So we are pretty sure that we are done having babies. We haven’t taken permanent measures yet, but we aren’t far from making this decision. Three seems like a good number for us. Sometimes I think I’d like to have just one more, but then I have a parenting day from you know what (think stomach flu meets school project meets house falling down around me meets multiple work deadlines), and I wake up from my daydream. It’s a difficult decision to make. I love being pregnant, and I love babies. I have three kiddos under four, and I am still entertaining this line of thought. Here are a few things I am going to miss when I am (officially) pregnant no more . . .
1. Having a valid excuse to #eatallthedeliciousfood over the holidays.
(Or any day.) As the holidays draw ever closer, I can’t help but miss Thanksgiving and Christmases of pregnancies past. As I struggle to take off the last 15 pounds I gained with Baby Brooklyn, I will definitely be watching what I eat this holiday season. But when you are eating for two, calories don’t count. Within reason, of course. We are by no means advocating eating into oblivion while pregnant — pregnancy diabetes is a very real and serious issue. And let me be the first to tell you that pregnancy weight will not disappear overnight. Everything in moderation, am I right? But, just knowing that you COULD eat all of the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner? Well, that’s an excellent notion.
2. The perfect excuse for (multiple) daily naps.
I have always been a big fan of the catnap. I love a good power nap after lunch. And when you are pregnant, you need all the rest you can get. You are growing a human being, after all — only the most important job on the planet. I mean, the future of a species kind of depends on its ability to procreate and thrive. Hello. But after baby? Forget it. I’ve found that most bosses (and spouses) don’t look too kindly on multiple naps a day. So enjoy it while you can, pregnant mamas. I LOVE my children, but I really miss those pre-baby naps.
3. The doting and special attention that comes with pregnancy.
Brace yourselves, soon-to-be-mamas. When you are pregnant, you are special. But once baby arrives, BABY is special, and you are “just mom.” Enjoy the showers and brunches because they won’t last forever. Trust me. It will NEVER be about you again. But strangely, you will be okay with this fact . . .
4. Buying and wearing all of the cute maternity clothes.
I might be a freak of nature, but I LOVED all my maternity clothes. Now I realize this may not be the case for everyone — I was lucky enough to find several maternity leggings and pieces I enjoyed wearing (and even still wear to this day). I cannot bring myself to get rid of any of them, perhaps partly because I cannot bring myself to acknowledge that I may never carry a beautiful baby in my belly again. I am one of those women that would probably have 25 babies if I could; however, I realize that it is not particularly practical as we no longer live in Biblical times. Also, I’m not sure how 27 of us would get around . . .
5. Pregnancy insomnia.
Hear me out. I realize this probably sounds crazy. But I got SO MANY things done in the middle of the night when I desperately wanted to sleep but could not. I can’t even tell you how many baskets of laundry I folded, closets I organized, and blog posts I wrote while the rest of the world was sleeping. With a four-month-old on my hands and a toddler who regularly gets up in the middle of the night to loudly play the piano or sneak Halloween candy, I would give anything for just an ounce of that energy. Seriously, please, God. Just an ounce.
6. Feeling baby move and kick inside of me.
There is NOTHING like it in all the world. Especially that first time — feeling that initial baby flutter makes everything so real. This is usually the moment when I think I want to be pregnant forever. I would be first in line to apply if it were a job. I kid you not. Baby kicks and rolls are like my crack cocaine. They are golden. Even when baby is jabbing me over and over and over in the ribs, all smiles here, baby! Yeah, I’m going to miss that.
7. Meeting baby for the first time.
You guys, meeting baby for the first time is THE BEST. I cannot even put it into words. (Like winning the greatest prize ever! Especially if labor and delivery were not so great. I mean, it’s called labor for a reason, right?) That tiny baby face, with that tiny baby nose, the smell, those itty bitty baby feet — just thinking about it makes me want to have another baby. It’s addictive. And THEN, you get to spend two whole days in the hospital with baby — laundry, dishes, and other familial responsibilities (and family members) don’t even exist.
It’s all about you and this precious little human you created. You go, mama! You can order room service, watch all the trash TV you want, and snuggle like your life depends upon it. It’s basically a mini vacation. These are some of my favorite memories with my babies. My husband usually stays home with the bigger girl(s). And I get unadulterated mommy and baby time, the calm before the storm.
My best advice? Eat. It. Up. And make sure you have the nurses show you how to swaddle, but don’t let them do it for you every time. You HAVE to master this skill yourself. Trust me. Same with breastfeeding: take the time to get baby’s latch right. Not all insurance plans cover additional visits to a lactation consultant, just FYI.
What are your favorite things about pregnancy? What will you miss most when you are pregnant no more? We’d love to hear! Or if you come up with a plan for making life work with 27 people . . . I would LOVE to listen to those ideas! (Only half kidding.)
