Things I will do differently with pregnancy #2

The past two years have been a refining process while I navigate this thing called Momming. Since it is my first time being a mom I was a complete beginner (go figure!) and the road has been full of learning, growth, and change. Some things worked, some things did not....others were completely counterproductive (such as the things that led to anxiety and depression 😅, but that is for later when I do my "Things I will do differently postpartum for baby #2" post). 

I actually did implement much of what I mention here, but it was not always an immediate realization and I had some (read: A LOT of) trial & error before getting there. However, in the event we have a second child, this is what I will do differently or with more confidence during pregnancy:

• I will not worry so much during the first trimester about the fact that none of the foods I normally eat are not appetizing and perhaps my meals are not completely balanced or even healthy. But I will eat what feels good and I will eat it often because: 

• I will know that my nausea came from low blood sugar, nothing more than that and nothing less. So I will eat frequently to prevent the nausea (with baby #1 I thought eating while feeling nauseous was not a good idea, until I realized eating was what made the nausea go away, not worse).

• I will begin taking this prenatal vitamin immediately, along with these vitamin C pills (for a strong amniotic sac, stronger immunity and healthier skin), and these probiotics to prevent yeast infections (something I got later on and was difficult to get rid of, plus it caused thrush in baby 1 that took a long time to get rid of as well). 

• I will fill my freezer with frozen papaya and bananas to have as a smoothie in the evenings and thereby prevent the awful heartburn that would keep me awake at night (this was true during the first and third trimester). 

• I will move as I can throughout the first trimester but will rest as much as needed knowing that my energy will come back soon in the second trimester. And prior to getting pregnant I will be lifting weights more than I did before. 

• I will not google every pain, ache or worry because the majority of google will simply tell me the worst-case scenario and none of that is helpful. 

• I will not worry about how to provide for baby #2 because everything that I ever needed for baby #1 was eventually acquired and the things that I thought I needed I actually didn't need. 

• Side note: once diapers and a car seat are taken care of, you are pretty much set. 

• The best cloth diapers (in my opinion) are definitely Nora's Nursery and it is actually not that complicated (I am always willing to talk about them if you want more info). Plus baby #1 wore disposables for the first 6 weeks till I felt ready to be doing laundry on a more frequent basis. 

• Most people are very willing to donate baby clothing and honestly baby #1 was simply naked the majority of her first month of life. All the toys, gizmos and fancy things are truly unnecessary. Baby #1 stayed engaged with a few high-contrast board books, some blankets and the floor. Oh, and human interaction tops everything. 

• I will take lots of walks out in nature because nothing beats being pregnant while outside. There is something powerful about the connection with nature while also growing a human being. 

• I will not buy into any stretch mark prevention creams. Keep my skin hydrated with water and oils, yes, but not with the objective to prevent stretch marks. That's pretty much inevtiable for some people and for others their genetics make them less prone to it. In the end, stretch marks slowly fade into shades of gold and silver (depending on your skin color) and are really something to be proud of afterall. 

• I will not fixate on a specific date for baby #2 to come. They will come when they are ready and I do not want to pressure or despair at all. 

• To help prevent my fixation on a date, I will make sure I have certain activities planned as the time nears: lunch with friends, a massage, a trip, a project, ANYTHING. 

• I will only and always only read one book on pregnancy and birth and that is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

• Lastly, I will hire my doula earlier and my midwife much sooner. I switched to a home birth at 23ish weeks gestation and it was the best choice I could have made. 

There are probably more things that I could add to this but this will have to do for now. Next will be the postpartum list =)