I was told that second (and third and fourth and so on) pregnancies go by faster than the first one because that other baby you now have keeps your mind a little preoccupied. Not to mention your body that’s busy chasing her! Well, for me that couldn’t be more true. I cannot believe that I am approaching the half-way mark. Believe it or not, it makes me a little sad, and happy, at the same time.
With my first baby I loved being pregnant. Loved it. This one has been harder, however, one thing I still love is knowing this is the closest physically I’ll ever be with my child again. From the time he or she is born until forever, he (or she) will be moving further away from me. Which is the way it’s supposed to be, and that’s a good thing. But for now, I like him (or her) right here. I have 24 more weeks of “as close as I ever will be” and I’m going to savor it.
As we wait, we continue to grow . . .
How Big Baby Is Now:
He or she is about the size of an avocado, weighs about four ounces, and is about four inches long!
How Baby Has Changed:
Our baby’s ears are in their final position, and he or she is beginning to hear our voices. Uh-oh! Toenails are growing, too. What about that sweet heart? It’s pumping 25 quarts of blood each day. This information comes from The Baby Center and The Mayo Clinic.
How Big Mommy is Now:
Big!! I’m so much bigger than I was with my first pregnancy. There are several reasons for that, some I will take responsibility for, and some that were really unexpected. Like gaining weight super fast when I stopped nursing and having two pregnancies within one month of each other. Because, yes, I gain weight immediately. And I mean immediately. So I did gain weight with my second pregnancy.
How Mommy Feels:
So much better!! It’s like I flipped a light switch and my energy went through the roof! After such exhaustion for several months, I feel like a new person. I have also felt the baby moving every day recently. You can’t feel him/her from the outside, but I can feel the jumps, turns, and kicks from the inside.
What Mommy Eats:
I can eat anything meaning nothing makes me sick. However, I don’t like to eat chicken right now. I’m also not huge about meat. I like yogurt and typically I don’t eat yogurt much. Of course I love sugar, but that’s nothing new really. I go on marathons with eating one food and then getting tired of it. Like I ate hotdogs for a while (Yes, please don’t judge. They were the “good-for-you” hotdogs if there is such a thing.) but now I can’t eat hotdogs anymore. Same with Amy’s frozen cheese enchiladas.
Our Doctor Visits:
I had another doctor’s appointment, and EG went with me this time. She wore her big sister t-shirt and sat right up there on the table with me – right in the action! The baby’s heartbeat was 155 beats per minute. The very first time it was 170. The baby was also very active, doing all kinds of aerobics, which he/she was doing when we had the ultrasound a few weeks ago.
The Birth Plan:
The birth plan. My birth plan has changed since my first birth. You can read all about that here in Delivering a Slice of Humble Pie. I talked to the midwife about the birth plan at our last appointment, and told her we aren’t planning a water birth this time. If the hospital supplied the birthing tub, then I would absolutely attempt another water birth or at least labor in the water. It was great for that. But with us having to bring the birthing tub and John having to regulate the water, we aren’t going to attempt it again this time. More to come about the birth plan. And yes, plan is exactly what it is. Nothing more. Nothing less. I learned that last time.
Decorating the Nursery:
The great part about having a second baby is there’s not as much to buy and decorate and prepare – especially if this baby’s a girl. EG’s nursery is somewhat gender neutral. Well, it’s not, but the semi-permanent details are – like the wall color, furniture, etc. So we’ll just take out the pink and move in the blue if need be. There won’t be as much decorating. EG will move into her big girl room, and the nursery will stay the same.
Daddy News:
Daddy is already hard at work cleaning and organizing and working around the house. We’re rearranging a few rooms trying to make room for our new addition. He’s also already started talking to the baby regularly and even felt a random kick. EG would move any time her daddy talked to her. This baby seems to be doing the same.
Thoughts on Being a Mommy:
There is no doubt that every pregnancy, every labor and delivery, and every child is different. Each one is distinctly designed by God to make me, and this child, into who He needs us to be. I find myself trying desperately to repeat the exact experience I had with EG. Not because I want this baby to be her, but because it went so well, so smoothly. From the labor and delivery (even though not my plan), to nursing, to sleep training – it all went really, really well. I might even say ideal or textbook. I know this time will not be the same. I won’t be able to control every moment and drop everything to accommodate only this baby. I won’t be able to sit and nurse this baby for hours on end, silently in her nursery, just me and her. This baby will have to be more flexible than EG ever was or had to be. And that bothers me because I want the same attention given to him/her that I gave to EG. I want the same time – distraction free.
I try to remind myself that this child who God designed, with the purpose He has for him/her, needs to be a second child. This child needs to be born into a world of distractions in order to build the personality and character that God needs him/her to have. Just like EG needs to be a first born to fulfill the purpose God has for her.
For me it’s an act of surrender. It won’t be the same. But it will be exactly what it needs to be. And it will be what’s intended for eternity purposes. I can’t wait to learn more about this little person God’s knitting deep within.
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