I saw my midwives on Monday; they're all great, but I lucked out and got my favorite, Helene, who attended Daniel's birth. Because my midwifery group is connected to a federally-funded public clinic, there were many tests to undergo and much paperwork to fill out. I came home with a sheaf of pamphlets; I browsed through them Monday evening. Patrick looked over at what I was doing and asked, "So, has anything changed since last time?"
That question got me thinking about how different an experience things are this time around, especially as compared with the first time. Here's some high contrast for you:
Then:
In 1993, I was 26 and pregnant with our first child, Christian.
Now:
I'm 41 and pregnant with our sixth. We haven't yet found out the baby's sex.
Then:
I went to the doctor immediately upon finding out I was pregnant--at barely 4 weeks.
Now:
I put off going to the midwives until after the holidays were well and truly over--at about 20 weeks.
Then:
I obsessively read any and all literature on pregnancy and childbirth, especially What to Expect When You're Expecting.
Now:
What to Expect is on my list of Ten Least Favorite Books Ever. When the nurse handed me my bundle of pamphlets the other day, she said, "Here. But you probably know all of this already."
Then:
I had considerable trouble gaining weight.
Now:
I am gaining weight with, um, grace and ease. (Seriously: I'm right on track; all is well.)
Then:
I couldn't wait for my pregnancy to show so that I could wear cute maternity clothes.
Now:
My pregnancy showed much earlier than I would have thought possible; most maternity clothes look too improbably twee to consider wearing at my age. So far, I'm mostly making do with my usual uniform.
Then:
I worked 60 hours per week at a high-profile investment bank in Manhattan.
Now:
I work 112+ hours per week at the best (but lowest-paying) job in the world.
Then:
I slept in until noon on Saturdays.
Now:
I sleep in until 7:00 a.m. on Saturdays.
Then:
I craved the following sandwich: scrambled eggs and cheese with butter, salt, and pepper on a soft roll. I had one nearly every day. I also craved white cheddar popcorn, Orangina, and mint chip ice cream.
Now:
I crave grapefruit juice, cold cereal, and juicy, medium-rare cheeseburgers.
Then:
I was terribly nauseated for months, then dealt with premature separation of the pelvis near the end.
Now:
No nausea at all. We'll see how it goes with the ol' pelvis, but so far, so good.
Then:
Patrick and I took a three-week trip to Paris, the Loire Valley, and Switzerland. Pure heaven.
Now:
We're planning a five-day, kid-free fling in London and Bath in April. Can't wait.
Then and now:
I have a super-mega-bionic sense of smell. Believe me, this is not a gift.
My talent for napping serves me well.
I'm thrilled beyond words to meet the new person who will be joining our family.