Get ready, this is about to be the roughest roller coaster you've been on, so you're definitely in for a whirlwind.
When you think of being pregnant, you automatically go to the worst. Stretch marks, weight gain, swollen ankles, waddling, peeing every five minutes, the list goes on and on. But what should you expect for the next 9 months?
“This is the biggest mistake of your life. You're never going to finish school or make anything of yourself now...”
That quote above is from my mom. Telling people you're pregnant is obviously a terrifying thing. It's even more terrifying when that's the response you get. Everyone is going to have a different type of reaction to the news that you're expecting, but just know that no matter how angrily or erratically someone reacts to the news, once they hear that baby's heartbeat or see a sonogram photo, they're wrapped around that little one's finger.
The First Trimester
The first three, technically almost four, months are the roughest, at least they were for me and other moms I've spoken with about my journey to now and ones I've grown close to as I've reached motherhood. Don't even get out of bed in the morning until you've had some ginger-ale and some saltine crackers, just take my word for it and you'll thank me later. My morning sickness was the absolute worst, I thought I was never going to get over it. Then the cravings started, and the emotions. Your sense of smell is heightened beyond belief. I never thought a Big Mac could smell that badly. Stay clear from pungent odors and heavy foods. I made the mistake of following my cravings for fast food that ALWAYS made me sick.
The Second Trimester
Months four through six are the easiest by far. You'll feel the little butterflies of your peanut moving around in your belly. You start to have the healthy pregnancy glow where your hair shines and grows ridiculously fast, and your skin is clear. Don't even get me started on your nails! By month five I was feeling little miss Blakely kicking around in me constantly. Remember to keep the sonograms, remember to take pictures of yourself and your little bump, remember to take care of yourself. EVERYTHING you feel and go through your little angel goes through too. Being bipolar, it put definite strain on Blakely due to the mania and anxiety induced by bipolar one. Please please PLEASE take care of yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally.
The Third Trimester
You're in the final stretch! You can do it! From me and all moms around, we have faith in you. You got this girl, with a male/female or without one. You're stronger than anyone because you're either about to push something that weighs at least 5 pounds out of your vagina, or you're about to be cut open on a table to retrieve the life you've created. Either way, you're a warrior. Don't let any anyone tell you because you had a c-section you're not a real mom, or that you haven't been through labor. A cesarean is one of the most invasive procedures I can think of and it happens constantly, planned and in the blink of an eye.
WELCOME HOME!!
Welcome to parenthood! You're in for the ride of your life. Just knowing that this small, pure and innocent life is solely dependent on you for the next almost two decades. Don't even start saying "I'll never do this-" because you will. Everything you ever fought your parents on as you grew will all make sense to you now. You look at this precious little human sleeping in your arms and you can't sleep just because you can't believe they're really there with you and you're not in some type of dream, and you never want anything in the world to ever hurt them, you just want them to hold onto your hand forever and ever. Watch it because the time flies. I swear it wasn't two to three weeks ago when we brought Blakely home but it's been almost 7 months. I'll look back in my camera roll and see just how small she was compared to who she is now. Her personality is shining through her every day, she's almost crawling and eating stage two baby food. We're ready for what lies ahead, no matter what it is, because we're doing it together as a family with little miss B's hand wrapped around my finger.
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