Suddenly, You Became My Everything

I feel like ultrasounds are what's always shown on media when it comes to pregnancy. There's lots of blood tests too! But today I thought to highlight the ultrasound process in NZ. And yes. You are encouraged to drink 1l of water before the scan for better visibility.

I get it. It's interesting to hear first time - but stop. Blogs, forums, people…. just no.

Alright. I'm sure people suffer with the super smelling/emotions and nose bleeding… but but I just wanted at least one of those… The fun I would've had… Or maybe just grass is greener on the other side!

Check govt page on Parental Leave to see how you're eligible! You have to work certain hours for a duration at the same place, and the rules change for self-employment too!

One does not simply walk into HR for Maternity Leave! If you're working - this means you need to tell your work as soon as possible to get that Maternity leave! You'll need your LMC's letter that states your due date, arm yourself with your legal entitlements, and of course, that amazing friend that supports you.

Yeah.... Nah. I certainly did NOT have that blessedlife I saw so much on social media! It was terrible! And especially when you're not showing. People brush off your tiredness or drowsiness as nothing... but it's really the first trimester where you suffer more! (In my experience) Then you also feel super guilty for not feeling lucky and blessed to be pregnant. I know some women keep their pregnancy secret until 12 weeks, and it would suck because you don't even have someone to complain how you woke up covered in sweat and you couldn't go back to sleep, or how you threw up non-stop! Morning sickness.... is an all-day sickness... If you're pregnant and you're going through trimester 1, remember it's okay to feel like "THIS SUCKS" it's okay to not be grateful for all this throwing up and getting indigestion. Or constipation. If you don't have anyone to complain about your pregnancy, DM me!

This is how you get a Midwife in NZ! There's been a severe shortage of Midwives in NZ due to low pay, little support and burn outs. If you're pregnant in NZ, finding midwife is your no'1 priority! In an ideal world, you should be able to choose the best Midwife for you without any compromises, and switch whenever you want! (I've had friends switch their midwives two weeks before birth) But you may not get someone you like. It's a fine balance of having the best care you deserve, versus what is available to you. There are no rights or wrongs, you do the best you can with what you have. DHB Community Midwife Team is amazing too. It just means you might not have the same midwife every visit, but honestly, it all depends! Best to look at reviews, and always. Always advocate for yourself and your baby. It's okay to change if you feel your LMC isn't looking after you. They're human too. My hard line was that my midwife would respect my decision and never pressure or push me. I wanted a birth in the hospital with allllll the painkillers. And to some people, this isn't for them. I respect that, but I needed my midwife to respect this and not judge or bully me into doing what they wanted me to do. Did/do you have a hard boundary about your birth?

MC: Lead Maternity Carer in NZ is a Midwife! They're your first go-to for non medical/doctor needs. They write your forms, organize tests, check your pregnancy progress, and of course, deliver your baby! So it's important to be choosy! I totally understand they're underpaid and it's a super stressful job, but at the same time as a mum, you can't afford to take chances. If you don't feel your midwife is giving you good care, you can always change anytime. I never became friends with my midwife, and sometimes she got my name wrong! But I think it honestly depends on the mum and the midwife. But remember! If you don't feel right, that's enough. And Midwives are human too! :) And yes they should definitely get pay rises!

Yeah... I was really looking forward to this craving thing... What was your craving? Or your mother's?

Yeah I thought I was unique... No. From Week 8 it was hell. And yes. If I suffer, so does my partner.

It can be hard to know what to do once you get pregnant! First step: GP! Medical talk: * The positive result you get in your pregnancy test is measured by increase in your hormones called hCG. However hCG also is found in some types of cancer. So the doctor needs to check whether you really are pregnant, and the test isn't something else that could mean something's gone wrong. (Like ectopic pregnancy) And yes. I have amazing veins and nurses and doctors love me. Yay!

Yeah... I didn't do very well.

Apparently according to my partner, he's could see I was nervous when I went into the bathroom. And he came back to get his jacket and could tell from my face. DAMMIT.

Let's discuss! It can be scary to open up these dialogues. What if you talk to them and find that they're completely opposite to what you want? But hey - it's best to know now than when another life is there. And of course - there will be situations you couldn't have thought of. Or when the baby is here and you change your mind. That's okay! Things I wished we talked deeply about: - We decided I will do bulk of the childcare and husband will help. We didn't discuss exactly what that would look like. Does that mean we will take turns in the mornings? What does help mean? Later we sat down and drew up what household chores we are in charge of and for how long. Things I didn't expect: How little sleep... I would get? There's really nothing one can do about this. Are there anything you wish you talked about before your kiddo arrived?

And of course - if you don't want to get pregnant, these tools will also help! ... but uhhh don't like reverse eating healthily! More info: BBT Thermometer. This can be normal thermometer but BBT just measures more accurately. You measure your temperature when you wake up. Start measuring and take note of patterns. You'll see an increase in temperature rises a small amount when you've ovulated. Ovulation kit: This is pretty handy. I used the app to tell me when I was ovulating, and used the kit to pinpoint it. App: I used Flo, but I'm sure there's other ones out there too.

Yeah... All those yelling and shouting in my teen life made me think it would be SO EASY to get pregnant. Welp. Not my body apparently! * Not saying it's hard to get pregnant for ALL people - just my body. Please practice safe sex! *

Margin... of... error. Oh god. I don't think I've ever drawn something this funny and sad at the same time. To think we thought we could plan and foresee what would happen.... Oh... sweet summer children...