kickingcarbs's Journal, 22 Apr 20

What a beautiful time in your life. 💛💚💜 

It truly is amazing. Its difficult right now with all my emotional issues BUT it's the only thing I was told I could never do and I'm so happy we have made it this far.  

The hormones can definitely aggravate depression. I hope the new meds work for you. 

Congratulations on making it past the first trimester! You got this girl! Great job at taking things in bite-size pieces. I just had a baby, and she is now two months, one week old. If you have any questions about anything, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Or at least try my best to answer the question. 

@quinnlyon623 thank you so much! And congratulations! That is super sweet for you to offer. I really appreciate that. I've been reading a million books and have reaching out to my local resources. I have been able to get most of my answers I'm more focused now on creating a baby registry....somewhere? Birthing plan is next on my list and I'm trying to do as much research as I can on breastfeeding. Also trying to go back to school so I can get myself set up for making money in my field for once the baby goes to school. I guess my biggest question right now would be is there anything you have learned that you didnt find in books or things you found out at this point that were not pointed out by your doctor? And what advice would you give yourself back when you first got into your second trimester?  

congrats! I just hit my 3rd trimester on Saturday! Any weight gain I have I feel is just how it's going to be. I'm working on just maintaining my weight, get some exercise daily. I'm' also just getting started on researching my birth plan, you got this! I'm rooting for you! 

My babies are 15 and 19, but I remember the pregnancy journey well. You are doing such a great job honoring your needs so that you can already offer your best self to your sweet baby! This will be a lifelong balancing act throughout motherhood, and you’ve already got it down! Keep it up, trust your intuition, and listen to your body as you have been. You’re doing great! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I wish you and your family all that is great! 💕 

I apologize for getting back to you so late. I want you to know this one thing before I start answering your questions. You are going to be a good mother, and the reason I know this is because of the hurdles you have already been thrown and how you are handling it. Getting taken off your meds cold turkey and having the courage to pick up your feet even when I'm sure you are hugely uncomfortable shows your willingness to grow and explore new territories for your baby girl. I think you will have a girl;-) Baby registries can be fun to make, but sometimes there are so many people's opinions on what is necessary and what is not as essential that it can very quickly turn in to an intimidating task. Remember that this is your baby and you will have your style with what you like and don't like. Trust your instincts, momma! A birthing plan is always good to have but also remember that sometimes they change on the fly. Just know that at the end of the day, you are a rock star for going through all those months of pregnancy! It's admirable that you want to go back to school and that your thinking about your family's future. Your baby girl will grow up, and you can tell her how you pursued your goals. It is terrific that your researching breastfeeding. I didn't know squat about it until I did it. I honestly thought all I had to do was just put the baby on to the breast, and that was all there was to it. I didn't know that baby had to cluster feed, in the beginning, to ensure milk came out. I didn't understand what to do when my breast hurt from engorgement due to the sudden production of milk. It was so foreign to me, but I got through it, and now I am a pro just like you will be soon! :-) Okay, now your questions. For the first question, I didn't anticipate how much newness I would be going through all at once. I am incredibly lucky because my husband is a huge help, but even though he is an amazing dad, I still got put in situations that I did not fully realize would be my new normal. For example, I now have my baby on a sleep schedule, but I still feel like my body is instinctually and subconsciously on alert at all times, even when I am sleeping. It can be very tiring because I don't feel like I'm getting a night of deep sleep. I am hoping with time, the anxiety will lessen. My emotions are also heightened. When I see an emotional commercial on tv, I emphasize and cry very easily. I to battle depression and had to get off medications. When I told my dad I was pregnant, he got scared for me and told me to think about actually going through with this. It pissed me off and made me want to work that much harder in keeping my emotions in check. I'm not trying to scare you. I know you can do this!! I am taking all this one step at a time. I am not afraid to seek help if I find it necessary. The second trimester is fun! You get to start feeling babies kicks, and you get to start seeing the baby grow. My belly was getting more prominent in my second trimester, but I still was feeling good. Just make sure not to carry heavy things and to make sure you are drinking lots of water and getting rest when you need it. Around this time, you may need to get maternity clothes. As far a weight gain yes, they have their 30-35 pound recommendation, but I went way over, and during pregnancy, dieting is not the answer. Love your body for how amazing it is for creating a human. Even though I did have a lot of weight gain, my baby is very healthy. I have a lot of baby weight to lose, but I am trying my best to lose weight gradually and kindly.  

This is all great! Thank you so much everyone! I'm literally taking notes in my notepad!  

@quinnlyon623 thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that. I really needed to hear this. I already feel more empowered and I'm starting to get my head on straight again. The only thing I've ever wanted in life was a child and I plan on being the best damn parent I can possibly be. My child is going to be a rock star. So much advice in your response I had to start taking notes 🤣 thank you again!