It’s my due date!

So, I figured being a first time mother it would take a while to go into labor. As I write this, I will be past my due date in 10 minutes. I’ve had a near great pregnancy and the last few weeks were a change because I felt kind of crappy. The past couple nights I finally have slept and started feeling a bit peppier as far as being more energized, but even simple things as walking to the nearest store resulted in a 3 hour nap.

I’m okay with this because after everything I have read, this could single my body preparing itself for labor…maybe not. I’m nervous about meeting my little girl, yet excited. It’s going to happen and I know she will be the best thing that will ever happen to me. Plus I want to get the pain over with!

35 weeks

Now that I have 4-6 weeks before I’m supposed to meet my beautiful daughter, Ivy Rose, I’ve can proudly say I am blessed because I have not had any of the common complaints that you often hear regarding pregnancy. Up until now, I had mild bouts of prego symptoms, but nothing that would be the reason for me to say that I never want to be pregnant again.

Two days ago,I think my body finally started to realize it was responsible for having a healthy, growing baby girl housed inside of it and it was the major provider of her nourishment and her protection and it would need to prepare for her to exit. I all of a sudden started to be able to feel the Braxton Hicks contractions, my mid to lower back is constantly achy, I am nauseous and congested. I’ve had tummy aches and been excessively irritable and EXHAUSTED.

As I write this, the words blur on the screen due to lack of sleep. I just have to make it through this week and two days of finals next week and I’ll be able to rest and nest before her arrival!!

I CAN’T WAIT!!

How my life has changed in the past 18 months:

• I moved to Arkansas from Albuquerque, New Mexico
• I got off hard drugs
• I stopped drinking
• I stopped smoking
• I got pregnant

• I became okay with not being a size 0
• I became okay with not being a size 9 after I got pregnant
• I became okay with going over 200 lbs since I moved and got pregnant

• I became okay with the fact that most of my weight is baby related and I will bounce back
• I became determined to finish school–NO MATTER WHAT
• I became okay with being single and pregnant
• I became okay with not having many friends
• I finally can honestly say don’t care what people think or say about me
• Goals take time, sacrifice  and dedication, it doesn’t fall into your lap (usually)
• I am ready to ‘settle down’ and move on with these changes

I don’t recognize myself sometimes, but that’s okay! Let’s see what the next 18 ,months have to offer!!

TMI: Things only Mothers will understand

Since I became pregnant, I soon realized a lot of things that happened to pregnant women that I feel never get addressed publicly. I believe if young females were more educated on what it meant to actually carry a child, safe sex would be practiced more frequently.

You hear the common shitty aspects of being pregnant: backache, headaches, mood swings,heartburn, weight fluctuations, and stretch marks. I was/am prepared for all of that! Fact of the matter is, I haven’t been affected by much of those yet except the 27 lbs I have gained and recent appearance of major acid reflux! It was the things I noticed that I never hear getting discussed publicly is what freaked me out the most. Thanks again for saving the day Google and What To Expect…

I imagine the ‘taboo’ of it all is simply because they are really weird, annoying and gross. The things that I feel no one talks about, but should are:

1. How much fiber you’re going to have to consume to prevent constipation – which is virtually inevitable without proper amount of fluids and fiber. Constipation leads to hemorrhoids, which is more common than I had previously thought. It’s not excessive to make sure everything you eat and drink is high in fiber!
2. Your nipples are suddenly 10x darker than before due to hyper pigmentation. What??? Why? This is supposed to go back to normal after you give birth, phew!
3. Sneezing. This is one thing I have had all 27 weeks! I sneeze at least 7-10x a day still. Carry tissues with you at ALL TIMES!
4. Leakage, ESPECIALLY when you sneeze, laugh or cough. One word: Kegels! I like to do a set of 10 every time I use the restroom. It’s supposed to help with labor too!

My last piece of advice, like always, is water, water, water! I can’t stress the importance of water in general and how much more important staying hydrated it is for you and the baby during pregnancy.  Lack of hydration can lead to low amnionic fluid, noticeable Braxton Hick contractions and even pre-term labor!

Preggo cravings

Have you ever had the feeling that you wanted something, but couldn’t figure out what exactly that was? That feeling has haunted me since I was half way through my second trimester. I occasionally would THINK I found it, until I’d pull a classic Christine by getting bored and moving on to the next.

Oreo cookies, Sour Punch Punchies, soda, coffee and McDonald’s entire breakfast menu have all made an appearance on my guilty pleasure pregnancy craving list. Thankfully, the majority have been healthy and have been  milk, lentil soup, cheese (cream, sharp, extra sharp, feta-basically salty cheese), brussell sprouts, and garlic hummus with bagels/English muffins.

What I thought I wanted in soda was really just the carbonation. I discovered that in Sparkling Ice Pink Grapefruit, and I realized that was what I had been missing! I could drink it, and not feel super guilty even thought it contains artificial sweeteners-it’s flavored carbonated water with added antioxidants and minerals, plus the taste is AMAZEBALLS! Better than sodas!

Love letters to my unborn

One of my best friends, Beth, shared the most interesting idea with me last week! She suggested starting an email account for my unborn so I can start writing letters to her. It would note the progress of my pregnancy, her beginning years and fond moments. What a beautiful idea!

My mother taught me to always give gifts you would love to have. I would have LOVED to have gotten all that from my mom because I’ve always been fascinated with my mom’s pregnancy and my early years.

I figured since Google is a powerhouse company, it would be safe to assume that it can survive another 20 years. I created the email address: ToMyFirstBornILYForever@gmail.com.

gender predictions

I find out my baby’s sex around 20 weeks, I’ve been going every 4 weeks on a Thursday so my logic concluded I will find out the sex on January 15, 2015. The suspense is killing me!

Like any first time mom, I’ve been doing research on many myths on how to predict gender. None of these should be taken seriously, of course, as they are not backed up scientifically (however I did put an asterix next to the ones that have some type of merit or positive feed back from moms..)

They just folklore (old wives tales) passed  down for generations. I’m very logical, but couldn’t help myself, 8 weeks feels like forever away! I still want to do the draino test and Intelligender, but they cost money 😉

Cravings:

These haven’t changed, I’ve always been more of a spicy and salty (cheese !!!!) fan, but I’ve been repulsed by sweets, which is supposed to signal:

Boy.

Heartbeats Per Minute (BPM):

 8 weeks: 166

12 weeks: 150

Girl.

Baking soda test*:

Didn’t fizzle

Girl.

Chinese Calender*:

Boy.

Carrying:

Low

Boy. (most early pregnancy show low though)

Shettles method*:

Girl. (I prefer not to comment on that night lol)

Morning sickness:

Not sure how to answer this because I have only thrown up once and only had nausea caused by lack of food/water. I would still say no.

Boy.

Ring test*:

BELLY:

Boy.

Wrist:

Boy.

Palm:

Boy.

Mayan Tale:

My birthday is 09/19/1989: 24  ( 2 weeks after conception I turned 25)

+

Concieved: 2014

EVEN

Girl

Garlic Test:

Boy.

(I love garlic, and I had made fresh garlic bread and seriously  could smell it for days even after 2 showers!! Gross!!)

Skull Theory*:

Girl.

(It’s hard to tell though and it really should be undetermined, because I look like my dad and the baby  I think looks like me. It also shares both male and female theories.)

Family:

Boy.

Mommy intuition: 

Boy. (This is hard to say because I just want a boy so bad)

Final tally:

Boy-10

Girl-6

Silly 🙂

Hi my chicken nugget

So, I got my second ultrasound yesterday, November 20th! I actually saw my little nugget moving! It was ‘jumping’ in there and moving side to side. The heartbeat was at 150 BPM, but contained static because of the active movement. Doc said my placenta was really thick, and it was providing a lot of blood flow to peanut. She also assured me, “These are great signs of a healthy baby!”

I had not even noticed it before, but I felt a weight disappear. After my brother eventually passed away from his esophageal atresi at 20, my niece’s hip dyspepsia and my nephew’s hydrocephalus, I suppose it was always in the back of my head that there was a strong possibility of having complications occurring during pregnancy or birth. I do feel extremely relieved since she said it.

I got home and probably stared at my u/s pictures for an hour, and noticed my baby’s profile was my profile in my own baby pictures. My dad says it has my grandfathers ears, “the espendez ears” he says. So happy and blessed.

tell me that’s not my big ol head!

Namaste.