Ooh, I like this one! :)
-how's pregnancy treating you?
Much better now, thanks! My first trimester morning sickness was awful. I lost a bunch of weight. Not fun. My biggest complaint these days is acne, getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, round ligament pain, and the occasional nosebleed. It's so easy compared to just a month ago!
-is it everything you thought it would be?
All the reading in the world can't prepare you for what it's like to actually be pregnant. On top of that, I honestly wasn't expecting all the myriad tiny side effects that come with pregnancy. I think most of my time researching pregnancy stuff these days is spent looking up some random thing I'm experiencing and then going "oh, good - I'm not crazy. Just another symptom." (seriously - nosebleeds? Wasn't expecting those...) But by and large, I am enjoying the process... in part, I'm learning new stuff, and that is *always* awesome for me. It's also a great experience I'm sharing with my husband. I admit, the prospect of pregnancy kind of scared me, before-the-fact... but I'm doing great so far!
-what are you loving about it?
learning new stuff!
-what are you hating about it?
I'm the only person in our circle of friends who is even planning to have kids. I'm kind of out in the cold, in some ways here. I've also always tended to have more guy friends than girl friends, and the pregnancy is kind of alienating in that regard. I'm hoping to connect with more area families through our birth classes, etc.
-what have you found completely unexpected?
The 8 million side effects. The fact that I'm *barely* showing at this point, and can still hide it. Some folks at work don't know yet! I'm actually surprised at how hard it is to tell some people...
-any specific plans for the birth?
We know that birth is something that can't really... be controlled. We're going in hoping for an unmedicated birth. We have midwives through our local hospital, and a doula we've hired to help out with all of that.
-any fears/anxieties about labor/delivery?
My mom had to have an emergency c-section with my brother for a prolapsed cord. It was a bad experience, to say the least. She didn't respond correctly to the general anesthesia, so was still awake (and feeling) through the surgery (though unable to move or let the doctors know what was going on). I'm sort of terrified of having to have a c-section for that reason. On a less traumatic note, I'm also a bit nervous about being able to deal with the pain through an unmedicated birth.
-any fears/anxieties about being a mother?
My biggest anxieties are regarding the extended family. It's a first grandkid for my inlaws, and they live nearby. I'm a bit worried about boundaries and personal space/time. I'm also not looking forward to discussions between me and my husband about differences in how we want to raise our kids. I know it's a discussion that needs to happen, though! Honestly, those are my biggest worries at this point - so I think I'm doing okay!
-what about motherhood are you most looking forward to?
Passing on my... sense of wonder. Sharing my values, my imagination, all of it. That bit comes a little later, though. In the meantime, I agree with Sara - It still hasn't all dawned on me, but I know my world is going to change the first time I hold that kid. Or maybe the second, when I'm a bit less tired and worn out from labor. ;)
-have you bought anything for baby yet?
Not a darn thing. Seriously. We have, however, assigned projects to friends. One friend is making a mobile out of crocheted monsters, for instance (check out the creepy cute crochet book).
-any questions for us veteran mamas?
What was the hardest part of pregnancy for you?
What was the biggest change in your marriage after the birth of your first?
What was the hardest adjustment for you?
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