Second Life

It’s Christmas day and we are 18 weeks pregnant, just a little over 4 months! I am nervous, anxious, excited, hormonal and emotional. Not because this is my first pregnancy but because it’s been over 18 years since I’ve done this!

I am blessed with the opportunity to experience a second life, another lifetime. First was as a single mother at age 16. My son is now 181/2 years old…102 months and 3 weeks old to be exact…LOL the second is as a 2009 newlywed, now expecting our first child together at the age of 35.

Our due date is June 3rd, 2012 which also happens to be the same week as my son’s birthday June 9th, 1993. They will be 19 years apart!

As each week passes I find myself recalling memories from my 1st pregnancy to compare and gauge how I should be feeling. So far, here are 3:

1. My diet. Unlike the junky food of my teens, it’s a lot healthier. For the most part I eat the same things everyday. Morning: egg whites and salsa with my prenatal vitamin. Nuts or dark chocolate for morning snack. Lunch is soup or salad with a protein, like beans, chicken, beef, pork and veggies …lots of veggies. Afternoon snack: one bell pepper. Dinner is usually similar to lunch. I have more energy, don’t feel tired, and I have zero constipation.

2. Gas…lot’s of it. I don’t recall this much gas with my first. I’ll apologize ahead of time for anyone who is offended or grossed out. Feel free to skip to 3 at this point. At about 10 weeks I was having so much gas. I mean really nasty gas. The SDB (silent but deadly) kind. The ones that linger and occasionally smell very similar to chili. In my 10th week I unwillingly let one go in my cubicle being careful not too fan it away for fear of it reaching the person next to me. To my surprise and shock my co-worker replies”mmm….someone’s lunch smells good?!” I died in silent laughter….you know the kind where you are bursting at the seams. I decided to spare us both the embarrassment and played along.

3. Let’s face it. I’m not as stretchy as I was in my teen years. Ha. So stretches/ core exercises are a daily ritual. Since I started doing them I have no lower back discomfort. I’m guessing the core exercises are providing more support and relieving pressure to my spine and lower back. 6 easy moves at 6-12 reps each takes me 15-20 minutes max. I will need to look for alternative ones soon as these ones are mostly on my back which I’m not so sure I should be doing after 20 weeks. I also complete 14 flights of stairs a day 3-4 times a day / 5 days a week. Result: More energy. Less aches.

Looking forward to sharing more of my journey and reading about yours.