While this isn’t an official pregnancy update, today I am sharing a few preggy updates including workouts, meals and anxieties.
Workouts:
Last week, I noticed that my comfort levels have been seriously declining when it comes to moving my body. As such, Monday was a rest day.
Tuesday: I took an SPX Pilates class at BTone and realized how much core strength I have lost! Imagine wearing a weight lifting belt or heavy fanny pack while doing planks, it’s not fun. Transitioning between moves is also a lot slower. My hips feel like they have aged 20 years in 2 weeks. After a set of lunges, I can’t just hop off the reformer. It’s a slow transition and I need something to hold on to, like a grandparent.
Wednesday: I was invited by Drink Maple to try a class at the new SoulCycle in Back Bay. I hydrated with both a bottle of water and maple water during class.
Thank god for indoor cycling. While I can’t really do some of the tap back/dip movements at places like Soul or Recycle, I still can get a good workout in without feeling uncomfortable.
This was my 8th SoulCycle class. By now, I’ve learned that I have a 50/50 percent chance of liking the instructor. This one was good, better than a BSC or most spin studios in Boston but not my favorite. Since SC is all about the customer service, they gave me a few classes to come back and try a few others so I’m going to wait to post anything else until then!
Thursday: REST DAY
Friday: I had a lot of energy on Friday and didn’t have a ton scheduled so I was a little crazy. I went to a BTone class at 10am and then I took an indoor cycling class at Recycle Studio at 5:30pm with Emily and Erin. It was a special rock class that I really enjoyed. I don’t like heavy metal but I appreciate a good throw back Limp Bizkit song. Nick was working late and I had nothing planned so it was essentially my Friday night outing.
Saturday: I desperately needed a prenatal yoga class but couldn’t find one so instead I foam rolled and walked 25 minutes on the treadmill. I walked at a 3 mph and a 5 incline and was winded! How did I run a half marathon just a few weeks ago!?
Sunday: I took my third spin class of the week at Recycle Studio with Alice.
Eats
Trader Joe’s has a seasonal bagel item called the Harvest Bagel. It is delicious and I was obsessed with it last week. It has only 230 calories and is made with cranberries and other seeds. I put some organic whipped cream cheese on top for a truly preg-tastic breakfast that even Nick enjoyed.
It seems like bagels are a unanimous pregnancy favorite among my friends. These make you feel at least a little healthy about your choices. I’ve also been loving a decaf Chai Tea with Tumeric I got from World Market Cost Plus.
‘Tis the season for fall root vegetables like carrots, beets, turnips and more! I stopped by our local farmer’s market in Copley Place and picked up a few things for dinners.
One of my pregnancy cravings lately has been crisp apples with peanut butter. I can’t get enough of them!
I made steak teriyaki with brown rice and roasted Brussels Sprouts for dinner Friday night. Just a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper really does the trick. So good. 
Anxiety
Recently, I started freaking out about labor. I do not feel prepared. Originally I wanted to have a natural birth but the more I read about, the less inclined I am to prepare for one. I just don’t have the time at this point to take a 5 week course and don’t think I’ll enjoy a 9-5 birthing class.
I signed up for two classes however this weekend. One to prepare for breastfeeding and the other to prepare for when the baby arrives. I have no idea how to give a newborn a bath or care for his umbilical cord. I’ve also started reading my Ina May pregnancy book.
I couldn’t recommend Ina May pregnancy book enough! It helped me with visualization techniques during my first labor and I will be reading it again for my upcoming delivery as well!! The classes will help you a lot, but the mother thing just clicks when you have him 🙂 Plus you have friends and relatives for those late night text messages 🙂
I’m a nurse working in labor and delivery and I’m currently 21 weeks pregnant with our first child. We will attend some prenatals classes, once a weekx3 for 2 hours (mostly for him) I think it will give you a better idea of what to expect. I’m not having a birth plan but I do want to do some skin to skin and laboured naturally as long as I can. I think you have to keep your options open in case you can’t handle the pain. It will all depends on how long it will take, when it will happen (at night?) and how (induction vs natural labor). I wish you all the best, take it one contraction at a time. 🙂
Meh, I read a lot of books and prepared for a natural birth (Bradley classes with my hubby) and ended up with an epidural both times. At some point in both of my labors, I turned to my husband and was like ‘Why am I subjecting myself to this pain??’ and called for an epidural. I give props to moms that can do it, but it wasn’t for me.
The more I read the more I feel like I’m going to end up in the same boat as you! I’m like, why am I going to waste time and money on something that isn’t gonna happen… I’m giving myself until 7cm to make a decision. If I can make it to 7, I’m going to go for it. If I’m in too much pain before then, I’m tapping out. Ain’t no shame in it.
Referenced this in another comment, but see if labor & delivery is crowded when you deliver…I asked at 3 cm but went to 8 cm so fast that they said it wouldn’t kick in until it was too late!
I am 34.5 weeks and feeling the same anxiety. It’s hard to plan without knowing the pain or how long your labor will last. I left our birthing class Saturday deciding on the “no plan” plan. I’m going to give it 110% but will not beat myself up if I reach a point where it gets to be too much or my body is exhausted and needs rest. I’m happy to know I’m not alone! Good luck sister!
The first thing our midwife told us during our bradley class was that there is no one right way to birth a baby. I think you can plan and plan, but you never know what’s going to happen. In the end all that matters is healthy baby and mom. I had a list of things I wanted (skin to skin, delayed cord clamping) and things I didn’t (pitocin or epidural, etc). I ended up getting a few things I wanted and some I didn’t. In the end I was induced with pitocin at 36 weeks due to blood pressure issues. As a result of early delivery I wasn’t able to have immediate skin to skin and delayed cord clamping. I still made it without the epidural. And, yes, in the end all that matters is healthy mom and baby. Our midwife told us that “healthy mom and baby” should be our “birth plan” and focus on some of things you do have control over like having a relaxing environment with music, or dim lights etc. As I await the arrival of my second baby (I’m 27 weeks) my focus is to manage my stress level so my blood pressure stays under control to avoid induction again because those pitocin contractions were not fun. Taking the class really just helped ease my fear and anxiety about birth and trust my body. I had my husband and doula present for the birth and that was enough. In the end you do what’s right for you and then there are some things you just don’t have control over. Good luck! It’ll be okay! Before you know it pregnancy and birth will feel like a distant dream!
Get this breastfeeding book! Most used book I got. I referenced it for so many things. It was helpful, informative and reassuring. I didn’t read it ahead of time but used it so much right after Grayson arrived and throughout my entire breastfeeding journey! http://www.amazon.com/Nursing-Mothers-Companion-Breastfeeding-Pregnancy/dp/1558328491/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447724506&sr=8-2&keywords=breastfeeding+books
Thanks for posting this Sarah! I’m 36+ weeks right now with my first baby/pregnancy, and I’m in the UK, it’s interesting how the philosophies are slightly different in Europe / America. I myself literally don’t have the time to attend classes, (I’m planning to work till 38 weeks, because ‘mentally’ it’s better for me, than being home constantly filled with anxiety) but I’ve seen Ina May’s book been recommended quite a few times as well, and I think I’ll buy it!!!
I’m also like you I don’t think I will have a fixed birth plan, I hope to do it naturally, but I can’t say what my pain threshold will be on that day, so I might look into taking some gas to help me along. I think I’m more concerned with caring for my baby afterwards, my body afterwards and I totally agree with learning how to bathe a new born!
Best wishes to you!
You can plan all you want -- but just know sometimes things don’t work out and you just have to go with it. Having had 3 babies -- 2 with epidurals and 1 without -- I would recommend the epidural. At least then you can “enjoy” the experience. Good luck!
It’s funny how I’m leaning more towards epidural after all the comments! Love hearing from readers like you who have tried both. Helps make the decisions a little easier
I took childbirth classes at Mt. Auburn and found that they’re only marginally useful. It was good to get a sense of what to expect, but you learn everything on the job!
I hadn’t even made my birth plan when I gave birth (unexpectedly, when my water broke without contractions at 36 weeks + 4 days) so there was nothing to stick to! My husband and I hadn’t even packed our hospital bags yet, so he had to go home at 4:00 a.m. to pack them.
Initially, I’d thought I’d get an epidural because natural birth seemed hippy-dippy, but got really freaked out at the thought of a huge needle going so near my spine after learning more about it in childbirth class. I spent a lot of time being anxious about that, but requested one since people kept telling me that it wasn’t that bad. I requested when the pain was tough but not unbearable. However, there were so many women there that day asking for epidurals that I was too far back in the line to even get one! I had to get induced because of my water breaking, and I’ve heard that the pitocin contractions tend to be worse than natural ones (shorter labor but really rough). They *were* awful--but my husband and the awesome nurse helped me get through it. I think I might try to go natural for baby #2 now that I’ve been through that and survived.
One thing we did that I loved watching again, and again, was film the babies first bath that they give at the hospital. My husband filmed it and the nurse said exactly what she was doing throughout the whole thing. I had a natural birth, both times, not by choice it just turned out that way…I was made to give birth. Always do what’s best for you!
Such a good idea! Thanks Jen for sharing.