Because of Sarah

Rich's best friend from college lives across the street.  Essentially, he's the reason we met in the first place, but that's a story for another time (it's a good one though!).  He met the most amazing woman New Year's Day 2010 and we now have the honor and privilege of calling her our friend and neighbor.  You know those rare instances where you feel an instant connection with someone, that you just KNOW you're on the same wavelength?  Well, Sarah is one of those people and I feel so good every time I spend time with her.


Sarah is a writer and with her innate inquiring mind, she asks the greatest questions.  While pregnant and glowing, she asked why I thought my pregnancy was going so well.  There were several things I listed off and after some additional probing, we moved on to another topic.


During a walk with her today, soaking up this incredible (yet freaky) springtime weather, she reminded me to blog about what I shared with her.  I know every woman is different and they experience pregnancy in their own way, but I have to tell you, I LOVED being pregnant.  (This is where those of you that had difficult pregnancies and really don't want to read my somewhat Pollyanna take on being a vessel for life can hit the little x at the top of your browser.)


Here is what I believe contributed to such a positive pregnancy experience for me:

1. I am married to the most incredibly supportive husband and we were both in absolute agreement that we wanted to start a family.  He did whatever I asked of him (such as finishing projects to ease my ever increasing nesting anxiety, going to weeks of Bradley birthing classes, being open-minded to a home birth, letting me bring a new furry family member into our home....the list could go on and on!).  As far as husbands go, I really lucked out.
2. I took supplements daily-- prenatal vitamins, omega 3s (sooooo important to get DHA for healthy brain development in babes!), vitamin D, calcium/magnesium (this helped tremendously with the night leg cramping) and the all important probiotics (helps ward off Group B strep and starts you and baby on the road to preventing thrush if you're breastfeeding).
3. I religiously saw my acupuncturist.  I see an amazing woman that specializes in helping women become pregnant, guiding them through pregnancy and helping them recover postpartum.  Peggy at Five Element Acupuncture in Berry Hill has kept me balanced throughout what I know can be the biggest roller coaster ride of a woman's life.  
4. We hired a doula and we absolutely adore her.  Not only was Jolynn an amazing birth partner (helping us prepare and guiding us through the labor process), she gives the most incredibly healing massages and incorporates energy work into the mix.  I saw her once a month for a massage my entire pregnancy and I think this is why I never experienced the kind of aches and pains that a lot of women experience.  
5. Pet therapy.  Seriously.  We adopted a little dog, Milo, when I was in my 4th month and he's such a little comedian.  That dog kept me smiling and laughing throughout my pregnancy.  So much so that when we got to our birthing house and my contractions really started intensifying, I said to Rich in a whimper, "I miss Milo."  
6. I didn't drive myself crazy with too much information.  I didn't read What to Expect When You're Expecting.  I stuck to devouring empowering birth stories from Spiritual Midwifery and anything else written by Ina May Gaskin.  Rich and I also read a book that showed Ray's development week by week.  That was it.  By limiting my intake of information, I was able to stay relaxed and keep positive. 
7. I wasn't freaked out about consuming caffeine or having the occasional drink.  I kept my caffeine to one cup of coffee a day and after my first trimester, I did have the occasional glass of wine.   
8. We empowered ourselves to make our own decisions regarding how we wanted our son to come into the world.  This required a lot of research on our part and being incredibly open minded, but what transpired with our home birth experience with The Farm Midwives was more than we could have hoped for.
9. I felt the loving, reassurance presence of my grandmother throughout my pregnancy.  I was very close to my father's mother and when she passed in 2009, I missed her sooo much.  Still do.  My beloved grandfather passed one month after her.  They were the stuff old love stories are made of-- met on a blind date, married one month later, stayed married for 65 years "until death do we part."  It was because of her that we named our son Ray, after her father-- Ray Erwin.  I think she smiles down on us daily.

I'm so thankful for friends like Sarah.  Because of her, I was able to really reflect on this experience with gratitude.  Hopefully, there are little tidbits in here that could help another expectant mother.  

Sarah, I look forward to the day when that expectant mother is you.