Nine Weeks to Go…Thoughts on Pregnancy

Wow. Contrary to what I was expecting about “expecting”, pregnancy has been a truly wonderful experience so far! The first three months weren’t the most fun; I did have some nausea (never vomited, though,) and was tired and achy off and on. And I will admit that I struggled a little with feeling depressed around months three and four for several weeks. But aside from those things, I have to say that pregnancy has been a really cool experience. I heard horror stories from many different people about their experience, but I learned that each person has a different journey, and that’s okay. I feel grateful to God that mine has been enjoyable and given me all kinds of new connections with mothers, new and old.

Here are my thoughts so far on what has worked for me:

Not keeping a strict “Do” and “Don’t” list. Those kinds of things stress me out. So if I want a donut, I eat a donut. I just don’t eat one often. If I want a hot tea, I drink one every month or two. But I try to make sure the main things I do are the things I would want to do if I wasn’t pregnant, which is drink lots of water, avoid or limit dairy, avoid meat, and get plenty of exercise.
Keeping stress low. This can be a tough one depending on your job, but it’s one of the reasons I quit my morning show job last year. The stress of constant change there felt overwhelming, so I took a job that is very low stress and has flexible hours. My commute is non-existent, and my co-workers are incredibly fun and easy to work with. This was truly a gift from God for this time in my life. I still get to do live television everyday, but my stress level is low and my sleep schedule vastly improved from my previous show commitment.
Actively dressing up, doing my makeup, and getting routine blowouts. I will be honest; I felt incredibly unfit and unhappy for the first five months of this pregnancy when it came to my appearance. I’m short, so adding any weight to my frame shows up quickly; especially to my face. The things have gotten me through and kept my spirits up include going to Dry Bar for regular blowouts, still wearing my favorite dresses and heels, and buying pretty makeup. I love all these new products from Almay, because the bronzer and Instant Glow highlighter help me contour my ever-changing face, and the Luminous Primer is a great first step when I apply my makeup.

It contains SPF, which is important for preggos, because we are very susceptible to sunburns during this time. The Goddess Glosses are my favorite-they add such pretty shine to any lip color! And of course, I can’t live without a natural brown liquid eye liner to add some pop to my lash line. Doing a full face of makeup every day, even when I haven’t felt like it, helped me feel more normal in my routine.

4. Praying for the baby and the unknown. My sweet friend Martha bought a book of prayers for us to read to the baby at night before our own Bible and prayer time together as a couple. (This is also a great one!) I believe praying the Word of God over him is the best thing we can do before and after meeting him, so it’s been a really special time of preparation. Also, the unknown of having a baby and how it changes a career is really scary in some ways…especially for the mother. I don’t have the benefit of paid maternity leave, so going without a paycheck for a long period of time can breed fear. I am trusting God to provide all we need and to allow me ways to compensate for that loss. My heart started to worry not only about paying my own bills and impending child care needs, but what it will do to the tithes I give that churches depend upon. God knows my needs and theirs, so I can’t let those fears creep in.

5. Asking fellow mom/dad friends for their recommendations. Doing my own research has been great, but nothing beats having lunch with a fellow friend and hearing what they felt they DIDN’T need and what they used most. I structured my registry based solely on recommendations from friends and the occasional blog post. (As it turns out, ALL of them said newborns actually need very little!)

6. Be your own health advocate. I believe doing your own health research is vital whether you’re pregnant or not. I subscribe to a more holistic health view, so I often question traditional medicine and what I’m being told I “need” to take or do. You know your own body better than anyone else, so if a diagnosis or prescription doesn’t feel right to you, get a second opinion! Do your own research, talk to a trusted friend in the medical or naturopathic profession, and ask plenty of questions. I had a fertility doctor tell me a few years ago that I need an “exploratory” surgery, which I highly doubted. I consulted my sister (who works in the medical field,) and decided to seek a second opinion. I’m so glad I did! I didn’t need the surgery, and it saved me time, money, and a painful recovery process that would have had no health benefit whatsoever.