A Letter on Pregnancy...Two Months Too Late!

Dear Patient Blog Readers,

I am proud to say that I am finally posting after two full years of blatant blogger delinquincy! The last post I made was about preparing for our wedding. Okay, so I've been busy...but, no more excuses! I, BECKY, am posting this letter that I wrote to my friend Stella - who lives in sunny San Francisco - two months ago, but never got around to sending until after baby was born. I would like to start blogging regularly along with my partner in crime if at all possible. So... I'm asking you to hold me accountable for this. In other words, if I see you on a regular basis, bug me about writing so that I occasionally do so. Sorry for the long hiatus. I hope you enjoy this discourse on pregnancy...

Hey, Stella,

How is life treating you in beautiful San Francisco? I'm working a short-term temp assignment in downtown Cincy today, and had some extra time to email. Upon purging my account of old junk, I realized that I really needed to say hey to you.
Believe it or not, baby is due in 4 days! I have this big, full-grown human being rumblin' in my huge belly. I do love being pregnant, but I must say that I'm ready to have this little guy. We've decided to name him Ulysses Jonas Novotni. His nickname will be Uly. I can already tell you that he is a thoughtful, contemplative person - a thinker - but he also likes to play games and tricks. When I play with him, for example, he always waits before responding, and will trick me and others into thinking that he is not going to respond. He's so funny! And he's big. The midwives think he may already be eight pounds.
It really is a lot of work to take care of a baby in your belly. (As I'm sure it will also be when he's out) I must share: Every day (if I even have time to do all of these things) I have to: take prenatal vitamins, keep my feet up, drink a gallon of water ( I try but can't), do Kegels, perineal massage, slow breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, stretching and prenatal exercises, interaction with bebe, lots of nutritious foods - especially protein, calcium and iron, clean and get baby stuff ready, sometimes work, have a life and walk, walk walk...
It's cool, but sometimes tiring. I can't sleep on my back or stomach at all. I have to use a wedge pillow to sleep in a semi-reclined position or on my side (preferably the left side due to blood flow to the baby). I weigh 185 pounds, mostly in my huge belly, so I actually waddle instead of walking. My ankles and hands are very swollen, and two of my right fingers are numb most of the time.
On a practical and spiritual level, pregnancy has changed my life. It has taught me how people are supposed to live to be healthy. It's an amazing and beautiful gift. Some of this wisdom is related to physical health. Eating smaller meals throughout the day, for example, instead of big traditional meals, is one thing that pregnancy necessitates due to the fact that the stomach of a pregnant woman has less room because of the pressure from the uterus. How often have you heard that it's good to drink tons of water? Lots of water in pregnancy is important for circulation (pregnant women actually have 50% more blood in their bodies), fetal temperature, amniotic fluid volume and more. Walking is the best exercise known to woman - pregnant or not. No alcohol or caffeine is generally a good rule to follow during pregnancy. (Yeah, technically, I could have alcohol now that I'm in my third tri-mester, but I try to limit my consumption to a minimal amount.) The jury's still out on caffeine, but research has shown that it is likely to cause birth defects in some capacity. So, I feel like pregnancy has taught me what I normally should be doing to take care of myself. I actually feel a lot better doing these things too, which is no surprise.
Emotionally, pregnancy has done wonders for me. I'm hardly ever upset or anxious. Other women I know say that they were the same way during pregnancy due to the hormonal shift. However, more interestingly, pregnant women have to avoid stress or stressful environments for the health of their babies. So this helps with this state of mind and actually shows me how I should normally be mentally.
The breath of life. Breathing - This is the foundation and beginning of life. I can't wait to hear my son take his first breath. Pregnancy teaches women how to breath to relieve stress. This can be achieved through slow breathing techniques or meditation. Practicing breathing has cut down on my stress and anxiety levels tremendously. Simple, basic things: water, movement, breathing, simplicity. How cool.
But that's not all. Getting pregnant has forced Steve and I to settle for less crap and clean up our personal and financial affairs. No, we don't care to get in the middle of family disputes. Yes, we will actually pay our bills on time and settle our debts once and for all. Yeah, dishes get washed every day now. In pregnancy, they call this the nesting instinct - that is - the tendancy to get your nest in order. Steve is nesting these days just as much as I am. He built a taller fence in our backyard so the dog wouldn't scale it anymore. He shampooed the living room area rug that we got for free off of Craig's List. He waters the outdoor plants and weeds the garden. He built an undergroud composting system where we can compost both food and (yuck) pet waste. He's getting more regular work from CityBeat.