5 Month Pre-natal Visit - It's a Girl!

21 week OB visit summary
Overall weight gain 5 lb 9.6 oz
In the last month 2 lbs 9 oz
Fundal Height 21 cm
Fetal Heart rate 145
Blood pressure 122/70

This has been a very exciting four weeks since my last post.  Honestly too much excitement.
Let's start with the good stuff.

I'm having a girl! We decided to find out at our 20 week ultrasound the gender of the baby.  We didn't find out with our last child, and it just was not as exciting as I hoped.  Besides that it was way harder than I could have guessed to find gender neutral baby clothes - even the bottle brushes come in pink and blue!  Not that I'm going to run out and buy a bunch of pepto-bismol pink.  I would have been happy to have another boy - brothers is great, and plus all of our clothes are boy.  I have to admit though that I'm super excited to get to experience having a daughter.  And check this out -

Now the not so fun - I had the flu this last month.
And yes it was the flu - I tested laboratory positive
Yes I did get my flu shot - back in september
I wash my hands, I clean my stethoscope, and I wear a mask when patients complain of flu-like symptoms.
The silver lining is I got to the doctor right away and got Tamiflu within 36 hours of the onset of my symptoms.  I was only really, really sick for about 36 hours after that.  I did end up in the hospital emergency room because I couldn't stop vomiting and had a fever of 103.9.  Just Yuck!  Not recommended.  The only plus here is I think I have the flu to thank for my lack of weight gain.  I have been a little bad about diet - eating breads and pasta more than I should.  I also didn't use my treadmill for almost two weeks - even though I felt better I was still very fatigued and washed out for about 7-10 days after.
Would I get the flu shot again?  In a heart beat.  Saying you wouldn't get the flu shot because it didn't prevent the flu 100% of the time, is like saying you stopped wearing your seat belt because you still got in an accident.  Any ways from what I've seen in clinic people that didn't get the flu shot got way more sick, and if what I had was not as sick I really don't want to experience the alternative.

I am being pushed out of my pre-maternity clothes.  Mostly because my shirts are getting too short.  I still have some pants I can button up thanks to how much weight I gained with my last pregnancy I have some extra large regular people pants.  I use a thing called the belly belt with my other pants.

Link to buy

This lasted me in my last pregnancy for a long time.  I'm really trying to make it till spring because I don't want to buy sweaters and long sleeve shirts that I'll only wear for another four weeks and never again.  I also use belly bands to help make my shirts reach but it only takes you so far.  These come in a variety of colors.

And that's really it for this month.  Trying to persist with my protein shakes and preeclampsia tea.  I did not end up getting an exercise video because I realized two things 1. I would have to buy a yoga mat, and 2. I'm never going to exercise at home, I just can't.  So plan now is to shell out for pre-natal yoga classes.  Still going to the chiropractor and acupuncturist and having no more aches or pains.  It's exciting to be half way there, and to be showing - enter the rude and awkward comments from co-workers etc.
Hopefully next month is decidedly less exciting.