Reflections on the last nine months

I have made a list of items to address in regards to my personal pregnancy experiences. I may not get to them all in one post, but I hope to get to each of them before the baby is born. Once he is born, who cares about being pregnant anymore!!

CLOTHES
I was officially diagnosed with my pregnancy on the first day of my holiday break: Monday December 22, 2008. As you can imagine, I got some clothes for Christmas (including a super comfortable pair of orange velour pants from Phillip). How naive I was then. I had no idea just how much my body was going to change. I actually wear those orange pants in most of my early "belly" pictures. Fortunately, due to consistent exercise at Curves over the past two years, I had lost enough weight to merit the purchases of smaller pants. Thank God, I hadn't thrown away my old pants.

I also benefited greatly from the generosity of friends and family. Tracey gave me a great skirt and the Belly Band (which came in very handy once my old pants started to hurt when I sat down). Kristi gave me shirts and jeans someone had mistakenly given her! Rachel sent me clothes (all the way from Indiana!) including a suit! Marion loaned me an entire box of clothes that included a swimsuit! I quickly grew out of all but one pair of her pants, that I have worn almost every day. Emily, once she was no longer pregnant :), sent me a box of clothes from Illinois. (another swim suit, dresses and fancy shirts!) Patty has given me a pair of jeans to wear once the baby comes and the softest purple shirt ever! I would not have survived without this support. I had to go out and buy very few items and I can't tell you what a lifesaver this love and generosity has been. At the end of this pregnancy, I was also the recipient of a giant bag full of GORGEOUS celebrity cast-off swag. I can't mention the celebrity, but a super great friend of mine was able to snag these cast offs and she passed them on to me. So now, when my friends get pregnant, I will have some cute clothes to also share!

UNDERWEAR
Where to start? Bras or panties?
First of all, it is a crying shame that Victoria's Secret does not carry maternity underwear. I can't express my disappointment in words. Second, when in less than a year, you get measured at VS and the first time, they try to tell you that you are LESS THAN and A cup! (I didn't even know that existed! Is it an A-?) and then six months later, you are a C cup, your life is changing. So I did have to buy all new bras. My old bras are in a box in my closet. I know that I won't need them for awhile, but when you have VS bras, you don't just chuck them when they don't fit anymore! I have even bought nursing bras and tank tops (but I got them from Target because Target cares about pregnant/nursing ladies).

And now undies... One of the first books I read was Jenny McCarthy's book Belly Laughs. (I got it from the library). In the book she talks about many things, but makes a point to mention her switch from thong underwear to granny panties. She is not specific about these being a certain brand of underwear of if they are maternity or not. This is the information I LONGED for! When my VS underwear of old started to hurt (yes! hurt! elastic is not my friend) I first bought bigger styles in my same size and some in the next larger size. Then as I went along, I bought some larger underwear from Target: Fruit of the Loom Hipsters. I picked hipsters because I thought they would fit well under my new belly. They have done all right. Then I broke down and went to Pea In The Pod and spent $18 on three pairs of maternity underwear. DO NOT DO THIS! Their quality totally stinks. One pair immediately ran (the elastic stitching came out) and they have a no return policy on underwear. I still use the other two, but their material is softer in a way that makes it ride, not sit smooth on your skin. If I ever hear of good underwear advice, I won't hesitate to pass it on, but as it stands, even today, one of my biggest pregnancy issues has been... underwear.