40 Weeks In...40 Weeks Out

Do you notice a new look AND name around here?  Well, I LOVE the new name, design, and everything!  A huge thanks to Erin for taking my ideas and turning them into my new blog.


Welcome to this Mama's Happy Hour!!

technically taken 38 weeks in and 39 weeks out

I think it is truly amazing what the female body can do.  After carrying and delivering a child, I will forever be indebted to my body...seriously!

I keep saying it, but it is amazing what a {almost} year difference can make.  To think back to when this picture was taken, it was just Derek and I and our little pup.  We had all of our time to ourselves and were planning for our first child.  We just wanted her to come as soon as possible and yet we had no idea what to expect when she got here.  For all you soon-to-be mothers out there- have no worries.   All of us first time moms start in the same boat (believe me, we had 0 experience with children) and you just learn.  Plus, every single child is different, so even if you do have experience, your own child will like and require a whole set of different things.  So, relax and just know that you will do great.

Ok, I'm going to be completely honest with you....I played a complete mind game with myself when I was pregnant and it was all centered around weight.  Looking back on it now, I wished I would have given myself a break and just went with it.  I didn't know it at the time, but your body knows exactly what it is doing.

In the beginning, I gained 0 weight.  I didn't have any morning sickness (luckily!) so I did not have an excuse.  I just was not putting on any extra weight.  During this time, I worried that my body wasn't doing what it was supposed to be doing.  All I could think was, how come the weight is not coming.  Then, I started rapidly gaining, except I had no pregnant belly to show for it.  Instead, EVERYTHING expanded (from my rib cage, to my butt and thighs) but I had nothing to show for my weight gain.  I knew that it was all worth it but at the time it was extremely hard for me to deal with.

By 20 weeks, I had gained 20 pounds (I gained TEN in one month).  But, my midwife assured me that every single body is different and it was doing what it needed to do to support a baby.  This did not make me feel ANY better.  When I finally had a pregnant stomach, I was so incredibly happy.  I had 2 short months to dress that stomach; and, I loved every second.  Towards the end, I did not gain much at all (not even an extra pound the last two weeks).  People commented the entire time how small I was, and I agree, my stomach was.  However, I gained about 38 pounds overall and I knew it had to be somewhere!

I know now that if I ever get pregnant again, I will just stop stressing and enjoy it.  As long as you are eating well and not too indulgent (hey, every pregnant girl needs that Dairy Queen blizzard), your body is doing what it needs to do.  And every single body is different.  And no matter what, you are making a freaking baby so you are a rockstar.  The end :)