Pregnancy Journey

My journey through this pregnancy has been quite an interesting one. It was far from easy and relaxing, but Bryan helped make it the very best that it could be. Before knowing I was pregnant I had taken on a new job with a new company in a position I had previously been in for almost three years. With the new position I had to endure two solid weeks of training in Atlanta, GA. I, however, only made it to two classes the first week. I was deathly ill and couldn't figure out what was going on. I am extremely health conscious and cautious about what I put into my body. I take my vitamins daily, believe in letting your body rest to heal rather than masking any problems with medicine, eat a very healthy (usually organic) diet, and exercise regularly. I almost never get sick, but for some strange reason I could not get better! By the second week of training I gave in and was drinking medicine like it was going out of style just to make it through the classes.

Upon returning home to the beach I recovered enough to start back into my normal routine of life and working out. Bad idea! This lasted only a couple weeks before I relapsed again. This is around the time Bryan and I found out we were expecting. We were so excited, but I was so sad too in the fact that I was so sick. At our first official baby doctor appointment, our doctor couldn't believe how sick I was and how long I'd been dealing with it. She diagnosed me with Bronchitis and said I needed to take two rounds of antibiotics or run the risk of catching walking pneumonia. I listened! I loaded up on my probiotics and took the horrible antibiotics that I didn't believe in. I swear I still had that stupid cough half way through my pregnancy. The very moment I started to finally feel my body getting better, the morning sickness began. That hit me so hard I truly thought there was something wrong with me. Throughout the entire sickness fiasco I wasn't able to keep up with my gym routine or my work schedule. Bryan suggested I focus on myself and really start listening to my body. I was rarely seen at the gym for months and my poor little Emma missed out on her daily walks. We also went through the stress of a very difficult separation from my now previous employer. Bryan wanted nothing more than to take care of me and let me rest. I fought it originally but he was right. No matter how much I pushed, I just couldn't keep up. I started sleeping a lot and constantly ate tons of apples and cottage cheese to keep my tummy as calm as possible.

Since I was little, I had always dreamed of being the hot pregnant mommy that wore heels everyday and took on the world no matter what. I, however, quickly realized I was failing miserably. I had turned into this sick weakling and couldn't believe it. I struggled terribly with morning sickness until I was six and a half months pregnant. I was seriously starting to wonder if I'd ever feel well again. I tried working out whenever I felt decent enough to make it into the gym which was rare. I made the mistake a few times of pushing too hard in my semi workouts and ended up straining my back several times, which put me in bed for a week each time. Oh I was getting so mad! I finally listened to my changing body and my loving husband and relaxed into the fact that I was doing the very best that I could do. My new workout goals were to walk on the treadmill in 30 minute intervals three times a week. The next couple months were a breeze and I finally felt amazing. I was gaining the perfect amount of weight and I somehow still felt pretty tiny.

As we quickly approached the middle of the eighth month Bryan got really sick. My poor baby was home sick for an entire week. I somehow managed to feel great the entire time he was under the weather and couldn't believe it! That was until he decided to go back to work. I woke up that Monday morning with whatever Bryan had been in bed with for a week. Again, I was so disappointed in myself and quite frustrated. It just so happened those two weeks Bryan and I were under the weather were the two weeks we'd scheduled all our baby classes. We had to cancel them. This meant study time in the evenings on our own. Bryan and I would take turns reading chapters to one another on preparing for the baby, the delivery, and bringing the baby home. My favorite study times were the nights I'd be soaking in the tub while I watched Bryan make tons of disgusted faces while he read to me about the delivery stages. I'd laugh the entire time. His favorites were reading about the funny things that could speed the labor along and distract me during the painful parts. Some were quite amusing but most would be just so much fun for him!