Month 4-5

I am almost halfway through this pregnancy and I cannot believe it. It is flying! I am huge. I am eating enough for 6 adults.

I've had several of the same questions about this pregnancy, so I thought I'd answer a few of them, let me know if you have others I missed.

Nursing while pregnant. Really?
-Not something I ever thought I'd do, or ever thought I would have to think about doing. I committed to nursing Ruthie until she was a year old and found out I was pregnant when she was about 9 months old. I won't lie, it is hard. Really hard. I'm not sure if it is the pregnancy exhaustion and that makes it so much harder, but it is exhausting. Around 10 months, I dropped an afternoon feeding, and we were just nursing 3 times a day, which was much more bearable. I had some formula we got when she was born and tried giving her that just in case she needed more milk, but she absolutely hated it and would have NOTHING to do with it. About 11 months old, I dropped the mid day feeding and was just doing morning and night. It was so much easier. Still exhausting, but not as bad. Mid way through her 11th month, I started mixing formula with whole milk and she loved it. We made it to just shy of her birthday before she was completely on whole milk. I absolutely love it. It is a very nice break, and since my break will probably only be a few months I'm really enjoying the freedom weaning has brought me and our family.

Planned or Surprise?
-I'm going to go with surprise. We knew we wanted to have more kids, and were hoping sometime this year I would get pregnant. We didn't think it could happen when it did. After the surprise wore off, we were both really excited and grateful. We know so many people who have struggled to have children and would never take for granted that I was able to get pregnant so quickly and when I didn't think I could yet.

What are the biggest differences between this pregnancy and the last?
-I haven't thrown up once. Absolutely amazing. I've felt sick and exhausted, but not throwing up is my badge of honor! Plus, I'm so much bigger this time, and eating so much more and much more that is so bad for you. Thinking about some of the things I'm eating grosses me out, but I have absolutely no problem eating them. weird!

Where is the new baby going to go?
-TBD. Really we have no idea. It really depends (I guess) if its a boy or a girl. We think that the baby will stay in our room in the pack n play probably for the first 6 months or so. This will be a big change for us as Ruthie was in her room and in her crib from the very first day she came home for all her naps and nighttime. I'm hoping by the time this baby is 6 months old, Ruthie will be able to go into a big girl bed (or a toddler bed) and we won't have to buy a crib (I really can't stand the thought of that). If its a girl, we're thinking they'll share a room. If its a boy (which I'm convinced it is), I have no idea. We've got time.

One thing we laugh about is that with Ruthie every detail of her nursery was planned out and this baby isn't going to even have a nursery! It will be loved just as much, but just won't have its own room starting out.

I think those are the questions I've gotten the most, ask away if you've got others!