No Pain No Gain

Oh my goodness, I'm pregnant and starting to get so stinking excited!!

This transition from second trimester into third has had it's moments for sure, but the closer and closer I get to the end the more excited and incessantly overwhelmed  I get.....but in an amazing way. I am overwhelmed by the experience. It's so amazing how our bodies work 

Since my last post until here recently I began physical therapy with some specialists to help with my hip/back pain as well as how it was effecting my sleep, etc. Although I recognize that all pregnant women go through all these discomforts, all I was really looking for with this is guidance in stretches and techniques I could do to make mine more bearable, especially since gym time is becoming not only more difficult but time for it is running scarce these days. 

After about a month's worth of appointments and tips I left there feeling much stronger in my core and also with a good "at home" plan to keep things up....now the key is to continue doing them!

End of October John and I drove up to Raleigh for a maternity shoot and it was a blast. The photographer, http://jchristinaphotography.net/, is so talented, and I was really glad that after years of talking about a shoot, we finally got to work together. I love her style and her eye! I'll post our final picks of the shoot when I get them. One of the most fun parts of the shoot was actually before it took place--finding props!

At first I was really worried about this because I didn't want to be overly baby cliche but I still wanted something to represent her besides my belly. Although we ended up not choosing some of the prop pictures we opted for her first teddy (sent by Great Aunt Anna!), a sonogram, a snowflake, some newborn UGG style boots, and some dog tags. I was really happy with our options and can't wait to get the final pics!!

At our Centering Meeting on the 25th we met a doula that works exclusively with Womack. I was so excited for this session! I am really wanting to have a doula and although John and I haven't 100% decided on this investment yet, I'm pretty much sold just on concept. I like the fact that having her there gives John a break if he needs one, I also like the fact that she was really big on helping us achieve our birthing goals and working with us, even if it's one contraction at a time!

One concern I had, which came up when I told my mom about hiring a doula, was "what about me helping you?" I explained to my mom, that this was an experience for her too, and I don't want someone emotionally attached to me to be in that position. 

I am planning on having a medication free labor, and I know if my mom were there helping me/coaching me and I was changing my mind and wanting medicine, she would get it for me. I liked the fact the doula would if I really wanted it, but prefers to go about it in a different way, in order to help me keep my goal, and just go through it all one step at a time. 

If I know those medicines are available, I'm probably going to take them, so to me it's better to eliminate that issue altogether than letting it present itself when I'm really vulnerable and wanting it!

We'll see if it works out. Fingers crossed it'll work out not only financially for us, but also in a personality way too. We all need to click, John included, so I am hoping that when the three of us sit down and get the information and talk it all out, that a consensus will easily be reached, regardless of what it is. 

John left for Jersey, the first week of November, leaving me to fend the glucose test on my own...not that he could help me anyways! I had heard from other ladies in my Centering Group and at work about the best way to get the best "true" results, so I ate a good dinner the night before at about 5 pm and fasted the rest of the night. 

I went to the lab first thing in the AM, still fasting, as soon as the lab opened to get it over with. This orange delight was waiting for me and I can honestly say it really wasn't as bad as everyone had made it out to be.

Yes it was very sugary, and it wasn't the best thing ever, but it's 10 oz. of virtually hyped orange Fanta you have to drink in 5 minutes and then wait an hour to have your blood drawn. 

I downed the "Fanta" and got my instructions to continue to not eat, or really drink for that matter, not even gum or water, and if I feel sick to let them know. I had heard horror stories of women getting sick, so I was prepared as I could be in my eyes. I brought a book with me and plopped a spot in the corner of the waiting room and watched the clock count down my hour wait time.

About half way through my wait I remember looking up at someone walking in and my head was seriously swimming, lol. Little girl was a little bouncing bean and I personally thought it was hilarious. This is the closest thing to a sugar rush she's ever had, so it really entertained me for some really bizarre reason. 

Got my blood taken and ran to the nearest Starbucks and got my "treat" of oatmeal to take to work with me. I decided to "cheat" and order a Peppermint Mocha which was a horrible idea. Having already had that much sugar with no food, that mocha was the worst thing ever. All I could taste was the sugar and I wanted to gag. I made myself drink it though, can't toss a $4  coffee! It was also a bummer because I have had maybe two or three coffee drinks since I found out I was pregnant, and I was really bummed that one of my "cheats" didn't work out so well. It was seriously disgusting and that alone makes me sad!
I passed the test, first try, FYI, so no secondary prolonged 3 hour test for these girls!

John got back from Jersey by the end of the week and we continued to peck away at our version of couples nesting which consists of major de-cluttering throughout the house on both our parts. We are having to have major "come to Jesus" meetings with ourselves to make our house the way we want for when little girl comes. Oddly enough we've kind of enjoyed it, it's been these little goals and accomplishments that make us feel like we're "on schedule."

Other goals, however, have consisted of really fun achievements for the both of us such as this...

This last Centering Meeting I had on 11-8, consisted of a tour through the Mother Baby Unit at Womack. It was so exciting!! I have learned that I'm becoming one of "those" weird pregnant women that get ecstatic at sponging the knowledge of how the delivery bed works and what this button does...It's just so exciting to me and I can't wait for my experience. While we were sitting there in the delivery room listening to the anesthesiologist I couldn't help but get the tingles. My little girl is going to be born here!! 

MY little girl, how amazing is that!! All the nights of uncomfortable sleep thus far and all the tired for no reason fits I've had, I can't wait to have her and have a "reason" in my hands to continue to have no more sleep and tired for a reason.....I can't believe what a blessing it is and I am so thankful for this experience thus far and the responsibility to follow.  

Aaauugghh!! It's just too much sometimes. 

I seriously get teary eyed thinking about it, I just can't wait.

I have been reminded as of late how precious these little lives are and how not to take them for granted. All the times I'm awoken in the night from hard core jabs or having to get up again to go pee, I'll take it all, x100, for this experience and gift I'm being given. 

The holidays are coming up and we are traveling to Colorado for Thanksgiving. I am especially excited because my mom, sis in law, and my HS partner in crime are hosting a baby shower for us and I just can't wait. I can't wait to SEE everyone. Some of these people I haven't seen since we moved to NC so I am just so excited to see and share this experience with our home support homies. We're so blessed with amazing friends, family, and family friends...I'm reminded of this often when I get random, perfectly timed, emails or texts from them checking in on me/us. It, again, makes me feel incessantly overwhelmed by the support system John and I have, and I'm so excited to have this little girl in the middle of it. She'll never want for anything when it comes to the love and support of our friends and family, and to me, that's the best thing you can ever give a child. 

She's going to be so blessed and not even know it...I feel blessed just thinking about it. :)