I got a bit emotional walking through the hospital doors. If I hadn’t been late I would have probably cried. Just 18-months ago I walked out the same doors carrying newborn Maia, feeling completely overwhelmed. So much has happened since! I can’t believe we are going to go through it all again. I’m super excited but still finding it hard to believe.
The booking appointment (June 21st) went well, the midwife just went through a long list of questions and checked my height and weight. This time I told my husband he didn’t need to be there. I know he will always prioritise family, but really he didn’t need to take time off work to sit there and watch me answer questions.
I know might be a silly thing to be proud of but I did feel proud when the midwife said she can’t remember the last patient (before me) with no health issues or any risk factors at all! Of course I’m not taking the credit creating life (which is a nature’s miracle) but it’s nice to know that with my healthy lifestyle I have offered my baby the best chances for a good start in life. My body is a good place for my baby to grow in and I’m so proud of that! 😊
Interestingly, I weighed exactly the same as when I had my booking appointment with Maia. Which means I’ve already put on a notable amount of weight vs. pre-pregnancy! I remember feeling very upset about it last time, especially after reading that most women don’t gain any weight during the first trimester and yet here I was! But now I know that that’s how my body reacts to pregnancy and if everything progresses like last time, the weight gain slows down soon and the overall gain will be perfectly within normal range (I hope anyway!). Not saying it’s fun to gain weight, it isn’t, but it’s all part of the very important process. My midwife said that because my (normal) BMI is low, it’s good that it’s gone up to be in the normal range for the pregnancy. Although I think BMI charts are a very dated way to assess health, she made me feel better. 😊
Although I had just gotten praise for being “a picture of health”, I have to admit that, like last time, my first trimester has not been very healthy or active. I feel exhausted to my bones and just getting through the day is hard enough. My only exercise in the last 4 weeks has been walking (I try to walk to and/or from work when possible) and running around after Maia. I’ve been lucky again and I haven’t been sick but I do feel nauseous most of the time, especially with an empty stomach, and mainly crave for – and eat – carbs. So it’s no surprise my weight is going up! Hopefully I’ll feel better in a few weeks and can return to (more) normal activity levels.
So in case you’re like me and really want to have a healthy and active pregnancy but the first trimester just gets you down, don’t feel bad! There is plenty of time to get more active again when the energy levels return. The baby actually develops and grows most dramatically in the first trimester so it makes sense to feel tired. That being said, I had completely forgotten what pregnancy fatigue means! For me it’s waking up in the morning feeling like I can’t even lift a finger. I’ve even had a few “I’m so tired I just want to cry”-moments. Sleep deprivation is the worst thing I know (I can say this after not one full night of sleep in 13 months) but pregnancy fatigue comes a good second.
I do worry about two things when it comes to me wanting to have another fit pregnancy. Firstly, although being healthy and active has been a lifestyle for me and it’s come easily to me in the past, a couple of months is a long enough time to get out of those habits and it’ll be hard to re-establish them again, especially when pregnant (because of, you know, the fatigue, aches and pains etc). Secondly, there are practical challenges. I have to get home by the time my nanny leaves at 6.15pm and after that I’m stuck at home. So no more PT sessions, pregnancy yoga/fitness/etc classes, swimming. None of those things I took for granted when I was expecting my first baby! But I have a few ideas… All I need is to start feeling better and then get motivated!
I was so relieved to have a one week holiday in Croatia during my first trimester (we just got back home two days ago). We went to Croatia for my bother-in-law’s wedding and I absolutely loved the trip! It was also a very welcomed break from work – it had gotten so tough to get out of bed in the morning. Even the nausea was easier to cope with on holiday! There was yummy freshly squeezed lemonade on offer everywhere which was just the thing to keep me from feeling sick! I loved seeing Maia enjoy her time as well. She was’t bothered by the heat and was absolutely loving playing in the water with her cousins. The island of Brac was so beautiful too!
I do think about this baby a lot, but not in the indulgent way I did with Maia. And that is because of Maia. She is my baby still and I completely adore her. I want to soak up every minute with her before I’ll have to divide the attention with baby brother/sister. I’m thinking about starting my maternity leave a bit earlier this time so that I can enjoy the last weeks with Maia and make it our special time.
Still long way to go though!
xoxoxo,
Sini