Our baby!!
So my husband and I have a BIG project that we’ve been working on and we’ve finally decided to share it online…. we’re expecting! The baby is due in May 2010, a time which seems to be hurtling towards us at the speed of light.
It’s been a rough three months. I’ve been completely exhausted, which is why I’ve totally been falling behind in the work that I normally do in the evenings: email, blogging, writing, planning presentations, writing up documents for work, household chores, etc. However, I’m starting to get my energy back and I’ve regained a few more hours each day. I was also completely food averse for the first trimester. Nothing was appealing (much to my nutritionist’s dismay). However, I’ve turned a corner and now alternate between food aversion and being absolutely ravenous, so we’re moving in a good direction!
The baby apparently knew that John and I both keep an academic schedule, so it conveniently planned to arrive around spring exams, making maternity leave fit neatly over the summer months. I’ll be back at work in August. I won’t be leaving the professional conversations online and elsewhere, though I suspect I won’t be all that engaged while I’m away from the office learning about this new person in our lives and the role I’ll be planing. I’m starting to target my professional involvement a bit more and saying no to a lot more than I typically would. I figure as I get the hang of things, I can ramp back up as appropriate.
We’re super happy, excited, and a bit overwhelmed about this next step, but mostly excited. And I’m really excited to finally be able to share the news with you.
So the FAQs I’ve getting from folks In Real Life:
- What’s the website?
We don’t have one. For some reason, John and I are decidedly low tech in just a few areas of our lives. At this point we haven’t really talked about having a website for the process or the baby, opting for emails instead. There will probably be a lot of photos on Flickr and posts on Facebook, though. - Does that mean you’ll blog about it here?
Probably not, unless the posts are about balancing work and family, or something else library related. Though, you might be in for an occasional cute picture if I can’t resist. - Will/can you be vegan throughout the pregnancy?
If I can put on enough weight and take the regular supplements, apparently! I’m seeing a nutritionist once a month, and she feels totally fine about it. My doctor does, too. If I can’t gain weight fast enough (and they want me to gain A LOT) then I’ll probably have to figure out how to incorporate eggs and/or dairy. And I’ll happily do it if that’s what I need to do. I just want to avoid it if I can. (I’ve already broken the vegan rules a few times with baked goods.) - What conferences will you be going to?
I’ll be at Midwinter 2010 and Midwinter 2011. I’ll probably miss any of the big conferences between then. There’s a chance I might do a local one before March. Other than that, probably best to wait and see how things are going.
Congratulations, Lauren! That’s wonderful news. All the best to you and your growing family.
Congratulations! I had the same thing in the first trimester — the only things I could stomach eating were crackers and potatoes. I didn’t even like sweets, which is bizarre for me. Later on, I became ravenous. Good luck on staying vegan — I’ve never been a big meat eater, but I wanted it all the time when I was pregnant. I ate a hamburger for the first time in about 15 years and couldn’t get enough of them. But you never know what your cravings will be for — could be hummus or bean burritos or something! Your body will tell you what it needs to keep that baby happy and healthy.
Good luck to you and your husband. It’s been without a doubt the most stressful experience of my life and it turns everything in your world upside down, but it’s so worth it. Babies are amazing and it’s so much fun to watch them grow and develop a personality and new skills every day.
Love it. Congratulations!
Hey, congratulations!
Congratulations!!! It’s a wonderful and life-changing event.
Congrats!!! I’m so very happy for you! Sorry your first 3 months were rough but glad you see light at the end of the first trimester tunnel. I fell off the vegan wagon after a bit when I became really adverse to soy and then diabetic in the last few months…
Let me know when/if you are in the Triangle area. I’d love to get together!
Take care and happy pregnancy!
Thanks Megan, Meredith, Sarah, Paul, Samantha, and Brandi!
Meredith, I’m sorry your first wasn’t too fun either, but it’s nice to know I was in good company. And eating is even more fun than before now.
I’m watching for cravings. So far nothing animalish, but I’m certainly not going to be fanatical about it if I do start feeling that way. If I have to, I hope to crave eggs or something, though. 
Brandi, oh my, it sounds like some crazy food issues for the last few months! I keep wondering if I’m going to develop something just because I’m eating more food than normal lately, which also means more soy. We’ll see…. I actually am going to be going to the Triangle a bunch over the next few months. I’ll Facebook you to see if any of the times would make sense. It’d be fun to get together!
Congratulations, Lauren!! Fantastic news! How exciting for both of you!!! Wishing you all the best for a smooth pregnancy!
Congrats! Welcome to the library mom club. I seriously want to start a library moms blog. I hope the ms gets better. Feel free to contact me for tips, support, etc. I still have it 2 years later.
I’m so happy for you! P.S. I have tons of baby stuff if you ever make it to Charlotte.
Thanks so much, Mary and Lori!
& Lori, I’ll let you know if I make it to Charlotte sometime soon.
I’m sorry to hear about the ms lasting so long…. I’m not exactly myself yet, but I expected that at this phase… it never occurred to me that it might go on for so long. You might be onto something with the library moms blog idea… 
Congrats x 2 for the upcoming baby and for staying vegan!
Thanks, William!
Wonderful news! I am so glad you survived the first semester. I thought that three months were the worst, the barfing and the tiredness and the secrecy. By then end, when you were feeling better, people were nice to you and helped you with things like doors, but you really needed the help more at the beginning.
Good luck! All of your readers are cheering for all three of you…!
Thanks, Suzanne! That’s exactly the weird thing about the first trimester! You put it much more succinctly.
Congratulations Lauren! I’m so happy for you. I’m glad you survived your first trimester, I hope its smooth sailing from here on out.
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