Okay, so I’m not done with it, but I am getting enough of a sense of the 2nd trimester that I’m compelled to start listing out all the stuff I’ve learned.
1) Take your life back from anyone who might have big chunks of it. You will probably not feel this good again with this much time on your hands for a long while. Enjoy yourself! Align the creative energy going on in your body with your own creative spirit.
1a) There will be fears associated with the above. They’re okay and smart and normal and don’t feel dumb about having them. Just keep engaged with your creative spirit and stay true to that.
2) Now is a great time to do research with some of that copious energy. The testing stuff is, for now, behind you. Now it’s time to learn about homebirth vs birth center vs hospital birth. Also time to research and get recos on doulas and/or midwifes and/or OB and sort out how you’re going to bring this little creature onto the planet. Talk to everyone, interview them, imagine spending the hardest day of your life with them: whaddya think?
3) Your sex drive will be crazy. Again, carpe diem, as this is about to change. Good time to exercise too.
4) Surprise! Somewhere in here, you are going to start to get really big. And about this time, you may start feeling heart burn because your baby is squishing your stomach out of the way and your esophogus can’t constrict the way it’s used to. This is a big pain in the but and requires a dietary overhaul. Decaf coffee and tea, and all spicy foods, anything heavy in fat – buhbye. One more nail in the coffin of tasty things you can actually eat.
5) People will start to ask you different questions. “Do you know the gender?” and “Have you picked any names?” Even if you have a name that you LOVE, don’t tell them about it, as you really DON’T want to hear about someone’s great aunt who was going to be named that, but then her second cousin of the same name was killed in a boating accident or something.
6) Sleep a lot. Is this just me? I’m still sleeping a lot.
7) There is a whole recycling network of baby gear. Do not buy anything new. I am forever indebted to friends Minnie and Vim for the hookup on all kinds of strollers and carrying doo-dads and onsies and just about anything else you could need to take care of a newborn excrement machine.
8 ) Other pregnant moms will start coming out of the woodwork. This might be the best part of all — connecting with others who are going through this too. (Hi, K, J and, most recently, S!) These are some of the greatest conversations ever! I’m considering starting a mom’s group & mailing list – so any of us who want can can all stay connected and share info/resources.
9) People will start giving up their seats on public transit for you. You really are showing, yo.
10) Talk to your baby. Start bonding with him or her. Ask questions. Tell it what you hope for it. (Or “pray” if you’re so inclined) When I tell the bean what I hope for her, she starts to roll around and I can feel it. At one point the other day, I started being a little more heavy handed – telling her what I wanted her to be – and she really gave me a good kick. Point taken, bean-o!
