Many of you have asked for an update on how I’m feeling and how the pregnancy is progressing, so here’s a quick Young House Life pregnancy update. The short version: I’m incredibly excited about this little bun. John is thrilled, and Clara proudly tells anyone who will listen that she’s going to be a big sister. Burger seems indifferent for now, but I’m confident he’ll be overjoyed once a sticky, crumb-dropping small human arrives.
It took me a long time to feel ready to carry a child again — more on that in my birth story — and this pregnancy didn’t happen as quickly as the last one. Over the months of waiting, though, my feelings slowly shifted in a very sweet way. I expected continuing anxiety, but what surprised me was how much peace and hopeful excitement grew alongside the fear. The terror hasn’t vanished entirely, and that’s okay. What matters is that the hope and excitement have steadily become stronger than the fear. My advice to anyone wondering when they’ll know they’re ready to try again is to give yourself time and watch whether joy, curiosity, or hope begin to outweigh the fear. For me, it didn’t occur overnight — Clara will be almost four when this baby arrives — but I finally reached a place I had hoped to find someday. I’m thankful, thrilled, and ready for this wild ride, even when it gets a little nail-biting.
Physically, there are lots of little moments that make me smile. I’m feeling kicks, and those tiny movements instantly brighten my day. My energy seems to be returning a bit, which is a relief. The doctors are closely monitoring everything, and hearing that both the bun and I are doing well is incredibly comforting. Even a single kick gives me the confidence to breathe a sigh of relief — those small, reassuring reminders that everything is moving along as it should.
Nausea has been a persistent companion this time, but thankfully it’s less severe than it was a few weeks ago. Without getting graphic, I’d estimate I’m throwing up less frequently now — maybe about 30% less — although I still find myself running to the bathroom several times a day. With Clara, the worst of it ended around 17 weeks, and I’ve recently passed that same marker this time, so I’m hopeful the queasiness will taper off soon and flip off like a switch the way it did before. For anyone dealing with pregnancy sickness, I appreciate all the tips and suggestions — I’ve tried many of them. Not all work, but it’s been helpful and comforting to read so many different ideas and to know I’m not alone.
We’re also waiting to find out the baby’s sex. Because the office was closed for Thanksgiving we had to postpone the anatomy scan, so we’ll learn more in early December. As soon as we know (and after we tell family and friends), we can’t wait to share the news with you and start thinking about the nursery. Just imagining planning the new space gets me excited. This little one has a reputation for being uncooperative during scans — I’ve done jumping jacks, rolled around on the table, and even dashed down the hallway to try to get the techs a clear view. Sometimes none of it works right away, but we’ve always left with the answers we needed in the end, so I’m optimistic the bun will cooperate soon enough.
That’s the latest on this pregnancy journey. Thank you for checking in, for sharing nausea remedies, and for sending so many kind messages — they genuinely mean a lot. It’s a special thing to feel a growing life inside you, and when doubt or worry creeps in, it helps to remember how many people are rooting for us. I’m grateful for your support and excited to keep you posted as we move forward.