My top 10 ‘WTF’ Pregnancy Moments

You all have followed me along this entire pregnancy journey and I can’t thank you enough for all your support, advice, and sweet comments. While being away from friends and family during the biggest change in our lives, I have found this blog to be an outlet for getting thoughts on ‘paper’ and staying connected through words. Thank you for continuing to read, as our real journey is only just beginning.

I have to preface this post by saying these past 10 months have actually been amazing. For the most part, I have gotten very lucky — no morning sickness, no constipation (TMI), good test results (there are a lot of them), and an active baby I can feel moving around constantly (which is so cool.) I’ve been able to keep working, and except for some restrictions, basically resume my normal life, while growing a human! Cray.

Outside of this, there have definitely been situations where I’m literally thinking “WTF!? No one taught me this!” Where was the college course on preggo 101? Maybe I’ll invent it. Although it would probably frighten everyone. I thought it would be entertaining to share my top 10 ‘WTF’ Pregnancy Experiences for some LoLs:

Three words: Tums. On. Repeat.

If you’re lucky enough to experience the joys of pregnancy heartburn, it literally feels like your throat is on fire. How am I supposed to drink my 1 cup of coffee each morning when it’s on the verge of coming back up? Skipping the caffeine in not an option in order to function as a normal person in society. There were multiple times I had to RUN to the bottle of chalky tablets– pop those guys like candy! If you were wondering, the generic brand doesn’t taste the same as actual tums so choose wisely. They say it means your baby will have a lot of hair (??) so we’ll see if that’s true here soon.

The assembly of baby gear.

You should’ve seen our faces when we poured out the contents of pieces that ultimately made up our baby swing. They say whatever happens in labor stays in the delivery room. It should be, whatever happens while putting furniture together, stays in that moment of when you’re putting furniture together. It’s like a lose, lose, because you can’t do it alone, but you also may not have a SO after, if you do it together. I’m being dramatic …but seriously, why so many pieces? Teamwork makes the dream work, baby.

Why am I sweating? 

I had to literally leave work early one day because I was so hot and uncomfortable in my sweater and jeans. I almost cried. Then there was the time at the mall I had to take a break just to unzip my boots and let my leggies breathe. I don’t mind sweating, when I’m supposed to be sweating – say, during a workout, but when you’re sweating from normal, every day activies – sick. There have also been multiple times in the night where I’ve woken up in a full-on hot flash and had to change my clothes. This babe must be packin’ a lottt of body heat.

Why am I in the RR again?

If baby is on the bladder, you basically have to go again before you can exit the stall, wash your hands, check your hair, and get out of there. It would’ve been really convenient if I could just just bring my laptop in there with me. Can you imagine? I can’t think of a more accurate depiction than the below:

 

Body Pains

When I say body pains, I’m mostly talking about lower half pains. I know I talked about this in a previous post, but there are times when it feels like your pelvic bone is just in shambles. Walking, putting weight on one leg, changing sleeping positions are all an uncomfy no-go…and the grand entrance into the world hasn’t even happened yet 😅

Oh, look, more cellulite 

This one was immediate…6 weeks in and I’m finding cellulite in places I didn’t know existed. All the muscle I had worked so long for, seemed to disappear. Craig says this one isn’t true but I know he’s just being nice.  Maybe if I spent less time taking #bumpdate pics, I wouldn’t have this problem. Thank god my largest months have been in the winter and I can sorta hide that ‘ish. Mom says this is a product of motherhood. Hopefully it’s just a product of pregnancy and I can combat post birth.

Extreme hunger.

In trimester 3, you literally can’t get un-hungry. Then when you finally do, you’re stuffed and not feeling so well. There’s pretty much no happy medium. And unfortunately, my go-to of eating daily salads, didn’t do the trick. *Insert sandwiches, bagels, wraps, cereals, tacos, or anything that included carbs, to help fill my growing belly*

3am anxiety and insomnia. 

First you are waking up to go to the RR, then before you can get back to sleep, you are thinking of so many ridiculous scenarios that haven’t even happened yet. What do I do when he’s teething and he won’t sleep and so I’m up all night and I have to go to work in the morning and I’m too tired to function and I want to leave but I can’t because I have meetings and responsibilities and then this goes on for months and I never sleep or function well again until every tooth grows in? I know these challenges will actually happen, but let’s take it one day at a time, sista.

Maternity Leave Office Preparation

I know I’ve talked about the paperwork – but what about the actual leave? Holy Moly. For those of you who work in a fast paced office environment, think of how hard it is planning to be out for a 1 week vacation. Now times that by 12. I’ve been doing a brain dump on my back-ups for a month now. It’ll be so weird and a big change of pace to be OOO for 12 weeks, but a great time to spend with baby.

Side Sleeping

I’ll never understand why people voluntarily sleep on their side. It legit feels like your arm and shoulder are going to fall off in the morning, and you have to make sure to switch sides every so often. This doesn’t sound like a big issue, but when you literally feel like a beached whale when trying to change positions, it poses a big challenge. I’ve caught myself, even in the late stages of pregnancy, trying to sleep on my stomach. K Kayla, let’s try not to squish baby.

Here are some of my fave snapshots from the past 20 weeks 🙂

This will likely be my last post before birth (for real this time.) I thought I might be sharing my birthday (2/4) but he decided he wants his own day 😊 I hope you all are having a great start to February and make some vday plans with the ones you ❤️ .

💕 Kayla

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One Month Out – Final Preparations

We’ve officially hit the one month mark! How did this happen? It feels like I was just sitting on the beach with my friend Laura telling her I think I might be pregnant. She didn’t believe me until at least 20 weeks, btw. A lot of friends and family having been asking if we’re ready and how we’re feeling, so I decided to give ya’ll a thorough virtual update.

One second I feel like we’re ready and the next I’m having a mild panic attack thinking of last minute details I need to perfect. This past week I was telling Craig how much we need to do this weekend and he says, “like what?” Cue Krazy Kayla Pregnancy Rampage answer of, “WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE WE’RE READY?” You can tell who the calm one is in the relationship…so thankful for his patience. I do feel as if I have several weeks left, but I know that realistically we should be prepared for this party to start any day now.

I spend all week working and preparing  for my 12 week office absence, so we really try to focus on us and baby prep on the weekends. I have to say we did a good job at starting early, and spacing out the long list of tasks (mostly fun & exciting) that come with preparing for baby #1. It also helps that we have extremely supportive friends & families that can’t wait for the little guy to arrive.

I know that this info is probably super irrelevant for my friends without kids but I know so many other mamas-to-be and friends who will be in this position soon. There are so. many. things. to. do. and I want to share what my reality has been over the past couple of weeks, leading into this final month. Current Moms, please tell me I’m on the right track 😊

Mental Preparation

I know I’ve talked in the past about how mentally tough this journey has been, but I think staying mindful and remembering what matters most, goes a long way during pregnancy. I’ve decided to take anything I read (including articles like this post) or advice I receive with a grain of salt — focus on you and your baby, in an effort to stay grounded. It is an on-going process and something I have had to remind myself of often. During this time, keeping everyone in both your personal and professional life happy, is literally impossible (I know from experience in trying) and should not be #1 priority. I’ve been most content when I stay in the present and envision only positive thoughts and plans for my families future. *insert tranquil yoga setting here*

 

Paparazzi Preparation 

I’m getting so excited to see our lil’ man and I know I’m going to be a crazy person with capturing every moment. Both of our families won’t really be able to get to the hospital right away or be around for every milestone, so we’re going to try and capture as much as we can. I got a super nice Nikon camera for Christmas a few years ago and have only used it a few times. My iPhone is so convenient for taking pics but I’m constantly having to delete apps, emails, and photos for more storage. I know there are apps, clouds, and storage mechanisms to help with this, but I finally have a reason to use this camera, and learn some photog skills. I couldn’t find any of the accessories so I jumped on Amazon to order batteries, USB cable, and an extra memory card. I’ll say it again, thank the lord for online shopping. Now we’re in business. Apologies in advance.

  

Hospital Stay Preparation 

I have had a half-packed hospital bag ready for some time now, but am finally finishing up, and just started a baby bag. I am using a rolling carry-on size suitcase for my things, and the diaper bag for Baby C. I feel like I’ll be adding items up until we go to the hospital, so I’ll probably end up over packing, per usual. Craig is in charge of snacks and drinks for after delivery. Oh, and his clothes/personal belongings. And taking care of me and the beebs.

Car Seat Preparation 

We’ve had our car seat for at least a month but finally installed it in the car this past weekend. Then we went to McDonald’s (clearly being easy on myself this month) and pretended we were driving around with another human being in our car. Apparently 90% of people install the car seat incorrectly, so they require parents to get them checked at the local fire or police department. It was pretty intuitive, but we plan on doing this at the end of the month, when they are holding the next session. We are also installing an additional base in Craig’s car, so we don’t have to change when we change cars.

 

Maternity Leave Preparation

There is a lot of paperwork to fill out and acronyms to learn when preparing for maternity (and paternity) leave…FMLA, STD, FLI, etc. I started this convo with HR several months ago and just got my FMLA approval in the mail this week. Although I’m a beginner, my best advice is leave time to learn the ins & outs, utilize experts (HR & accounting) and make the decision that is best for your family, regarding leave. Everyone holds a different financial and professional status.

Baby Gear Preparation 

Onesies, blankets, books, everywhere! Below are some of the latest larger items that we’ve gotten ready. I’ll probably let you guys know down the road how we ended up liking these items but for now here is what we decided on:

• Place for baby to sleep in the first 0-3 months – We decided on a Graco Pack n’ Play Travel Lite for our room. If you purchase from this link, you get a $40 Buy Buy Baby gift card with purchase. It’s small, perfect for traveling, and has a raised bassinet that vibrates for sleeping.
• Graco Glider with Ottoman– for nursery and feeding. We decided on a neutral cream color with cherry wood to match the nursery furniture.

• Breast Pump (ugh, TMI)- still not to sure what I’m looking at, but I was able to get this Medela Starter Set through insurance for free. Surprisingly, it came within 2-3 business days.
• Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play for when Baby C is just straight chillen. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this item. PS – my Mom & I found this basically new (and certified sterilized) at a gently used store for half the price.

• Urbini Omni-Plus Stroller – this goes with our car seat to make it the complete travel system. I love the heather gray color and bassinet option.

Knowledge Prep 

I’ve done a lot of reading, studying, and asking questions, but my actual plan is to learn by doing. I guess you could call it wingin’ it. I know there will be instances where I have no idea what to do, but for the most part I know I will love him, be obsessed with him, and the motherly instinct will kick in. Also, reallyyy banking on years and years of babysitting paying off for me here. My biggest fear is the actual time when I am going into labor…we took 3 birthing classes to prepare for that as much as possible, but I truly don’t know what to expect. I envision us being excited and freaking out. I’ve been told to not have too many expectations, as it will always go differently than planned. Send positive vibes our way!

And just because you all are amazing, I’m going to leave my readers with a sneak peak at his initials because we finally made a decision … 

I hope everyone is off to a great 2016 – I have a post coming up later this week with some special mama guests…I’m so excited for everyone to hear from these seriously credible babes. 💋

PS – I’ve been on a “Revenge” Netflix binge for the past week but am already getting sick of Emily Thorne. I need some recos for this final month & maternity leave!

Talk soon!

💕 Kayla

Prenatal Yoga : Why I tried & My First Impresh

Okay friends, I’m writing again about a ‘future mom’ topic bc that’s what’s surrounding my everyday! If this doesn’t benefit you now it will in the next couple of years 😊 I know I’m only about two thirds through this pregnancy adventure but I am able to recognize that among many changes in life right now, there are two big effects that occur while your bun is in the oven: the physical changes & the mental. I’m not sure just yet which one is more demanding.

Physical: Pregnancy makes you feel like you constantly just ran 5 miles, like you just tried doing the splits in an adult dance class for the first time in 2 years (not speaking from experience), or like you just went horseback riding for 8 hrs straight, lol. The problem is that the only place I have been running is to the restroom, and the only serious stretching I’ve done is reaching down to tie my shoes. I do have to say that I was able to keep up my regular workouts at Orange Theory until 18 weeks and then one day, I just was not able to keep up anymore. I’m not going to lie –for how active I was before, I didn’t know it would be so hard on the bod. *current moms are all thinking “just wait!”* In our birthing class last week, the nurse asked “What do you like about being pregnant?”  My answer was that it has forced me to slow down. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am constantly going, going, going and for the first time it’s OK to take it easy. Let me clarify by saying in NO way do I think pregnancy is an excuse, it is a time to listen to your body, and what your baby is telling you he needs. It took me about 24 weeks to accept this, but I do think it’s okay for us to take this time and turn it down a notch. I hope there are other 1st time ‘busy body’ mamas out there that can relate.

Mental: The responsibility that comes with growing a baby can seriously be a big mind eff, if you let it. The anxiety is real, ppl. One second you are feeling your baby kicking and can’t wait to meet him, the next second you’re wondering how you’re going to be responsible for someone else’s life, forever. One day you’re feeling prepared and the next you’re wondering why your nursery doesn’t look like you’re Pinterest board yet….even though he won’t sleep in there for the first 6 months. I’ve found that it helps me to stay off of google and minimize my time spent on the “What to expect” community posts. While apps can be helpful for referrals on products and such, there are also posts called, “how many weeks are you and how much weight have you gained?” If you see this topic, just click away and never look back. Not something anyone needs to be comparing with others. You’ll see women who are on week 25 and have “lost 20 lbs” –bitch, no you haven’t.

Onto the topic of this post! So, this past Sunday I woke up and my body was sore as hell per usual, and I was definitely needing a mental pick-me-up/social interaction. I was laying in bed debating how I can convince myself to go to the apartment gym and at least get on the elliptical…the struggle! I finally decided it was time to look up prenatal yoga as an alternative. Besides the body pains, I think half the reason I haven’t wanted to hard core workout is because the tight spandex and double layer sports bra wearing is extremely uncomfortable. At yoga you can wear looser, comfier clothing… and honestly if you didn’t want to wear a bra you can prob get away without it. Jk, I wouldn’t do that to anyone. There happened to be a class 2 miles from our house at a studio called Honor Yoga, so I last minute got my ass to class. 

If I were explaining the progression of prenatal yoga (which I am) I would break it up into three parts:

1.) Introductions — We spent the first 10 minutes of the class getting to know each other. All of the moms were asked to introduce themselves, how far along they were, if they were having a boy or girl, etc. If I were in an actual workout class where I was actually trying to burn a serious amount of calories, I probably wouldn’t have patience for this. Before pregnancy I was a bootcamp teacher and took workouts too seriously — if it weren’t high intensity it was a waste of time. Considering we’re newer to the area and I’m always looking for others to connect with, I was super into  and excited about the introductions. Everyone else was between weeks 17-19 (I probably should have started this sooner) and also having their first baby.  What a great way to meet people in my same life sitch and listen to what they are experiencing. We can learn a lot  by simply listening to others.

2.) The practice — To be honest I don’t know many of the formal names for the poses but after the introductions we went into the actual practice of sun salutations, breathing, and stretching in a flow type format. At the beginning there was a lot of sitting in the butterfly and indian style positions (again, not the correct names of these positions) which isn’t super comfortable but they give you Mexican looking blankets and a thing called a bolster to sit on which the tail bone liked 👍🏻 If you can’t tell, comfort is pretty much the theme of my life right now. The practice was definitely not super difficult in a physically demanding way, but there were some poses that did burn in the shoulders and quads, and it was just enough to stretch the important parts.

3.) Savassana — Otherwise known as the last 5-10 minutes of class where you lie on your back and the instructor does a lot of talking. Although, you can’t lie flat on your back while preggo so we built an incline out of the bolster and blocks, which was pretty nifty. In normal yoga classes, I have a hard time relaxing and focusing during this last portion of the class. It felt different this time …she had us put one hand on our heart and one hand on our belly so we could show our gratitude towards ourself and baby. Baby C immediately started moving around (so. cool.) The one thing she said that really resonated with me was, “You and your baby were brought together for a reason. He needs you, and you need him.” Although I am already a big believer in ‘everything happens for a reason’ this was the first time I had thought about me needing the baby. There’s so much pressure to prepare for what we can do for the baby, that I haven’t fully grasped the joy, strength, and life he is going to bring to both Craig and myself. I can’t wait to find out.

Going into the prenatal yoga class, I had a couple of goals, to stretch and feel better physically, and to try and meet some other future moms. What I didn’t expect was the calming, mentally stimulating, aspect of the class. You just feel good after, like you did something beneficial for yourself and baby. Much more beneficial than playing bubble mania on your iPad and eating lemon cookies on repeat–although I would know nothing about that.

The conclusion: I will be going once a week on Sunday’s to continue to reap these benefits and think I will connect with others outside of class. Win, win in my preggo book.

Thanks for all the positive feedback so far on my bloggin’ journey. Comment below and let me know what you think!

Thanks for visiting 💕

Kayla