Baby #3 -- Facts and Speculation

So I've written very little about our newest baby on the way. Such is the life of child number 3, I suppose. While I try not to intentionally compare my children, I think comparing pregnancies is fair game. Since the gender of Number 3 is going to be a surprise, I've had fun comparing and contrasting this pregnancy with my first two and of course speculating about what those comparisons could mean. I've asked the doctor in about ten different ways whether various differences or similarities between pregnancies can indicate anything about gender. Her answer is always no.

Nevertheless, I love the gender guessing game. Here are a few observations and comparisons. Feel free to speculate.

I promise ultrasound pictures soon, but not in this post.

WARNING the following may be a bit TMI for some.


Nausea and vomiting
#3 -- I had a lot of nausea and fatigue in the first trimester. I threw up several times, but also took Zofran to temper the sickness. The nausea and vomiting could be bad any time of day, but were generally worst in the morning.

Brynna -- I had a great deal of nausea and vomiting in the 1st tri with B., but I did not have Zofran to ease the discomfort. Being sick was very predictable with Brynna. I had a knot in my stomach all day, and then in the evening the knot would turn to nausea, and I would throw up almost every night sometime before bed. I almost never felt sickest in the morning.

Lane -- Very little nausea. Sort of threw up once.


Hair Growth
#3 -- I have continued to lose hair pretty much like normal, but it does seem to be growing faster. I have not had any "extra" hair growth anywhere that doesn't usually have hair.

Brynna -- Similar to #3, though hair loss did seem to slow more with Brynna. Grew faster, but with no extra growth.

Lane -- I don't think I lost a single hair during his entire pregnancy. Hair grew faster, thicker, and lots of new and different places. :)


Weight Gain
#3 -- I have gained much faster with this baby. That said, I have gained exactly the expected amount for this point in pregnancy.

Brynna & Lane -- I gained at about the same rate with both of them and ended up at the low end of average with both. I think I was about a pound heavier with Lane.


Dreams
I have dreamed more often and more vividly during all three pregnancies. However, the types and intensity of the dreams have been more like what I remember with Brynna than with Lane. One thing different this time than with either of the previous has been nightmares. I've had two or three nightmares about this pregnancy compared to none with Brynna or Lane.


Cravings/Aversions
#3 -- No consistent cravings besides things I normally crave, like chocolate. I will say, that since I have expected to get diabetes all along, I have eaten every piece of cake as though it were my last. Perhaps that has something to do with the faster weight gain. :) I had lots of aversions early in the pregnancy. Pretty much anything I ate made it's way to the aversion list. That means I could eat it once during the 1st trimester then the thought of it made me sick. Now pretty much the only thing I can't eat is cooked spinach like in a quiche.

Brynna -- Again no consistent out of the ordinary cravings. Aversions to anything I threw up. Many of these aversions followed me through the entire pregnancy. Guacamole, shrimp, pork roast are three foods that I remember worrying I might never enjoy again.

Lane -- Craved broccoli early on. No real aversions that I remember.


Position of Baby
All three babies have lived strictly on my right side. Brynna sat highest, then Lane, and now this baby is by far the lowest.

#3 -- is already head down (about 30 weeks).

Brynna -- Don't remember when she went head down.

Lane -- Didn't go head down until around 34 or 35 weeks.


Diabetes
#3 -- Passed 1 hour test at 9 weeks. Failed 1 hour test at 22 weeks then passed the 3 hour and did not officially have the 'betes. One hour test at 28 weeks and just barely failed. Then failed 2 out of four markers on the 3 hour, giving my official diagnoses. We shall see whether it will be diet controlled or not.

Brynna -- One hour test at 28 weeks and just barely failed. Then failed 2 out of four markers on the 3 hour. Was able to control my glucose levels with diet.

Lane -- Off the charts failed the one hour at 24 weeks and didn't even need the 3 hour test. I was on insulin shots within a couple of weeks. I was getting 4 shots a day by the time he was born.


Mother's Intuition
#3 -- I have had a feeling about the gender since we first found out I was pregnant. I am not going to share that hunch here on the blog. Cruel, aren't I?

Brynna -- Felt early on and throughout the pregnancy that she was a girl. So much so that I cringed when people referred to "the baby" as "he" or "him." I should also add that my automatic reply when people asked what I thought it might be was, "I think it's a girl, but that might be because I REALLY want a girl."

Lane -- Felt early on that he was a boy. Neither Daryl or I were surprised in the least when they told us we were expecting a boy.


So there you have it. All the comparisons I can think of. If you are still reading, you are either a very good friend/family member or you are super bored! :) Anyway, what do you think? Guesses? Speculation?