It’s official: We’re less than a month away from welcoming Baby #2. Since we’re in the final stretch of my pregnancy, I thought I would answer all your final pregnancy questions, from nine months pregnant symptoms to our birth plan and more.
What are some of the nine months pregnant symptoms you’re experiencing?
I love being pregnant, and I’m so grateful to be pregnant that I hate complaining at all, but in total honesty, it’s starting to get uncomfortable. I had really bad sciatica with James. This time around, it hasn’t been nearly as bad, but occasionally I’ll be walking and feel like I got hit by a bolt of lightening, that’s the only way I can really describe it. Luckily, it’s not super frequent this time around. I haven’t been sleeping great — I’m constantly waking up, whether to pee or just because I’m uncomfortable, which has added to the overwhelming exhaustion I’ve been feeling. It’s hard to be the best mom I can to James when I’m this tired (compounded by all I’m trying to get done for both work and home before baby arrives), but I also want to make the most of the time we have left with just him, so I’m definitely not resting as much as I was at this point in my pregnancy last time. Other than that, I more easily winded and feel like I’m waddling these days, which has been made worse by the fact that I’m pretty sure I have hemorrhoids, which I can’t believe I’m even sharing because I just find it so gross. Like with everything else your body goes through, is it really necessary to have to deal with the indignity of hemorrhoids? Apparently, yes. But my biggest complaint is that there’s not much room for food or anything else, so I get really full really easily, but I have an insatiable appetite, so I get super uncomfortable every time I eat, but I keep eating. I should probably start eating smaller snacks instead of meals, but I’ve been so crazy that I end up stuffing my face when I get the chance and then feeling too uncomfortable to move. Any suggestions for dealing with this? I mean I’m trying not to stuff my face this last month, knowing I’m going to have to work off any weight I gain, but I am also letting myself indulge a bit more because hell, I’m at the end of my pregnancy and I freaking deserve it. Oh, and one more annoying symptom — my feet are totally killing me. I want nothing more than endless foot rubs. There’s actually a place in my neighborhood that does them and I’m tempted to go even though I always thought it was sketch that people would just go to a place to get their feet rubbed.
Are you finding it hard to dress the bump?
Yes! I had a lot of fun dressing this pregnancy up until the last few weeks. My belly is just so big and I’m pretty swollen all over, so it’s just a lot harder. I realized I may need to invest in a few more maternity pieces during this final countdown after a few wardrobe mishaps recently. I wore this dress the other day that’s not maternity but super roomy and realized on my way to work that while it still fit, it was riding up way too much in the front because of my big ol’ belly. That’s happened with a few of my non-maternity maternity staples, so I’ve been embracing the few maternity clothes I own and then longer, really loose pieces like caftans, but it means I’m basically wearing the same things on repeat. Part of me is too tired to care, but I also want to take advantage of the opportunity to dress the bump, so I ordered a few more dresses that will hopefully get me through the rest of this pregnancy in style.
Are you ready?
Honestly, no. I don’t want this pregnancy to be over in part because I love being pregnant and am worried I won’t get the opportunity to be again. And also because we aren’t at all ready. I’ve started to get into heavy duty nest mode, but it’s hard because we’re preparing to move, so I’ve been selling furniture and we’re trying not to bring to bring too much stuff out of storage for the baby since we’ll be packing it up again shortly. I really just want to move into our new home, but at the rate renovations are going, it feels like it’s never going to happen.
Where are you delivering?
We are going to be delivering in the city at the same hospital James was born. It’s actually not terribly close to our current apartment, but our new home won’t be ready yet, so we’re going to stay in the city until it’s done. I had a really good experience at the hospital the first time around, and I love my doctor, so I’m happy to be giving birth there a second time around.
How many more weeks do you have to go?
Less than four weeks to go although I was three weeks early with James, so I keep reminding myself it could happen any day.
Is James ready?
Definitely not. I think he’s kind of starting to understand that something’s happening, but I don’t think he fully comprehends what. I mean, I don’t even fully comprehend that. He is definitely more clingy and has been acting up a ton, but it could also be the age. But there are times when I’m like where is my angel baby and who is this devil child that has replaced him? But I also feel like I’m starting to feel guilty that I’m going to be totally rocking his world and he’s going to have to compete for attention (not to mention I’m just too tired to negotiate with a toddler terrorist or deal with a tantrum sometimes), so I’m indulging him more, which isn’t helping in the long run. I did purchase two cute options for his new sibling to give him when he meets them for the first time, so I have that checked off the list. And he has been loving the two books we have about getting a new sibling, so I’m hoping they’re helping to warm him up to the idea, and ease the shock of another human entering our family.
Do you have a name?
Ugh. So guys, there hasn’t really been a name that’s really spoken to both of us now that we face the reality of having to actually name another human, which is such a huge responsibility. And then one day, this name came to me and I was like that’s it. I am obsessed and it’s the only name that feels right now. The problem? Andrew hates it. Like loathes it and can’t stand the idea of naming our child it. He keeps suggesting other names and I keep exploring other options, but nothing else feels right. I’m not sure what we’re going to do. Help! Has anyone else ever been in this situation? What did you do?
What are you packing in your hospital bag?
Just did a whole post on my hospital bag essentials.
Do you have the nursery set up? Where will the baby sleep?
The baby is going to sleep with us for the first few months. I plan to breastfeed again (hopefully it’ll be easier getting started this time!) and I find it much easier when the baby is next to you for those middle-of-the-night feedings. But also, James has a good sleep schedule and routine right now, and I don’t want to mess that up by putting the baby in with him. As I mentioned, we’re going to be staying in our apartment in the city until we finish renovations on our new home, so I have to contain my nesting instincts. The good news is that I can channel them into planning the kids’ bedrooms for when we move. Each will have their own room, which I’m super excited about. I can’t wait to share with you my ideas for each.
Are you planning to breast feed?
I am. I had trouble getting started with James and hired a post-partum doula for the first few weeks in part to help me figure out the whole breastfeeding thing. There were a lot of tears at first as I struggled to feed and get James’ weight up. Once it clicked though, I really loved breastfeeding and I ended up doing it for a year, which was not my intention at all, but I just kept doing it and it worked for us. I only stopped because I wanted to start trying again and I hadn’t gotten my period. I have no plans this time around. I am hopeful I’ll figure it out, maybe have an easier time getting started, and would like to do it for at least four to six months, but I’m also not going to beat myself up if I have to supplement (which we did with James as needed) or if I decide to stop sooner. There’s going to be enough to stress about, enough pressure I’m sure I’ll be putting on myself to be a better mom to two kids, and honestly, one thing I’ve learned from our first time around is that you can plan for whatever you want, but it never goes according to plan and you have to adapt to your child and make things work as you go.
How are you planning to lose the baby weight?
Good question! Help! How do I do it? I do plan to enjoy those first weeks when you can’t exercise to just focus on the kids and not worry about losing the weight. I found a lot of it started to come off pretty quickly after giving birth and starting to breastfeed. However, last time I really didn’t do anything to lose the weight and actually was eating a ton (breastfeeding made me ravenous), so I was still in my maternity jeans three months post-partum. I’d like to take advantage of my maternity leave to take better care of myself and make some effort to drop the weight. It’s so hard to do when you’re heading back to work and trying to juggle that with kids. It wasn’t until James was one that I finally found time to hit the gym again, so even though I don’t want to be crazy about it, I’d like to push myself to get to the gym and work off at least some of that baby weight during my mat leave. And honestly, I am excited to be able to run again and do some more intensive cardio. I’ve been mostly using walking as my main form of exercise (other than chasing after my toddler) this last trimester, which is totally better than nothing, but I have found myself actually craving a good sweat sesh (words I never thought I’d utter). Some things I’m considering are intermittent fasting and BBG, which a lot of fellow mom bloggers swear by. But those might be things I try a little later down the road when we’re out of the newborn stage. It’s so exhausting and hard that I’m not sure I can do anything that intense until I stop feeling like a zombie 24/7. But any and all suggestions are totally welcome.
Ok, I think that answers most of your questions. Let me know if you have anymore, but otherwise, next update will likely be a baby update instead of a bumpdate.
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