Welcoming baby #2

We are finally in July which means it’s baby month! If you are due this month as well, we’re almost at the finish line. This pregnancy has brought on some challenges and a lot more mental stress than my first. Physically it as been much more of a challenge with many aches & pains I didn’t have before. We had a scare of preterm labor. I’ve had some fairly intense contractions for weeks, pelvic pain, sciatic pain, round ligament pain and the lightening pains. I’ve had loads of pelvic pressure and hip pain. It’s just been a lot this time, all part of the journey but still a challenge nonetheless. I am just thankful we have made it this far, heading into week 38 in a couple days with induction scheduled for 39 weeks. So, we are soaking up the last days as a family of three before new baby arrives.

My first baby was rather large, he was 9lbs 4oz. My current doctor believes it’s possible I was left untreated for gestational diabetes with my previous provider. Granted I did take the glucose test, I BARELY passed. I’m talking by a point or two. By 35 weeks he was measuring 7 and a half pounds I still had weeks to go and I was scared. My delivery was very difficult. I labored maybe 36 hour and when it came time to push I couldn’t get him out. After 3 hours of pushing and struggling, they ended up using the vacuum. Needless to say the experience was a bit traumatic. This time around I have had so much stress/anxiety about the size of this baby. This time I have been treated for GD and he has been tracking appropriately, though I still remain anxious.

Final days as family of three

I have one more ultrasound once I hit 38 weeks and they should be telling me his measurements. Unless this sweet boy decides to grace us with his presence before then. With all the contractions and uterine irritation i’ve had the last few weeks, I thought he’d be here by now. We are all very excited to meet him but the realization that we are in the final days of a family of three has begun to sink in. I’ve been a stay at home mom with my son for the last 2 and a half years of his life. It’s been just the two of us everyday and we have an established routine together. So, the thought of everything being derailed is a bit scary! I know we will establish a new routine, it’ll just take some time.

Something I am trying to keep in mind is, it’s okay for things to be a little crazy/messy for awhile. This is going to be a big adjustment for all of us. My husband just had a pretty major shift in his career that we are all having to navigate. The universe tends to throw in those curveballs just in the most inopportune times. Thankfully, he will still be getting 6 weeks off with us to help get somewhat of a routine going. Though it’s going to be tough when he goes back, due to his new schedule, we will figure it out.

induction

Due to being treated for gestational diabetes, They typically treat the pregnancy as higher risk. Though my baby has been healthy I have had many additional doctors appointments monitoring him closely because of it. With that, they usually induce at 39 weeks due to increased concerns for both mom and baby. So, they have officially scheduled me for my induction and I somewhat have a bit of relief but I am also very nervous. I went into labor naturally with my first son. I have heard some scary stories about induction. Though everyone’s experiences are different, the anxiety is still there. The last time I had a cervical exam, I was dilated at 2cm. Things have started to move forward but not enough.

I am hoping to go into labor naturally again, however, having the induction scheduled brings a little peace knowing he will be coming soon. I am also hoping that we have a smaller baby this time around for the sake of a smoother labor and delivery. Having a less traumatic experience this time and a healthy baby are the main goals. My new doctor has been great my entire pregnancy. She has been very reassuring and has been on my side the whole time. Having a sense of familiarity and doctor/patient relationship has been one major difference this time round. I never had the same doctor twice with my last provider and most of the time I was only seen by RNs.

Preparing our 2 year old

We have been working to prepare our 2 year old for baby brother for awhile. We talk positively about the baby everyday, talk about all the things they will be able to do together when brother gets bigger. So far, he seems very eager and excited to meet his baby brother. He asks about him daily and gets very concerned when I am not feeing well. There has been multiple times recently that he has said he’s ready for baby brother to come. He is excited to do things with the baby, such as having the baby come “watch” when we take him to gymnastics or the trampoline park. Two years old is already such a delicate stage, there are so many changes happening in development and the thought of throwing in a newborn is a little scary.

My son has surprised us a lot with how well he adjusted with some major transitions that have happened this past year. However, bringing a new baby into the picture that he is going to have to soon share all the attention with may prove to be a difficult transition. I have faith that with a little time he will transition just fine, but the tantrums have been full force since the surge of independence has over come him. I love watching him find his independence but the power struggles we are facing are rough, especially at the end of my pregnancy. So, I am a bit fearful about how this will go once baby is actually here. We have been working on emotional awareness a lot lately, though for a 2 year old, that is an almost impossible concept to grasp.

Roller coaster or emotion

It’s kind of wild to think about how much our lives are about to change in just a week (or sooner). For the better, we are so excited to meet this baby and see what he looks like and who he becomes. There is quite an emotional roller coaster thinking about this potentially being my last pregnancy. We haven’t completely closed the door on the idea of one more but there is a good chance we may have to due to the economy. I am ready to have this baby but selfishly want to keep him in there for that reason. The newborn stage goes by so fast and I felt like we didn’t slow down enough to really soak in the newborn phase with our first son.

I told my husband there is a good chance I will be holding this baby excessively soaking it all in. Many people like to say you shouldn’t hold them too much because it’ll create an issue. Personally, I just want to enjoy the moments while I can. People like to give unsolicited advice all the time, especially while you’re pregnant or parenting. Everyone seems to know better than you do when it comes to your pregnancy and parenting your children. As a first time mom, I often allowed myself to fall victim to guilt that I’m not doing things right based on what others are saying. Just focus on your family and what’s best for you!

Conclusion

Overall, we are anxiously waiting for this baby boy to make his arrival. We are at the point of he could literally come at any point if he really wanted to. We are soaking up the last few days as a family of three and preparing our 2 year old the best we can for the arrival of baby. These last few weeks have been a bit hectic getting things ready at home, packing hospital bags, and a bag for our son and so much more. Thankfully I have been able to get pretty much everything I wanted done, done. However, there is always more and more I find to get done. However, we have all the major necessities ready to go for when the time comes.

At first, it felt like this pregnancy was flying by so fast. I was a little sad at how fast it was going by but now, it feels like have been pregnant forever (haha!). The last few weeks of pregnancy always feel the longest for sure! I know he is going to be here so soon but it also feels so surreal. Learning how to be a stay at home mom has been quite a journey. Adding another boy to the mix is so exciting, I am thankful I get the opportunity to raise both my boys and form the relationship I want with them. It has taught me so much about myself. It has caused me to go in different directions that I never would thought of. Like this blog! And more recently my Etsy store front. Anyway, I hope you can relate to some of the things I talk about in this blog. As always, check out my Pinterest page for updates and my other posts 🙂