THE HALFWAY MARK!

My pregnancy with D was such a dream pregnancy. It was smooth sailing from the very beginning. No morning sickness, no taste or smell aversions, no complications, no crazy exhaustion, and no difficulties sleeping until the very very end. I was slammed hard with everything under the sun with this pregnancy. Six weeks in, I was ordered to be on strict bedrest for a week due to heavy bleeding. Each day was agony and torture…not knowing whether or not my baby was still okay. After another ultrasound where they found that the source of my bleeding had started to clot and that our baby was still going strong, all the other pregnancy symptoms just came one after another. Especially the morning (AND evening sickness). Up until 16 weeks or so, I literally felt like death. And the exhaustion was something I was not prepared for. I felt like even after 20 hours of sleeping, I was still tired?!?! This did not bode well for being a stay at home mom with a very demanding and hands on toddler…

But 20 weeks in, I am now (yes!!) thoroughly enjoying my pregnancy and seeing the bright side of being pregnant the second time around. First thing is that I felt the baby’s movements so much sooner!! I didn’t feel D’s first kick until 24 weeks in. With this one, it’s been nonstop since 16 weeks and I L O V E it. It’s so reassuring to feel the movements and makes the whole pregnancy feel more “real”.

The second thing has been that I just generally feel more zen. I remember with D’s pregnancy, I used to stay up until all hours of the night googling about what could go wrong, and all the horror stories about labor and delivery. I used to obsess about whether or not she was alright in there. I even borrowed my friend’s doppler and used it everyday to hear her heartbeat. I was a bit much, and I’m so grateful that my poor husband just smiled and went along with all my antics through the whole journey.

The third thing is that it is flying by!! With D’s pregnancy, I was literally counting down one slow single day at a time. I was all brushed up on what milestone was happening at what week and journaled about everything and quite possibly more. With this pregnancy, I often find myself counting back to figure out what week I’m in, and then quickly forget again the next day!

At any rate, I also wanted to share some things that I have been absolutely loving with this pregnancy. Nothing is sponsored or endorsed—they are all truly products that my mama friends have recommended to me, and I have in turn fallen in love with them for various reasons.

1. Mustela Double Action Stretch Mark Cream—I used this with D’s pregnancy as well and didn’t get any stretch marks. I apply a liberal amount after every shower and just love it. I love the consistency of it, the smell, and would like to think that it will work again 🙂 !

2. “Hello in there”—this book was recommended to me by two very discerning mama friends. It is an interactive book about a little girl’s relationship with her baby sibling growing in her mama’s belly. It is just so sweet and D just loved it. I can’t recommend this book enough for those of you who are preparing their little ones in becoming an older sister.

3. AG maternity jeans—I didn’t buy any maternity clothes while pregnant with D because I just could not stomach the idea of spending so much money on clothes I would wear for such a short period of time. I am now the biggest convert in maternity jeans. After some internal struggle, I bought these full belly paneled maternity jeans by AG and I LIVE in them. They go with everything and are so comfortable that I already know I’ll be wearing them post partum. I know it is very expensive, but just one pair goes such a long, long way!

4. Vitafusion pre-natal chewable gummy vitamins. I hate pills. Having gone through IVF multiple number of times, I am just tired of pills and needles. These gummy vitamins are truly delicious—they taste like treats!

5. Leachco Back N Belly Body Pillow—if you’re having major sleep issues, this is your best friend. It supports and snuggles you in all the right areas so that you can have a restful night of sleep! (There are also videos on all the different variations you can position it in.)

I hope some of these tips will help you in your pregnancy and would love love love to hear any tips you may have that helped you in your pregnancy!