Pregnancy, Round 3
Since I did this kind of post when I was pregnant with Moira, I figured it would be a worthwhile comparison for pregnancy #3. As before, there have been similarities and differences… every pregnancy is wonderful and unique. I feel very blessed to have experienced it 3 times thus far, with minimal discomfort and plenty of happy anticipation!
What’s Been Different…
- The Test: I got several false negatives before I finally got a positive result on a home pregnancy test! And this was heading into St. Patrick’s Day weekend in an Irish family, so this little lady got an early taste of beer during her first few days of life…
- The Beginning: First trimester was horrible. With McBaby #1, I had mild queasiness, in the morning, but that was usually gone by the time I got to the office. With McBaby #2, it was all-day, non-stop nausea until about week 14. Baby #3 was the same experience, up until 16 weeks, except perhaps worse in that I was chasing around two little ones already and felt totally exhausted by the end of the day. I couldn’t cook dinner and relied heavily on the help of hubby to get me through those last few hours of the day (yes, I was going to bed by 7pm). I searched up every natural nausea remedy I could find, and the only thing that seemed to help was building up my magnesium with doses of Upspring
- The Reveal: I was able to share the news in person with both sides of the family, thanks to a planned trip to Georgia in early April. I was barely 8 weeks, but wanted to go ahead and let everyone know that our household would be getting even crazier around Thanksgiving this year! I
- Time flies! As I sit here writing this, I am almost 37 weeks pregnant… and I’m ready for this little lady to arrive! Not sure I’m really ready to be a mother of THREE children, but I think I’m ready to not be pregnant… maybe. I’ve said before, I do enjoy being pregnant and that’s still true this time around. It is a miraculous experience and I am still amazed at the process God created to bring new little humans into the world. But it’s certainly harder to enjoy when you have older children to take care of!
- Wardrobe: The first time around, I was working full-time in a corporate office environment and my wardrobe reflected that: suit pants, blazers, dressier tops, etc. I don’t know how much I spent expanding my clothing options to accommodate my maternity size, but I was glad to be able to feel comfortable and work-appropriate in the clothes I purchased. This time around, I’m at home most of the time and, with the exception of client meetings and church, I don’t have as much occasion to “dress up”. I’ve been trying to create a more minimalist wardrobe that really suits my day-to-day activities and clean out pieces that I may have had for years but just don’t suit my lifestyle anymore. This process will definitely continue after the baby is born and I return to my pre-pregnancy clothes.
- Cravings: I wouldn’t exactly call them “cravings” in the traditional sense, but I have certainly had different eating tendencies this time around than with Cormac. My first pregnancy spanned more over the warmer months and I ate a LOT of fresh fruit. Perhaps by the pound. This time around, I have been pregnant over the holidays and that has definitely made a difference. Lots more cookies! I’ve also wanted more protein-heavy items (meat, cheese, etc.) and potatoes… french fries, anyone? Hopefully this baby doesn’t come out a total butterball!
What’s Been The Same…
- Good times! I enjoy being pregnant! Except for the first several weeks of morning sickness (which seemed to drag on and on), I have generally enjoyed this pregnancy as much as the first one. The sense of anticipation is slightly different, tempered by the busyness of every day life with a toddler and working from home, but it is still such an exciting and hopeful time. Aside from a few bouts of illness and tiredness (which is generally resolved by going to bed early), I’ve experienced a sense of energy and creativity in both of my pregnancies so far that have made it a very pleasant experience. I wish women would talk more about all the happy and positive aspects of pregnancy, rather than waxing poetic over the not-so-enjoyable parts. But, I suppose that’ s human nature. Either way, I’m here to tell you that being pregnant ain’t half bad! 🙂
- Medical Care: As with my first pregnancy, I decided to see a midwife group this time around. I am so grateful that we live within a short driving distance of a highly reputable midwife practice and birth center. Although we had a midwife with Cormac and the experience was everything I could have hoped for, I delivered in a hospital environment (Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago). This time around, we’ll be at a birth center for a more “homey” experience. But the quality and type of care I’ve had with the midwives has been on par with my previous pregnancy and I’m so grateful that this has been available to me in both pregnancies thus far!
- Carrying “small”: I don’t exactly feel small at the moment, but I continue to get comments on carrying “low”, and not looking “big enough” to be almost ready to give birth! It may have to do with that fact that I have a longer torso (and shorter legs), but it seems that the baby has plenty of room to hang out in the lower pelvic cavity, so I don’t really get as large higher up. I feel as though I’m carrying the same as I did with Cormac (plus maybe a few extra pounds), so it’s nice that there hasn’t been much variance between carrying a girl vs. boy!
- Labor/Delivery: Well, I’ll have to give you an updated on this later… but I do hope my labor/delivery experience is as good this time as it was the first time! I remember having some anxiety about what to expect the first time (who wouldn’t?!?), but I also remember feeling at peace that whatever happened was in God’s hands, and it would all work out for the best. While I do have one L/D experience under my belt this time around, there are still a million different things that could happen… the same or different. But, as before, I’m putting it in God’s hands and trust that He will keep me and baby healthy and happy before, during and after delivery.
All in all, pregnancy has been such a fun and positive experience for me and for that I am extremely grateful. It is such a short time-frame in comparison to the task of parenting, and this is what makes it such a special phase. As much as I look forward to meeting baby girl McCarthy, I’m happy to say I’ll also be enjoying these last few weeks of pregnancy… just a little while longer that we’re a family of three!
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