Happy Monday Y’all!!
I put on real clothes TWICE this weekend, and it felt SO dang good…linking my outfit for y’all below.
I absolutely LOVE receiving emails and messages from y’all asking questions and giving me blog topic ideas!! I’ve received tons of messages lately asking about my registry and what items I’ve used the most so far!
So today I’m sharing some Baby Registry MUST HAVES.
Now, I’ve only been a mama for 2 weeks now so I’m going to share things we’ve been using nonstop
the last 2 weeks!
Ideally I would’ve loved to do this post when he was a few months old so I could really tell y’all what we’re loving/using BUT I know a lot of you are due soon and would like this info sooner rather than later…
Also, some of these items are worth purchasing immediately so you know for sure you’ll have them when baby arrives! I had all of these on my registry and honestly I think I had to purchase like 90% of them myself because people love buying cutesie stuff and not functional stuff! haha
So here we go!
My #1 MUST HAVE: Dock A Tot
Yes, it is expensive. Yes, it is 100% WORTH it.
This has been our most used, most trusted, most successful item.
I think at least twice a day Kyle or I say how grateful we are for the Dock A Tot.
This is not sponsored in any way shape or form, it’s just helped us SO much.
Hayes loves to hang out in it during the day, he sleeps in it in bed with us at night.
Every morning I’ve been able to wake up and shower, I change him, feed him,
set him in his Dock A Tot by the shower where I can see him and he just chills out while I get ready for the day. WARNING: A lot of people will look at this item on your registry and think it looks silly/unnecessary/expensive and they won’t buy it…it’s totally worth purchasing yourself.
My mom told me when she saw it on my registry she kind of laughed because it looked completely random and kind of unnecessary, and now she sees how much we use it and she’s like
“Oh wow, ya that thing is worth every penny”
{Alright, the rest of these are in no particular order!}
#2 Good Nursing Bras
This isn’t necessarily something I would put on my registry haha but it’s definitely a MUST HAVE.
If you’re breastfeeding it’s SO important to have some nursing bras that are comfortable and functional.
I wear these exact ones ALL the time, and I’m totally about to buy more because I love them so much!
#3 Wipe Warmer
So many people told me that this was totally unnecessary, but I’m so glad I have it.
Babies HATE getting their diapers changed, they’re cold and naked and uncomfortable.
Throwing a cold wipe on them is not going to make the situation any better.
These are not expensive at all and I think they help a ton, Especially if you have a little boy!
#4 Handsfree Pumping Bra
I totally assumed all pumps come with these bras, but they DO NOT.
I have this one in a size medium and LOVE it.
#5 Drying rack
This is essential especially if you’re pumping // bottle feeding.
I’m breastfeeding and I only pump occasionally but it’s already been used MULTIPLE times.
I also love the white color, I’m a huge fan of baby items that blend in and aren’t obnoxious haha
#6 Swing/Bouncer/Rock n Play
So we have a swing, but I really think any of these options are great, and babies typically love them all.
Babies love movement, and movement is great for babies who have colic or are gassy and get an upset tummy regularly, make sure you register for or get yourself some kind of soothing swing/bouncer.
#7 Carseat Cover/Nursing Cover
You’re taking your baby out into the world for the first few times and the last thing you want is random strangers gawking over your freshly birthed child, or even worse, TOUCHING your freshly birthed child.
This thing will come in handy for basically ever, well or until you’re done breastfeeding!
#8 Bottles / Even if breastfeeding
Okay y’all, for those of you mamas who are determined to ONLY breastfeed and not even pump/give breastmilk from a bottle…it’s still GOOD to have bottles on hand. You are going to be worn out, and hurting, and exhausted and no matter how determined you are to NOT give your baby a bottle, you just never know what choices you may make at 3 am after you’ve already been woken up every 45 minutes to a hungry/needy baby…Just sayin’, it’s better to be safe/prepared than sorry/exhausted.
OR if you’re having issues breastfeeding/baby latching it’s just great to have a back up plan!
#9 Good Rocking Chair
This is the one we have and I LOVE it, it’s small enough that we can kind of put it anywhere in the house, it’s been in our living room since Hayes was born and we both love holding him while sitting in there, it’s also super comfy for nursing.
#10 BACKPACK Diaper Bag
{I have a Fawn Design one that I LOVE and I’ll be doing a full blog post on it super soon}
I ended up buying a regular shoulder diaper bag and I seriously don’t think I’ll ever use it.
Backpacks are SO much more convenient and comfortable and I HIGHLY suggest you get yourself one,
we have one for me and a more “manly” one for Kyle!!
Okay y’all, I hope this was somewhat helpful!! I don’t have as much time to spend on writing up blog posts for y’all but I figure a short and somewhat rushed post is still better than nothing! haha
I’ll try to do an updated list of “must haves” in a few weeks!
Right now, this kid just eats, sleeps and poops so there really aren’t TOO many essential items or big items that we swear by, I know that’ll change so soon though!
I’ll be able to share a lot more good info with y’all as he continues to grow and as I
continue to learn more about mom life!
Thanks so much for stopping by and supporting this little blog of mine!!
On February 25th our world completely changed.
Our sweet baby boy was born at 3:35 am, weighing in at 7 lbs and 9 oz.
As most of you already know, last Tuesday my doctor had told us that the baby could come at anytime.
At my 38 week appointment I was 3cm dilated and 70% effaced and my doctor said he’d be coming soon, possibly even within the next 24 hours.
So we had been anxiously awaiting his arrival for the past 4 nights!! Total torture lol
It was super scary because I really had no signs of labor, I couldn’t believe that I was already dilated.
I mean, I would get period like cramps and pelvic pressure every now and then but nothing super painful or uncomfortable! I was so afraid that I just wasn’t going to know when I was going into labor and that I’d end up having my baby in the car or something! Like, I’m not kidding this was seriously a HUGE fear of mine.
We woke up Saturday morning and everything was pretty normal, I had brunch plans with my two best friends and I remember driving to meet them and having SO much anxiety. That was the first time I had been alone since my doctor told me that I could go into labor super soon. I had the worst stomach ache and genuinely thought I might go into labor while at brunch because of the anxious feeling I had, I really thought it was the Lord preparing me and letting me know that it was about to happen. BUT once I made it to the restaurant my nerves went away! So I think it was just the scary feeling of being alone and not wanting it to happen when I was by myself.
After brunch I got home and we decided to go to a park near the house with Charley and get some walking in! I had been walking a ton the last two weeks to try and help move baby boy down and get things moving along. But I was pretty convinced he was going to show up after his due date even though the doctor said otherwise. Mainly because I hadn’t had any contractions or real signs of labor whatsoever!
There really wasn’t anything abnormal or exciting about our day until that evening.
Around 7 or 8 I started to feel a TON of pressure downstairs, and this was a kind of pressure that I wasn’t used too. I would occasionally feel pressure off and on the last few weeks but this was pretty constant and super uncomfortable. But of course pressure is just pressure and doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going into labor, so part of me thought it COULD mean labor was soon, but then another part of me kind of just dismissed it.
Our nights and schedules had been a little crazy since the doctor had told us baby could arrive at any time, we were pretty much on edge all week and SO anxious knowing that any moment could be THE moment.
We weren’t sleeping well and we weren’t eating well, and I was exhausted from nesting like a maniac constantly. On Saturday night once all the pressure subsided a bit I decided to vacuum and mop the entire house. lol I honestly can’t even tell you how many times I vacuumed that week, an unhealthy and unnecessary amount, that’s for sure!
We ended up crawling into bed around 11pm, and that’s when the story starts to get interesting.
I had been laying in bed for maybe about 5 minutes and all the sudden felt a very strong cramp like pain, and I immediately KNEW, this was different. I said “ouchhhh…” out loud.
and told Kyle, “I think I just had a contraction”. I stood up and told Kyle I was going to call my mom.
I started walking to our bathroom and as soon as I got to the sink I was already having another one.
I called my mom and was in tears because I was nervous. I told her I had two pretty painful “cramps” and she told me that we need to time them, but before she could even finish telling me I was already having another one. I was crying and scared at this point. Everything and everyone says to wait an hour and make sure your contractions are strong and consistent but I knew I couldn’t do that.
So Kyle and I decided we were going to go to the hospital, but we weren’t going to tell the rest of the family until we got there and knew for sure if it was the real deal.
Our hospital is about 40 minutes away and I always feared I’d go into labor during traffic hour or something, and I have also been so afraid of going to the hospital too early or when I wasn’t actually in labor and looking like an idiot. Even though I KNOW this happens literally all the time, I just didn’t want it to happen to me. So I told Kyle I was going to put a little makeup on and for us to maybe wait for 30 minutes just to see and then we could leave…
I had put on a little powder and the contractions were still coming every 4 minutes or less and getting stronger so I said “K, nope, we need to leave NOW”
We left our house to head to the hospital around 11:30pm,
the contractions started to get worse and closer together. They were about 2 minutes apart the entire ride to the hospital. They weren’t unbearable, but they were definitely painful and I had to hold onto something tight and take deep breaths through them. At this point we knew it was the real deal so Kyle went ahead and called his parents. We arrived to the hospital a little after midnight and they took me back to check me and see if I was actually in labor.
By the time we arrived to the hospital the contractions were extremely painful and about 1 minute apart.
I was 4.5 cm dilated when she first checked me, so they admitted me and got us into a room.
Once I was in a gown and in a room I got in the bed and was in SO much pain.
I couldn’t open my eyes, I just remember holding on SO tight to Kyle’s hand and the railing of the bed, and trying to breathe through each contraction, and then my body started making these moaning sounds trying to cope with the pain that I was feeling. At this point I was begging for an epidural and starting to panic because the pain was a lot worse than I ever imagined it being. I think I would’ve handled the pain better if the contractions wouldn’t have been SO close together, they were literally back to back and I just wasn’t getting a break whatsoever. My parents showed up not long after I got in the room and I couldn’t even greet them because I was just in survival mode at this point. I had one hand in Kyles, one holding on for dear life to the railing and my parents standing over me comforting me the best they could.
My eyes were closed my entire labor, so it all kind of feels completely surreal. Almost like an out of body experience. Every now and then I would open my eyes to try and focus on something in the room to help with the pain but that’s really the only time they were open. We had been there for about an hour and I had asked for an epidural about a million times it seemed like and it was taking SO long. My nurse checked me again and I had progressed to 7cm within 1 hour. This whole part of my labor is a bit of a blur because I was just in so much pain. But I remember the anesthesiologist coming in and them saying it was time for my epidural and I was SO relieved. They made everyone get out of the room and had me sit indian style on the bed. It took me a while to do that because my contractions were so strong and coming on so quickly.
I was always afraid of getting an epidural while I was pregnant, the needle, the being completely numb, just everything about it. Well, in that moment I had NO fear whatsoever and just wanted it ASAP.
Since I was in so much pain they gave me a spinal block which works immediately to help ease pain. Epidurals take about 30 minutes or so to kick in, so they gave me a spinal block and then did the epidural afterwards. Once it was done I laid down and Kyle and my parents came back in the room.
I finally felt some relief. I could breathe normally again, and it was incredible.
However, I could still feel the intense pressure of every contraction and would have to stop talking and breathe through them. I’ve always been told that once you get an epidural you’re literally on cloud 9 and completely numb, so I was really surprised/disappointed when I could still feel the terrible pressure of each contraction, but the anesthesiologists and all the nurses said that epidurals don’t take away the pressure, just the pain.
So I guess there ya have it.
Once I was out of some pain Kyles mom, sister and brother in law came in to see us.
I think it was about 30 minutes of them being in there (felt like 5) and all of the sudden I started to feel pain with the contractions again. I had a little clicker that was supposed to give me more pain relief every 8 minutes when I clicked it and I started pounding on it like a maniac but it wasn’t working.
Kyle made everyone leave the room except my mom and I started having to focus super hard on my breathing and moan through each contraction again. They were every minute like clockwork.
Kyle was absolutely amazing my entire labor, right by my side the entire time, letting me squeeze the crap out of his fingers and comforting me and supporting me and encouraging me every way he knew how.
Maybe another 30 minutes passed by and the contractions and pressure were unbearable again.
I all the sudden started to feel the need to push with each contraction so my mom ran to tell the nurse.
She came in to check me and I was 9.5cm dilated but she told me that I couldn’t push yet,
The doctor hadn’t arrived and if I push before I’m 10 cm dilated it could really damage my cervix.
This infuriated me because I truly had NO control over the urge to push, a contraction would come and my body would just completely take over and start pushing. It was just Kyle, my mom and me in the room and I knew I couldn’t wait any longer…another contraction came and I shouted “I’m pushingggggg, I can’t stop it I’M PUSHING” So my mom ran and got the nurse and before I knew it the room was full of people.
My doctor still hadn’t arrived so there was a doctor on call (who looked extremely nervous, Kyle says) and she told me that it would really be best if I could hold off on pushing for a few more minutes but if I absolutely need to push then it’s okay. Well, I absolutely NEEDED too.
They had me lay on my side to try and “ease” the pain and hold off pushing and then another contraction came and I was shouting “I’m pushing!!!!!” again. There was a loud POP and then a total explosion of water. Thank God I had blankets over me, otherwise I’m pretty sure that entire room of people would’ve been covered in my amniotic fluid. I specifically remember saying “my water just broke” but of course everyone around was extremely aware of that haha
Once my water broke they told me to lay on my back, scooted me down on the bed and it was really time to push. I’m not sure how many times I pushed but my doctor FINALLY arrived right as Hayes was crowning. He walked in and saw what was going on and was in complete shock. I had about 3 more contractions, Would take a deep breath in and then PUSH hard for 10 seconds holding my breath – I could feel his head slowly coming out while I was pushing but then go back in once I would need to take a breath again. There were SO many people around me cheering me on and encouraging me and I just remember with each contraction the urge to push was so incredibly overwhelming. By about my 3rd contraction his head was out and his body followed pretty easily afterwards, and then he was in my arms. At 3:35AM my baby was in my arms.
A tiny, breathing, crying little human that Kyle and I made was laying on my chest and all of my pain was instantly gone.
I remember crying and saying “oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh” over and over.
There are no words to even explain the emotions and RELIEF you feel once they lay your baby on your chest.
One thing I wasn’t really prepared for was delivering the placenta.
After they laid Hayes on my chest my doctor started pushing down super hard on my stomach to help get the placenta out. I tore, so he also stitched me up while Hayes and I were doing skin to skin.
I could feel each stitch go in and my legs never became numb the entire time.
I remember after Hayes and I did skin to skin and I nursed him, it was time for them to weigh him and everything, and I told my nurse I needed to pee and I could stand up perfectly fine.
So for some reason, my epidural didn’t fully take, and I felt A LOT more than I was hoping too.
But let me tell you, birthing a child is the most empowering thing you will EVER do.
I have never felt more proud of my body and more accomplished in my life.
After my nurse helped me use the restroom, I walked out to see Kyle holding Hayes. Easily, the best moment of my entire life.
My heart immediately exploded and I couldn’t believe that any of this was real.
After about an hour my dad and the rest of the family that was there came in to see Hayes.
Then our family went home to get some rest and give us some time as a new family of three.
I remember all of the doctors and nurses freaking out and telling me that I literally just had the most perfect birth. That NO ONE, especially first time mamas, deliver a baby so quickly.
My doctor even told us that once they called him when I was 9cm dilated (around 3:00am)
that he wasn’t planning on showing up until around 10AM and figured I’d deliver around noon, because that’s how long labor typically takes for first time moms.
Which completely blows my mind because I truly can’t imagine going through everything I went through longer than I did…God bless all you mamas who have had super tough long labors. Y’all are absolutely incredible!!!
Kyle and I spent the rest of that morning in total shock, we just stared at Hayes and at each other and couldn’t believe what we just experienced together. Kyle watched pretty much the entire birth and couldn’t stop telling me how proud he was of me.
It’s crazy how much my love for Kyle has grown so much in just 4 days, He is SO good with Hayes, and has been SO helpful while my body recovers. Ugh, I’m crying right now with Hayes on my chest just thinking about how lucky we both are to have Kyle. He is the best daddy in the entire world and makes me want to be better and stronger for our little boy. My world will never be the same, and gosh I’m so thankful for that.
We are all exhausted, but our hearts have never been so full.
Thank you Lord for this beautiful baby boy, thank you for loving us and giving us this precious gift even though we fail you every single day. We are so undeserving and so grateful that you’re trusting us with Hayes. Thank you for blessing me with such a supportive and loving husband. I pray that you will give me the strength and patience that I need to be the best wife and mama to Hayes.
Kyle and I constantly stare in awe at Hayes with so much love in our hearts,
and It’s crazy to think that you love all of us EVEN more.
(right after he was born)
(headed home from the hospital)
(two days old)
(three days old)
Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know sweet boy.
Alright guys…I’ve seen SO many articles and blog posts on
“gross things that happen during labor that no one warns you about”
but what about all of the weird/gross things that happen during pregnancy that no one warns you about?!
Of course, you hear about all of the basic/normal symptoms…
sore boobs, nausea, heartburn, fatigue etc…
But no one has ever really gone in depth about the severity of these symptoms OR the other weird/unpleasant things that happen. So friends, that’s what I’m here for. Today I’m laying it ALL out there.
So if you’re a guy reading this, I suggest you STOP, exit out, turn away, don’t go any further.
If you get grossed out easily or have a weak stomach – this post may not be for you.
This post is for my ladies who want to get pregnant soon & like to be prepared, and to my ladies who are currently suffering through these weird/crazy symptoms, and to my ladies who have been there done that and are ready to look back and laugh at the ridiculous things we have to go through.
DISCLAIMER: I’ve actually had a super easygoing and enjoyable pregnancy so far, so keep in mind that some people go through WAY worse things than what I’m about to share with y’all. Also, everyone’s body and pregnancy are totally different, so even if you become pregnant soon or are pregnant – you may not be experiencing these same symptoms at all or you could have these plus a million others.
The beauty of pregnancy is you really have no freaking idea how your body is going to react to it,
BUT in the end you get the most precious gift, and all of these aches and pains are so unbelievably worth it, and that’s why people have multiple babies and do it over and over again…so enjoy the ride y’all!
Let’s get right down to it…
Pregnancy is the most amazing and beautiful thing in the world, being able to carry a child is one of the biggest blessings anyone could ever receive.
And with that blessing comes…
tears, farts..(so many farts), snoring, stretch marks, strange dreams, swelling, all kinds of swelling – like swelling in places you didn’t even know could swell, peeing (on yourself), shortness of breath, so many veins, rashes, hemorrhoids, constipation, diarrhea, emotional breakdowns, irrational thoughts, sweating profusely (like serious uncontrollable sweating), break outs from all the sweating, hot flashes, bloody nose, bloody gums, insomnia, fatigue…Have I terrified you yet?!?!
DON’T WORRY we all go through these things and we all survive.
The days of pregnancy are long, but the weeks fly by.
The first and second trimesters almost seem like a blur to me now that I’m nearing the end…
Any symptoms I had in the first two trimesters seem like NOTHING compared to what the third trimester brings on. So I apologize, I may be leaving out some things…
First Trimester Fun: The first trimester is definitely a tough one…you feel like absolute crap & you’re also most likely trying to hide the fact that you’re pregnant and that you’re feeling like absolute crap.
The majority of people have these symptoms during the first trimester:
Nausea, fatigue, vomiting, food aversions, headaches, sore boobs…
The very first symptom I had was sore boobs — actually it was just my nipples that were sore, and it’s been that way throughout my entire pregnancy.
The next lovely thing that appeared was an increase in discharge…
Thankfully one of my girlfriends warned me about this so I knew I was normal, but if she hadn’t warned me I definitely would’ve thought something was wrong. As long as it doesn’t have a weird color or smell funny you’re totally fine!
Another thing I experienced during the first trimester was cramping, which COMPLETELY terrified me every single time. During your first trimester your body is making A LOT of changes, the main one being your uterus growing and making room for baby. Light cramping is absolutely normal, as long as there’s no blood, but if you ever feel concerned or it isn’t going away call your doctor!
Oh, the dreams you’ll have…they will be EXTREMELY vivid and SO strange. Warning y’all now, you’re not crazy or losing your mind, crazy dreams during pregnancy are totally normal. Mine were absolutely terrible, and scary. Like being involved in mass shootings kind of scary. NO, your dreams are not a sign of what’s going to happen in your future…
So during my first trimester I literally could not be near a vegetable without gagging.
I was lucky and never threw up, but I would definitely get nauseous throughout the day and really bad headaches later in the evenings.
Another thing I was totally unaware of was FEAR during the first trimester,
I already kind of talked about there HERE but, be warned, as soon as you become pregnant you become a mama and the worry starts immediately.
Let’s not forget about pregnancy acne…I was extremely lucky and only had a few break outs throughout my pregnancy, but some women can get severe acne and it will last the entire 9 months. Although my face didn’t break out, I can’t say the same for my body…pimples in the weirdest places y’all…probably from all of the extra sweating…
I also experienced lower back pain during my first trimester, and my feet would HURT like hell if I was on them for too long, which was weird because I thought that typically only happened in the third trimester once you’re carrying more weight…NOPE, can totally happen in the first trimester too y’all!
Second Trimester Fun: The second trimester is your best friend, well for most of us.
Some of us feel like absolute crap the entire pregnancy, and that’s just how it is. Typically though, you’ll start to get some energy back and feel human again once you hit about 14 weeks. I LOVED the second trimester. For me, there really wasn’t a whole lot of changes besides my belly getting bigger. I did start having some gum bleeding (so random) when I brushed my teeth. A lot of people will start to have Braxton Hicks contractions during the 2nd trimester but I never did…I really don’t feel like anything TOO weird or gross happened during this trimester, besides just an insane amount of gas lol.
Third Trimester Fun: This is when shit get’s REAL The third trimester is not an easy one by any means. You are about the size of a small hippo and pretty much anything and everything is difficult and exhausting.
1. Snoring/Snorting – Now I actually can’t exactly remember when this lovely symptom came about, it may have even started in my first or second trimester…I didn’t have your typical snoring…I would have these obnoxiously alarming SNORTS in the middle of a deep sleep and they would wake both Kyle and I up every single time.
2. Emotionally Unstable – Thankfully I only had about a week or two of this feeling, I think it was the 2nd week into my third trimester and I was a total nut job. SO emotional, I cried every single day and I honestly didn’t even know why, I would just start crying. Anything and everything Kyle did would hurt my feelings, like seriously, he could’ve done something as simple and random as put a hat on and I would literally just start crying. Total maniac. Thank God that only lasted a week or two. So if you happen to find yourself sobbing over ridiculous things, you’re not alone.
3. Farting – Y’all, pregnancy makes you gassy. It makes you gassy on a whole different level than what you know and are used too, and the best part? You literally cannot control it. I can’t tell you how many times Kyle and I were sitting at our table eating dinner and he would say something to make me laugh and I would immediately fart like 3 times and it was completely out of my control…and then I would laugh even harder and then somehow I always ended up crying and possibly even peeing on myself. Oh and to top it off, they are louder than you ever knew was possible, and smellier too…definitely made Kyle’s eyes water once. Pregnancy is beautiful.
4. Leaking/Discharge – I talked about this a little bit already, but the fun part about discharge is it only increases the further along you get! Oh and sometimes you can’t tell if you’ve peed yourself or you’re just having a lot of discharge…OR maybe you’re leaking amniotic fluid and need to call the dr ASAP?! The possibilities are endless.
5. Veins – There are certain parts of your body that grow during pregnancy that you really enjoy, boobs for instance…watching them grow was actually kind of fun for me…until they literally started to resemble a road map…the veins on my boobs were OUT of control.
6. Grooming – If you’re a girl who enjoys keeping her lady bits trimmed or shaven then you’re in for a FUN RIDE. If you’re not pregnant yet then you might as well start working on your flexibility and stamina now…because attempting to shave ANYTHING (legs included) when you’ve got a belly the size of a basketball is a complete shit show and dang near impossible.
7. Insomnia – This is a fun one, especially because everyone and their cousin is telling you to “sleep while you can!!” “Rest up, because you won’t be sleeping once baby is here” CONSTANTLY…and it makes you feel like you’re the only pregnant person in the world that can’t sleep, but trust me, you’re not.
8. Sex – Now, sex is different for everyone during pregnancy…some can’t get enough and some don’t want to be touched whatsoever…However once your belly resembles a basketball, sex becomes extremely interesting/difficult. If you want to have it you definitely have to get creative. Just imagine strapping a beach ball to your stomach, you can’t see what’s going on down there whatsoever. But hey, if you love a challenge then you’ll really enjoy sex while pregnant, KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON ladies!
9. Shortness of breath – This is a BIG one…literally everything would cause me to become out of breath…eating, talking, rolling over, laying down…hell I would get out of breath just by breathing?!?!
10. Hemorrhoids – Okay y’all, I had a girlfriend warn me about these…but I totally thought I would be able to avoid them, and I did…until the day before my baby shower…UGGGHH what a LITERAL pain in the ass. When they first showed up I was hysterical, I was so embarrassed and so annoyed and they HURT. I remember calling my mom crying and telling her that I was disgusting…SO ridiculous of me, I know. Well guess what guys? Every single momma I talked too/opened up about it said that they got them too and it’s TOTALLY normal, just not fun whatsoever. So prepare yourselves – and don’t worry they really aren’t THAT bad, I was just being a total drama queen when they first appeared.
11. Urine Samples – Okay guys, when you’re pregnant you have to leave a urine sample (pee in a cup) every time you go to the doctor…you get used to it pretty quickly and it just kind of becomes normal…until your stomach becomes so big that you literally cannot see your crotch and have no earthly idea where you’re peeing. It becomes a very very cruel and daunting task and there will most likely be pee everywhere. Get used to it.
12. Shin splints – This was something I totally didn’t expect but it actually made so much sense…you’re carrying so much extra weight and you’re also walking/carrying your body differently so ya be prepared for your shins to be hurtin’ !
13. Constipation – I was REALLY surprised to not have this problem during pregnancy, since honestly before pregnancy I always had this problem. BUT I guess pregnancy flipped that switch for me (sorry TMI, we’re all family here) But for most people constipation is extremely common during pregnancy – and it’s just something ya kinda gotta deal with.
14. Swelling – I was SO incredibly fortunate to not really have any swelling besides some minor swelling in my hands and feet occasionally. BUT I’m here to tell you that not all people are that lucky (thank you Lord for sparing me in this department). I think the best part is that you can swell literally ANYWHERE…like your lady parts…bless all you mamas with swollen lady parts right now. You are amazing and you GOT this, hang in there!
15. Hot Flashes – These actually started in the first trimester for me…I would be mid conversation with someone and all the sudden get SUPER hot and start sweating and feel my face and chest and everything just start to get red and hot and I would panic and start stripping my clothes off…SUPER fun.
16. Sweating profusely – You will sweat, and you will sweat A LOT. and you will sweat in places that you didn’t even really realize could sweat. (which also leads to body acne, YAY) I specifically remember being at one of my appointments laying on the table waiting for my dr to come check my cervix and all the sudden I could feel sweat dripping down my butt cheeks…it was a low moment for me and I was mortified…but it happens, you’re just a big hot sweaty mess (in the third trimester especially) and that’s kind of just how it is.
17. Peeing – You are going to pee your pants, and that’s okay. If you go your entire pregnancy without peeing on yourself at least a little bit then I will be SUPER shocked. Usually it’s just a little bit and nothing that causes a scene. However, I remember being at dinner with Kyle, my sister and brother in law and I said something ridiculous and started dying laughing…and then peed a little because I was laughing so hard…and then laughed harder because I realized I just peed a little…which led to me peeing a lot…Thank God I was wearing black pants and it was night time…because I just about emptied my whole damn bladder while at the dinner table.
18. Inability to move/bend – There comes a point in pregnancy where you can kind of no longer fend for yourself…bending becomes impossible/painful…and so does getting up from a seated or laying position. It’s a WHOLE process trying to get out of bed in the middle of the night to go pee. Tying your own shoes becomes a thing of the past. If you’re in a position where you’re leaning back at all you will definitely need assistance getting up…if you’re alone you’ll figure it out…there have been many times I’ve had to roll myself to my side and then use all of my upper body strength to try and push myself up…it’s always nice to just have someone lift you though, make sure your husband starts lifting weights if he doesn’t already because you will be heavier than ever haha
19. Leaking boobs – It doesn’t happen to everyone, but it definitely CAN happen. The last thing you want to be doing is walking around Target and look down to see 2 huge wet spots on your nipples…so at the end of pregnancy if you’ve already started producing milk it would be good to start wearing nursing pads, and maybe have a back up shirt in your purse!
20. Feeling like you’ve been pregnant your entire life – Towards the end you kind of start feeling like you’ve been pregnant your entire life, you also feel like you’re going to be pregnant forever…That’s the phase I’m in right now. I’m just SO ready to meet my little guy, and honestly can’t even remember what it was like to NOT be pregnant…the last week/few days are SO tough because you’re uncomfortable and anxious and if it’s your first pregnancy you’re most likely terrified of going into labor and just all of the “unknown” that’s about to happen.
After my appointment on Tuesday (when my doctor told me that my baby could arrive within 24 hours) I have just been SO anxious for his arrival. I’ve been doing anything and everything I can to help “induce labor” but nothing has happened and I’ve honestly just completely worn myself out and I’m just DONE. So today I’m relaxing, I’m taking a step back and soaking in these moments of Hayes in my tummy, when I get to have him all to myself and I’m just enjoying these peaceful and quiet moments while I can.
The waiting game is one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, I cannot wait to see my baby boy and to hold him and to learn about him. He’s going to come when he’s ready and I’m going to TRY to be more patient and trust in Gods plan. It’s crazy to think that the Lord already knows when Hayes’s birthday is going to be and there’s really no point in me trying to speed up the process.
So i’m off to go relax and feel my baby boys little kicks, no more trying to rush this thing.
God’s got it all under control.
Today was a wild one y’all.
I had my 38 week appointment and it went COMPLETELY different than I expected it too!
So last week at my 37 week appointment my doctor checked my cervix to see if I was dilated at all.
I wasn’t, which is normal for first time pregnancies.
I was a littleeee disappointed because I’ve been HURTIN’ lately, everything is difficult and uncomfortable…
and of course I just can’t freaking wait to meet my little boy!!
BUT I’ve kind of been expecting Hayes to show up late and after his due date, which is March 4th.
So I went into this appointment preparing myself that most likely, not much had changed,
and I’d still be pregnant for a few more weeks.
My doctor walked into the room and could see in my eyes (& belly) that I was readyyyyy to not be pregnant anymore.
He mentioned that he could do a membrane sweep if I wanted and that would hopefully speed things up a little bit..I never really gave him a clear answer if I wanted one or not and then he went in to check my cervix and all the sudden he goes “WOW…..oh wowwwww….you’re doing GREAT!!!” and I’m just like “????????? wait what?? what’s happening? what does that mean?!” and then he tells me that I’m dilated 3cm and 70% effaced. He said that I’ll most likely have a baby THIS week and he wouldn’t be surprised if I went into labor within the next 24 HOURS!!!!
I’m pretty sure I blacked out after that hahahaha
I was at the appointment by myself so of course I called Kyle immediately and told him the news.
All he said was “…No way” haha I’m pretty sure we were both in complete shock that we could have our baby in our arms SO soon.
After I called/texted everyone and shared the news I got home and sat still for a while,
I honestly don’t know how long but I just sat there in shock and couldn’t believe what my doctor had told me…
I mean, I’ve been pregnant for 9 months you would think news like this wouldn’t have THAT much of an effect on me but SHEESH y’all, knowing that I could go into labor within 24 hours is the CRAZIEST feeling ever.
I think part of me has just felt like the “big day” would never come?! That sounds ridiculous but it’s totally true, so knowing it could come SO quickly is like the craziest thing ever.
Once I snapped out of it I started cleaning and doing laundry and triple checking all of our bags to make sure we had everything we needed for the hospital!
Kyle got home and I told him that we NEEDED to take Charley to the park to get some of her energy out and I insisted he bathed her afterwards so she was nice and fresh for our family members who were going to be taking care of her if I did end up going into labor….
I had a little bit of cramping while at the park but nothing major, I’ve been having random cramping the last few weeks but nothing super painful and to be completely honest I have no earthly idea what the difference is between cramps and contractions? So maybe I’ve been having contractions? Honestly, couldn’t tell ya.
I spent the rest of the night trying to feel EVERY little thing that my body was doing.
Literally any cramp, or movement, or tightness I would be like
“OH MY GOSH IS THIS IT?!”
It was exhausting lol
So with all of that being said, I think I’m going to take a break from my computer and social media for a little while. I want to soak in every single second I have with Kyle and enjoy the quiet moments I have to myself.
Our world could be completely flipped upside down (in the most amazing way) any day now.
I was REALLY hoping to get some pre-written blog posts up for y’all so that I could still post periodically once Hayes gets here but wouldn’t have to do all the work of getting a post up since they’d be pre written…
BUT that hasn’t happened. So please please be patient with me during this transition period.
I’ll start writing again AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I can’t wait to introduce y’all to our little guy.
But for now, this mama is OUT.
I don’t always do yoga…
but when I do, I’m 9 months pregnant, on a pile of rocks, with a bunch of cows as my audience.
Happy Tuesday Y’all!!!
I had way too much fun being silly and shooting this maternity activewear from Mia Tango!!
SHOP >> // Top // Leggings //
Click {HERE} to shop their full athletic wear line.
I was SO excited when Mia Tango reached out to me and wanted to work together,
they have the prettiest clothing and it’s such great quality as well!
I wore one of their gorgeous red maternity dresses {HERE} for Valentines Day!
Make sure you head to their site and check out all of the beautiful pieces they have.
I REALLY wish I would’ve known about their activewear earlier in my pregnancy, it’s seriously SO cute.
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Well guys, I have a doctors appointment today and I’m REALLY hoping that I’ve progressed a little and that I’m somewhat dilated…I’ll be sharing a full bump date with y’all tomorrow, and know knows, it could be my VERY LAST ONE! Probably not, but hey, a girl can dream haha
