Author: FirstTimeMamaBlogs

6.11.19

Today someone texted me and asked me how I was doing, out of the blue. It is someone I talk to on a pretty regular basis, but it was still kind of strange and random. Immediately I went into panic thinking that I had accidentally posted something online. How sad is that, that the first thing I check is my social media? Anyways, it’s like a feeling that makes your heart jump and your mind starts racing and retracing your steps to see if you could have spilled the news.

Turns out he really just wanted to know how I was doing; since school got out and I’m on summer break. Crisis AVERTED. That was close. Is this how it’s going to be until we are ready to tell people? Panic that someone will find out before we tell? Fear that we’ll accidentally tell or worse, someone we told in confidence will accidentally tell.

The fear is real, people!

And speaking of telling people… what is the best pregnancy announcement that you’ve done or seen? We have something planned already, but I’d love some inspo from you amazing mamas! Let me know in the comments if you have a cool one!

6.10.19

Well, today was an important stop on our pregnancy journey: our first prenatal class! We went into it with no idea of what we were walking into, so we were a little nervous. So nervous, in fact, that we got there 30 minutes early to “get a seat in the back,” as my husband put it. Good thing there were only THREE couples attending the class; including us! 🤦🏻‍♀️

All in all, it went very smoothly. They shared a lot of valuable information, but I don’t know if I walked away feeling more comfortable or with more questions.

The Good:

I was glad to find out that all of the symptoms that I’ve been feeling; mostly headaches, are completely normal and to be expected. One mom even shared that she had been super sick; which I’m thankful hasn’t happened to me YET. Also, they gave a handy list of OTC medications that pregnant women can take; including meds… or vitamins, for nausea! The nurse also reassured us that it’s okay to eat, not to great, during the first trimester, because it can be hard to keep anything down. Her exact words were: “If all you’ve been able to eat is Capt’n Crunch, don’t worry, the baby will get what it needs.” Phew!!

The Questions:

Genetic Testing… I have so many questions. She shared a lot of information about it and why it’s a “hot topic.” She did mention that most couples want to get the testing done in order to find out the gender. In my eyes that would be a plus; since it’s so early, and you could best prepare yourself if baby does have any conditions. Are there any mamas out there that are taking a hard pass on the genetic testing; and if so, why? I would love to get perspective from moms on their side of this “hot topic.”

Needles, swab, testing, oh my! I knew that becoming a regular at your OBGYN comes with the territory of becoming pregnant, but I didn’t realize how much testing comes with it too. At the end of the day, whatever is best for me and our baby is what we’re going to do, but this was just a lot of learning and information at once.

What were your experiences during your first Prenatal Class? Did you have one? If so, what were your thoughts after you left!

Let me know in the comments. ❤️

6.9.19

You guys, let me be honest… since finding out I’m pregnant, my nutrition has been… lacking. I’ve kind of just been eating what I feel like; when I feel like. It felt gooood! While I’m all for body positivity and eating things in moderation, I have not really been doing that these last two weeks.

That being said; I’m ready to “fix” or improve my diet. Since I’m eating for two, I really want to do this right for both of us. I want to get back to eating in moderation, but does moderation change when you’re expecting?

Here are my main questions:

-What should I avoid? I know this is sort of different for all women, but in the world that we live in; everyone has an opinion… so I’m asking for yours! I know to avoid the usual things: alcohol, raw meat, caffeine, lunch meat, etc., but are there any other things that I should really try to steer clear of? Any types of food or restaurants I shouldn’t eat?

-How much should I really be eating each day? Again, since I’m eating for two humans, how does the recommended calories change? (FYI: I’m not a calorie-counter, but I don’t want to over or under eat).

I’m sure I’ll think of more questions as the pregnancy goes on… but that’s kind of all I’ve got right now.

6.8.19

Today was probably the funnest day that I’ve had since finding out I’m pregnant. I felt great ALL day and we spent the whole day together running errands.

My hubby and I had a super busy day planned; including a trip to the Wonderland that is… Target! Let me start off by saying; Target is my happy place! And for the first time since we found out we’re expecting; we bought baby stuff; and it was so exciting! I’m in love with how excited my husband is! He’s constantly looking at baby clothes and nursery items. Before we found out we are having a baby, we would never venture into the baby section at Target; it was almost like it was Foreign Territory to us, but today, we jumped in head-first! We bought some clothes… helllllo clearance, and looked at nursery items. You guys, it was SO fun! Another step in the direction of realness!

So, what are your mommy must-haves at Target? What are your shopping tips for baby?

… If I can’t find it at Target, do I really need it? 🎯

6.7.19

Okay, Ladies… let’s talk about the “girls.” And you know who I’m talking about… boobs.

This week I’ve noticed that my chest seems super heavy. I wouldn’t say that they’re super tender, but they are definitely feeling heavier than they normally do. Also, I feel like my nipples are getting bigger; or longer? That sounds so weird to read out loud. While I was showering today, I was totally caught off-guard because they just seemed different to me. Again, I’m wondering how much of this is in my head since I’ve done so much research about the first trimester. I’ve been learning about all of the changes that are to come, so I’m wondering if I just know my chest will change, and I’m just imagining that changes are already here?

Moms! Tell me… what are/were your must haves for pregnancy boobs; either early or later into my pregnancy? Also, should I invest in bigger bras since I’ll most likely increase by at least one cup size? Also, did you use any products to avoid stretch marks growing up top?

So many questions… but quite a bit of time to go! Expert moms (AKA: all moms) please let me know!

6.6.19

Well, today was A DAY. It was the last day of school, and you can imagine how emotional that day is for me on the regular, but throw in those pregnancy hormones… forget it. I was a sopping mess the entire day. I genuinely cried consistently over the course of the entire day. My kids are so sweet, and they were so in-tune with my crying. They comforted me, hugged me, and cried with me.

Even though I fully accept my emotional tendencies, I also feel that my pregnancy hormone surge reeeeally took it over the top today. It was almost as if I would look at one of my students and my eyes would start watering.

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On another note, can I say how glad I am that any morning sickness that may come; will come over summer break? I’M GLAD! First of all, it makes it so much less of a secret that I have to keep AND I don’t have to avoid any awkwardness that could happen. I totally remember one of my seventh grade teachers telling our class one morning that the reason she’s been late to class is because she’s been throwing up in the bathroom, because she was pregnant. Honestly; that memory has stuck in my head and I FEARED that that could happen to me. Knowing that my first trimester will end over the summer; I’m so thrilled that, hopefully, most of that will be long behind me before we start back up in the Fall! Honestly, the timing is just right!

6.5.19

Well, today officially marks 5 Weeks! According to my research, my little baby is about equivalent to the size of a teeny tiny orange seed. Which is actually a lot bigger than the poppy seed that existed last week.

It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that we’re actually going to be having a baby. Like, there is actually a life growing inside of me. This week my baby’s heart will begin to form and beat… CRAZY! But to be honest, I’ve felt what I thought was a heartbeat in my lower abdomen for over a week. Weird. The more you know…

It’s starting to feel more real, but I don’t think it will really hit me until my first Ultrasound; which isn’t until July. Don’t worry though, we’ll be busy with Prenatal Class starting next Monday. We’re genuinely going into this class blind, and with no expectations. Any mamas out there have any advice on what I can expect during the first class?

Speaking of advice, does anyone have any good book or podcast recommendations on pregnancy and birth? I figure with the school year wrapping up, I’ll have some time to study more this summer and engage in some of my own Professional… I mean, Personal Development. 😉

As some of you already know, I’m a teacher full-time. So this time of year can stir up many emotions: happiness that it’s summer, sadness because I won’t have my students next year, excitement that both them and I will have a new adventure next year, relief that the year ended successfully, etc.

I do think that this year might be one of the hardest years for me. Saying goodbye to these kids is really going to pull on my emotions. On a normal day, I am SUPER emotional, like to an extreme level. I can cry on the drop of a hat and I get choked up over TV commercials. My husband laughs, but I genuinely cannot help myself.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the end of this school year, and my students leaving. As a teacher, you spend so much time with your students that they really become “your” kids, in-a-sense. I vividly remember my students coming to Open House and meeting me, and now, here we are at the end of the school year. My students have grown so much this year; physically, academically and emotionally. When I think about how fast this year went for me, I think about their parents, and how fast it went for them too. I feel like I blinked and the whole school year was over, so I can’t even begin to imagine how quickly time passes for them. A few years ago they were walking their babies into Kindergarten, and right before their eyes, they’re little boy or little girl is, well, not-so little anymore.

Now that I’m pregnant, I feel so in-tune with time. I literally track the time, all the time. By tomorrow, I’ll already be 5 weeks along; which is pretty insane since you usually don’t find out until you’re at least 4 weeks pregnant. Already, time is FLYING by! Soon my little baby, who’s currently the size of a poppyseed, will be not so little too.

Just like with my students, I want to enjoy and savor every moment while I’m pregnant, and while I’m a mom. Growing up and making changes is inevitable, but we can still pause, for just a little, to be present.

6.3.19

So let’s talk about a change that I have already noticed. Not glamorous and something that many women won’t choose to discuss… bathroom business.

For the last couple of days I have had some trouble, errr, going to the bathroom. Not peeing, that’s no problem. I would say the last 3 days I’ve been a little, well, a lot, backed up. Of course now that I’m pregnant, I literally google EVERYTHING. I mean everything. According to google, constipation during pregnancy is very normal. Good… I guess. Good that it’s normal, but not good because of the discomfort. Has this happened to many others? If so, please tell me it’s not constant!

I have to be honest, the more I google, the more I find out how much my body is really going to change and react. It’s pretty amazing what the body is capable of, and how one thing can have such a serious affect on one mom, but not on another. I can’t wait to share pregnancy stories as I continue on this journey. Each day is something new, and I know that no matter how much I read and try to prepare myself, this is absolutely NOT textbook. And as a Type-A Teacher, that is really hard for me.

Either way, let’s just hope and pray that everything comes out smooth.

😂 … See what I did there?

6.2.19

Today, like the last several Sundays, my husband and I got ready for church.

Now let me start off this post by sharing that I believe that all who believe in God can worship in a way that is personal to them. That being said, Religion was not put on the forefront in my childhood, though it was valued. As a young adult… is 28 still a young adult? Regardless, as a young adult, I have recently found myself with a deep urge to get back into going to church. My husband and I both shared this urge, and together decided to join a church and attend service regularly.

I want to clarify that even though we were constantly talking about attending church, we truly started going regularly, every Sunday, starting on Easter. Easter this year fell on 4.21.19. If your pregnancy begins the first day off your last period, then I was pregnant starting on 4.30.19. I do believe that this baby is a gift from God.

I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember. I enjoy and have a passion for working with children, which is why I became a teacher. The thought of being a mom to a child is literally enough to make me cry!

So, ever since my husband and I got married, we have been talking very openly about starting a family. This winter I visited by OB and made the decision to begin thinking about having a baby. Low and behold, 5 months later, and here we are: pregnant.

I believe that God has prepared us and chosen us to be parents. His power was pulling me back to church, because He planned this life for us.

I am thankful for this life; the life I’m living now, and the life that is being created right now.