It’s been 8 months… 34 weeks… 238 days… since this little bean started growing inside me.
Before she makes her appearance in the world, I wanted to take some time to reflect on my experience so far.
Trimester One: Anxiety
The first few months of pregnancy are weird. You can’t really feel anything, you don’t really tell anyone, and you don’t really know what to expect.
At least, that’s how it was for me.
I couldn’t see, hear, or feel any signs of a baby, except during my two ultrasounds. I didn’t have morning sickness like I expected. My hormones were in overdrive, and we weren’t really sharing the news with anyone. So, I found myself experiencing a lot of anxiety throughout these months.
Since it took a while for this miracle to happen, I was worried that the experience wouldn’t last. I was constantly googling symptoms, reading through pages and pages of Do’s and Don’ts for pregnancy, and overall, just feeling uncertain that this new adventure was actually real.
Some might say this is just part of becoming a good mom, but it was frustrating because I wanted to be more excited. The frequent worries in the back of my mind ate away at the joy little by little, and I had to work to push them aside.
I’m not sure exactly when those worries faded, but I do know that feeling baby start to move definitely helped. I started to notice a pattern which I fondly described to people as “five o’clock dance parties.”
If you missed the story of how we broke the news to family and friends, you can read all about it here.
Trimester Two: Fatigue
I’ve got one word for you… TIRED.
From what I read, and what others had told me, the tiredness I was feeling should have faded out during the second trimester. So I kept waiting for that to happen, and sadly, it did not.
I explained it away as a result of my commute and long days at work. By the time I got home each night, I was wiped. We would eat dinner, maybe watch one episode of something, and then be in bed by 9pm. It was very hard to keep up with the planning and assessment that was piling up at work.
By Week 26, blood test results came back showing that while I was clear for gestational diabetes, I had developed iron-deficiency anemia. Right away, I started taking a daily iron supplement and felt like my old self! The bounce in my step had returned and I could go to work each day with a smile on my face.
After that, though, I began experiencing some pretty uncomfortable back pain. By the time I got home from work one day, it had become so severe that I could hardly move. When it spread to my abdomen, I got really nervous and we took a trip to the hospital, where the pain increased, causing nausea and vomiting.
In the end, blood tests were clear and baby was fine; I was given a shot of Gravol and sent home. I spent the next three days in bed with a heating pad until the pain went away. Still a bit of a mystery, but I guess my body just needed to make room for this growing baby.
This trimester definitely wasn’t all bad, though! We found out that our little one is a GIRL. HOORAY! I had a very strong feeling that it was a boy, but turns out I was wrong. Truth is though, I’ve been having a lot of fun picking out floral prints and the cutest hair bows.
We also finalized her name, which we’re keeping a secret until her arrival. Sorry, fam.
Trimester Three: Anticipation
This last little bit has definitely been the most fun! We’ve been preparing ourselves for baby girl’s arrival in many different ways.
We finished up the nursery, taking on the always adventurous task of building furniture from IKEA. Auntie Heather is the real rockstar in this department, offering help whenever and however we needed. I’ll be sharing some photos in the near future.
Our family and friends have showered us with so much love, including a surprise planned entirely by my students. I’ve started to organize the many wonderful gifts we’ve received and all the adorable clothes are being washed and put in their place.
I may be a bit uncomfortable at times, but I’m enjoying every moment of her hiccups and kicks inside my belly (even the not-so-nice ones to the ribs). It’s such a surreal experience… definitely something you have to feel yourself to truly understand.
We also did one prenatal class last week, and I just dropped off my registration package at the hospital! I’ve still got a few things I want to check off my “Third Trimester To-Do List,” but otherwise, we’re soaking up the rest of the time we have as just us two.
Overall, this has been a beautiful learning experience and I truly feel that I lucked out in the health department. In all the highs and lows, Andrew has been the most supportive partner, and I couldn’t dream of a better man for our girl to soon call, “Daddy.”
Baby girl, we’ve only got about 6 weeks to go! There are so many people out here waiting to meet you, and I know they’re going to love you, just as much as I do!