One of "THOSE" Women

We all know about the physical changes that happen to a woman when she is going to have a baby, I mean I've bitched about it enough here already; but what about the mental changes; changes in perspective? Look, I'm not an idiot, I knew there would be a change in the way I think and how I view things but I am surprised of just how much change there has been. I now get excited over things I once found ridiculous like a Diaper Genie? I am so happy when I see a sale on diapers or anything else baby related...Do I need a baby beanie with little bear ears?...Hmmm...Yes, I think I do. There are however some things I still find ridiculous, like a baby wipe warmer so that a cold wipe doesn't touch your baby's ass...really? Now a days I'd much rather stay home, decorate, organize and clean rather then go out to a nice fancy chef tasting dinner (but maybe it's because I can't eat many of the things that may be served) But most shocking of all...I rather buy baby stuff rather then a new pair of shoes!! Has hell frozen over?

Now this may just be the excitement of having a baby and this way of thinking will change once born but I can't help but think it may not. Now you hear parents tell you the change is permanent. I mean after all you are responsible for this new little person now, you and your partner in a way become secondary. I understand this but does this mean you loose who you are or do you just become a different people? I've found I'm more empathetic to people and children (while also still judgy with others) and I am much more patient. Yes, I feel like there just isn't enough time in the day, but at the same time I feel I can do things at my own pace and that's OK. Don't rush a woman in her 3rd trimester people, the result could get ugly.

I've found myself easily enthralled researching things that would have seemed foreign to me just a mere 2 years ago. Things like Steam Cell and Blood Cord Collection, RESPs and Juvenile Life Insurance. As well as everyday things like the best stroller, car seat, high chair even diaper bag. Things that used to bring me such joy like finding a great deal on a purse or mid-range designer shoes has now been replaced with giddiness over finding a 40% off sale on sleepers and rompers, or even better finding a promotion for a discounted baby sling. My messy kitchen now drives me nuts and I find the need to have things tidy almost all the time, though I have been unsuccessful maintaining this so far. now, you may say this is just the nesting phase of the pregnancy. who knows, maybe. but if it keeps up DH will be one happy camper with a clean organized house to come home to every night.

Now, I have always wanted to have children, and never debated weather or not to have a family of my own; but I always said "I'm not going to be one of those woman". Come on, we've all done it; the ones who eat, breath and sleep baby. But now that I'm stepping into a pair of different shoes I realize there is no use fighting it, it's natural, becoming "one of those women" doesn't have to be a bad thing, it just makes me a different person then I was pre-baby, not different to be unrecognizable, just different with seeing the world through another prospective. I think it only becomes an issue when everything I do becomes baby centric to the point where I loose who I am. When I can't carry on a conversation with my non-mommy friends without bringing up baby this and baby that, when all my interests are out the window and replaced with baby only things. Not only do I think that's unhealthy I think it's kind of messed up. After all mommy is still an adult, with adult wants, interests and likes. So with that I say I'm going to embrace these changes and natural instincts, there is no need to fight nature after all, let's hope I don't get viewed as "one of those women."

Oh Sugar!

At around my 24th week, I, like almost all preggo women had to do my glucose test, aka, the nasty sugary orange drink test. This tested if I would have gestational diabetes. GD is more common in certain ethnic groups and I happen to be one of them.

Wikipedia defines Gestational Diabetes (GD) as:

Gestational diabetes (or gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM) is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy (especially during third trimester of pregnancy).

Gestational diabetes generally has few symptoms and it is most commonly diagnosed by screening during pregnancy. Diagnostic tests detect inappropriately high levels of glucose in blood samples. Gestational diabetes affects 3-10% of pregnancies, depending on the population studied.^[2]

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are typically at increased risk of problems such as being large for gestational age (which may lead to delivery complications), low blood sugar, and jaundice. Gestational diabetes is a treatable condition and women who have adequate control of glucose levels can effectively decrease these risks.

At first, I also defined it as being a pain in the ass, but after the a few hours I realized this could be a blessing in disguise. My placenta was blocking my insulin production, so if left unmonitored my high blood sugar could result in me giving birth to a giant baby; something I did not look forward to pushing out. So my test came back positive, I knew this would go away after I gave birth and after the placenta was out of me but while preggo I was going to have to monitor what I ate, Sour dough dipped in balsamic and garlic olive oil and crazy no amounts of fresh white pasta for me, cupcakes were now put on the "maybe just half" list and trips to Bulk Barn for sugary snacks have now been shelved. As mentioned in previous posts, my body was no longer my own. I had a baby to take care of and that was priority number 1. So to limit and control sugar and complex carbs may be annoying but in the end if I have a healthy baby it's all worth it so I don't mind shelving chocolate for the next 3 months. I am really luck however, this baby has been craving all the good stuff, fruits, veggies and hardly any red meat. However, I did now have to control my fruit intake. I had to go from eating 5 servings of fruit alone to only 2. Bye bye apple and pear combo in the morning, Baby likes apples.

As much of a pain in the ass it is to test my blood sugar I see this as sort of a blessing. I've always loved food and loved carbs. Bread, white, crusty bread was always a favorite; but I know how bad it is for you too. Plus, all I have to do is control what I eat, at least I don't have to use medication or worse, inject my self in the ass with insulin. One of my fears was to gain a crazy amount of weight with this pregnancy. With the possibility of Gestational Diabetes a controlled diet has helped me control that. As of my last OB appointment (4 weeks ago) I had gained a total of 16 Lbs; today's visit I lost 7 off that. So entering my third trimester I'm going in healthier, not heavier (by much), but of course we'll see what the next 10 weeks will bring. In a few weeks I'll find out how big this baby is (and maybe the sex) and monitor it's growth. Cross your fingers its not a turkey! For my VaJJ's sake I'll cross my fingers and toes!

Congratulations, you're pregnant...or are you?

For a lot of women finding out they are expecting can be a mixed bag of emotions, I mean come on, you life could very well change based on what a stick soaked in pee will tell you. For me it was a just that. I went through a whole gambit of emotions. Dear Husband (DH) and I had just gotten married, we were still in the bliss of wedding day memories and planning out what was to come next in our lives. We had started trying for a baby months before, but nothing, I mean come on, it's not gonna happen just like that....right? Back from our wonderful little mini-Honeymoon getaway, we planned to take a bigger trip in about a year to Asia, and back from the nuptials of my good friend I had a thought. Hmm...I'm late. Okay, not a big deal wait a few more days and then pee on a stick. Let me tell you, those were the roughest few days. All I could think about was "am I?" or "aren't I?"(insert stress), "was this too soon" (insert panic and fear) or "how great would this be" (insert smile). Up and down I went, my over analyzing mind was going nuts. Finally I went to the drug store on my lunch break one day and there I stood in the front of the huge selection of pee sicks. Let me tell you, if you have never had to buy a pee stick before you have no idea. Those suckers are expensive! $20 a pop!? For a pee stick? Are you F'n kidding me? As I sat at work with the pee stick in my purse I felt a little tingle going on in my throat.

Hmm...was I coming down with something? In the back of my mind I knew something was different with my body. So I decided to go to the walk in clinic to get this potential cold looked at. While there I decided to recoup my $20 and maybe save it for another time just in case I wasn't pregnant (Yes, I'm this cheap). When I was being prepped to see the doctor the clinic nurse asked me if I have any questions. I told her I thought I may be pregnant. So she gave me a bottle to pee in and she did a test...for FREE! Negative (insert disappointment) "Better luck next time" she said. I will admit I was bummed. After all that thinking I had basically convinced myself that I was and all I needed was for the pee stick to confirm what I had been feeling for days. So with my prescription in hand I headed back to work. Well, there's always next month.

Another week passed and still nothing. The tickle in my throat was gone but something was still MIA. WTF! I was never this late. I waited a few more days and I brought out my $20 pee stick. I woke up early so I could do this in private. No need to let DH know if there was nothing to tell right? There is was 2 little pink lines. First Response had told me something the walk -in doctors office couldn't, something I had known deep down in side for weeks, I was indeed p regent (insert fear, panic, stress, happiness and jubilation). Off to my regular Doctors office I went. Come on, I had to do one more pee test just to be sure, one negative and one positive, I had to make sure and I wasn't gonna go spend another $20 for something my tax payer dollars entitled me to at the doctor's office.

My advise to those who are trying to get pregnant or think they may already be. Go with your gut, and pee tests are free at the doctor's office in Canada, thumbs up for subsidized healthcare. If your not, it may start to get expensive.