Some women love being pregnant, some don’t. Some pregnant women carry only in the front, some gain weight all over. And some find out the sex of their baby while others choose to wait until their little bundle of joy is born.
(For the record, I wan’t comfortable in my body during my pregnancy, carried mostly in my belly, and glimpsed Levi’s boy parts on the ultrasound screen before the tech even had the chance to say, “It’s a…“)
I’m so excited to be kicking off a brand new series on Bunny & Dolly today: Being Pregnant. Because every woman’s pregnancy is unique, I want to start sharing a variety of maternity experiences on the blog, not just mine with Levi.
Our first mom-to-be is Rebecca from A Daily Something. In addition to being a blogger, Rebecca is also a prop stylist and wedding designer, which explains why her blog has such a gorgeous, coordinated look. I’m constantly inspired by her beautiful photography and creative offerings.
Rebecca is due any day now, so let’s get on with the interview!
Q. When is your due date?
A. June 8, 2013!
Q. Boy or girl?
A. GIRL!
Q. Do you have a name picked out?
A. Yes – right now, we’re leaning towards Zoe Elizabeth. We love the name Zoe because it means life in Greek.
Q. Since this is your first child, how has being pregnant compared to what you imagined it might be like?
A. Honestly, I never really imagined being pregnant or what it would be like. I always wanted babies (lots of them, too), but never thought about what I’d have to go through to get those babies! Haha! Looking at my older sister’s 3 pregnancies, I guess I expected mine to be a bit more like hers (she’s amarathon runner, and was running long distances up to at least 7 months). Somehow, I thought I’d be running through my pregnancy (even though I didn’t run prior to being pregnant), not gaining a lot of weight, and generally full of energy. I guess the biggest shocker has been total exhaustion. Except for a few weeks in the very middle, I’ve pretty much been drained of energy and can sleep anytime/anywhere.
Q. What’s the best thing about being pregnant?
A. Knowing that a little tiny person is growing inside me, and the expectation of meeting her very soon!
Q. What’s the worst thing about being pregnant?
A. The evening sickness during my first trimester. It started pretty much every day around 3-5 pm, and lasted until I woke up in the morning. I felt unproductive, unmotivated and disinterested in things I previously loved. Oh, and not being able to sleep/lie on my stomach. I am counting down the days until I can lie outside, ona blanket, on my belly, with my sweet little girl beside me. Recently, feeling like I’ll be pregnant forever. Oops, that was 3 things… 😉
Q. Any cravings?
A. Surprisingly, nothing really! I’ve always been a fan of pickles and they have been particularly yummy the past 8 months, but I don’t necessarily crave them. I’ve pretty much eaten the same from day 1, and have tried my best to be healthy (but somehow, the weight has piled on….maybe I’m eating in my sleep?) 🙂 Two things that were absolutely repulsive until the third trimester (and now I can consume them quite happily): coffee and chocolate.
Q. How do you dress the bump? Has your style changed now that you are pregnant?
A. For the first half of my pregnancy, I really tried to stay out of maternity clothes. I hate the idea of spending money on pieces I’ll only wear for a few months, and the next time around, I’ll probably feel as if they’re outdated. For the most part, I was able to wear my normal pants and shirts, and supplemented them with items from Joe’s closet (love wearing his button ups) and the thrift store!
Around the start of my third trimester, I really wasn’t fitting in my pants, and most of my shirts were too short, so I bought some Liz Lange maternity pieces from Target and a few from Old Navy. Just some basic pants, tees, and some dresses. They’re affordable, classic, and I’ll probably wear them for a month or so after baby! My sweet sister also gave me a few summery dresses, so I’m excited to wear them these last 4 weeks or so, now that the weather’s warm enough!
Q. What are the essentials that have gotten you through the pregnancy so far?
A. Number one essential? Drinking water from a 32 oz mason jar. I’m supposed to drink tons of water every day, and drinking 2-3 jar fulls really helps. I add tons of ice and fresh lemon juice. The lemon is a life-saver!
Other must-haves? We invested in a quality mattress, which saved my back. Lots of pillows (especially the last trimester) for behind me, between my legs, under my belly, etc. I just got a Boppy Total Body Pillow
Herbal pregnancy tea has become a morning ritual. My midwives sell some delicious blends, and I just add a touch of honey and lemon juice.
Recently, my maternity leggings. They’re the comfiest item of clothing these days, and I wear them for everything.
Prenatal yoga has been a god-send (I wish I had started it earlier than 20 weeks)! It’s offered at my midwives’ office and is taught by the sweetest first-time mama.
I started early with nursing/sleeping bras, which are just infinitely more comfortable than anything else. My favorite is the Medela sleep bra
Pelvic rocks are pretty awesome for helping with lower back pain (and helping baby get in the right position).
I’m also super thankful for our Bradley Class and our Midwives – they’ve both helped immensely with answering questions and equipping us with loads of information which enabled us to decide to have our baby naturally!
Join me in sending Rebecca lots of love and good wishes as she nears the end of her pregnancy. And if you’d like to share your pregnancy experience, please send me a note!
Cute idea for a series! Good luck with the birth, Rebecca, but even more so with becoming a mom 🙂
Love this new series, PJ! Thanks a million for having me today!! 🙂
It was my pleasure!
Love the new series! As someone who is not yet pregnant I like to get as much info and perspectives as possible!
Yay! That was exactly my goal: to share a variety of perspectives because every woman’s pregnancy is unique.