When my boyfriend and I decided to have kids, we didn’t realize we would get pregnant almost immediately. I’m 35, and most of my friends (who haven’t already had kids) are having difficulties getting pregnant, so I am beyond grateful to have conceived so easily and without complications thus far!
A Whole New Gig
Pregnancy and raising children have always been a bit of mystery to me, because I wasn’t raised with any siblings, cousins, or extended family. So as soon as that blue line turned up on the stick, I went into full-blown nerd-mode. I started Googling, reading, and watching everything I could about this foreign experience.
Being pregnant has already taught me how to let go of being such a control freak, because my body knows exactly what to do without my input. I am now in complete awe of this natural life process and am letting go of everything I thought I knew before. It’s been so much fun watching every little change in my body, and every milestone in the baby’s development, that I kind of feel like a science experiment!
All joking aside, my first trimester was HARD. At six weeks, morning sickness kicked in, and I felt like I was hit by a bus. After two ER visits and barely being able eat or move for weeks I was finally diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum — a fancy medical term for debilitating morning sickness. I’ve always been a very healthy person and this was a shock for me. Even though my friends and family rallied around to support me, it was hard not to feel isolated at times and unsure of my ability to be a parent. “If I can’t handle this, how am I going to be a Mom?” I thought. Being forced to shut down and slow down gave me a lot of time to reassess my lifestyle and how I would need to create more of a balance. I tend to be a super-overachiever but now I just want to take a back seat and focus on raising a healthy, happy son.
When the morning sickness cleared at 16 weeks, I felt like a new person. A lot of good insights came out of that tough time, and I appreciate how much my support system has evolved and grown incredibly strong. I developed even deeper bonds with my friends who have children, and now I get to share a whole new experience with them, one that I didn’t even realize I was missing out on. Three of my best friends are also pregnant for the first time, and we’ve been having a blast laughing at ourselves and all the crazy changes we are going through.
The best part of all is that my boyfriend has risen to superman status in my eyes. I am in awe of how unbelievably helpful, knowledgeable, and loving he has been. He really is my #parentgoals and has been my best friend through it all: cooking, cleaning, taking care of me while I was sick, and reassuring me that everything is okay. We even managed to squeeze in a babymoon in Maui to celebrate.
I’m not sure how I’m going to continue balancing two careers, running a small business, traveling, and having a social life with a baby, but I’m really looking forward to the new adventure. In order to make my healthy pregnancy a priority, I’m working less hours at the law firm and only modeling for maternity lines. I exercise when I can and don’t beat myself up when I can’t.
Overall, I cannot wait to meet this little person growing inside me, and I’m fully present in the day-to-day flow.
To keep up with Jesyka, check out her lifestyle blog: https://limitlesslifebyjes.com
Guest Writer — Jesyka Harris
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