waiting for baby

We’ve all seen the movie, you know, the one where the woman is 9+ months pregnant and waddling around until BAM her water breaks (just a nice clear splash of water on the floor) and then is instantly rushed to the hospital by her nervous but witty and doting husband. Cut to the delivery room where the whacky doc has some metaphoric one liner, mom pushes a couple times, probably grunts and screams and maybe (just maybe if the director is feeling a little avant-garde) adds some sweat pouring down dear mommy’s face until finally, the beautiful babe is expelled into the universe. Now I’m still very pregnant with this little one, so I can’t vouch that it’s not exactly what actually does happen, but I can say the days leading up to that scene have been left on the cutting room floor.

They are long and tiring and filled with Googling every possible symptom and sign of labor imaginable. How often should my contractions be? Wait is this a contraction? What the heck is a mucus plug and someone mentioned something about a bloody show….like Walking Dead?? Then before you know it you find yourself in chat forums with other moms also 39 weeks pregnant with screen names like GeTtHiSbAbYOuT and YoloMom1. *sigh* Waiting for baby is exhausting, but guess what, it’s also the most amazing experience I’ve known to date. There’s an actual, fully functional little one inside me that is just timing his entrance to the world perfectly. Unfortunately I’m most likely going to mess up his plans by having a scheduled C-section in the coming days due to some health concerns. All that matters is a healthy baby and healthy mom so tis the plan unless he decides to come earlier.

So, in short, here are my takeaways in these final hours –

• Being pregnant has been completely different than I ever thought it would be. I don’t have any major cravings, mood swings, spontaneous bursts of crying and my body hasn’t changed in ways I was told it would. However, I did have pains that no one really warns you about, couldn’t believe that lying down would actually be the most difficult part of pregnancy and wine still sounded as good as it always had.
• The baby moves A LOT and I mean A LOT. I had always thought there would be sweet kicks here and there, but it has been a full on Cirque du Soleil since week 20.
• The baby’s hiccups were a total surprise and one of my favorite things in pregnancy. Can’t explain it, just really cute.
• Baby brain…hmmm not too sure I buy it but I guess it was fun to use as an excuse here and there.
• Working as far up until baby’s arrival is tough but doable, especially if you have a great support system at work. I knew the moment I couldn’t push it any further and you will too.
• The biggest piece of advice I’ve gotten is to not listen to others advice, and while ironic and possibly sound, I love hearing the advice of other moms! Heck, I haven’t done this before, bring it on.
• My dog is not the smartest, but knows something is going on. Been trying to give him extra kisses lately.
• I never knew you could love someone so much that you haven’t even met yet.
• You learn to answer these questions in rapid fire, always in this order. When are you due? What are you having? Do you have a name? Never, ever fails.
• And last, but certainly not least, I love my husband. He’s been supportive, understanding, helpful and just easy to be pregnant with. If you’ve got one of these, you’ll be in good shape no matter how crazy or uneventful your pregnancy might be!

Until next time, when 2 Olivers become 3….wish us luck!

Xoxo,

Summer