21 Weeks!

Wow, I'm so sorry that I haven't been blogging! No real excuses, except for life and 2 kids and spring and summer activities.

The big news is that we found out last Thursday that we're having our 3rd little girl! We are so thrilled and our oldest daughter is ecstatic! Very fun. I never imagined myself with 3 girls and I'm sure Brian never did either, but now, we can't picture ourselves any other way. I have loved watching Emma and Tailyn play together, so adding one more to that will be so fun to watch. And Emma is already planning bunk beds in her room for her and Tailyn.

My pregnancy has been very easy for the most part. But this is the honeymoon stage, they say. :) I don't feel too big and am enjoying feeling the baby kick lots. She seems to be the most active in the evenings and in the early morning - hopefully she won't stay on that schedule after she's born!

My one complaint has been with my digestive system. And as I blogged about earlier, it has caused me a lot of suffering and annoyance. But, after many months, I think we may have a lead on what the problem is. One day Ali started talking about her low stomach acid after she went through a week of having digestive problems. And then we started talking about it in reference to my problems. Maybe this was the answer for me? That I didn't have enough stomach acid to digest my foods properly, which could lead to bacterial build-up in my intestines and cause other problems.

At at this point, I was taking enzymes for every meal (except breakfast) and they weren't helping any more. So, I decided to take a break from them. That morning I also forgot to take my vitamins with breakfast like I usually do. I had the best food day! Nothing bothered me and I even pushed myself. I had a ton of potato chips, which usually cause me all kinds of pain and discomfort and I had no problems! It sounds so silly, but it was such a great day! To suddenly be able to eat what I wanted when I wanted it withouth worrying.

My theory is that because I was taking my vitamins in the morning (and taking all 6 of them), I used up all of my stomach acid right at the beginning of the day and the rest of the day, I didn't have enough acid to digest foods properly. So, I stopped taking my vitamins in the mean time. I've noticed an improvement, but I'm still having problems.

I think the answer lies in taking HCL Betaine, which is a stomach acid supplement. But, of course, it says you shouldn't take it when you're pregnant, unless it's been approved my your doctor! So, I'v been very hesitant. I'm going to take the info to my midwife on Monday to ask if I can take it. And on Wednesday, I see a Natural MD to go over my stool analysis and hopefully get some more answers then.

There are alternatives to the supplement. But I can only drink so much Apple Cider Vinegar. :( That actually does seem to help quite a big, but it's hard to take it when you're on the go. So, hopefully I will be able to take the supplement. This has been so hard being pregnant, since I have to eat and eat well. I would rather just not eat, but that isn't an option.

So, there you have it. I promise to blog some more. So keep tuning in! :)