PREGNANCY Q+A’S ANSWERED

I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and so excited to meet our sweet little baby boy.  This pregnancy feels a lot better now that I am into the second trimester.  Though my first trimester nausea/vomitting wasn’t as bad as it was with Arrow or Harlow (Arrow especially) I was exhausted beyond measure.  I am so excited to have my energy back and be feeling so much more like my self.

I have a lot of common Questions and also had reached out and asked for some specifics so I’ll be answering them below:

Q: Is Harlow excited for another baby?
A: She is so excited and keeps planning all of the things for him.  She really wanted another baby brother ( I think it’s because it’s what she already knew) but she has his name picked out, where he’s going to sleep and what he’s going to wear when he comes home from the hospital haha. She is very intelligent so having these conversations with her has been so much fun.  Arrow just keeps kissing my stomach saying baby! brother! baby! We can’t wait for them to meet him.

Q: Do you take a prenatal vitamin? Where do you get your omegas etc?
A: Yes I do. There are a lot of vegan prenatal pills on the market so for sure talk to your doctor.  You are able to get the required omegas without the use of fish oils so this is something you can also look into.  

Q: How do you have a healthy vegan pregnancy?
A: This question always gets me because it’s the exact same as a non vegan pregnancy!  I am getting everything I need for baby boy and now that it’s my third time around I am not even focused on what I need etc.  I just do what I normally would.  I would say this is my healthiest pregnancy by far (because I can actually eat a vegetable!) but you read my whole post on a healthy vegan pregnancy here.

Q: Did you ever have a VBAC after Harlow?
A: Yes, I was able to with Arrow.

Q: Are you scared to deliver again? I’m so worried.
A: I think having the complete placenta previa has me more worried than if I knew I was for sure going to have a VBAC.  Having an emergency c-section with Harlow was overwhelming especially with my circumstances but I’m going in confident doing whatever it is I have to in order to keep this baby (and myself) safe.

Q: What did you do when you found out you had a complete placenta previa? I have one and everyone is so worried about me and the safety of the baby, I feel so stressed.
A: I can 100% see why you feel this way! My instant reaction was I cried and I DO NOT cry very often.  I knew this meant a for sure c section if it doesn’t resolve and I just really had the most amazing experience with Arrow that I felt frustrated and sad.  I feel like it took the joy from finding out this baby is a little boy and I was just so frustrated because I feel like there was always something for me to worry about.  Once I came to my senses and counted my blessing I felt a lot better about it.  I have a healthy baby boy growing, in a body that is healthy and capable and I’ll have to deal with whatever is meant to be as it happens.  The more I felt frustrated about it the more it upset me so I’ve really just decided that it is what it is.  It is frustrating and it’s another thing to worry about but the truth is that it is so out of our control the best we can do is just embrace the positives and hope for the best.  

Q: What does a complete placenta previa mean?
A: It basically means the placenta is completely covering the cervical opening so the only way to get baby out if it doesn’t move is through a caesarean.  

Q: What do you have to do differently with a previa?
A: Apparently a lot of things! I’m speaking to a complete previa and what I have been directed by my High Risk doctor and GP but I am not sure about low laying etc.  You can’t exercise at all with a complete previa, you can’t lift anything heavy and you are on complete pelvic rest.  Yeppppp, complete pelvic rest if you know what I mean.  It’s actually way harder than I thought.  They also have to watch you closer to make sure the placenta isn’t having an abruption and baby is growing properly.  They will also monitor for intrauterine growth restriction and they will electively take the baby out around 36 weeks (my doctor said 35 for me) to ensure you do not go into labour spontaneously because this could result in very serious bleeding.  I also can’t carry the babies etc so it definitely has its challenges.  

Q: Did you decide on building the fourth bedroom upstairs?
A: We decided not to as we are planning on moving sometime in the near future and felt the short term benefits wouldn’t outweigh the costs etc.  

Q: Do you have baby names picked out? Will it end in “OW”
A: I hope not! Haha.  We didn’t intend on that happening and everyone asks us and though I love a lot of OW names I think we will skip it this time around.  I have a list of boy names I love but we definitely do not have a solid name as of yet! I’m always excited to hear more so feel free to share some boho/free spirited names with me.

Q: Will you have more kids?
A: I believe in my heart there is always space for one more.  

Q: Did you use your embryo for this pregnancy?
A: No we didn’t.

Q: Favourite foods this pregnancy?
A: I haven’t had any real favourites. At the start I loved bagels (I feel I always do though!) and I’m definitely loving salads a lot more than normal.  Other than that, I can’t really think.  Candy? I’m wanting candy more than I ever usually do.  I always share what I am eating in a day on @thekindestplate.  I believe so much in balance of all the things.

Q: How long did you try for this baby?
A: I hateeee answering these questions because I remembering fixating on the months with other people.  I think we all fall pregnant at different times and when our bodies are ready.  With Harlow we actively tried for 2 years and needed medical intervention. With Arrow the first time we tried we got pregnant (biggest shock ever) and with this baby it took us five months.  I think every baby comes when it is their time and it’s  so important not to compare.

Q: Going through infertility and struggling really bad.  Any advice?
A: Sending you so much love.  Infertility is so hard.  I believe it taught me more than I could have learned about love and patience had I not had those experiences.  The days that are so challenging as a mother I can stop and think, this is everything I ever wanted.  It’s a perspective you will appreciate one day. I know while you’re in the depths of it is is so hard, but it is truly preparing you for a love you didn’t know existed and a sense of patience that will only serve you better.  Whether you adopt, do IVF, fall pregnant spontaneously, have a surrogate etc. this waiting period will forever change you.  You’ll become more loving, compassionate, empathic and take less offensive to all the things that do not matter because you’ll have a sense of gratitude that runs so deep.  I know it is so hard.  I remember the negative tests and that feeling that it would never happen but it will.  Believe it.  It is truly the only thing you can control. You will become a mother in one way or another.  Just say it, practice it, believe it.  Follow stories of hope.  Fill your body with visions of it all.  It will come to life in one way or another.