When are you due? May 23rd
What are you having? A boy
Have you decided on a name? Yes! We chose one before we got pregnant
Do you have cravings? Not really nope! Nothing more than usual (meaning when I am not pregnant)
How is your sleep? Do you use a maternity pillow? My sleeping is still very good unless I have to wake up to go to the bathroom (lots of pressure from baby on bladder) so I try not to have water a couple of hours before bed to prevent waking up. I tried to use a pregnancy pillow but felt so suffocated! So now I just sleep with a regular pillow between my legs on my side (+ an eye mask for deeper sleeps)
Do you have a birth plan? I don't like the idea of a "birth plan" because I don't want to get extremely fixated on a certain outcome. I know that a lot is out of my control when it comes to child birth and the baby decides a lot! So I am open to whatever is needed to get this baby in the world in the most healthy way possible. In a perfect world, I would be able to do it drug free and have a water birth but we shall see!
How long did it take you to get pregnant? Around 2 months. We are very, very lucky! On average it takes women 6 months but we live in a world where we expect things to happen right away. So do not get discouraged if its not happening right away! For some women it's more, for some less.
Did you do anything to prepare for pregnancy? YES! So much. I prepped my body for about 3-6 months, read more about that here
Have you gained a lot of weight? When do people gain the most weight? I have learned that there are really no pregnancy rules with weight. They have certain guidelines based on your BMI (to make sure you gain enough/not too much) but there is so much happening within our bodies that I think those should be thrown out the window and people should just focus on feeling their best, eating balanced and staying active (whatever that means for you). I have also realized there is a lot of negative body talk around pregnancy weight gain and people like to only emphasize those types of stories. Every body carries a baby so differently too, pregnancy is individualized! So when people say "you gain the most weight in the the third trimester" or "you feel like crap in the first trimester" I don't listen to these types of things. My body is going to do what it has to do and I don't want to get these ideas in my head about how it is supposed to go. With that being said, my weight has fluctuated throughout pregnancy but I will likely gain around 12-15lbs total throughout pregnancy. We shall see though!
What is your favourite aspect of pregnancy? Everything! It is SO incredibly amazing feeling him grow and move at this stage though!
What is your least favourite? At this point, probably how hard breathing is at certain times (mainly when I am sitting down and there is a lot of pressure and compression of my lungs). His bum is also in my right rib so I find I have to maneuver how I'm sitting so he's not digging too much into it. The most comfortable position is lying on my side stretched out (think: "draw me like one of your french girls" scene in titanic where Rose is sprawled on her side HA!)
Do you feel movement a lot? When did that start? The "bubbly" feeling began around 16/17 weeks, "flipping" was around 19/20 weeks and kicks began around 23 weeks or so. It started to get very crazy around 26/27 weeks and now it is to the point where I can see it through clothes.
When did you start to show? I had a mini bump around 23/24 weeks. I am currently 33 weeks and my bump isn't "very big" but there is still some time (7 weeks roughly)! I get told on a regular basis I do not look as far along as I am but this goes back to my point about weight gain/how you carry. Every body is SOOO different so don't get fixated on that! I have wide ribs (I was a competitive swimmer) so my theory is kind of like when you have a long torso, there is more room for baby to spread out! Also, someone told me this before pregnancy and it has stuck with me...
They said pregnancy is the one time in your life when people think it's normal to comment on your body size. They say things like "you are so big" or "you are so small" but in reality we do not want to hear either. Being too big makes you feel like you're doing something wrong, and being too small makes you feel like you are as well! Food for thought!
What supplements are you taking? I should be taking prenatals every day but I often forget. I took them diligently for the 2-3 months leading up to pregnancy as well as during my first trimester. The only things I am diligent about are b12, vitamin d and my homeopathic iron tissue salts (these help me absorb iron more efficiently instead of taking an iron supplement)
What foods have you been avoiding? With great sadness I say this... many superfoods! A lot of super foods are medicinal or detoxifying which should be avoided during pregnancy. It is best to eat simple whole foods to grow and nourish the baby! Also I have not been drinking alcohol. I know some people do in their third trimester but for me personally, I know alcohol affects me greatly when I have only one glass of wine so I cannot imagine what it would do to my baby. To each's own though! With that being said, I am looking forward to some wine with dinner when baby is born! Also, soft or unpasteurized cheeses I have been having the odd time (although I did not during my first trimester)
What foods have you been loving? I am not a big meat eater but I love having ground beef once a week these days! I eat a lot of eggs, sprouted bread, yogurt hemp seeds, bananas, cashew butter, avocado, and usually something sweet once a day. We are big fans of frozen chocolate in this house for desserts too!
Do you go to the washroom more or less? I am definitely comfortable talking about this but a lot of people get squeamish and think "girls don't do that". Well those people are full of $#*% (pun fully intended HA!) Nothing has changed with that for me at all and in regards to #1- a lot more frequently at this point because there is so much more pressure on the bladder and less room in it!
Has your skin changed at all? I noticed it was getting a bit blotchy during my second trimester so I started using May Lindstorm's "Problem Solver" face mask and it has made a significant difference! I have a few small broken capillaries on my face as well that I have been told can be lasered off post pregnancy.
Do you have an OBGYN or midwife? I have a midwife which basically do everything an OBGYN do but often take more holistic approaches during pregnancy and child birth. They are not against epidurals or c sections they just try the most natural solutions first. I also have a doula- which is very different than both and is essentially a birth coach and emotional support system (think of them like birth cheerleaders! WOOO)
Where did you register? Mainly on Amazon (I am an Amazon fanatic!) because of its wide array of products and lower price points. For the bigger items (like stroller and car seat) I registered at Bed Bath and Beyond's baby department which is called BuyBuyBaby
What brands did you register for?
Stroller: Uppababy Cruz
Car seat: Nuna Pipa
Nursery: I got a nursery set from Wayfair
Monitor: Motorola
Others: Boppy nursing pillow, Boppy lounger, Skip Hop baby bouncer, Phil&Ted lobster high chair, Skip Hop activity gym, Play with Pieces play mat, and more items such thermometers, bottle warmers, bottles, baby wraps, etc.
Things I am borrowing or bought second hand: Baby Bjorn bouncer, swing, portable bassinet! Facebook marketplace is great for second hand baby stuff, borrowing from friends who are on a different baby timeline than you is also a great idea (i.e. they have a 1 year old and you have a newborn so your children will need different things at different times. Looking at your Becca!)
Have you been working out a lot? No, I just walk a lot and have started to do labour preparation stretches but cut back on my cardiovascular fitness. I am normally a cardio fanatic but for some reason my body is telling me to slow down during pregnancy... so I am listening! I am definitely excited to train for some running races and get back to Soul Cycle after though! A lot of people do this throughout, and that is amazing! For some reason it was not working out for me and I found it would deplete my energy and I would feel exhausted afterwards so I listened to my body. Once again, this is individualized! So just tune into what your body is saying.
Have you found that you are more tired? Not at all! Minus the above mentioned with cardio. I also found the first 2-3 weeks of pregnancy I was very tired but after that it has been smooth sailing! I still have 7 weeks to go though, so we shall see! Side note: my family has crazy amounts of energy though. We are naturally very energetic people and my (almost) 70 year old father is often referred to as an "energizer bunny" so that might play a role, genetics!
Are you going to breastfeed? If I can, heck yes! You just never know how your body will function- but if all goes well, I would love to! With that being said (sorry if this is TMI) but I currently leak every couple of days and this began in the second trimester but picked up more in the third. FYI this is very normal!
Where did you buy your maternity clothes?
Occasion dresses: Pink Blush
Leggings: Lululemon Align (they are not maternity but they are so comfortable and fit you before, after, and during pregnancy)
Tops: Old Navy, Gap, Pink Blush, Aerie!
Bras: Knixwear
That is all for now! I am happy to answer anymore questions you may have! Feel free to email me directly
Comments