Hello my reader,
When back in the end of July 2012 I hardly could go up and down of city stairs during the shoot I wouldn't even imagine that was due my pregnancy. I felt very disappointed about my body condition. It was around 6-7 months since we were back from Mauritius to Armenia, and just before our departure we hiked a mountain and I have been in a wonderful shape, didn't even get tired! So it was very disappointing for me realizing I can't go up and down some 100 stairs just after some 6 months. But the reason was not in my body condition but in my new yet undiscovered pregnancy.
Learning we are expecting a little one was a life-changing in our relationship. That was a new beginning, a blank canvas, a wonderful light to start with again. I believe it doesn't matter how long or short you are together with your partner, just as marriage changes a lot in your life, expecting an addition is even bigger change in your relations and another opportunity to work it out. So after 10 years being together it was really necessary to change something in our relations - and the miracle happened!
When I learned about my pregnancy one of the first things I did was to get an appointment with a doctor to confirm the pregnancy, do an ultrasound and get advises how to step to this new path of my life. Don't delay it so that you know you and your baby are safe and have the right guidelines. It was nice having a doctor who is not freaking out of everything, she instructed me with proper nutrition information and advised to continue living as usual. That was good, like really good. I was happy not to suffer from nausea, just the first 3 months I had mild nausea, which didn't really cause me much disturbance as it was not constant.
Somehow I always felt I will become a mother when I am 25, but you are never ready until you discover it. I remember the very 1st reaction of mine when I saw 2 stripes on pregnancy test. The 1st image which came to my head without even thinking were little tiny hands of a baby girl in my hands. It is very mysterious though, as I didn't know the sex yet. And then I cried of happiness. I remember how emotive and full of unexpected joy we were both filled with my husband when I told him the news under my dad's cherry tree. When Michelle grows up I will tell her the story.
I very well remember how proud I felt being a "mom", it is strange but I kind of felt privileged when I was thinking of women who still/yet don't want kids. Not to mention that I was one of them short while ago. really life changing. I always loved kids, but was very responsible on this topic, as a result never feeling ready. But once you are in - you are automatically ready. At least it worked for me!
Emotions: As the pregnancy progressed I started turning more and more emotive, but also tried to work on my stable emotional level. When you live it you believe it, so I tried to ignore all the negative, well all which is possible to ignore, and be light on the rest. I didn't want to thing once I am pregnant I shouldn't do this or that. Many people are treating pregnant women as ill, but that's not really fair. You have to be active, emotionally stable and social to pass a successful pregnancy. So I tried to live like my regular lifestyle, at least as much as possible.
That was pretty successful until I entered my 3rd trimester. That is when you REALIZE you are pregnant. Seriously! Before the 3rd trimester I didn't even bother myself to get maternity cloths, but once I crossed the line my belly started growing week by week, and then day by day! That is when you start losing control of your body and can't recognize it.
Try to develop a strong stable emotive condition, think about your baby. If you are happy, or at least not nervous, she/he will be too and grow nicely. That is absolutely possible! Stay away from stress, even if you are surrounded by it, close your eyes on all, isolate from that - revenge will wait :) Now it is your time, you are a miracle, carrying a miracle. 2 hearts in 1 body.
Be ready: to experience feeling like 150kg even if you are just around 65! extreme uncomfortable sleep, you will get a "comfortable" position surrounded with supportive pillows and won't move the entire night as it is way too challenging moving to another position. I had severe pain under by belly, just where my legs join my upper part, when I was not moving (sleeping, sitting long time), and you can't do anything about it. Another issue which hit me was leg muscle stretching as a result of sleeping in 1 position. I could wake up screaming from pain and Arsen would hold my leg high in the air, massaging long so that I could return to normal position. But that was in the very end of the pregnancy. For this second issue thankfully there was a solution. My doctor made me take magnesium, which helped pretty much.
Food: I didn't really experienced much cravings like I used to read pregnant woman have. I can only link I craved for some Mauritian avocados on 2nd month, somewhere there I wanted creme brulee, which I didn't east, and once I craves for bbq potatoes and literally ate amount I never though I could eat. But that was a single time thing. I didn't need to eat at nights too, probably I am lucky.
Strange things with eggs. I am not really an egg lover, but on my 2nd trimester I couldn't live without eggs in the mornings: eggs Benedict, scrambled, boiled, sunny - you name it! and then I read it was essential for that part of pregnancy. Body was craving what it needed!
Please don't follow the unhealthy and old belief that once you are pregnant you have to eat for 2! That is a complete disaster and not healthy for you and your baby. In fact once he/she is normal developed size you just need 300 calories more. That is all, stay healthy and light!
If you are gaining much weight, don't stress about it much too, that might be simply a case of hormones you can't do anything about. It's just a period, not your whole life, take it easy and you will turn to your comfortable weight after your baby is a bit big. Try to eat healthy, including lot's of greens, vegetables, fruits,dairy products, lean meat and LIQUIDS! better just water. being hydrated is essential. Have healthy snacks in forms of fresh fruits or nuts. Don't sit on junk food!
I will be doing a post on pregnancy fashion/how to dress to keep the mood on in a separate post so that I don't mix too many topics together. Just as an advice: spoil yourself frequently to keep the mood high: go to beauty salon, movie, theater, shopping. Even when shopping for your little one it will make your day! believe me! Enjoy evening outs as long as you are 1 body, you won't have that luxary in the first time when your baby is born. Also plan romantic and intimate evenings with your partner and enjoy the wonderful time in your life. Share your fears, emotions or simply the day with him. If he is not around try to be social and surrounded with people caring for you.
On this note I will just upload the rest of my pregnancy progress shown in pictures and the timeline written in captions.
We welcomed our daughter on April 1, 2013, after 17 hour of labor.
If I missed something, please let me know and I will try to cover that. I will be most happy to answer all your questions based on my experience.
I wish you to have a wonderful time today, make something good for someone.
Love, Emma
When back in the end of July 2012 I hardly could go up and down of city stairs during the shoot I wouldn't even imagine that was due my pregnancy. I felt very disappointed about my body condition. It was around 6-7 months since we were back from Mauritius to Armenia, and just before our departure we hiked a mountain and I have been in a wonderful shape, didn't even get tired! So it was very disappointing for me realizing I can't go up and down some 100 stairs just after some 6 months. But the reason was not in my body condition but in my new yet undiscovered pregnancy.
 |
| 14.5 week, 1st real ultrasound - and we already know it is a girl |
Learning we are expecting a little one was a life-changing in our relationship. That was a new beginning, a blank canvas, a wonderful light to start with again. I believe it doesn't matter how long or short you are together with your partner, just as marriage changes a lot in your life, expecting an addition is even bigger change in your relations and another opportunity to work it out. So after 10 years being together it was really necessary to change something in our relations - and the miracle happened!
 |
| 11 weeks pregnant, Arsen's brother's wedding |
When I learned about my pregnancy one of the first things I did was to get an appointment with a doctor to confirm the pregnancy, do an ultrasound and get advises how to step to this new path of my life. Don't delay it so that you know you and your baby are safe and have the right guidelines. It was nice having a doctor who is not freaking out of everything, she instructed me with proper nutrition information and advised to continue living as usual. That was good, like really good. I was happy not to suffer from nausea, just the first 3 months I had mild nausea, which didn't really cause me much disturbance as it was not constant.
Somehow I always felt I will become a mother when I am 25, but you are never ready until you discover it. I remember the very 1st reaction of mine when I saw 2 stripes on pregnancy test. The 1st image which came to my head without even thinking were little tiny hands of a baby girl in my hands. It is very mysterious though, as I didn't know the sex yet. And then I cried of happiness. I remember how emotive and full of unexpected joy we were both filled with my husband when I told him the news under my dad's cherry tree. When Michelle grows up I will tell her the story.
I very well remember how proud I felt being a "mom", it is strange but I kind of felt privileged when I was thinking of women who still/yet don't want kids. Not to mention that I was one of them short while ago. really life changing. I always loved kids, but was very responsible on this topic, as a result never feeling ready. But once you are in - you are automatically ready. At least it worked for me!
 |
| 15w 4d: being proud of my belly which is not even showing up normally |
Emotions: As the pregnancy progressed I started turning more and more emotive, but also tried to work on my stable emotional level. When you live it you believe it, so I tried to ignore all the negative, well all which is possible to ignore, and be light on the rest. I didn't want to thing once I am pregnant I shouldn't do this or that. Many people are treating pregnant women as ill, but that's not really fair. You have to be active, emotionally stable and social to pass a successful pregnancy. So I tried to live like my regular lifestyle, at least as much as possible.
 |
| 16w 3d: heading to my brother's b-day and trying to feel fabulous in new body! |
That was pretty successful until I entered my 3rd trimester. That is when you REALIZE you are pregnant. Seriously! Before the 3rd trimester I didn't even bother myself to get maternity cloths, but once I crossed the line my belly started growing week by week, and then day by day! That is when you start losing control of your body and can't recognize it.
Try to develop a strong stable emotive condition, think about your baby. If you are happy, or at least not nervous, she/he will be too and grow nicely. That is absolutely possible! Stay away from stress, even if you are surrounded by it, close your eyes on all, isolate from that - revenge will wait :) Now it is your time, you are a miracle, carrying a miracle. 2 hearts in 1 body.
Be ready: to experience feeling like 150kg even if you are just around 65! extreme uncomfortable sleep, you will get a "comfortable" position surrounded with supportive pillows and won't move the entire night as it is way too challenging moving to another position. I had severe pain under by belly, just where my legs join my upper part, when I was not moving (sleeping, sitting long time), and you can't do anything about it. Another issue which hit me was leg muscle stretching as a result of sleeping in 1 position. I could wake up screaming from pain and Arsen would hold my leg high in the air, massaging long so that I could return to normal position. But that was in the very end of the pregnancy. For this second issue thankfully there was a solution. My doctor made me take magnesium, which helped pretty much.
Food: I didn't really experienced much cravings like I used to read pregnant woman have. I can only link I craved for some Mauritian avocados on 2nd month, somewhere there I wanted creme brulee, which I didn't east, and once I craves for bbq potatoes and literally ate amount I never though I could eat. But that was a single time thing. I didn't need to eat at nights too, probably I am lucky.
Strange things with eggs. I am not really an egg lover, but on my 2nd trimester I couldn't live without eggs in the mornings: eggs Benedict, scrambled, boiled, sunny - you name it! and then I read it was essential for that part of pregnancy. Body was craving what it needed!
 |
| One of my healthy breakfasts: lightly beat 2 eggs, coarsely chop some cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, coriander and feta cheese. quickly stir fry the veggies, add the eggs and toss all together, add the cheese. Salt/pepper to test. Nutritious, fast, healty and yummy! |
Please don't follow the unhealthy and old belief that once you are pregnant you have to eat for 2! That is a complete disaster and not healthy for you and your baby. In fact once he/she is normal developed size you just need 300 calories more. That is all, stay healthy and light!
If you are gaining much weight, don't stress about it much too, that might be simply a case of hormones you can't do anything about. It's just a period, not your whole life, take it easy and you will turn to your comfortable weight after your baby is a bit big. Try to eat healthy, including lot's of greens, vegetables, fruits,dairy products, lean meat and LIQUIDS! better just water. being hydrated is essential. Have healthy snacks in forms of fresh fruits or nuts. Don't sit on junk food!
I will be doing a post on pregnancy fashion/how to dress to keep the mood on in a separate post so that I don't mix too many topics together. Just as an advice: spoil yourself frequently to keep the mood high: go to beauty salon, movie, theater, shopping. Even when shopping for your little one it will make your day! believe me! Enjoy evening outs as long as you are 1 body, you won't have that luxary in the first time when your baby is born. Also plan romantic and intimate evenings with your partner and enjoy the wonderful time in your life. Share your fears, emotions or simply the day with him. If he is not around try to be social and surrounded with people caring for you.
On this note I will just upload the rest of my pregnancy progress shown in pictures and the timeline written in captions.
 |
| 17 |
 |
| 18-2d |
 |
| 19-5d |
 |
| 20 |
 |
| 21-2 |
 |
| 21-4d |
 |
| 22-5 |
 |
| 22-5 |
 |
| 25-3 |
 |
| 26-5 |
 |
| 27 |
 |
| 27 |
 |
| 28-5 |
 |
| 34-2d |
 |
| 35-2 |
 |
| 36-7d |
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| 37-5 |
 |
| 39-3 |
 |
| 39-3 |
 |
| 39-3 |
 |
| 39-5 |
 |
| February 7 - clubbing |
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| March 20-clubbing |
If I missed something, please let me know and I will try to cover that. I will be most happy to answer all your questions based on my experience.
I wish you to have a wonderful time today, make something good for someone.
Love, Emma
