Curiosity, Anticipation and Pre-baby Jitters

With only eight weeks to go, the thought of baby girl consumes just about every second of my day. I’ve even caught myself day dreaming. My favorite day dream is her and I at home those first few days after delivery. We are snuggled up on the couch during a feeding and all I can seem to do is hold and admire her. Every day my curiosity seems to grow – I cannot wait to see whose nose she will have, what color her hair will be and count her ten teeny toes!

I can’t help but wonder where I will be when my water breaks – will it be during the middle of a spin class or could it happen while I’m at work? Will my water even break at all? You name a scenario, and I’ve probably already considered it.

I am nervous about how labor will go – I feel very prepared and knowledgeable – but for the most part it’s not up to me where my water breaks or how delivery goes. Will I be able to have the immediate skin-to-skin time after she is born for bonding and breastfeeding? Are hubby and I fully prepared to bring her home? And then there’s the looming question – what if something goes wrong? I try not to dwell on this, but it’s hard to ignore. I know that no matter how her delivery develops, and regardless of whose nose she ends up with, I can’t wait to meet her.

Aside from being tired, it’s been another great week. I am starting to notice that it’s becoming more difficult to do certain activities at the gym now, but I’m still trying to go three to four times a week. Exercise has definitely played a key role in how I have felt during my pregnancy and I’m so glad I’ve stuck with it. I have had minimal back pain and I’m gaining weight in all the right places. I definitely credit this to the exercise. Baby girl seems to like it too; it seems that she gets a burst of energy afterwards.

Baby Bump Fashion

It’s safe to say I’ve officially transitioned into maternity clothes. I can still wear a lot of my clothes, but I don’t want to stretch out my nice tops and jeans.

Shopping is a bit of a hobby for me, and when I found out I was pregnant I was excited to treat myself to some designer maternity clothes. Now that I actually need to wear maternity clothes though, I’m realizing how little time I will actually wear them. Instead of spending money on clothes I won’t need in a couple months, I am trying to get through these next couple months by mixing some maternity clothes with my current wardrobe. Many maternity lines are expensive given the duration of time you’ll actually wear the clothes, especially if you don’t need them the first two trimesters.

My advice to my fellow pregnant ladies: maternity T-shirts, tanks and a pair of maternity leggings and jeans are must haves – no matter what season you’re pregnant.  Places like Target and Gap Maternity are great for these items; you don’t need to spend a fortune on a white T-shirt. The maternity leggings I have are from Gap Maternity; I bought them a while back when they had a sale. I seriously wear them every day. I don’t think my hubby sees me in anything else at home! I was able to pick up three maternity T-shirts at Target last week for $24, and they’re great quality. They’re nice and thick, but if they get ruined it won’t bother me to toss them.

Dresses will be what I live in this summer.  I find that I don’t necessarily need to buy maternity dresses. Any loose, stretchy dress that has a high waistline (a-line) or a stretchy-fitted dress -- if you want to show off your bump -- will work.

Maternity clothes don’t often go on sale, so take a trip to the outlets and visit your favorite stores. See what items will work for you, while also browsing the maternity stores. 

You can always mix in your own pieces too. Throw a favorite sweater over top of that cheap Target T-shirt, along with a funky necklace, and you’re all set! You can also use the belts you already have -- just put them above your belly. Rather than spending a fortune on clothes, use the money you’re saving to purchase fun accessories and shoes! I’m never one to say no to a splurge, so if you find something you have to have -- like that cute dress for your baby shower -- go for it! Just remember you can build an adorable maternity wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Happy Shopping! :)

Childbirth Class

There’s nothing like a childbirth video to get you thinking about labor! This week we attended the “Your Childbirth Experience” class taught by Registered Nurse Sarah Powell at Fauquier Hospital.

Since Evan was an emergency c-section I really didn’t have much information on what labor would be like before this class. The class went over everything -- from distinguishing between false labor and actual labor, to going home after baby, and everything in between. We spent time going through the different stages of labor, what happens during a c-section. We discussed every option available to those of us delivering at Fauquier Hospital.  It was so comforting to hear how supportive the nurses are to those of us who want to go all natural (no pain meds), and how they encourage laboring at home as long as possible.

A concern of mine before the class was being hooked up to monitors and confined to laboring in bed because I was going to have a VBAC (vaginal delivery after c-section). I’ve been reassured that this isn’t the case anymore. Telemonitoring allows you to be wirelessly monitored. These monitors can even get wet, so I’ll be able to get in the spa tub that they have – the tub at Fauquier Hospital is nicer than mine at home!

The class was very hands-on. No, we didn’t participate in an actual birth, but we did spend time going through different stations set up around the classroom. The stations allowed us to practice comfort techniques such as breathing, different laboring positions and my personal favorite, the hand massage station. It was a two-day class; at the end we took a tour of the Family Birthing Center and one of the birthing suites. All of the rooms are private, spacious and there is an extra bed for hubby. You give birth in your suite room and there’s a designated space for baby girl, so she will get to stay with us the whole time. Two weeks ago I was worried and anxious about labor but after this class, I am excited.

Little Weekly Details. We also saw Dr. Hodgson this week and had another great check up.  Baby girl’s growth is right on track and everything seems to be going as it should. I actually didn’t gain any weight these past two weeks, which disappointed me, but again, I’ve been reassured that I’m measuring fine and not to worry. Hubby and I are getting very excited for baby girl’s arrival; we just can’t wait to hold her!

Pregnancy Brain

Lately my pregnancy brain has become a borderline mental health problem. Have you ever had those moments where you get in your car, and then all of a sudden you’ve reached your destination and you wonder, “How did I get here?” Scary. Lately I’ve been notorious for making a “quick” grocery store run, only to come home and realize I forgot one item, usually the most important item. If I didn’t have my iPhone to remind me of just about everything, I don’t think I would make it through the day.

This week I thought I would share with y’all my most recent and embarrassing pregnancy brain story. It was laundry day and I had all of the laundry gathered and sorted in the laundry room. When the first load of laundry was finished I moved it to the dryer, turned it on and then placed the second load into the washer. When I later returned to the laundry room to move the second load into the dryer, I noticed that the items seemed less damp than usual. I threw it all in the dryer and turned it on. It wasn’t until I returned once more to pull the second load out of the dryer that I noticed the dirt on Evans baseball pants was still there and they still smelled like 8-year-old boy. This is when the light bulb went off and I realized that I never ran the washer. Talk about feeling dumb… 

Little Weekly Details.  I’ve officially outgrown most of my non-maternity clothes except for a couple of summer dresses.  If you were to randomly show up at my house you would most likely find me in a pair of maternity leggings and one of my husband’s t-shirts – very attractive, I know.

It feels like baby girl is starting to outgrow her space, I now notice more elbows and knee jabs instead of the fluid movements I used to feel. I’ve read that she should start putting on a half a pound a week now. I still worry about my weight. I only gained two pounds last month and fourteen pounds total, but Dr. Wesley Hodgson reassured me that I am fine. I go back for another appointment next week, so hopefully I’ll have packed on a few more pounds.

Support

I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Memorial Day weekend! We spent several days down at my in-laws new vacation home at the Homestead. It was a fun and relaxing getaway.  We enjoyed delicious meals, relaxed by the pool and spend some quality family time. I can’t think of a better way to send a holiday weekend. If only it had been a few more days. :)

I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster these past few weeks. Whether or not I’m overwhelmed, happy or sad, It seems like my first reaction to any situation is to cry. I find it typically happens in the morning or evening.

Just the other morning on the way to take Evan to school, we had a conversation about who he wanted as his fourth grade teacher. The teacher just happened to be someone I used to know when my parents had their old business. It sparked memories of the past and my old job working for my parents. BAM, the tears start flowing.

I am the type of person that feels like I can and have to do it all. I am really bad at asking for help because I think I can handle it all, whether it’s housework, cooking or taking Evan to his different sporting events. I realize that I have a wonderful support system that is eager to help, I just have to ask, but I still find that difficult to do.

When I do ask, I am reminded of how thankful I am to have these folks in my life. My parents live in the area and are eager and able to watch Evan whenever we need to attend a baby class or just have a night to ourselves. My in-laws have come in to town to help with painting and prep for baby girl. The women in my life have been great listeners. They patiently provide sounding boards for my day-to-day troubles, and they reassure me about any fears I have about the new baby.

I know hubby is overwhelmed as well, but he is my rock. He is patient, calm and talks through situations with me. He worries about my weight, my physical activity or if I am eating properly, and he is always looking out for me and baby girl. He is also very aware of Evan. He wants to make sure that Evan is a part of this process and never feels left out. I cannot tell you how much this means to me; we are truly doing this as a family.

I think it’s time to sit down with hubby and share my to-do list with him so he can help me weed out the possibly ridiculous items and figure out a way to accomplish the rest. I probably should have done this a while ago.

This week I had another check up with Dr. Wesley Hodgson, and everything is right on track. I can’t believe it, but we will start going to him every two weeks now. Where has the time gone? Only 11 more weeks!