My husband and I planned for a baby. We read books and articles, and listened to advice from well-intentioned relatives and friends.
I was shocked and thrilled to find out I was pregnant. We had planned on having a baby but never knew when we'd conceive. So, while we were "trying" I was taking extra safety precautions, down to the shampoo bottle; I wanted to make sure no parabens, BPA, phthalates, or other suspect chemicals could affect my body or the child we would conceive. For added insurance, I took prenatal vitamins, fish oil, and vitamin B religiously, prior to conception.
Early in the first trimester, my husband and I spent time in Eastern Europe which was the last trip we would take for a while. While traveling, I quickly learned about the changes that happen in the first trimester. For me, random back pain, a rash and severe nausea came at me fast and hard.
Our thirteenth week pregnant hit hard because we had a horrifying scare. For several hours, I experienced painful cramping and bleeding. I called a nurse on duty at our health care providers office and we concluded I was experiencing a miscarriage. I wept as I pushed through the pain while clenching my heating pad. That weekend I stayed awake, reading about miscarriages and next steps. We had a scheduled appointment that Monday morning, so we waited to be examined that day.
At the doctor's office, the ultrasound moved slowly along my belly and a heartbeat was quickly found. Relieved, I started to cry as my husband explained to the doctor we believed we were miscarrying and were bracing ourselves for bad news.
I had several baby-showers hosted by dear friends and family members. My heart was full from all of the new mom advice and interesting stories from veteran mothers.
There were several doctor visits, some more exciting than others. It was not fun having to drink the red juice to test for gestational diabetes, but hearing our baby’s heartbeat was always worth our time. We appreciated a specialist’s reassurance that worrisome test results and random bleeding did not show that there was a serious problem with our baby. I learned that often during pregnancy, there are no concrete answers and in spite of all we know, there is still mystery that comes along with the miracle of birth.
During my third trimester, I was ready to stop working. I would have mini panic attacks before falling asleep. I would lay in bed, half asleep and feel my body tense up and feel like I could not breathe. I would have to frequently remind myself that I was okay, everything would be okay and eventually I would nod off.
I picked up all of the children’s illnesses at the preschool where I was working, including conjunctivitis, aka pink eye. After that experience, I gave in and decided to take my maternity leave a week early. I was exhausted two days before birth. So much that I couldn't get off of the couch to even take a shower.
The following day, I had my huge burst of energy and what I believed to be Braxton Hicks again. However, my baby had a different idea!
