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Baby Hints & Tips

Baby Steps: The Last Seven Kilometres

Every year, in October, my brother and whoever is game enough to join us do an all day hike from Sutherland to Wollongong through the Royal National Park. I say all day hike as it will normally start around 9am and end anywhere from 5-7 pm…Depending on how many stops we take. This year I am unable to make this adventure due to my enormous belly that keeps on growing and the swelling ankles forming down where my feet used to be. 

Although I am not participating in this annual fun, draining, 30k hike…I still feel like I am pushing for the end of the trail. Every day I am exhausted, dehydrated, bloated, hungry and just full on emotional (all common traits of mine when I participate in the hike). 

The first year we completed the challenge, well actually before we completed it: we got to what my brother called the end (he lied)!!! It was a big hill, leading into a rainforest. It looked easy enough. Once we got into the rainforest however; it was steep, cold, dark and draining. There was nowhere to stop. It was endless. If I had known how much worse it was going to be up ahead I would of thanked my lucky stars and appreciated how good I had it right then and there. We got to the top; eventually. The point in which my brother had previously stated would be the end (he lied remember?). Our destination however was to be Otford…the sign proudly stated 7kms to Otford. If the last part of the hike we did was never ending, then I don’t know how to explain this. It was easier as it was just a flat trail, but it meant I was dragging my feet, stumbling as I had less concentration on where to place my feet…endlessly wishing for the end. My feet had swollen up and I felt dizzy to the point of collapsing. I just kept focusing on the finishing line. Taking deep breaths, placing one foot after the other. 

We got to the finish line: eventually. It didn’t seem possible, I couldn’t believe I had made those last 7kms let alone the whole 30kms. When I saw the car, I ran as fast as my legs would stumble with tears streaming down my face. I was an emotional wreck. It is amazing what the body can do when you put your mind to it. 

My point here is that I am 33 weeks pregnant…that’s 7 weeks till my baby gets to experience this beautiful world. And that means I am currently on my last 7kms. The trek to here was hard: I’m not going to lie. Getting up that “rainforest” was hard work…and now that I’m on the trail to Otford, I am working on a steady pace. It’s an endless road that is draining me, I’m stumbling and dragging my feet one after the other counting down to the finish line. 

Although I have disliked pregnancy pretty much up until now, this is the part I am enjoying the most. I think it’s due to the fact that I know there really is a finish line, that Otford is only 7kms (7 weeks) away. If I got there on the hike, I can surely get to the finish line at the hospital, even if I have to run as fast as my stumbling legs will take me. Tears will be included I am sure!

Let me introduce myself…

Hello to all you current and future mummy’s and daddy’s out there! My name is Louise, I’m 23 years old and my Dr advised me a few years back that there’s a chance I may never be able to fall pregnant…Yet here I am, writing to you about my experiences and almost ready to pop!

I’m aiming to provide you all with an honest approach to how pregnancy has affected me and updates on how I am coping as a first time mum.

I will start by being completely honest with you right now: I am absolutely, positively petrified. I feel like I am being pulled into uncharted waters by a tidal wave with no return…I think the part terrifying me the most is I have no other close friends around me even ready to start a relationship let alone a family for support, my parents just moved a good four hours away as part of their dream retirement plan and my partner works 7 days a week to ensure we have everything we need. It’s an overwhelming future (not to mention the raging pregnancy hormones I’m experiencing!)

So in preparation: I’ve read all the books, asked the hard and sometimes silly questions to everyone and anyone-including all you lovely people here on BH&T, I’ve been to the pregnancy classes…even looked up birthing videos (although I’m not sure if they helped or made the situation worse)…but nothing can really prepare you for the rollercoaster of pregnancy: and I’m informed that it’s only going to get harder once my baby arrives!

But at the same time I can happily say that I am utterly delighted to be blessed with this beautiful gift of bringing a child into this world; especially when I was told it may never happen, the chance to form new friendships with other mummy’s and the gift of starting a new way of life for my soon to be family of three (or five if you count the dogs!)

I can only hope that what I share here, you can relate to personally or can even help you out with what I find works or doesn’t work…even if it’s just one person: I’d be happy with that. I would of loved for someone to tell me prior to falling pregnant that I would need to wear liners for the next 9 months: but that was just one interesting fact I discovered the hard way…I guess it all comes down to baby steps. At least I’ll know for next time!!!

 

Louise

Who is Louise? I’m a first time mum to my beautiful little Tessa. Every day I excitedly look forward to her smiles and developments while trying to hold it together as a single parent. I’m here to let you know how I’m honestly handling this scary but amazing life changing new direction in life. I’m hoping you can all relate and I’m not just going crazy! To see all of Louise’s articles, click here.

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