While there are, of course, things I wish I had done when I was pregnant, there are also a few things I'm so glad I did do:
Bought a maternity bathing suit. I wore a regular one for a while, then (when it clearly wasn't going to cut it anymore) splurged on a mat suit. Ok, I might still have looked funny, with my bowling ball belly and relative chicken legs, but it didn't matter. Swimming felt great, so whatever I spent on the bathing suit was worth it.
Got a wedge. Remember my little triangle shaped pillow? I wedged it under my belly when I slept and it made a world of difference. It also wasn't as big as those giant body pillows, so it wasn't like having an extra person in bed.
Read as much as I could. And I don't mean reading about pregnancy or parenting. I mean reading for fun. I know you're like me and love to read. I don't know when I'll next have the chance to read for as long as I want without interruptions, so enjoy it.
Stayed active. I found it hard when I felt sick (which made me feel a bit guilty) but it felt so good once I was feeling better. I think staying active helped me feel good right until Jack was born. Walking and swimming were some of my favorites, but I was willing to try most things (though I never pushed it too hard).
Travelled. Even if we didn't go that far, we did try to get away as many times as we could. We visited home, danced at a wedding, hiked and kayaked in Jasper, canoed in Waterton, floated in Nelson, and listened to jazz on the beach in Kaslo. I know I will have wonderful memories of trips we take as a family of 3 (and more), but I'm so glad we'll also have so many memories of the last time it would ever be just the two of us.
Did my best not to worry too much. It's hard -- everything is new and unknown, but I reminded myself that no amount of worry was going to make sure my baby was healthy. Instead, I did my best to enjoy pregnancy and have faith everything would work out.
Admired. Right now, if I take my eyes off Jack for even 10 seconds, it's a disaster. No joke. I know he will get more independent and steadier (and maybe less terrifying?), but I know the next time I'm pregnant, a lot of my energy will still be devoted to my monkey of a boy. So I feel so lucky I was able to spend as much time as I did admiring the miracle that pregnancy is. I took notice every time he moved. I rubbed my belly. I sat, staring in wonder, many many times.
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