Just a few short weeks after getting offered the head cross country coach position Jer and I found out we were expecting our first kiddo. Baby Daum is scheduled to arrive March 26, 2015!
I started feeling awful on my runs late in the summer. My body was working overtime. Trying to go 7:40 pace for an easy run seemed like a hard workout or even an all out race effort depending on the day. To add to my easy runs feeling absolutely miserable, I got struck with a bad case of morning sickness. Once I realized it was due to pregnancy I pulled back on the training. Feeling the worst I’ve ever felt on easy runs alone, along with the constant fear of miscarriage, I decided I’d wise up and take it easy; at least until I made it out of the first trimester and started feeling a little better.
The morning sickness, or constant all day sickness as it ended up being, went away after 10 weeks. By this point the easy run pace went from 9:00min/mile pace down to 8:30’s and even low 8:00’s on the good days. Fast forward another 13 weeks and I am 23 weeks pregnant! I’m still feeling pretty exhausted in the afternoons and the past four weeks my lower abdomen has been painfully sore from the expanding ligaments. I was running in the mid 20’s for mileage, but it’s been a little lower recently. I’ve been good about getting in core and I’ll ride the bike with Jer on some of his afternoon runs, but I think the notion of me getting in 40-50 miles a week (roughly half the mileage I had been doing) like I originally thought I’d be able to do is out the window. I know a lot of women out there who can do it, but having gone through the first half of this pregnancy I wholeheartedly believe that everyone is going to be different along with every pregnancy being different. I just have to do what feels the best for my body, even if that changes on a daily basis. A few days ago I was able to get in 5.5miles at sub 8 pace, but then the next day I couldn’t take more than three steps at the start of the run because my lower abdomen ached so bad I literally couldn’t go any farther. Hopefully the next go around I’ll be able to get in a little more running as I do miss it a ton!!
There have been some positives with this pregnancy though, even if i can’t train like I hoped. At around 16 weeks I was able to feel Nugs (short for Nugget) kick for the first time. I can’t begin to describe how incredible of a feeling it is was. Nugs has only gotten stronger with each passing day and Jer was even able to feel a kick during week 17! Now at 23 weeks it’s like Nugs is trying to get out! The kicks are so strong and I feel multiple ones at the same time. It is absolutely the most amazing feeling in the world.
My apologies for the long winded post, but for those that have managed to get to this part of it I’ll tell you that we found out a few weeks ago we’re having a baby girl! We’re working on a name. So far we have Something Something Daum. I know, a ton of progress, but we’re trying! Jer is pretty excited about the gender. It’s actually pretty funny because for years Jer vowed he would NEVER have a girl, mainly because he only has brothers and said he would have no idea how to raise one. Maybe he changed his mind once he realized she will probably end up being daddy’s girl.
Jer has been the absolute best since day one of finding out we were expecting. I’m so very lucky. I think I’ve also beaten most of the stereotypes (so far) too. I already had super weird food cravings before, so that really hasn’t changed. I honestly think I’ve gotten less moody since getting pregnant....too tired to complain maybe? Or maybe it’s finally sinking in how fortunate I’ve been to have such a wonderful partner in my life. I do miss coffee a bunch, but hot chocolate and decaf have helped. I’m not going to lie, I do miss my margaritas and cucumber saketini’s too, but lime slushes and putting lime on half of my meals has been a surprisingly effective replacement. Oh, also Jimmy John’s! I used to get the Vito once every two weeks, but you’re supposed to heat up deli meat before eating it (listeria is a big concern for pregnant peeps), and when I did heat up the meat it tasted NOTHING like the sandwich I’m used to getting. Oh wellsies. Small prices to pay to say the least.
Anyways, that’s the update on our biggest life event to date. I’m going to attempt to do better about updating bimonthly on how Nugs and I are doing. Until then, happy running to those that can :)
Here are some progression photos of the bump thus far!
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| ~17 weeks |
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| ~18 weeks |
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| ~20 weeks |
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| ~22 weeks |
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| ~23 Weeks |
