As I'm coming to the end of my pregnancy, I wanted to share my must-have list and the family photos we had taken at 37 weeks.
1. Exercise. I have definitely slowed down towards the end, but yoga, walking, doing the elliptical, riding the bike, and light weight training have been absolutely amazing for my energy levels and health throughout my pregnancy. I knew weight gain would be a big part of the pregnancy, but I wanted to keep moving so that I felt better and even when I felt bad, I never felt any worse after a walk.
2. My personal trainer. Now that I'm not feeling the gym so much, my main source of stress relief is walking with my Chino. People know my obsession with him has no bounds, but this cute little face has lifted my spirits most days and he makes sure that I get out for at least 35-40 minutes every day. These days he's keeping me company while I'm out on funemployment.
3. Good food. I ate well during pregnancy. I hated chocolate until the first 15ish weeks and then I started having some chocolate treats and other treats. The rest of my food remained pretty much the same as before pregnancy. Of note, I was hungry between 20 and 30 weeks- "eating like a teenage boy" hungry. I am still not sure of the validity of pregnancy cravings. I definitely had a love affair with Trader Joe's popsicles and watermelon and loved water, but I'm not sure the difference between a craving and a preference. I also ate some red meat in an attempt to get my iron levels back up as I am borderline anemic and have to say I enjoyed it.
4. A few extra pillows. I did not have one of those pregnancy sleeping contraptions. I just used a few extra pillows to prop myself up and get comfortable. I don't know how you fit 2 people and a big worm in your bed. I may be one of the lucky people, but I'm still sleeping like a rock.
5. Other mommy/pregnant friends. I belong to a facebook moms group and it's been so nice to speak to people who are also pregnant. I also have a friend who just recently had a baby and I appreciate all the real advice. There is a lot of crap that people don't tell you about and it's great to have a perspective from someone with real experience.
6. A supportive husband. From dealing with my occasionally neurotic personality, to being there with me for the important medical appointments, I can't think of anyone else I would rather have with me on this journey. I'm pretty low maintenance, but the husband has stepped up his game to make sure I'm well taken care of. He is so protective and already a great father. And he tells my round self that I'm beautiful on a daily basis- something anyone, let alone a very pregnant woman is lucky to hear.
7. A supportive family. Our parents and my brother and sister-in-law (and favorite nephew) have been great throughout this experience. They have offered any help we needed, spent countless hours helping during our remodel, and have been our biggest support system. Most importantly, they have given us our space without trying to choke us- very important!
8. A sense of humor and a positive attitude. Did you know that pregnancy is a "beautiful experience"? It's also ridiculously awkward, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright nasty. You get to see your body change in months, sometimes weeks, and people say a lot of stupid sh*t to you. They ask inappropriate questions, tell you you'll never sleep again, and ask about your weight gain- breaking a cardinal rule of talking to any woman ever. Keeping a sense of humor and maintaining a positive attitude have probably helped me maintain some relationships and kept me going. If anything, I have tried to fake it or kill people with kindness so that I don't say anything offensive.
We've reached all the milestones and are as ready as we can be. Now I'm patiently waiting for the baby to show up. If he's anything like his mama, he's going to be late, but hopefully he's a little more efficient like his father!
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