Adapting to pregnancy: Things I look forward to about not being pregnant

Here I sit, 35 weeks pregnant, and the days are flying by. I am patiently waiting for the period in which, according to many ‘helpful’ individuals, time stops and you feel as though you have been pregnant for 5 years. Thank you for the helpful advice *eye roll* but so far I feel as if I’m scrambling to get all my various projects in done and all my baby preparations… prepared. And yes, maybe these projects include frantically reorganizing the contents of the cabinet under the kitchen sink and washing all the curtains in the house. Have I already completed 75% of my Christmas shopping?

Yes, yes I have. *applause* *takes bow* Thank you.

In regards to my pregnant body, let’s just say I’ve adjusted. This isn’t something that just happened over night (technically, it is). Pregnancy is a 10 (TEN) month process, I don’t really miss seeing my feet because I don’t remember what they look like. I have been learning that many women say their bodies feel ‘alien’ after you give birth. I totally get this. At this point I am used to my reflection, but the constantly rocking, rolling, hiccuping, wiggling orb that is my torso is my companion. It keeps me company. Sometimes I forget there’s a baby in there.

Just to put this out there really quick because I know I have to, I do feel very lucky because I still feel as good as I do. I know there are MANY women who go through hell for their entire pregnancies. 

So what am I really looking forward to at the end of this?

1. Being a little more selfish. I am so looking forward to making unhealthy choices and being the only one who suffers the consequences. Examples? Putting stevia in my coffee, drinking more coffee, deli meat, (I would put sushi here but the thought of raw fish makes me very uncomfortable now). Again, these are small sacrifices to make, it’s just going to be so nice when the day comes that I don’t have to wonder if my herbal tea is contraindicated. In these instances, I usually say forget it and have a glass of water.
2. Sleeping on my back. Fortunately I don’t mind sleeping on my side, I just don’t want to do it every night, and I like sleeping on my back more. I crave the back-sleep.
3. Really ridiculous hot showers and hot tubbing. Again, fortunately for me I don’t like baths. I know some women who would have put their nightly epsom salt bath at the top of this lis. I am not one of them; baths make me sweaty and claustrophobic. That being said, theres nothing like a scalding shower on a chilly night.
4. Abdominal workouts. The workouts I am doing now just feel a little sad. Of course, working out is a little more complicated due to my recent back surgery. I just can’t wait to be in shape again.

There are a few things I would have added to this list much earlier on in pregnancy. The first (duh) booze. As it turns out, a soon-to-be mom with hopes of exclusively breastfeeding may have a rude awakening if she believes she can immediately return to her pre pregnancy drinking habits. Yes, there are methods around this. However, before and possibly still after, a milk supply is established, the thought of dumping my baby’s only sustenance down the drain in exchange for a glass of wine sounds completely insane. If there is a surplus of milk down the line that’s another story, but for now I could care less about drinking.

One more thing I would also add – I am so anxious to get back to work. I am not adding these things to the list for two reasons. The first reason is that when I have an infant at home I doubt I’ll want to do anything that takes me away from him. The second reason; I wished at first to have my life back. Well, that life is gone. Faced with this new life, I don’t think I want the old one back. Do I want to go back to work? Yes. Do I want things to be the same? It would be unfortunate if I did.

So tell me, what did you/do you miss the most about your non-pregnant self? Did you miss being pregnant (I’ve heard it’s a thing)?

❤ Cammy