As the amazing and blessed experience of my first full term pregnancy comes to a close, part of me can't help but be a little sad. I had hoped to be pregnant for so long and now, this part of the journey is almost over. I will miss the little kicks and "sea creature" moves inside my belly. I will miss getting to know my son from the inside out and feeling his love for me as he sticks his foot out for me to rub on my belly. This has been an amazing season of life......HOWEVER....as any Mama knows, it is not all puppies and rainbows. Pregnancy comes with its "hardships" as well. Every second of them is worth it but there are a few things that were an integral part of helping me through the potentially tough parts of my pregnancy.
1. My Amazing Husband
Okay, this probably goes without saying but having a partner that is supportive, nurturing and helpful makes all the difference in the world. Chip was there for me from the very beginning. He has a needle phobia and yet found the inner strength to give me my nightly progesterone injections for the first three months. And we are not talking little needles here. This was a giant shot every night right in the tush! He didn't allow me to lift a finger when we were in the high risk part of our pregnancy and only allowed "light duty" thereafter. Not only was he excited about being my birth coach but I think he learned more than anyone else in our Bradley Method class. He held me on the days when I was feeling bad and has been excited with me over every little milestone. He has been my husband, my best friend, my soul mate and my coach. I could not have done this without him.
#2 Vanilla Ice Cream/Milkshakes
During the first trimester, I suffered from morning sickness that basically killed my appetite. Nothing sounded good and the thought of most food made me sick. One thing that I found I could stomach was vanilla milkshakes. I started losing weight in the first trimester because I couldn't eat and the milkshakes provided calcium, calories and sugar which I really needed to keep going and I was able to sip on them without getting sick. Halfway through my second trimester, I learned about the worst pregnancy symptom of all.....HEARTBURN/INDIGESTION! Imagine lava crawling up your stomach into the back of your throat and down again. It was and continues to be the biggest pregnancy "challenge". Because of the aluminium content in antacids, I preferred to suffer through the episodes. But I tried desperately to find "natural" remedies. Soft-serve vanilla ice cream was the only thing that consistently provided relief, even if it was just for a short time. Chip and I came to know which fast food restaurants would serve it for breakfast.
#3 Fetal Doppler
I debated over whether or not to purchase a fetal Doppler. Because of our history, I worried through most of the first half of my pregnancy. During the first 11 weeks, we had weekly ultrasounds with our specialist. Once I was transferred to my regular OB, I lost that security of seeing/hearing that tiny heartbeat on a regular basis. I have heard that many times, mama's to be may not always be able to find the heartbeat on their own and the Doppler can end up causing needless worry. I decided that I worry so much anyone, the Doppler was bound to appease more worry than it created. This was true for me and I never had trouble finding Elijah's heartbeat. There is also some debate on the safety of ultrasounds/Doppler. Chip and I have opted to "go natural" on almost every aspect of our pregnancy and the upbringing of our son. However, we felt that Doppler/ultrasounds are not only safe, they helped me to relax and not to be stressed throughout pregnancy and we know that is good for our son. I purchased our Doppler on ebay for about $50 and it was worth every penny! As I began to feel Elijah move on a regular basis I did not need the reassurance as much but let me tell you, it was a blessing to me to hear that heartbeat on those days when I felt panic or worry.
#4 Mother's Special Blend
Although stretch marks were not a major concern, I would prefer not to have them. My mother had them and I was always told it was hereditary. However, I decided to do what I can to prevent them. A friend recommended Mother's Special Blend to me. It is a combination of almond, coconut and vitamin E oil. I began using it in the first trimester and, as you can see, no stretch marks as of thirty-six and a half weeks. I did still get that sexy black line down my belly but no stretch marks. I am convinced that this awesome blend played a role in that. You can find it at Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe or Amazon.
#5 Pregnancy Pillow
I bought my pregnancy pillow pretty early because the progesterone shots gave me golf ball sized masses on my rump and it was difficult to get comfortable. It was a blessing throughout my whole pregnancy and I am now finding that it eases the pressure on my belly just as it did on my backside. My dogs also learned very quickly that it is a comfortable little "nest" and whenever they have the opportunity, they will steal my spot. Let me also say that pregnancy pillows come in two shapes that I have seen. One looks like an upside down "J" and the other like an upside down "U". I like the "U" because you roll over in it and still have the same comfort no matter which side you lay on without having to adjust your pillow.
These are just some little things that I found helpful throughout my own pregnancy. They allowed me to enjoy each moment of each day a little more.
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