Different and the Same

Things I will do differently during this pregnancy:

• I won’t wait for 3 months to announce that I’m pregnant (check that off the list).
• I won’t gain as much weight.
• I won’t buy maternity clothes ahead of time, but wait until I absolutely need something to buy it.
• I won’t keep a pregnancy journal.  I loved keeping a journal last time, but I re-read it and there were only a few things that I found interesting, all of which I can capture this time on the blog.
• I’ll give birth in a hospital instead of at a birth center.  I wish I could do it the exact same way as last time, but there are no birth centers with tubs in Northern Virginia.  Now that I’m more experienced, I think, barring complications, I can achieve what I want in a hospital – a calm, natural birth – without having to shell out a few grand since health insurers are too stupid to realize that hospitals waste money like crazy on childbirth. (Actually, I know why they don’t cover birth centers – it’s not stupidity, it’s that all coverage is decided by pressure group warfare and birth center users are not a big enough group to have an impact.)
• I’ll slow down towards the end and try to take it easy so the baby doesn’t come too early – Sammy came 2 weeks early, which was great, but I don’t want it to be any sooner than that, so why push it?  With Sam, I started a business 6 weeks before my due date which had me squatting and lifting boxes up until the day before she arrived.  I must have gone a little loco there at the end.
• I’ll eat sushi occasionally (in fact, I already have).

 Things I will do the same during this pregnancy:

• I’ll drink a cup of coffee every morning.
• I’ll drink a glass of wine on occasion (after the first trimester).  It’s especially fun to do at restaurants.
• I’ll enjoy eating for two.
• I’ll have every diagnostic test as early as possible.
• I’ll do my Kegels.
• I’ll do some form of exercise.  Last time it was a bit of yoga, a great pregnancy workout tape, and a lot of dog walking.  That worked very well for me so I’ll probably stick with it.
• I’ll get prenatal massages (in fact, I’ve already signed a contract with Massage Envy for one massage per month!).
• I’ll get pedicures as soon as I can’t easily reach my feet.  This is an indulgence I normally scoff at as wasteful, but, ohmygod, it is so worth it during pregnancy.  Not only does one part of your body look dainty and pretty, but it’s so good for those aching, swollen feet.
• I’ll play the pregnancy card with Adam for as many foot rubs as possible.  Because you can’t get a pedicure every day.
• I’ll have a natural birth if possible.
• I’ll (we’ll) find out the sex.
• I’ll (we’ll) wait to decide on a name until I (we) see the baby.  We had 3 choices lined up when Sammy was born and it was nice to look at her face and try to decide what suited her best.  (The other 2 were Maia and Zoe.)
• I’ll take pictures of myself every month.  If I get as huge as last time, you’ll be very entertained.
• I won’t take this amazing experience for granted.