so I called my mom.
How did your parents react?:	Completely thrilled!
How far along are you?:	40 weeks
What was your first symptom?:	Major boob growth and soreness
What is your due date?:	July 3rd 2008
Do you know the sex of the baby?:	YES! We found out February 13th!
If so, what is it?:	IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!
Have you picked out names?:	Yana Milena
If so, what are they?:	I really like the name Jana. It's a very popular name in Germany, but I am afraid people in the US will mispronounce it constantly. If we go with this name we might have to spell it "Yana." It's of Hebrew origin and means "He answers." I told Adam that it means he has to answer when she needs a diaper change... ;)
How much weight have you gained?:	33 pounds
Do you have stretch marks?:	Slight silvery marks on my hips from my teenage years. I got absolutely none from this pregnancy so far, which is great. My belly skin is still all smooth and unmarked.
Have you felt the baby move?:	YES! It suddenly began on the first day of week 17. No fluttering but some serious and unmistakable little kicks. Have been feeling the little kicker regularly throughout the day ever since. It's so cool! :)
Have you heard the heartbeat?:	Yes, at seven weeks I "met" the dildo-cam. It was so cool to see the little heart flutter and hear it beating! Now I have my own doppler device and can listen to it whenever I want to. I barely use it anymore, as I get kicked the crap out of me on a regular basis, so I am pretty confident she still has a heartbeat ;)
About the birth
Will you keep the baby?:	You better believe it.
Home or hospital birth?:	Hospital
Natural or medicated birth?:	Bring on the drugs!
Who will be in the delivery room with you?:	My husband and my mother
Will you breastfeed?:	I will do whatever it takes to breastfeed. I'll have to pump a few days a week once I am back in law school in late September.
Do you think you'll need a c-section?:	I sure hope not
Will you cry when you hold the baby for the first time?:	These days I cry seeing people give birth on TV, so chances are that I will bawl at my own birth.
What's the first thing you might say to him/her?:	Holy crap?
Would you let someone videotape the birth?:	I don't think so. Pictures should suffice.
Are you excited about the birth, or scared?:	Shoot me up with some drugs and let's go!

Weeks	1 - 4	5 - 8	9 - 13	14 - 17	18 - 21	22 - 26	27 - 30	31 - 35	36 - 40
Which Month are you in?	You are in your first month	You are in your second month	You are in your third month	You are in your fourth month	You are in your fifth month	You are in your sixth month	You are in your seventh month	You are in your eighth month	You are in your ninth month
This is Month	one	two	three	four	five	six	seven	eight	nine
Trimester	first			second			third

*This is just a guideline and the exact weekly breakdown may differ from source to source.



Statistics as to when the average US woman gives birth.

Tuesday, 27 Nov

I am almost at week 9, and my energy levels have slightly improved. The feeling of nausea has also disappeared - yay! Unfortunately I have been plagued by seasonal allergies for the past few days. I have been unable to sleep and my days have been quite miserable with all the sneezing and sniffing. My doc said Flonase should be okay, but I was scared reading all the information I found on the Internet. After having talked to several pharmacists, and having been utterly miserable about my symptoms and lack of sleep, I finally gave in and am now on Flonase. I am still scared this could have a detrimental effect on my embryo. I can only hope that my doctor and the pharmacists have given me good advise. Hopefully I won't have to be on this medication for long...

Thursday, 6 Dec

I am finally at week 10 today! I had another appointment with my OBGYN and I heard the heartbeat through the doppler device. It is so amazing! They did they whole blood/urine battery of tests today. I cannot believe how much blood they took from me! Good thing I have about 10% more blood already due to the pregnancy. Hopefully all tests will be okay. If I am really lucky I get to see my little plum-sized alien next Friday on another ultrasound. It really one of the coolest things to see. I am sure you ladies know what I mean :)

Saturday, 15 Dec

I finally made it to week 11! I had another ultrasound today, and it was amazing! There really is nothing like seeing this little creature inside of you bouncing around. First it didn't move, and then it just went nuts. We even saw it wipe its face. All I can say is 'wow'! What an amazing ride we are all on. I hope everyone is doing as well as I have been. Haven't had any queeziness or exhaustion in a week. It is so nice to finally feel well again. I just wish my boobs wouldn't grow like mad. Already went up three cup sizes!

Saturday, 5 Jan

Saturday, 12 Jan

Had another appointment and got to hear the heartbeat again. We also scheduled the big 18-20 week u/s, but it won`t happen until February 13th, as we will be in Maui for ten days beforehand. Thus I `ll be more than 20 weeks by the time I find out the sex. Oh well, a last vacation with just the two of us will be worth the delay. While I have only gained a couple of pounds so far, I finally start to get hungry. It `s time to put on some weight!

Saturday, 19 Jan

I just got my doppler in the mail yesterday. Instead of renting it, I bought one for $100 on Ebay. It's brandnew, the same model as the rentals I looked at, and I get to keep it. Now I just have to keep myself from using it all the time. I cannot believe the baby is around 4.5 inches already - I am still barely showing. I cannot wait for the u/s on the Feb. 13th when we get back from out vacation. So far all the baby clothes we bought are mainly green and yellow. It will be nice to finally know what to prepare for.

Thursday, 24 Jan

17 weeks and I am still not showing. It `s pretty weird. People are looking at me like I am kidding when I tell them I am 4 1/2 months pregnant. I posted a picture, which shows how flat my stomach still is. I guess if you are nearly six feet tall and have a long waist, the baby has lots of room to hide out in. I might not have to worry about fitting into my wedding dress in April after all, if some major changes don `t happen soon.

Saturday, 26 Jan

I FELT THE BABY MOVE!! It is so exciting. It is my first child, and I didn't expect this already, but there is no doubt that I felt it kick me last night. I felt it move again this morning. Wow! How very exciting! It's alive...! ;)

Thursday, 31 Jan

Week 18 - how exciting. Can you guys imagine that our little babies are almost viable at this point? Just a few more weeks and they would actually have a chance to survive if born, which blows my mind. I think the earliest I have heard of was a baby that was born at 21 weeks and survived. I just think that is is a reassuring thought that we have made it so far along already. My little guy is kicking up a storm every day, which is the coolest feeling ever. I am about to play hookie from law school for a week and spend ten days 'babymooning' with my finance in Maui. I cannot wait! I am not sure how I will feel my humongous pregnancy boobs into my bikini, but there are worse problems to have, I suppose.

Tuesday, 5 February

I am in Maui and I am feeling great! These really are the golden pregnancy months for me. I have been hiking and snorkeling and it went great. I am a little shorter on breath than usual, and I need a bit more time making it up the hill when hiking, but otherwise I feel fantastic. The little kicker has been giving me good kicks every day, as well. They are so strong you can actually feel them from the outside when you move your hand to the right spot. How very exciting! Aloha! :)

Sunday, 10 February

I just got back from vacation on Maui. Yesterday I was sitting on the beach with my bikini and I could actually "see" the baby kick. It was completely freaky but hilarious! All these little bumps coming out of my belly. If s/he keeps kicking like this in the third trimester I am going to get a serious beating. How can something so small be so strong? We're finding out the sex on Wednesday - I cannot wait!

Wednesday, 13 February

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had our 20 week u/s today and we found out we're having a girl. We are so excited! We had really hoped we would have a girl as our firstborn. It is so nice to know the gender and to finally be able to not call it "it" anymore.

Size and growth is in the 50%, which means everything is completely average and developing wonderfully. We are extremely thrilled and happy! :)

Saturday, 1 March

My baby girl is getting strong! Her kicks and punches are pretty impressive. When I woke up early this morning she was so active, she wouldn't let me go back to sleep. Last night she kicked her daddy in the face! It was hilarious! He was kissing the belly and talking to it with the lips right on the skin, and she totally kicked him. We were laughing so hard. She is a menace already! :)

Sunday, 2 March

I am surprised at how many negative side effects other women on this site have, while I feel great. I have no back pain, headaches, no tiredness, no problems sleeping, no stretch marks (yet), no swollen limbs, no ligament pains, and no other problems. My belly is still barely showing yet. I just feel great and am enjoying the regular kicking sessions. I honestly do not feel much different than I did before I got pregnant at this point. The only difference is that I carry 12 extra pounds around, I have huge boobs, I need to pee more often, I get kicked, and I have a little belly. I am either a freak of nature or I still have all of these issues ahead of me. Maybe I can just consider myself lucky...?

Thursday, 6 March

It's crazy - my belly was super flat until last week. Now I am starting to pop out all of a sudden, and my weight is climbing like mad. I eat super healthy and as usual, but that belly suddenly wants to come out and apparently is taking a bunch of fluid on to do so. I gained 3-4 pounds within a week while eating a normal amount. I am actually finally starting to look pregnant, but the sudden and unexpected weight gain is freaky. I am at about 14-15 pounds now. It all went straight into my belly and boobs, as nothing else seems to have grown. Pregnancy is such a roller coaster ride!

Thursday, 13 March

Our babies are officially considered "viable" now (Week 24)! They would have about a 50% chance of survival if they were born right now (in a hospital). These odds increase by 3-4% everyday from now on. I find this strangely exciting! We have almost accomplished creating a full-blown human being! Congratulations to all of the women who have reached this important mile stone! :)

Friday, 14 March

We just got back from another u/s to check if the choroid plexus cysts (in rare cases a soft marker for a fatal chromosomal abnormality) went away that were discovered at week 20. I am happy and relieved to say that they are gone! They checked everything again and the little girl looks perfect. She was waiving and yawning - it was adorable. Her heartbeat was around 130, which has decreased quite a bit from her former 145-160. This just shows how abnormal routine test results can drive us nuts without ever meaning anything in the end. What a great feeling to know she is doing great and we no longer have to worry! :)

Wednesday, 19 March

The funniest thing happened tonight. I was lying on the couch and I felt this pressure on my left side, right above the pubic area. I pushed up my shirt and saw my baby's head stick out of my belly! It was so weird! I could feel her hard head right under my skin. It was like I had a huge, hard bump on my lower belly. In a way, I touched my daughter's head for the first time tonight :)

Saturday, 22 March

I just outgrew my 34G cup! I went to the only maternity store I have found that had my size, and I am now officially a 34I. I am 25 weeks pregnant and already I went up 6 cup sizes. Once I give birth and the milk is coming in, I am going to have to hire someone to carry my boobs for me as there will be no bras left that fit! ;)

Sunday, 23 March

I really want to know where all the weight is going I am gaining. I have gained nearly 17 pounds at this point eating normally and healthfully. I can still fit into my normal pants and my belly is still the flattest I have seen in any woman as far along as I am. I wonder how much breasts can weight? I have gone from a 34 D to a 34I at this point (six cup sizes!). An acquaintance has had a breast reduction from a GG to a C cup, and she instantly lost 7 pounds due to the surgery. It's a mystery. I should ask my doctor about this...

Monday, 24 March

I put our huge 4-in-1 crib with attached changer together today. The reviews said it would take about three hours, but I guess I didn't expect to be completely dead afterwards. I guess I need to stop acting like I do not have a volleyball in my belly. After all that hard manual labor I really do feel pretty pregnant tonight. I think I am going to have to take it more easy from now on. Sigh...

Saturday, 29 March

We went to get my wedding dress fitted today. Since we bought it before we got pregnant my body has changed dramatically. My little belly is not the problem, but I was completely unable to fit my extra six cup sizes into my corsage. They literally have to put a three inch extra piece into the back zipper part to put it on me. It was pretty funny. My little belly on the other hand fits just fine. Fortunately I am working with a great tailor, as I really didn't want to have to buy a new dress. I am going to wear my hair down, so the altered part on my back will be covered by my long hair. I'll be married in less than two weeks - I am starting to get excited! :)

Wednesday, 2 April

Yay - welcome third trimester! We got our wedding license this morning. My finance was all giddy and wouldn't stop taking pictures. Lol, I thought I was supposed to be the crazy emotional bride:)
I am thinking of starting prenatal yoga this week. While I still feel excellent, I have certainly lost the motivation to run around outside during the past couple of weeks. I am a lot more tired these days. No more day-long uphill hikes for me. I am hoping yoga once a week will give me at least somewhat of a workout.

Friday, 4 April

I went to my first prenatal yoga session last night. It was great! I thought it would be really low key, but some of those poses were pretty intense. I am all sore today. I have to say that I am impressed with the women there at 37 weeks or so. They have this humongous belly and are still doing all the poses like the rest of us. I felt so good after yoga; I am planning on doing it every week for 1.5 hours from now on until birth if I can. I don't want to be an out-of-shape, flabby pregnant woman when I give birth. I am sure I will need those extra muscles during birth.

Thursday, 10 April

I feel great! I was a bit more tired than usual last week, but at least I slept great because of it. This week I am full of energy. We have the house full of guest from Europe and the East coast, and tomorrow we are leaving for our wedding destination. We are getting married on Saturday on a small island in Northern Washington. I am so excited - I cannot wait! What a busy and exciting year!

Sunday, 13 April

ADAM AND I GOT MARRIED YESTERDAY! It was such a wonderful and moving wedding. We spread it over the weekend, and the weather was absolutely perfect on the island we had the wedding on. It was amazing to have our friends and families come together and celebrate for two days. I am completely exhausted at this point but incredibly happy and content. We are incredibly fortunate with our families, who are so excited for us and get along wonderfully. My husband's parents actually learned some German so they could talk to my mother. It was truly lovely. Boy, it is not easy to party it up for two days while in the third trimester. The dress weighed a ton, and it was tough to be energetic and social for two days straight. I think the baby and I will be spending the next two days being utter and complete sloths :)

Saturday, 19 April

Well, I passed the glucose test but my iron levels are too low. Since I was a teenager my hemoglobin level has always been borderline. After this blood tests they found it is definitely a bit low, so I have to take Slow Fe twice a day. Combined with the extra iron of my prenatal vitamins I'll now be taking nearly 800% of a general daily recommendation. Damn, I better start eating some prunes with all that iron. I'll probably start beeping next time I go through airport security ;)

Wednesday, 23 April

Sigh...it is finally happening. My weigh gain, which previously has gone straight to my boobs and my belly, is now also moving to the rest of my body. It seems ever since the third trimester has begun, the weight I am now gaining is placing itself all over my body. I am just hoping the rest of the approximately ten pounds I am likely to gain will not all settle down on my butt ;)

Sunday, 27 April

Hm, I guess I am the abnormal one on this site. Everyone on the weekly board is depressed and hates being pregnant. All I hear is: "I want my body back!" I must be a freak, because I truly enjoy my pregnancy. I love the feeling of being pregnant and having my baby inside of me. While I am really looking forward to finally meet her in person, I think I'll miss having her inside of me once she comes out. I like my big belly, and I feel proud walking around being pregnant. Maybe this is because I still feel great, and because my husbands loves my pregnant body, but I do not share the feelings most of you express. I have gained nearly 25 pounds, and not all of it just went into my boobs and my belly. As a matter of fact, since I am nearly six feet tall, I have about reached my husband's weight in another week or so. We joke about it. I find this entire pregnancy experience absolutely fascinating and incredibly rewarding. When I look into the mirror not wearing any clothes, I find my body quite attractive in its pregnant state and am proud of what it can do. Am I honestly the only person who feels this way?

PREGNANCY WEIGHT GAIN

Your BMI: 21.4
Classed as: normal

Your Recommended weight gain: 33 pounds (as calculated by this website)

month 1: 152 lbs. (151 lbs.)
month 2: 153 lbs. (151 lbs.)
month 3: 154 lbs. (153 lbs.)
month 4: 159 lbs. (157 lbs.)
month 5: 164 lbs. (162.5 lbs.)
month 6: 169 lbs. (169 lbs.)
month 7: 174 lbs. (176 lbs.)
month 8: 179 lbs. (182 lbs.)
month 9: 184 lbs. (184 lbs.)

PICTURES:

HALLOWEEN 2007 (I was already knocked-up and didn't know it!

MOROCCO 2005

HALLOWEEN 2006