Charlotte is mum-to-be of the month!
14 October 2019
Hi Charlotte! First of all, congratulations on being Mum-to-Be of the month! Tell me a little bit about you.
Thank you very much for choosing me to be Mum-to-Be of the month!
This is our first (and the plan is only!) baby. We live in Quorn. I am a teacher, mainly working from home now, offering private tuition. We love travelling and good food.
How many weeks are you now and how are you feeling?
I am 26 weeks pregnant. Everything is going really well but I am struggling a bit with dizziness and fatigue at times. It suddenly feels like there’s not long left to go so we’re feeling excited (and nervous!) about baby arriving.
What aspects of pregnancy are you enjoying?
Superficially speaking, my skin, hair and nails have been amazingly healthy-looking during my pregnancy!
On a deeper level, I did experience some anxiety about becoming pregnant before it happened and I had spent a long time considering whether it would be right for me. I feel very excited and grateful that it has happened. I am amazed at how the body reassures the mind that it is all ok and I have not found the pregnancy as daunting as I had worried it might have been.
My husband, Chris, is incredibly excited and he is already doing an exceptional job of looking after baby and me. Very soppy but I am loving how special he makes us feel!
And the not-such-fun bits?
Staying fit, healthy and active during my pregnancy was very important to me and I was determined that I would continue throughout. However it soon became apparent that my body had other ideas! From around week six to week sixteen, I couldn’t bear the smell of most vegetables or meat and I felt like I could only stomach toast or cereal, neither of which I would usually eat regularly! It felt a real slog to eat a healthy meal.
The dizziness and fatigue have hugely impeded my ability to exercise as often or as intensively as I had intended. I have found this frustrating - like my body isn’t my own and that its performance is out of my control. I am realising I need to listen to it and go with what feels right for me each day and I’m gradually feeling more relaxed about this.
What’s your favourite pregnancy gadget?
I don’t have many but now that The Bump is growing, I have invested in a Dream Genii pregnancy support pillow which is helping me to maintain a comfortable side sleeping position.
Not a gadget but French Children Don’t Throw Food by Pamela Druckerman is a great read about bringing up babies.
You have been doing your pregnancy fitness with me but have you always been super-active? What’s your fitness passion?
Yes, I love going to the gym. I love resistance training and I do force myself to do cardio - usually spin classes - a couple of times a weeks too. I have joint hypermobility so it is very important that I regularly train to maintain strength and stability. I was really into Crossfit until a year ago but I had a fall from a bar during a WOD in which I broke both of my wrists. Not that Crossfit was to blame at all but I decided that the pace and competitive nature of it mean it’s not the sport for me and my still-recovering wrists. Since then, I have found a love of yoga, which has really helped me develop strength and mobility through my wrists. Yoga has also been a lovely gentle exercise and relaxation time for me during pregnancy. I love your Fit4Birth Pilates classes for the work out and the social side!
Are you into healthy eating? What’s your all-time favourite dish?
Yes, I love a quick and easy chicken or salmon salad during the summer! We probably have more stir-fries during the winter. I love Italian food too for a treat.
How do you find combining pregnancy with work?
This has been the perfect time to begin working for myself and to explore alternatives to the ‘9-5’ (which every teacher knows is nothing like 9-5!). I am really enjoying the work life balance I’m now achieving and I love having more choice and control over the work I do. I absolutely love teaching 1:1! Working in this way also feels far more sustainable for when I am ready to return to work after maternity. It is lovely to have the time to rest when I feel I need to and to make preparations for having the baby.
And what about the birth? Thinking about it or a case of bury your head in the sand?
I am having an elective Caesarean section due to my own feelings of anxiety around giving birth naturally. I’m preparing with relaxation techniques but also trying not to overthink it.
We all need a bit of “me time” when we’re mums. What do you hope yours will be?
I do love a bit of time to myself for pampering so I’m hoping someone will come and hold baby for a little while so that I can have a bit of time for that every now and then. I can’t wait to start exercising again as soon as I’m ready. I’m very fortunate in that I have an extremely excited family nearby, keen to step in and support.