I’m doing something a bit different today than I usually do and I’ll be sharing some personal details of pregnancy #2!
I entertained the idea of doing a weekly or monthly series outlining all the changes I’m going through, but my pregnancy with Fox was so stagnant that I figured this one would be the same.
Turns out I was super wrong!
Here are some of the significant ongoings this time around.
How I’m Feeling
Honestly? This pregnancy has been a pain — literally. Fox ruined my muscles in utero last time and so this baby sits very low. I haven’t been able to bend since around 20 weeks to do simple tasks like put on shoes and pick up toddler toys. Talk about frustrating!
I can also feel (and hear!) the baby in my hips. He will use his strong little hands to hit my right hip and you’ll hear it connect every once in awhile. It happened in the doctor’s office waiting room a couple weeks back and my lobby-mate looked all around wondering where it came from. Pregnancy is weird.
Cravings
With Fox, I craved a different fruit each month. I remember thinking about watermelon and if it wasn’t in front of me in 5 minutes, tears would stream. This baby, nothing! I’ve had a bit more of a sweet tooth for sour candy, but aside from that I’m indifferent.
Have a Name Yet?
Oh the drama of finding a name. We had so many girls names picked out, but the boys were slim. Truth be told, we picked a name, loved it fiercely for a month-ish, told select friends and family, and then hated it. It’s a very popular name but as soon as I started hearing out loud, it sounded cringey to me. The final nail in the coffin? When I kept seeing it pop up on baby name forums accompanied by suggestions like “Braydenleigh” and “Kinzingtyn.” We scrapped it, decided to keep looking, and a name I’d suggested awhile ago to my husband that he thought was just okay was now his frontrunner.
Fun fact: we have two items with the old first name choice personalized on them sitting in the nursery dresser. I think it will be fun for the baby box once he gets older!
Fears
Since about 20 weeks I’ve had some pretty brutal Braxton Hicks contractions. In addition to be strong enough to have to practice breathing through, they last about 1.5 minutes, averaging 18 contractions per hour. This is not “normal” by any means and would usually signal women to head to the hospital with preterm labor. I’ve had it checked several times and since it’s not affecting my cervix, it’s just where I tend to sit contraction-wise.
Here’s where my fear comes in: what happens if I don’t realize I’m in labor until it’s too late? With Fox, my water broke, I showered, took my sweet time putting on my makeup, and then labored for almost a full day. I have a sneaking suspicion that my second will come fast and furious, and without significant cues from my contractions I truly fear giving birth to him in a car is a serious option. Eek.
P.S. This post is not sponsored, but I wanted to mention that I’m wearing my Bloomlife contraction monitor in my featured image. I loved being able to have confirmation that I wasn’t imagining every twinge out to be a contraction — they really were happening! Use code “FOX10” for 10% off your weekly rental.
What I’m Most Excited About
I actually really loved labor with my first. Being in the hospital with trays of food and nonstop Jeopardy, resulting in a sweet newborn in my arms, quickly became one of my favorite days I’ve ever experienced. I’m most excited that this time around I’ll be delivering in the same hospital I was born in and also to see Fox become a big brother. He has such a warm heart and he’s waited so patiently — it’s going to mean the world to him.
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