Sprint Triathlon, 5 months pregnant!

Success!
I had nothing to be nervous about, it was just like the others I have done... except my son joined me for the second half of the 5K so I got to take it easy :)

Sorry, no swim pictures. My swim time was 11.5 minutes, bike appx 1 hr

Getting there...

My heart is coming around to this pregnancy... Feeling the baby kick starting at 17 weeks was special and helped me connect a bit more. Also, the more I read pregnancy books or watch birth videos I am getting excited.  I talked about childbirth for a while with my sister and a friend, during which I remembered certain exciting and wonderful parts of childbirth - I went home telling my husband I am ready to have this baby! I want to go through childbirth right now! ha, ha. I had such a great experience last time, I just want that magic again. But of course anything could happen and every childbirth is different.. so the feeling didn't last too long.

 

But then yesterday I watched a homebirth on Baby Story with my kids and answered all their questions (trying not to cry...I get so emotional sometimes I can't even talk). It was just the most amazing, beautiful thing to watch the show but also to share it with my children. My 6-year-old son is taking quite the interest in this stuff. I'm pretty sure I'd like him to be at the birth (but I am not sure about the 3-year-old, she will at least need supervision). So it's good to explain exactly what happens, show him how the mom may be acting, how the baby acts and looks when first born, etc.

 

We also watched a couple hospital episodes - a medicated vaginal birth and ceaserean delivery. We talked about the differences at the hospital and how they do a lot of unnecessary things that frequently end up problematic; and how they do other things simply for convenience or profit, at the baby's expense. I don't think 6 is too young of an age to discuss this; I am glad my son is asking and wants to understand. But after making hospitals out to be the bad guy, I also had to discuss with him how sometimes their help is necessary and if I need the baby cut out of me, Heavenly Father will be with us and we will pray to be safe and comforted. It's interesting to me to see his concerns and be cognizant of the fact that if I end up getting transferred, I really have to be in a good place and have faith, even for his sake. Since we never go to hospitals or doctors, and I paint this picture of them, he would be so nervous in the unfamiliar environment. But at least, with good reason!

Pregnancy: week 20 update

20 weeks along (4-1/2 months), but I feel like I am in my third trimester now! I am pretty certain that I am showing a LOT more than I was at this point before, but I still have to track down my belly shots to verify that. I know we have pictures of us at the beach at 6 months pregnant and I was about this big; and pictures from my son's birthday party (8-1/2 months pregnant) I just had a cute basketball belly, nothing cumbersome.

 

So WOW is this another big baby like my first? Or maybe my organs are bigger now. ha, ha. My first baby was 9 lbs, 10 oz and my second was 7 lbs 4 oz... I had assumed the difference was my huge dietary shift and subsequent maternal weight gain - big difference! By society's standards I eat a pretty low-protein (and low-fat) diet, so I thought I had some sort of guarantee against huge babies from now on...Cuz it would be really nice if this baby would not grow out of control... I don't know if being athletic has anything to do with it but I sure do eat a LOT more calories than I did last time.

 

Speaking of which, I have gained about ten pounds now. That is right on what my website I'm following says where I should be at (www.babygaga.com - a fantastic "natural mama" pregnancy calendar site) .. even though I feel like its too much! I started this pregnancy 10 lbs heavier than my last pregnancy so I was hoping that might count for some of the weight gain.. but I think my thighs missed the memo. I definitely noticed a difference in the mirror today when I went for my swim. But I will complain until I am sore because I really don't understand why thighs need to get fatter to make a baby. That is my official stance. :)

 

My "Exercising in Pregnancy" book has this chart on how much weight you are "supposed" to gain during pregnancy (I just hate that word "supposed to" if you didn't guess that about my personality already). And it would make most American mommies feel like committing suicide!! It says 0 lbs until you are 17 weeks, and then 1 lb per week. Well that is pretty much thrown out the window...for all of us... LOL

 

I was trying to minimize my weight gain for this triathlon I am doing next week - to stay in shape and now be carrying extra weight, which would make the race more difficult. But what can you do?? When you go on vacation? And when crackers and chips are just the best pregnancy foods ever? heehee... Anyway I think I will still fit in the clothes I have been planning to wear for it. My 2 triathlons last year were about 1 hr, 40 minutes, so I am thinking this one will take me 1 hr, 50-55 minutes.  Last year it was no big deal at all but this year It will be a huge success to finish... So in order to finish, I am planning on doing a strong swim, a leisurely bike ride, and hopefully jog the 5K. 

 

My 5K yesterday was about 35 minutes. But I feel like I am hanging on for dear life... I really don't have much running left in me. This triathlon is coming just in the nick of time. I am toying with the idea of running a 10K next month but honestly that will probably be too late (And no, I don't want to walk it). I think next month I will be making the switch to more weight-bearing workouts instead of long cardio sessions, and eliptical instead of running, and step aerobics instead of kickboxing. Sadly enough. *tear*  I figure I can't bounce, but I can do eliptical and stair climbing until I deliver, so I am going to get some awesome quads. Oh and upper body, of course. See the silver lining? :)