Cesarean
April is Cesarean Awareness Month but I wouldn’t necessarily wish someone a “Happy Cesarean Awareness Month”. From the vast majority of Cesarean Mamas I’ve met and […]
Mom Groups
Before I had August when people would mention “Mom Groups” I would shudder. Immediately the thoughts that came to mind were hoards of unsolicited advice, alternative remedies, keeping up with the Joneses and a whole lot of “Well I did it that way, and my kid is fine!” but what I came across, during my pregnancy couldn’t have been further from that image. […]
The Little Things
A lot of times parents with older kids give out gobs of unsolicited advice. It’s with the best of intentions, or at least that’s what I tell myself to stay sane. I hear parents tell me to write all of this down because it’s so easy to forget, and before we know it […]
I’m Trying
“I’m trying” has been my automatic response to receiving any sort of praise whatsoever for as long as I can remember.
If I did well on a project at work: “I’m trying”
If a friend or relative complimented something I was wearing: “I’m trying”
If someone congratulated me on my weight loss, our engagement or subsequent marriage, my pregnancy, or just holding our house together all day, every day: “I’m trying”
It’s recently come to my attention that this is not healthy. […]
Birth: Act III
When: Wednesday, July 11, 12:30pm – 2 days postpartum
Where: Carle Hospital, Post Partum Unit
We were packing our things to leave, and all of a sudden I realized that for the last 36 hours, I had been in this room, and this room alone. I did not remember […]
Birth: Act II
When: Monday, July 9, 4:30pm – 40 Weeks, 3 Days
Where: Carle Hospital, 24 into my labor
Martin made his way back upstairs, sensing the urgency in my Mom’s text. My doctor laid it all out for us, in the simplest of terms. She said: […]
Birth: Act I
When: Friday, July 6, 6:00pm – 40 Weeks, Exactly
Where: The local Mexican restaurant, eating a spicy steak burrito the size of my head
In between bites, while discussing nothing in particular, my body began to tremor, […]
Happy Due Date!
Dear BB1,
Today is July 6th. The date I’ve been anticipating since there was a faint second line on a stick back on October 26, 2017. Today is the day that doctors and scientists say you’re due to arrive. (Even though I know that only 5% of babies are actually born on their “Estimated Due Date”, according to what I’ve read) I feel like we’ve reached some sort of milestone, you and I.
Your Dad and I talked openly about this last night. I told him the feeling of reaching this date feels like the largest culmination I’ve ever […]
Control
All throughout pregnancy, you become familiar with a certain set of questions. It usually begins like this: So, when’s the baby due?
From the moment you find out you’re pregnant: you live and breathe and hang your hat on that date. For me: July 6th. At first, it seemed so far away, like a distant dream. Now, it’s right around the corner, and hanging over me, rubbing its hands together in anticipation!
When I answer […]
That 3rd Trimester Life
Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters.
The first is Weeks 1 through 12. During this time is when you find out you’re pregnant, your boobs will be super sore and when you’ll find the most morning sickness and nausea. Usually no one would know you’re pregnant if you didn’t tell them. This is a tough time for a lot of women, because the chance of pregnancy loss or miscarriage is very high throughout this period of time, so it can be extremely anxiety provoking.
The second trimester is Weeks 13 through 27. This is when most women catch the […]
A Hopeful Midwesterner 