Forty

I’m 40 weeks pregnant….now what? Not to my surprise, I didn’t go into labor on my due date (August 4, 2011). But that’s ok! I really, really wanted to make it to 40 weeks and I really wanted an August baby.

This is my very last entry as a Mom-to-be. My next entry will be my first as a Mom and will include Baby Charron’s birth story and name reveal. Just for the record, we still don’t have a name for him, so it’ll be as much of a surprise to us as it is everyone else.

I’m currently in the pre-labor stages of my pregnancy. The baby has dropped some and I lost my operculum. It’s a plug that fills and seals the cervical canal during pregnancy and is typically lost after your cervix starts to dilate, although not always. Labor is imminent, but the big question is WHEN? Another change that I’m noticing is increased activity where the baby’s head is. The baby’s head is resting low and irritating the cervix a little bit; it feels like a scratching and isn’t exactly comfortable.

This week I asked friends to participate in a baby poll. I wanted to know what they thought the baby would weigh and when I would deliver him. I had mixed responses from 7 to 8.5 pounds and delivery dates from August 3^rd through August 11^th. It’s fun,  encouraging and a nice little reminder that I Glen and I have a lot of love and support in our lives.

Here is my advice to any pregnant woman, especially if this is your first pregnancy:

• When you first find out that you are pregnant, take a few minutes to yourself to reflect on your journey, how you got here, and how your life just changed forever. Also, it’s recommended to think about how you’re going to share the news to your significant other as it will be a special memory for him. I don’t recommend flying out of the bathroom in hysterics shaking your positive pregnancy test in his face.

• Share your news with the world when you’re ready. Don’t feel pressured to share your news right away, only if you want to. It’s ok to take a few days or even weeks to share. It’s also ok to share right away if your excited, but don’t be pressured by society on “when” you should share. This is your moment!

• You’re probably going to have some rough times in pregnancy with morning sickness, heartburn, fatigue, backache, dizziness, soreness…need I go on? What got me through is knowing that these things happen for a reason. I’m caring for a small baby and my body isn’t always going to respond well. Sure, it was hard in the first trimester while I was vomiting every hour and in a state of constant nausea, and in the 2^nd when I thought my back was going to break into 500 little pieces, and in the third when I was diagnosed with a pelvic disorder that made it difficult to even accomplish the simplest tasks, but it’s all worth it. You’re meant to do this and as funny as it sounds, any pain or illness that happens along the way is a sign that your baby is healthy.

• Don’t watch the clock. Enjoy this time because you may only get to experience it a few times in your life (if any more at all). Being pregnant is so special and amazing. I know you want to meet your baby, but try to take this time and focus on being pregnant. You are probably more beautiful now than you may ever be. Also, this is a great time to share with your significant other. Make sure you take time for you as a couple and really soak in those last few months of you-time!

• Try to make the right eating decisions for your baby, but also remember to have fun! It’s ok to give into your cravings. I remember when I had to have a big steak drenched in sour cream for dinner one night, and how I easily went through several watermelons and jars of pickles. I tried to make good decisions for the most part, but I didn’t feel guilty when I ate a chocolate sprinkled donut or had an extra cupcake. This is the only time that you can make excuses for eating whatever you want, so take advantage of it and have fun. Also, don’t dwell on what you can’t have, think about what you CAN have! At times, I would have loved to drink a glass of wine or eat raw sushi! But, I resisted for the good of the baby. With some creativity I was able to make awesome non-alcoholic spritzers and I got to try an arrangement of cooked and safe sushi rolls that I may have not tried otherwise. This is also a great time to try out some fun, new recipes!

• Sometimes you’re going to feel removed or anti-social. Even other pregnant women don’t know exactly what you’re going through because every pregnancy is so different. Just remember that you do have support and caring people around you that you can talk to. Try not to remove yourself completely. It may take some extra effort at times, but make sure to spend good, quality time with your family and friends. After the baby arrives, you may not have as many opportunities, so take advantage of them now. So many times I felt that I was all alone, I’d go to parties and feel restricted, and sometimes I just didn’t want to be around people at all. It’s ok to feel this way sometimes, but don’t let it drag you into a depression. People don’t always understand, even your husband, but they love you and care about you, so don’t push them away and don’t shut them out.

• People love to give you opinions and they love to judge you. You will be judged on what you’re eating, drinking, or doing at any possible moment. You’ll be judged for not baring a wedding ring on your ring finger or for wearing a cute outfit (because you know, us pregnant women should look frumpy like we just stepped into a sack). And my absolute favorite; you’ll be judged on your baby decisions and gift registry. People just LOVE to give you unwanted opinions about what you are choosing to do for your baby or what you’re buying for your baby. Some mothers may swear that you need a wipe warmer and judge you when you don’t add it to your registry. I feel like we were often judged when we spoke about cloth diapering our baby. We did a lot of research and decided to try cloth diapering to save money. Most people will love to tell you how difficult it is, and they will love to remind you about the constant laundry and poop that you will have to clean. This is your pregnancy, and this is your baby Whatever decisions you make will be the best ones for your child and it’s going to be a learning experience regardless of what you decide. Do your own research, read reviews and even ask around, but in the end, make the best decision for you and your family and try not to let those negative comments influence you.

• Don’t make excuses, but don’t over exert yourself either. Before I fell pregnant, I was under the impression that pregnancy was going to be dreadful. Not often do people talk about the positives of pregnancy; they like to dwell on the negatives. For instance, before I became pregnant, I thought that pregnant woman should not carry anything or stay active or even work. So many pregnant woman would talk about how tired they are and how challenging life is and many would make excuses to be couch-bound for 9 months while eating bon-bons. It was like they used pregnancy as a temporary “get out of jail free card”. I tried to stay active throughout my pregnancy and it actually made me feel really good! Even last night, at nearly 40 weeks into my pregnancy, I helped assemble our new tv stand, made dinner, did a load of laundry and vacuumed the entire house. Staying active will prepare you for labor and will help you recover faster after the birth of your child. Remember though that your body does have some limitations. Please don’t try to pick up a 50 pound box or spend 8 hours straight on your feet. And every now and then, enjoy some couch time with your bon-bons!

• You’re going to get a lot of questions throughout our pregnancy and after a while, it becomes quit repetitive. It’s exciting at first because it’s so new, but after a few hundred times of being asked “do you know what you’re having” you might want to pound your head into the wall. Just try to remember that people are excited for you, and that’s why they are asking. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t ask! I don’t know how many times people have said to me “Are you excited”. As frustrating as it can be at times to hear that same question over and over again, try not to act annoyed. Of course you really want to say in a sarcastic way, “nope, I’m not excited at all, actually I’m quite depressed and miserable…..OF COURSE I’M EXCITED YOU IDIOT!!!????” But I find that just smiling and saying “yes” is a much more appropriate and remember that people are just trying to relate to you and that they are excited for you!

• I’m going to say it again, stay positive! I heard horror story after horror story of pregnancy, labor and birth. Try to shut those negative thoughts out and focus on the positives. People are often going to say things like “after the baby comes, you’ll want to wish you never got pregnant” or “Labor is going to be awful and incredibly painful, make sure you get an epidural because you have no idea what’s coming to you”. These are just two small samples of the negative remarks that I received throughout my pregnancy. People just LOVE to tell you how awful things are going to be in labor and after the baby is here. Tell those people to shut the hell up! First of all, I can’t ever imagine regretting the decision to get pregnant or have a baby. I feel sorry for those that have resentment towards their children. Secondly, labor is going to be hard and painful, but it’s also very beautiful. You will end up with a miracle and it will be, what I can imagine, the single greatest time in your entire life.

I think that about sums it up. This has been a long and wonderful journey. I can honestly say that I really enjoyed being pregnant and I do feel that I will miss this feeling. I don’t think I’ve had it easy, but I believe that staying positive really helped get me through those rough times. I’m feeling very nostalgic this week and remembering back to when I first announced to Glen that we were going to be parents. Seeing his reaction and hearing my own words out loud is such a special memory. Then sharing the news with our family and friends and feeling that love and excitement! The experience is very surreal and I sometimes can’t believe that this is really happening. Glen and I are truly blessed. One thing we will know for sure, a week from today (or possibly less), Glen and I will be holding our newborn baby son. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about anything in my life.