A request for some "Early Adventures"

I recently received a comment that mentioned I didn't have any earlier posts than 2010. I started this blog in January of 2010 and I have been trying, sometimes in vain, to keep up at least a weekly blog. This week I'm doing two because I decided to grant the wish and discuss some of the early pregnancy and post pregnancy adventures I had. So here goes...hopefully with lots of humor.

My husband and I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and decided that we really wanted to have a baby and now was a good time to try. Little did we know that we wouldn't get to 'practice' making a baby for very long. One week into my job and 2 or 3 weeks into the school year we found out we were going to be having a child. First try. So much for that 'oh it will take 3-6 months for your birth control to leave your system.' ahem...LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!! It was a total combination of joy, terror, awe, and...more terror. I don't think I stopped shaking from nervous excitement all day, and I anxiously awaited feeling all of the usual pregnancy symptoms. Little did I know...

I was the atypical pregnant woman. I didn't get sick, I didn't get too emotional (I cried one night when I couldn't decide what I wanted for dinner, but...once really isn't too bad), I didn't get heartburn...
I did get tired. Lots and lots of tired, and I gained a LOT of weight with my pregnancy, which I am happy to say I have now lost all of! I would still like to try to get into a more healthy weight, but the fact that I am now back down to a relatively 'normal' size for me (in a year) is a huge weight off of my back. Literally; although it was more off my butt (and chest, hips, thighs...) Stretch marks are a B****! I told a few people that I did not want them to be referred to as 'badges of motherhood' ever again. I still don't. I don't mind them; they happen. But I just found people trying to make you 'feel better' about them by glorifying them made me feel very, very, cranky. Especially when it was a guy saying it. Grrrrr...

Some scary things did happen while I was pregnant. I found out more about blood than I cared to. They do lots of blood tests while you are pregnant to discover your Rh factor and other tests. Turns out there are more than one Rh type conditions you can have. It doesn't just affect people who are O- or B- or AB- or negative whatever! That particular negative is the one most people know about, or come to know about, but there are others. Turns out I am E-. I'm O-postive bloodtype but you have more factors in it...it is really confusing and REALLY hard to explain, but the point was somewhere along the way I had been exposed to someone else's blood who was E+ and now I had antibodies that would attack E+ blood in my body. SO, if my husband was E+ (which most people are) then our daughter had a 50/50 chance of being E+ and having my blood attack hers. Scary!! While we were awaiting my husbands blood tests they prepared us for what would happen in the worst case scenario: in-vitro blood transfusions for my daughter until she was ready to be born; which may have meant and early delivery. Well, we didn't need it. My husband, after 1 botched blood test and 1 good blood test turned out to have E- blood as well. We don't ever have to worry about THIS again! Thank goodness!!!

My other scary moment was when I was at work and painters were working upstairs. The building venitlation sent everything down into the basement where my office was. Everyone got dizzy and sick feeling. I almost passed out and was sent home. I was a little nervous about it, but my doctor said I was probably fine unless I had more symptoms. Still, it was a frightening experience for a new mom-to-be.

I've spoken about things NOT to say to a pregnant woman. I've mentioned the tummy touching. I swear people feel that it is an instant invitation to fondle your stomach...even if you have your arms crossed over it; some people will literally just move your hands aside as if it is THEIR right to touch YOUR belly. I realize that in some cultures it is considered good luck to touch a pregnant belly, especially if you are trying to get pregnant too...but still, it's still horribly impolite to not at least ask. Read body language people!!!

Let's see, so...I am 5'3" (or close enough to). I was not really built to deliver a child larger than 7 1/2 lbs. My daughter was almost 9, with a 37 centimeter head. I had a C-section. I LOVED having a C-section. I wouldn't do it (and now really can't) do it any other way. C-section, for me anyway, was the way to go. I didn't feel a darn thing, I was relaxed, and (after a 24 hour dose of morphine) very happy. It is major abdominal surgery, but I truly feel that it shouldn't be an option that people are afraid of. My advice, read up on it, and if you have to have one get up as soon as they let you and start walking around. The more you walk the better it will get and the faster you recover (but be a SLOW, SAFE, walker).

I think that may cover some of my early experiences. I traveled a lot with my daughter. She's been to quite a few different states and even to another country. Traveling by yourself with a child is hard; traveling by yourself with a toddler in a temper is much much worse!!

Thanks for reading!