So I finally remembered to put my fingers to the keyboard and write an update as I think it has probably been close to 22wks or so since my first and last update!
A lot has happened since the early days…. clothes have gotten too tight and the dryer is no longer to blame as my belly and body grow to house this little baby girl of ours.
Early Days...
When you are pregnant you need and have more of everything: for example-you need more clothes and more material with these new clothes, more moisturizer (due to increasing body size all over), more body wash, more towel to cover your growing body, more food (not really but you do!), more sleep, more time to put clothes and shoes on, more patience from those around you and of course…more hormones!
I have experienced my hormones increase at a rate that threw my body into shock I think and caused many months of morning (all day sickness) and extreme fatigue. It was good for Jeff, as he seemed to really enjoy taking our dog out for long runs by himself! I can only describe it as having a stomach bug and virus non stop for 3-4mths of varying strengths.
Kaisley asleep after a run with Jeff.
Each week I read my various pregnancy books and see the new or continuing side effects that you could be feeling/experiencing during pregnancy. It reads off like an advertisement for a drug on TV, where half of the commercial is warning you of the side effects. Here are just SOME of the ones they mention: Physically- fatigue, heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating, backache, occasional headaches, faintness or dizziness, nasal congestion and occasional nose bleeds, sensitive gums that may bleed when you brush, hearty appetite, leg cramps, swelling of ankles and feet and occasionally of the hands and face and continued absentmindedness…. just to mention a few!! And I thought ‘as if you could get any of these!’ .I was wrong!!! They should just have boxes you tick off and get a prize at the end for having the most boxes ticked!
These are my books. Kaz Cooke’s- A Bun in the Oven is funny and informative.
Jeff has been a trooper and supported me through all of these new experiences and I have learnt that the quality men possess to have selective hearing or watch sports and pretend like they are listening, can be a good thing when your hormones are sky rocketing at a rate faster than the NASA Space shuttle can launch into space! He is a very patient and caring man.
Jeff installing the ‘black out’ blind
We decided to find out the sex of our baby at the 22-week scan as we were finding it hard to think of some names. As they tried to get a good picture of ‘ the area’ Jeff pipes up and says ‘it looks like a travel pillow’ and with that diagnosis we discovered we were having a girl. Jeff came home that night with a pink onesy.
Jeff with a NB sized Bonds singlet from his mum (Nana Gray)
I have had to learn how to buy a ‘real’ bra to fit properly for both exercising and casual wear which at the age of 35 seems a bit strange and having to ask how they are supposed to fit is just as strange but must be done. You know if you don’t that you will be very, very uncomfortable. It is as time consuming as buying a new bike or set of wheels, racing shoes etc but not as much fun.
In the past 7 months, I have had more blood tests and urine samples than I gave to USADA/ASADA as a Professional athlete both in squash and triathlon and more doctor check ups than I have had in my entire life but all for good reason.
We had our first ‘Newborn Care’ class a month or so ago and saw some images that should have been at least M rated, if not R during the movie. However we did learn some important things and now Jeff is practicing cutting through hard things in preparation for cutting the umbilical cord. We also did the hospital tour that got the nerves running and heart rate up. I was happy to stand on the outskirts of the rooms and hold tight on to Jeff’s hand. I don’t like hospitals in the first place so actually having to admit myself is the opposite way I would normally roll. However under the circumstances, I will be quite happy to do so!
Our next class is a ‘ Childbirth Express’ class, there will definitely be some R rated material in that to freak us out some more or send me into that nervous laugh/snort. It will be one long day and I hope they have breaks, as my attention span is rather short at the moment.
I am still able to swim, bike and run, albeit a lot slower but I am just happy to be able to do it. I only ride one local and very quiet route near our house now as I have become more paranoid the past month or more of cars/traffic and indoors at Velo SF with my Mermaid Tri group. It has been a constant adjustment throughout my pregnancy of decreasing the amount of what I do. Not only in regards to exercise but to daily life, work etc. I have found every couple of months or less I have needed to reduce what I do or I am wiped for a day or two.
Me with my little Co-pilot on board for our Mtn bike ride (on the road!).
It is a very different experience for me being pregnant in the fact that I can’t do anything to really prepare for it, No race day simulation type training like you can do for triathlon. Usually before a race I get everything I need out and can through the race in my head and have a good idea of what I will do, what I might feel etc but with giving birth I don’t feel like you can prepare in the same way. All you can do is learn all the different scenario’s of what could, can and might happen and just go with the flow and stay calm and hang in there. I can pack my hospital bag, the diaper bag with the baby’s gear in it and put the car seat in Jeff’s car. I did put the running stroller together a few months ago and learnt how to use it so that is ready to go!
I have been fortunate enough to have a good network of athletic friends, family and fellow Pro athletes to communicate with and learn about their experiences.
The group of women from the Mermaid group I have been coaching with have been very supportive and encouraging to stay active and allowed me to do some of their races in their series which is refreshing from the old school of thought that pregnant women should just walk!
Mermaid Team SF- Inger, Myself, Marisa, Ivonne and Astrid
We had decided to make our last trip to San Diego to catch up with friends and our good Aussie friends Sim and JB made it into a baby shower/get together for us. It was so nice to see everyone together and catch up before we see them all next time with a baby girl. Good friends are ones you don’t see as often as you would like but when you do, it was just like yesterday and I am lucky to say, we are grateful for them (and everyone else who has sent us encouraging and supportive messages).
Our VG’s cake…oh so good!
A few weeks later we had some more friend’s lovin’ when a couple of my close friends Sim and Sue came to visit and took Jeff and I shopping to get the remaining baby needs and help us decorate her room. As Jeff took over telling Sim where the parts of the sticky wall art went (to make a tree with Owls and birds sitting on it), Sue and I goofed off and made our own design on other parts of the wall! Jeff and Sim & Jeff did a great job with the tree, it looks amazing and mine and Sue’s looks pretty good too.
I couldn’t fit the whole room in but you get a bit of our team artwork in the background.
Aunty Sue & Sim playing silly buggers!
Sue Hutter in action, doing one of the things she does best!
Jeff telling me it isn’t going to hurt a bit and me saying, you are such a liar!
Baby Young’s first pair of shoes from Aunty Sim.
The week after we decided to start putting the chest of drawers that arrived (that we had ordered online) late Sunday afternoon just as my sister calls. I asked if I could call her back soon because we had just started putting the drawers together and her reply was ‘ soon??.... More like 1am, good luck with that, I will talk to you tomorrow, hahahaha!’. She was right, at about 10.30pm we decided to retire for the evening and finish it later in the week. We successfully put it together after many soda waters (for me) and beers (for Jeff). A couple of weeks later the change table arrived and I started to put it together when Jeff was at work as I was getting antsy that our girl would come early if I didn’t get this thing put together ASAP. I decided to finish it on Saturday before Jeff got home and did it. It was 100f and I was sweating like a big mama would sweat but was hormone driven to get it done. I put everything away and set it up all ready to go and could then shower and go sleep easily…. crazy I know! Now I just need to read the breast pump instructions and we are good to go. Have you ever seen a breast pump?? They are very interesting contraptions and I had to watch a U Tube video to learn how they work as I couldn’t grasp it from people telling me. Then the storage of the milk is a whole other thing to learn. I just hope I remember how to use it and press the right buttons or I could have milk going everywhere except in the bottle!!!
I have been getting kicked and punched a lot and am mesmerized by seeing my stomach being contorted by our baby’s movement and where/how she decides to lay. I have been woken up many times by a thump, thump, thump so strong I think it is Jeff waking me up to tell me something really important only to realize that it was Baby Young giving me a nudge.
My first Mother’s Day was exhausting and probably the quietest one ever!
This whole experience continues to amaze me at how we are made and make it into this world and everything your mum (and dad) go through to have a baby. The good and the not so pleasant but you end up with a little bundle of joy that you love more than yourself.
Not long to go until we get to meet our little girl and learn a whole new world of things!!!
I will do a short update after our ultra sound in 2-3wks.
My mum and I after Kona…she is amazing!
We will have another pink Curly Head to draw some day! (Chloe, Mum, Sue).
From my sister with love
