Mother's Day

May 9, 2013 (32.5 weeks):

Everyone remembers Mad Libs, right? The silly fill in the blank game that most everyone used to play during road trips. Well, I’ve got one… Mad Libs: _______ ______ ____ because I am pregnant. It seems like I am saying this more and more the later in the pregnancy I get. My hips are starting to hurt now because I am pregnant. I had heart burn so bad on our canoeing trip that I puked because I am pregnant. I don’t run anymore because I am pregnant. I stopped power cleaning and deadlifting this week because I am pregnant. I have gained 29 pounds because I am pregnant. I now waddle instead of walk because I am pregnant. I am more emotional now because I am pregnant. Can you do that for me because I am pregnant…You get the picture. It’s strange because it all feels a little like an excuse, but since it is clearly visible it doesn’t at the same time.

My lifting work-outs for the week have changed:

KB Swings 3(20kilosx8), Back Squats (45lbx5); (95lbx5); (115lbx5); (135lbx5); 4(155lbx5), Assisted Pull-ups or Chin-ups 8x6, Overhead Press 5(80lbx5); TRX Inverted Rows 4x6; Reverse Lunge 3(75lbx6e); Machine Incline Press 4(50lbx6)

I had to change up my routine. Not only because my mom and colleagues were expressing concern, but also because I knew it was time to. My hips are changing… they actually hurt now (getting wider I imagine). Elevated, weighted push-ups seemed to be “looking dangerous” too.  Power cleans and deadlifts were getting to be more uncomfortable, and generally just caused too much intra-abdominal pressure. So for this week I have been doing the above routine, but I fear it may have to change again soon because of the pain I have been experiencing from my growing hips. The worst part about the pain is that it is aggravating my old herniated discs causing sciatica.

My life has really taken on the life of the baby now, and I am starting to understand all of the mothers who tell their kids, “You won’t understand until you have a child of your own…” Did I hear that from my mom growing up… you bet!  I have this love building inside of me that grows with every movement my baby makes, and strangely with every pregnancy discomfort that I have. It is completely unconditional and indescribable. It’s not just me now; it’s me and the baby, doing everything together. Gus asks Sierra at the end of the day, “Did you have fun with your momma at work today? Did you have fun swimming with her?” These questions really sum it up. I was asking him this week, if I was talking too much about all of these crazy changes that seem to be happening to me on a weekly basis. He, of course, said no but the pregnancy is different for him than it is for me.  It’s hard not to talk about the changes, because the pregnancy IS you for 40 weeks. You have some aspects of your old life, but it’s no longer about your old life it’s about this new and changing life you have.

Going back to work after my maternity leave is a major topic of concern for Gus and me. In the early months, it was what I worried about most. Now that we are this far along we have figured out somewhat of a plan to go on, but this same topic is a huge concern for many women who want to continue their careers and have children. It’s difficult for the fathers too, they want to be an active part of their children’s lives and maintain their normal work-life too. Many times the fathers aren’t even given any paternity leave. The balancing act is a hard one that is well-covered in this NPR article and interview: http://www.npr.org/2012/06/21/155498926/the-impossible-juggling-act-motherhood-and-work.  Women don’t always get the luxury to make that choice anymore. It seems like for more and more couples the ONLY way you can make it is to have two incomes, but then again the cost of daycare almost surpasses the paycheck you make every month. For some soon-to-be moms (and current ones) this is a hard pill to swallow, especially when you are only given 1.5 months before you have to come back. Moms can’t always have both.

Moms are the lifelines and the whole world of these crazy developing babies within us for over 10 months, and the main supply of food for quite a few months after they are born too. No wonder why there is a Mother’s Day.  Even though, I am not technically a mother yet. I still think of this Sunday as the beginning of my mother’s days to come. Next year may be “the real” Mother’s Day for me, but for the past 32.5 weeks I have been feeling more and more like a mother every day.  Mother’s Day is a sensitive time for my family, especially my mom, as it was the day my brother passed away unexpectedly in his sleep 4 years ago. He was only 29. This year it makes me think about what a good uncle he would have been. It was one of those things I always thought he would be there for. I will have to tell Sierra about her Uncle Karl, even though she will never meet him I will make sure she knows who he was.   

Gus and I will be touring the hospital that we will be delivering at today after work and we plan on asking many questions about their skin-to-skin (http://pregnancy.about.com/od/caringforyourbaby/a/6-Reasons-To-Be-Skin-To-Skin-With-Baby-After-Birth.htm) and their rooming in (http://pregnancy.about.com/od/hospital/a/Rooming-In.htm) policies. Both of these policies are of utmost importance to the both of us. I want her to have a minimum of 1 hour of skin to skin with me after she is delivered and at least some skin to skin with Gus before they start doing measurements and shots etc. Luckily, I am pretty sure I already know that our hospital supports this, but I want to be 100% certain so I will ask a rhetorical question, who cares?! This is all a part of the birth plan I have just started to outline.

On Friday after work, Gus and I will bust out the canoe again (without the heartburn). On Saturday Gus will be doing a 10K that his work is sponsoring, and Auntie Lyn will be doing a 2 mile walk too. So for this race (perhaps for my first time), I will be the support crew and not the racer. Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday to all of you mothers… and if all goes well Lisa and I will be trying out prenatal yoga in the evening on Sunday.

I gained another 1.5 pounds this week… the doctor may not be happy on Monday (29 pound total weight gain):