Back in August I blogged about why I decided to try to have another baby. And for as long as it took me to come to that decision, it took me literally no time to achieve my goal.
Of course, I should be thankful I am so fertile (ask me about my fertility tea)! But it really threw me for a loop – sudden and scary and showing at a mere 5 or 6 weeks.
Now that I am approaching the end of my first trimester I can finally blog about it and share the whole truth. So far, it has been wretched.
This was originally meant to be a post entitled “Why This Pregnancy Will Suck Less” that I drafted with high hopes just days after peeing on the stick. But it really was wishful thinking – this pregnancy has sucked exponentially more.
Let’s not sugar coat it. There are plenty of happy, glowing pregnant women out there – I am simply not one of them. By seven weeks my nausea was so intense that I started taking heavy doses of Zofran, a wonder-drug that has pretty much knocked me on my ass. Sure, I’d rather be sleeping 15 hours of the day than have my head in the toilet. But when you have a three-year-old to take care of, a business to run, a home to maintain, and the desire to maintain some level of physical fitness, a nine hour waking window doesn’t quite cut it (have you noticed I haven’t been blogging as much?)
Also, I’ve already gained at least 10 lbs and am bloated to the point of looking about six months pregnant. Vanity and ego are already getting the best of me, as I look at the photos from the CrossFit Festivus Games a mere four months ago. Sure, I’m going to keep working out as long as I can. But let’s face it – I am bound to gain at least 50 pounds again. Just when I was close to getting an unassisted ring dip and rocking a six pack, I have months and months of waddling down the road ahead, cramp in my side and with no sight of my feet.
But lest I continue to feel sorry for myself and panic about every step in the road ahead, let’s remember a few little gems I jotted down back in early October on why this pregnancy should suck less.
1. I will not waste time with prenatal yoga. I hated everything about it and I don’t feel the need to connect with my fetus and “state my intention” or feel bad because I can’t stand on one foot while 35 weeks pregnant.
2. I WILL CrossFit as much as humanly possible. I will swallow my vomit and power through because I need to continue CrossFit in order to stay sane and not gain 50 pounds this time around. When my belly gets too big or when I feel like I am dying I will modify, using the handy tools on CrossFit Mom. It will SUCK. But it will suck less than not doing CrossFit at all.
3. I will drink coffee. That’s right, no more caffeine deprivation because I have no choice but to wake up with the rising son to get my first child off to school, hit the gym, and run my business. So I will drink the recommended less than 200 mg of caffeine per day rather than avoiding it altogether. And I don’t want any dirty looks in Starbucks either – a grande latte only has 150 mg. (NOTE: so far, coffee has actually been making me ill. Even the smell of it. Fun, huh?)
4. No wasting time with parenting classes, birthing classes, or nursing classes. I know how to change a diaper, I am taking the epidural as soon as possible, and you can not learn to nurse until you have a baby on your tit.
5. I’m not spending a dime on maternity clothes. I have all my heinous old stuff plus some hand me downs.
6. I’m splurging on the Pavilion Room at Pennsylvania Hospital – $800 is a small price to pay for the sanity of knowing I will not have to experience what I imagine to be the seventh level of hell – sharing a recovery room with another crying baby.
7. Probably the biggest game changer this time around will be delivering in June versus September, which means not having to carry through the whole hot summer!
In the meantime I’ll be sure to keep you posted on every hurdle, bright spot, and eco-anxiety along the way! Thanks for sharing this journey with me – it truly takes a village!
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