Pregnancy Recap (Weeks 1-27)

So lots of blogs seem to do some sort of “pregnancy confessions” and whatnot that are really cute.  Pregnant women go through so many of the same things, yet everyone experiences it differently I thought it would be fun to jot down a few things I’ve noted during the first 2 trimesters.

The first trimester is sleepy. 

I was lucky and didn’t have much morning sickness (only lost my cookies once!) but, I was really really tired.  As in seriously considered quitting my job (2 back to back 70 hr work weeks really got me!)

Pregnancy isn’t as all-consuming as I had thought.

Confession – sometimes, especially before my belly was as pronounced, I would forget I was pregnant for a few hours.  I think about the baby a lot, but not 100% of the time.  I really like having a “project” all the time, and being pregnant is currently my project.  My other routines, going to work, going out with friends, jumping in the car to go to Maine last minute, haven’t changed yet.  Slightly altered, yes.  I’m quite happy to head home at 11pm rather than stay out until 1-2am.  But I can decide an hour in advance to go out, rather than need a week notice to book a babysitter.

Sappy baby things don’t make me cry.  

My crying levels have not increased that much since becoming pregnant.  Weird? I do seem to be susceptible to things that carry a lot of energy though.  For example New Years’ Eve fireworks = lots of tears.  Everyone was so excited and there was so much energy in the streets that I literally felt overwhelmed with emotion.   Same with the beginning of the Superbowl.  Pampers commercials, Grey’s Anatomy, etc does nothing.

It takes much longer to pack for trips.

Packing for Jamaica at 23 weeks took forever!  Usually I’m a pretty fast packer, especially because we usually go to warm weather places so I kind of have my vacation wardrobe done.  Not anymore.   I’m definitely pregnant, but can still fit into some things, so packing involved trying on everything!  Some items I thought I had no shot with still fit and other items I thought would be fine looked ridiculous.  For example, I bought 1 maternity swimsuit, just because, but I knew I’d want a couple swim suits for a beach vacation.  While packing I figured some of my normal bikinis would fit, probably the ones for a little more coverage.  Nope – higher rise bottoms = major love handles.  Itsy bitsy bikini = no problem, they sit way below the baby bump. 

Baby kicks are awesome.            

Starting around week 15 I was anxiously awaiting my first kicks, but honestly I thought they were going to be more annoying than cute.   I figured, yeah it’s going to be really cool the first couple of times, but then there is going to be a person kicking your insides.  Not super fun.  Well, turns out it is super fun.  I love feeling her throughout the day!

I’m both super excited and terrified to be a stay at home mom.

I’m 100% on board with being a stay at home mom, at least until the kiddies go to school.  It is what makes the most sense for our family and deep down it’s what I really want.  I know I am really fortunate to even have the choice whether to work or stay home, but it certainly isn’t an easy decision to make.  I so want to be home and raise my babies, but at the same time it feels wrong to me to want that in this day and age.  Most people ask “so have you looked into childcare?” with the assumption that I haven’t even considered staying home.  I swore growing up I would never be a stay at home mom.  The isolation part of being a SAHM does worry me a little bit & what am I going to do if and when I want to go back to work?  It’s the first time in my life I haven’t had a set 5 year plan and that is a little disconcerting.  But I am so excited for this next stage of my life.

I think pregnancy is making me greener. 

Bring on the cloth diapers, the glass bottles, organic anything, and the baby bullet so I can attempt to make my own baby food.  We already recycle 2-3 times more trash than we throw away (thank you Brookline for making it so easy!), and I really can’t stand the thought of throwing away 2500 diapers.  Having a baby is a really good incentive to do your part to help the planet!              

Giving birth naturally doesn’t scare me at all…at least not yet.

Not sure why – isn’t giving birth supposed to terrify everyone?  Maybe it will when it gets closer?  Right now it’s just a rite of passage.  I keep thinking of is my high school cross country coach who would always tell us – mind over matter.  Your brain controls your body.  If you tell yourself you can run 1 more mile, you can do it.  Millions of other women have done and so will I! 

Post-Partum Depression really scares me

I know most people go through some level of the “baby blues” and having a newborn isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.  But how do you know when you are just not yourself because you are sleep deprived & adjusting & should just cut yourself some slack or when you are really not yourself. 

I’m really excited for family activities

I already love “family” (me, Arthur & Mercedes) walks and I can’t wait to add a stroller to our walks.  Trips to the zoo, meeting Arthur for lunch, taking baby swimming – I love day dreaming about doing all these things!  I’ve already started planning our first family vacation.

Heartburn is annoying.

It seriously came out of nowhere and isn’t going away.  Tums & Zantac are lifesavers.

Speaking of lifesavers… I have a new found appreciation for prunes.

Enough said.  They are really quite tasty and make life sooo much better.

Don’t expect special treatment in Boston if you are pregnant.

 I’m fully on board that pregnancy is not a disability, but I am surprised by the ambivalence Bostonians seem to have towards pregnant ladies, especially on the T.  Pre-pregnancy, if I sat in the reserved/handicapped seating I would usually keep an eye out for elderly people that might need the seat.  The T is every man for himself, whereas in South America the reserved seats specifically stated “for disabled/elderly/pregnant/women with small children”. 

Pre-natal massages aren’t as good as regular massages.

Don’t get me wrong, they feel great, but getting a massage on your side is not as good as face down.

Maternity pants are ridiculously comfortable.

I haven’t found a really cute pair of maternity jeans, but my work pants pretty much look the same as regular pants, but it feels like wearing yoga pants.  How awesome!  I can see why Christina Applegate is still wearing maternity pants a year after giving birth.