The Strong Buzz

As some of you may know, I'm pregnant! It's a boy! I'm due in May. I've noticed a few differences between the first time and this time, and I have created a very scientific chart to summarize those, below:

PREGNANCY THE FIRST TIME AROUND

PREGNANCY THE SECOND TIME AROUND (WITH 3-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER)

HURRAY! I’m pregnant! This is the most amazing moment of my life. I am going to be a mother! Glow of love and light surround me.

Really? Again? That’s great! (screams of “MOMMY! I can’t find my tutu or my sparkly shoes!” pull me from the bathroom where I am holding the damp stick I just peed on.) Aura of general exhaustion surrounds me. Gotta get in the shower.

How exciting! We are starting a family! The first trimester is so great. I have no morning sickness. I feel a bit tired but I can sleep anytime I want to, so I take long naps all the time. A force of pure love, warmth and fuzziness overwhelms me.

Oh crap. I forgot to send Emily’s lunch box with her to school. Gotta run back over there. And I’m gonna puke. But I’m so tired I might fall down while puking. The first trimester blows.

Every week that passes I read a new chapter in “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and check in on The Bump.com. I love learning what “fruits” and “vegetables” my baby is growing into. I talk to her all the time and tell her how excited I am to meet her.

I have no idea what week I am in. I don’t care. I certainly don't know what kind of fruit I have inside me. I just know it moves around way too much and keeps me up all night. I do have some idea that in May, this baby’s comin’ out. Hopefully, between working part-time and taking care of Emily full time, I will have time to get to the hospital and push the baby out. Otherwise, I am sure someone on my block knows how to deliver a baby, right?

I make several visits to Pottery Barn Kids, Buy Buy Baby, and discover a wonderful website called Diapers.com! How exciting!Look at all this great gear! A wipes warmer! A breast feeding pillow covered in flowers! Bottles, bouncy seats, burp clothes, oh my! And all these adorable onesies! My registry overflows with wonderful things for our baby girl and her room!

I occasionally search the Yahoo Bococa Parents Group for some hand me down boy clothes so the kids doesn’t have to wear sparkles and tutus his entire life. This kid will not have a room. At this point, we think he might live in the hall.

A baby shower! How lovely! That would be great!

A night away at a hotel with soundproof walls so I could sleep and order room service all day long would be great.

Nursing will be an important and wonderful bonding experience for me and my newborn.

I’m not the only one feeding this kid for nights and months on end. I need my sleep and I am not interested in nipples tartare all over again. This baby will get a nice couple of days of colostrum and then, hand me the formula please. We were all raised on it, and it’s quite important that I remain sane this time around.

I have my birthing plan all ready and typed out in triplicate. I am not sure that I will get an epidural, we’ll see what the pain is like.

As soon as I hit the triage room, I’m getting an IV so they can pop that epidural in my back ASAP.

The baby is here! She’s gorgeous. I’m in love. Wait. Why do I feel depressed all of a sudden. Really depressed. I am miserable. What’s happening?

Scrip for PPD anti-depressants will be filled in advance!

I LOVE her more than anyone I’ve ever known.

I will LOVE him more than life when he comes out, too. I know I will. It’s just slightly different the second time around, isn’t it?

 

 

Andrea Strong