While pregnancy offers more than a few hang-ups, here are some things I've been reveling in as I enter the 36th week:* not ever having to "suck in"
* the extra TLC from my hubby (what a good guy he is!)
* the excuse of not wearing tie shoes (can you really reach your feet anyway?)
* the kind, pitiful glances from passersby (who doesn't love a little pity? ;)
* the excuse of sitting down and "propping"
* the companionship of a wee one
* the baby's feet sticking out my side (I really do enjoy this!)
* the excuse of ordering a waffle cone
* knowing I am carrying a little miracle with me all the time
* the prospect of a new life in our family
* seeing my baby's brothers get so excited to meet him
* new baby things that are beginning to grace our home
* old hand-me-down, faithful items that are resurfacing from storage
What do you love about pregnancy?
13 comments:
B-Mama, you look fantastic and just about ready to have your sweet baby! Hang in there, although it sounds like you're really trying to focus on the wonderful parts of late pregnancy rather than its trials :)
I'm one of the lucky people who does really enjoy being pregnant...Okay, so maybe the first few months are rough, but after that...I love the way that the sight of a pregnant mother brings a peaceful smile to those who see her, how it gets a conversation started with a total stranger, how it gives the mother a chance to share a little bit more about her family...
I agree with everything you said, but my favorite was feeling our little guy squirm around! I couldn't believe he was in there!!!
My not so favorite part...his feet in my ribs! Ouch!
I love the way my life becomes simpler and slower at the end of pregnancy. We stop making so many plans and savor time together as a family. I give up rushing around and try to relax in the final few weeks of the chapter that's coming to an end. I love entering into that mental and physical pre-labor zone, listening to my body for signs of contractions, for ways to move to bring the baby down, for more comfortable positions. It's a very special time... almost like time stops until the baby arrives.
B-mama and Tex, good luck during these last couple of weeks!!
My favorite thing about being pregnant has to be the connection b/w me and my baby, and being able to rub my tummy regularly without getting strange looks! :) I also love watching my husband's love for the baby grow as my belly grows, and listening to him talk to the baby before he/she is born. And the second time around, I loved when my first born would touch my belly and say "baby" or "baby brother". :) Pregancy is such an awesome and wonderous thing! To all the pregant mamas, you and your babies are in our prayers and we can't wait to see pictures! a.
To be brutally honest, my favorite thing about pregnancy is nine months with no cycles, no charting, no abstaining and no maxi pads!
MA, I can top that! My favorite part of pregnancy is that it is OVER at the end of 9 months and I have a baby. That's about the best thing I can say about pregnancy ;-)
Oh--and I do like not having to "suck it in"
I loved the chivalry late pregancy evokes, particularly when it came to commuting by public transportation. A handful of times the bus driver stopped and waited for me to walk a block or two when I was running late in the morning (once he even backed up the bus!), and people on the subway would give up their seats for me and not shove their way in front of me when entering the train.
I also loved having an excuse to eat carbohydrates again after several years of dietary discipline and feeling guilty about eating any piece of bread or real dessert.
Napping when the boys nap and not feeling guilty about it!
And, literally, being down on the same level as my kids trying (hoping!) for an anterior baby!
The way Dash kisses mommy's belly every night before bed and declares that he is going to be really nice to the baby.
Even though pregnancy is really pretty common, I feel extraordinarily special when I'm pregnant - and I get that "glow".
I also love the trips to the doctor. I always feel disappointed after my post-partum visit that I won't be there again for a while. And I'm serious. Am I the only one who get's attached to my OB?
Gail, I definitely relate to loving my OB/midwife and enjoying the chance at having some "girl time" while in the office. My most recent midwife was AWESOME and so enjoyable to talk to...
There's also something really great and endorphin-boosting after going into the doc and knowing you're taking good care of your little one. I really like that.
I also like the extra looks I get in church and the additional smiles during the passing of the peace--the people there seem to be so excited at the sight of a round belly (and they should be of all places! :)
With my third child, what I loved most was being able to love being pregnant. When I got pregnant with my first child I was young, newly married, putting my husband through graduate school on an EXTREMELY meager salary, and my father had told me, at my wedding of all places, to "not do anything stupid like get pregnant right away." And so while I was happy about having a baby, I was under so much stress most of which came from disappointing my parents. And then I had to deliver early because I developed toxemia.
With my second child, who was "planned", I was still working and we had different health insurance which meant we had to pay a lot more out of pocket for medical expenses and the upcoming child care expenses were enough to send my blood pressure skyrocketing.
With my third one (who is now 1 year old) I had just become a SAHM three months before I got pregnant with her, so not having to worry about medical leave, and returning to work, paying for health insurance while I was gone, finding day care... etc... etc... I was able to enjoy just being pregnant- once my morning (all day) sickness went away and I could eat more than turkey on white bread and pineapple chunks.
I don't love it, I am always glad when it's over, but I do like the kind/pitying looks you get from passersby. I used to always forget I was pregnant and think 'why is that person smiling at me? Do I know them?' and I'd get all worried and then remember my big belly and think how nice and kind it was of them to smile at me. I loved thinking that maybe they were thinking about when they were pregnant, or their wives were.
It is so good to hear that it gets better! As a first trimester pregnant mama, I'm pretty tired and nauseous right now. I'm hoping it will get better soon!
Related to this topic, I have a question. How do you all approach the prenatal testing that is available? I got a chill when a nurse suggested yesterday that I get testing done early so that I could "do something about it" before I'm out of the first trimester. I'm almost 37, and this is only my second pregnancy, but there wasn't this pressure with my first.
Would you mind doing a post on this?
Thanks!
K
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