Final Reflections before Baby Two's Arrival
Nine months feels like it flew by in the blink of an eye. Here I sit, 39 weeks pregnant, anxiously awaiting our second baby boy. I have a lot of emotions around this pregnancy and becoming a mom of two. I'm anxious, excited, and completely overwhelmed by the thought of a toddler and newborn in the house, especially during COVID. I'm nervous about labor and delivery, partially because I know what to expect (as much as possible) this time around :) And although I'm much more prepared for postpartum recovery and rehab, I'm still unsure of how my body will respond, feel, look, and move in the early months post-baby.I may be a second-time mom, but I'm not afraid to admit - I'm terrified.
It's a Boy!
"Are you sure?" I remember my husband asking. In May when I took a pregnancy test both my husband and I were completely shocked. My husband ran out to the store to buy a few more tests - just to confirm ;) I quickly made an appointment with my doctor, where we later confirmed a peanut size baby-to-be on screen. Fast forward to ~11 weeks and we got the call with our blood results confirming baby was healthy, and in fact a boy! Yes, I'm a boy mom.Baby boy two was the biggest surprise of 2020. Given the events of the year - that says a lot! Having gone through IVF to conceive Benji we both anticipated having to complete the process again, something we planned to start in early 2021.There were and are a lot of emotions tied to not having to go through IVF again. There is relief and gratitude, but I've also felt guilt. Why me? Why us? I'm thankful, but can't help but wonder what changed in my body and our lives, especially when I know so many others struggling to become parents. With Benji we had more time to process becoming parents - even if the journey was long and challenging. The early steps were very calculated. There were blood draws, injections, appointments, ultrasounds, and tons of tests. We counted down during the "two week wait" before I took a pregnancy test. So although we were/are elated by a second pregnancy, you can say we were a bit surprised :) I felt caught off guard, but in the most amazing way possible.
Final Reflections before Baby
A COVID pregnancy has not come without its challenges. I've often felt very isolated, unable to attend birth prep classes, workshops or classes with other moms-to-be, or even bring my husband to doctor's appointments. It's been a bit lonely, and I feel a lot of moms have had similar experiences. Virtual classes and the relationships I've built on social media have been my only connection to other moms. I'm thankful for Zoom, Instagram, and messages I've received from women I've never met. It truly takes a village <3As much as I hate what COVID has taken from me and many others, I also recognize that the current pandemic ushered in a host of positive changes in our lives. We were able to move back to San Diego to be closer to family, and I'm grateful to be back "home" as our family expands.I know the next few months will not be without their challenges. But I'm so grateful for the support of family, friends, clients, and the amazing community of moms I've met in person and virtually. I look forward to sharing more of our journey as a family of four, documenting my own postpartum recovery, and guiding more strong mamas as they make a safe return back to movement postpartum.
Coming Soon...
Baby Two - wild and crazy days and sleepless nights as a family of four
Strong Mama Group Classes
1:1 Virtual Training Options
Return to Movement 6-week Program
I look forward to the journey friends.xoxo,Erica