As you know, I’ve entered my third trimester of this pregnancy – yay!! This pregnancy has gone by so fast! Unlike the last pregnancy, not all of our attention is devoted to my day by day progress, or monitoring the baby’s growth week by week. Instead, we have a toddler to attend to, and family gatherings to plan for.
Over the last week or so I’ve been doing physically more than normal – baking cookies, shopping (again and again it seems!!), cleaning and packing. And I’ve been having more and more Braxton Hicks contractions – not good. It’s not that Braxton Hicks contractions (or practice contractions) are bad per se – they are helping your body get ready for labor. But it’s the fact that my staying busy is CAUSING my body to have more Braxton Hicks contractions and on a more regular basis. This has got to stop. I don’t want to bring on early labor. So I’ve got to SLOW DOWN.
My Braxton Hicks contractions were a lot more frequent as I was busy about the day on Monday and so that evening my husband talked to a nurse friend of his and then with me. He told me he didn’t want me pushing myself anymore. Anytime I felt the first Braxton Hicks contractions I needed to go sit down and rest for at least 30-45 minutes. He has been very sweet this week – sending me email reminders to slow down, or asking me to let him know if he can COOK dinner or do anything else to help!
In my mind I had been telling myself that there are plenty of other women who are pregnant with a toddler (or with multiple kids even) and they are still moving about, still getting things done. So why couldn’t I? Surely I can finish my to do list everyday? Surely, as a stay at home mom I can take care of my kid and cook for the holidays? Well, I guess my body is telling me that I can’t do it all – at least not right now. I had been getting into a routine of pushing through the Braxton Hicks contractions and ignoring the signs to slow down. Not anymore!
What am I going to do differently?
- Drink AT LEAST a glass of water before getting Ain out of bed in the morning.
![Somehow he got both his brace and shoe off!]()
Somehow he got both his brace and his shoe off!
If I am dehydrated the Braxton Hicks contractions will come on easier – plus it always seems like the morning is when I’m more likely to get them anyway.
- Limit my trips up and down the stairs (especially carrying Ain up or down).
- Take time to rest after getting Ain out of bed and down the stairs. And in general, just start my day slower.
- Don’t bend over repeatedly when putting Ain’s shoes on and try a different position when putting his braces and shoes on so I’m not bending over for so long!
- Drink plenty of water!
- Tell Ain “not right now” when he is asking me to pick him up, if I’m not feeling well.
- Don’t be focused on getting everything done, just PACE myself.
So that is what I’m doing today, even though I have food to prepare, a kitchen to clean, and overnight packing to do.
Moms – how have you been able to slow down?
Hope you all have the opportunity to slow down this Christmas season!!
© 2014, Betsy Pool. All rights reserved.
