This is my third rodeo so to speak, and I am quickly approaching my 3rd trimester. I’m feeling a little bit like a seasoned pregnant lady these days: more relaxed about things than I was with my first pregnancy 7 years ago, and less stressed now than I was five months ago when we first learned we would be making room in our hearts and home for baby #3.
For pregnant women, there really is no end to things you can worry about—things you’re supposed to avoid, things you’re supposed to do…it can all get a little overwhelming. However, I’m here today to share with you a few things I don’t worry about.
1. Alcohol
I’ll go ahead and get this one out of the way since it’s one of the most controversial and hotly debated aspects of pregnancy. I do not worry about enjoying an occasional glass of wine or beer. I would probably qualify as a pretty enthusiastic social drinker outside of pregnancy, but that has been cut down to nearly nil since the two faint lines appeared on the home pregnancy test. However, the pairing of a robust glass of red wine or a frosty mug of pale ale with a good meal is sometimes too enticing to pass up. I savor every sip and never take it for granted these days.
2. Coffee, Caffeinated Tea, and Soft Drinks
I’m not really a big coffee drinker, but the mornings after I’ve wrestled with a case of insomnia for an hour or two during the night, I need a little caffeine booster in the morning. I’m ok with that. I drink herbal tea almost daily, and occasionally I still reach for a Dr. Pepper as an afternoon pick me up.
3. Walking the Dog Every Day
Pre-pregnancy, I used to feel guilty if I didn’t give my energetic Border Collie a daily afternoon walk. Now, if I skip two days of walks, I try to at least make it around the block on the third day. His morning walk was cut off seven years ago after the birth of our first daughter and never restored—yet he survives. He’s a little neurotic perhaps, but he survives.
4. Doing Kegel Exercises
You know, the ones that are supposed to strengthen your vaginal muscles for childbirth and help you on your way to a quick post-partum recovery? Well, they sound like they could be pretty useful, but at the moment, it’s not happening.
5. When People Ask Me “Was It Planned?”
Let’s face it. In most corners of American society, if you are a married woman, the general expectation is that you will have two children. Not zero, not one, not more than two. So, if you are pregnant for the third (or fourth…or fifth…etc) time, people are going to wonder, and many will not be shy about asking. I’m not really offended by this inquiry; I’d probably ask the same thing of my friends if they were pregnant with #3 or beyond. And since I know you’re curious, the answer is: No, not really, but we left our options open so here we are!
6. Wearing the Same Pair of Yoga Pants Three Times a Week
They’re just so…damn…comfy!
7. Satisfying My Sweet Tooth
You can take away my alcohol, but don’t take away my chocolate. Yes, I eat too many sweets and am still weaning myself off the holiday smorgasbord of delicious baked goods that covered my kitchen counter for over a month. I know it’s not the best, and maybe it’s why both my kids beg me for treats after dinner every night, but it’s my main pregnancy indulgence, and I’m not giving it up.
8. Micromanaging an Ideal Birth Plan
Bottom line: I’d like to have as short and painless a labor as possible, resulting in a healthy baby. I’m not exactly sure of the best way to get there, so I’ll have a basic outline in mind and be open to changes where necessary. I don’t expect the birth experience to be either super beautiful or terrible. I’m just hoping for quick this time around. Childbirth is such a short blip on the journey of motherhood; I’m going to prepare to the best of my ability, but I’m not going to obsess over it.
Amen! Thanks for this great post, Theresa!
Yes!!!!