Another Reason to be Merry this Christmas
Approximately 15 weeks ago, my & my husbands’ lives changed forever, and for the better. Two little pink lines appeared on a First Response pregnancy test; that’s right - move over Santa; Baby Mack is also comin’ to town!
The first few weeks following that positive pregnancy test were surreal; we were over the moon! I mean, how could we not be? We’re going to be parents!!
We waited a little bit to really start telling people. Our first initial appointment & ultrasound wasn’t until the end of October; I was 8 weeks along then, measuring at 9 weeks (our little one is not messing around!) After that, we decided we would tell our parents and parents only. The rest of our friends & family would just have to wait! Until…
The following week, we had a friends’ wedding to go to. Everyone was drinking, except me. It was then that suspicions were raised and the word started to come out within the friend group.
The real announcement came on Thanksgiving. By then, I had a tiny baby bump; the bump that just looks like you overate. However, no Thanksgiving dinner had been served yet…
Ryan & I hosted this year. My grandfather is a fan of scratch tickets, so to Etsy I went to find a “scratch ticket” to announce our pregnancy. Once the family arrived, I gave the scratch ticket to my grandfather because “he was good luck” so he’d scratch & see the “we’re having a baby” prize. He was stunned & so excited. He saw the prize and boisterously read it aloud. The rest of the family chimed in, “who is having a baby? You?” Ryan and I both nod and excitement bursts out! Not just for the family but for Ryan & I too because we finally got the word out!
At the time of the announcement, I had just hit my 14th week. So I was fresh out of the first trimester. The first trimester was definitely difficult for me from an exhaustion & sickness perspective. I had a LOT (like, A LOT) of morning sickness & I was tired all.of.the.time. Heartburn & aversions also struck, and my morning coffee was one of those aversions. Talk about mornings being a drag, right? I substituted coffee for green tea with lemon, ginger & honey until I was able to stomach coffee again (it was mostly the smell for me). I also had (and still have) an aversion to seafood. I can barely stomach walking past the seafood counter at the grocery store. The smells, tastes-no thank you. And do you know much I love & miss shrimp cocktail & scallops? A LOT. I still struggle with heartburn, so if you’ve been pregnant/are currently & have a remedy, help a mama out.
I’m still able to get some exercise in. No, I’m not weight lifting and running miles upon miles (although there are mama’s that can still do that; way to go mama!) I’ve added incline & my little dumbbell’s to my treadmill walk & I do still get in a light jog. Moderate activity is recommended, so I try to keep up with it as much as I can.
We also opted in for the panorama & H14 carrier screening. It’s a simple blood draw taken after the 12 week mark. Due to other health issues/concerns, I felt it was best to do these tests so if something were to come back, Ryan & I would be able to prepare. Thankfully, nothing did. We did find out the gender too - Baby Mack is a BOY!! After finding that out, nursery decor shopping began as well as a list of names (but those are for future posts!)
The biggest thing I’ve learned in my now 18 weeks of pregnancy: listen to your body. Cliche, I know - but hear me out. It’s not just about you anymore; you are growing another human being inside of you. And what you do each day directly affects that baby. Stress, food, exercise, exhaustion, sickness - all goes to that baby. Listen to what your body is saying. Hungry? EAT. Seriously, go back for seconds. Have that extra snack. You’re not eating because you’re bored, you’re eating because you’re growing a hungry little miracle inside of you. Tired? Take a nap or go to bed. Kick your feet up. Lean on your partner (if you can) because that is what they’re there for. Stressed with work? Talk to someone - coworkers boss, friend. Use your PTO (I know, easier said than done; trust me. I work in insurance and it never.ever.stops.). Learn to say no, too: don’t want people talking to/touching your little bump? Lay down the law. It’s your body & your baby; people can get over it.
Moral of the story: taking care of yourself is the first step to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy you and a healthy baby.
We’re in this together, mamas. I cannot wait to continue to share this journey with you!
