Month: September 2016

Bump Update

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How Far Along: 35 weeks!

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How I’m Feeling: exciiiiiiiteddddd and energized!

Sleep: Pretty uncomfortable. Rolling over is close to impossible and I wake up to pee every 2-3 hours or so like clockwork. At least I’m consistent! 

Exercise: was able to do a LOT of walking this week – all around Vancouver: downtown, the seawall, even a night at the track with some light jogging! I stopped doing my prenatal living room workouts this week though, my joints are getting way too loose and creaky. 

Movement: she’s running out of room in there and pressing harder and harder against my ribs, bladder, and belly, but she still hasn’t slowed down! Very, very active baby in there. 

Symptoms: I know that a lot of pregnant women are already feeling the beginnings of some labour-related pangs at this stage, so I’m incredibly grateful to just feel heavy and sluggish. I’m carrying a 30lb basketball in front so I definitely have an achey back at times, but otherwise I’m doing great!

Baby Prep: made a list of what to include in our hospital bag this week (though we won’t be packing it yet).

Looking Forward To: seeing who she looks like! And having a normal bladder again…

Bump Update

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How Far Along: 34 weeks!


How I’m Feeling: generally pretty great, but I’m definitely slowing down and am having to learn to accept that. I’ve always had pretty limitless energy and have enjoyed pushing myself to do things at ‘full speed ahead’ …walking, working, writing, exercising. I’ve caught myself feeling bad that I get out of breath climbing a hill when I’ve already been for a three-hour walk that morning, or that I no longer have the energy to cook a nice meal for dinner every day. So silly! So I am allowing myself these last six or so weeks to breathe deeply, slow down, and really appreciate my body for being able to carry this baby, which is a much stronger feat than any race I’ve run, after all.

Sleep: the third trimester insomnia they talk about is a real thing, let’s just say that. 

Movement: spastic, as usual; I think that Baby Procter is pretty excited to join in the fun on the outside! 

Craving: Coffee Crisps, pumpkin smoothies (I make them myself and they’re SO good!), fast food…and Tums.

Symptoms: heartburn, insomnia, and a general feeling of being large and uncomfortable pretty much all the time, but especially when I’m trying to put on my shoes, get out of bed, roll over, pick something up off the floor .. the list goes on. Sometimes when I drop something I just have to leave it. 

Nesting: after being spoiled at our baby shower, nesting this week has consisted of trying to find space in the apartment for all of our wonderful new stuff! We are also both very much in love with our new stroller. The annual sale at Babies R Us gets a big thumbs up from the Procters!

Enjoying: long walks, crunchy leaves, and lots of daydreaming. Plus occasionally pushing the aforementioned stroller around the apartment for fun.

Looking Forward To: shopping for non-maternity clothes again one day…I hope!

A Shower for Baby Procter

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We had our baby shower this weekend and it was wonderful to spend some time with family and friends celebrating the baby we’re so eager to meet! Having so many people I love in one room was overwhelming in the best way possible. I’ve found that there is an abundance of encouragement, wisdom, and experience to be gained from the women/parents in our lives, from sharing regretful or hilarious parenting moments to a favourite brand of swaddle blankets or a cherished book, and I felt very tapped in to the network of moms, aunts, grandmas, cousins, and friends who have already “been there” or are currently there.

We have avoided buying any baby things since we found out the news (not easy for an expectant mama!), and it made receiving so many thoughtful, practical, handmade, and downright adorable gifts from those who love us (and her!) even more exciting. We were truly blown away by everyone’s generosity – thank you to all!

Fun Fact: this morning I did a little research about the origins of baby showers, and found that they are quite uncommon in the UK. Instead (according to Wikipedia) of celebrating a forthcoming baby by “showering” the mum-to-be with gifts and advice as we do in North America, Brits “wet the baby’s head,” by taking a new Dad to the pub for pints when his baby is born. Two very different (and very gender-cliche) customs! I think our little family will have to do both 🙂

*all photo credit goes to two of my aunties who saved the day by documenting all of the best and cutest moments! Thank you both!

Bump Update

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How Far Along: 33 weeks!

How I’m Feeling: dreamy and agitated, and sometimes a bit lonely and bored during the week. I am constantly daydreaming about what this baby is going to look like, what her personality will be like, and how it’ll feel to bring her home from the hospital. These thoughts inevitably lead to “will we have everything we need?” and “are we emotionally prepared for this?” Probably not, but parents have been wingin’ it since time immemorial, right?

Sleep: it hasn’t been a great week for sleep – takes ages to quiet my mind, I wake up multiple times throughout the night, and I have a lot of joint pain in my hips and shoulders when I wake up. But I’ve had such a great pregnancy so far that I don’t think I’m in a place to complain about some shitty nights. Surely I signed on for those..! 

Movement: two words: spastic baby. She never stops! It’s still my favourite part of being pregnant, but who knew that a four-and-a-half (ish) pound baby could kick a mama’s ribs so hard?! Sometimes I’m quite shocked by her strength. 

Appreciating: that I can still enjoy my long walks, and that the weather was perfect for them all week long! Sunny but not too hot. I’m really hoping I can keep on walking right up to my due date and beyond (if needed). Walk that baby right outta there. 

Craving: marshmallows! Of all things.

Symptoms: ever-growing belly, tiny bladder, creaky knees, intermittent heartburn, and constant excitement with occasional moments of panic. 

Nesting: looking forward to packing our hospital bags over the next couple weeks; feels like a rite of passage as well as a sign of how close to the end of this pregnancy we’re getting!

Looking Forward To: celebrating Baby Procter at her baby shower this weekend.

Labour Day

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Yes, I know that Labour Day is supposed to be a day that celebrates workers and trade unions (by giving salaried employees a day off while most low-wage and shift-work employees actually still have to work..). But for an expectant mama in her third trimester, Labour Day is feeling a little different this year.

Throughout my pregnancy I’ve made a point to try and equip myself with the knowledge I need to approach labour feeling confident, informed, and flexible. I’ve shied from making a set-in-stone Birth Plan because in my experience, life rarely goes according to my detailed strategies, leaving me feeling disappointed and anxious that life has deviated from what I was expecting. Instead, I’ve compiled a birth “wishlist” that we’ll use as a guideline within the constraints of whatever circumstances we’re given. I’ve read a lot of positive, realistic birth stories, asked a million questions of everyone I know, hired a doula, read a few recommended books, and then tried to push it (no pun intended) to the back of my mind.

But with a Halloween due date and our muggy summer heat transitioning into cozy Autumn weather lately in Vancouver, it’s creeping into the forefront of my thoughts more and more often. Every time I see leaves falling, Halloween candy on sale, or costumes in store windows, I’m reminded how close I really am to the end of this pregnancy. While this heightens my constant excitement to meet the baby, it also makes labour feel less like an abstract concept looming in the distant future and more like a real event that I may actually have to experience, like, soon.

So here’s to learning to let go of those thoughts, to trusting my body and trusting the baby and to not having a panic attack in the next nine weeks.

Bump Update

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How Far Along: 31 weeks!

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How I’m Feeling: heavy and slow, but I know there’s still many weeks of growth to go.

Sleep: some nights good, some nights bad (it’ll probably be that way for a couple of years).

Movement: it’s so fun when she gets interactive with us and kicks against our hands when we rub my belly at night.

Appreciating: all good news from the midwife at this week’s appt. Strong heartbeat, good blood pressure, and measurements on track.

Symptoms: achey hips and joints, some back pain, and really creaky knees and ankles when I work out! Otherwise I feel fantastic most days and I’m so grateful for that.

Nesting: lots of cooking and baking happening again now that it’s cool enough to use our oven, but we’re still waiting a while to buy all the baby stuff.

Enjoying: September! Fall vibes, and the weather’s still warm. Love it.

Looking Forward To: we have three baby showers to attend this month (one is our own), so I’m looking forward to celebrating some mamas and babies this month!