A Real-Life Pregnancy: Week 15

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Photo Credit: Dean Lipoff

I went shopping this week. I'm not a really big shopper, but with my baby bump getting bigger we felt like it was time. I'd already started watching out for what I wanted. On walks or at the mall I looked at every baby stroller that went by. People were starting to notice! One woman even asked me, "Well, haven't you registered anywhere yet?" Wow. I thought you only did that when you got married. I do it again for a baby? I wasn't sure where to go! And I wasn't even sure if I'd be having a baby shower anytime soon. But it couldn't hurt—so my husband and I set off in search of baby gear.

Baby Supplies

We started out at Target. Diapers, baby clothes, pacifiers, toys—we thought it would be perfect for a little window shopping. I was surprised by how easy it was to register there. At the front desk, the clerk gave us a scanner and set us loose. We made our way to the baby area and got busy. My husband and I started out with baby clothes and bottles and made our way to bouncy chairs and car seats. Along the way we bumped into other new parents who were also buying baby stuff. They were anxious to give us advice, like "Scan this, you might not think you will need it, but let me tell you it saved our lives!" So we scanned the stuff we thought we'd need and anything else someone recommended. I'm still so new at this—I mean, will I really need a bottle warmer?

After shopping for the basics at Target, we ventured to our local baby store for some other large items that we were interested in—strollers. I already knew what model I liked. I'd seen moms out with them around town. My husband thought I was insane to be so set on a certain stroller until I had him push my favorite around. Yeah, it's expensive, but I keep thinking of it as a little car for the baby. We put it on our registry list and crossed our fingers that some long lost relative would pick it up for us. We also looked at co-sleepers and cribs. I always thought I'd want the traditional crib, but in the end we decided on the co-sleeper.

All this shopping made us start to think more about keeping our baby safe. We thought about how nice it would be to have a roomier place to live. But unless we're going to buy a house in the next couple of months, we can't really change much about our living space other than making it safe and clean for Baby. As far as safety in our home, the next issue that came up was our cats. We have two cats and they love to sleep in our bed, so we know they're going to try to get into the co-sleeper/crib at some point. So we're making sure to order screen covers along with the co-sleeper and crib. Also, we are selecting a nice spot to put the co-sleeper where it will be away from direct sunlight and drafts.

Car?

We have one compact car that we use. My husband commutes to his job. I'm lucky enough to be within walking/biking distance of my work. But once our baby arrives, we're going to need a larger car. So we went car shopping. We started out by looking online for makes and models that appealed to us. Cars are expensive, and we weren't looking for anything new. After some time checking things out, we made our way to the used car dealership not even planning on making any purchases. Things never work out that way! Or maybe the sales guy could just sniff our willingness to buy just about anything if we thought it would be good for our baby. After just a couple of hours at the car dealership, we were driving home in a well-priced, baby-friendly, and extremely safe used car! We were both in a little bit of shock, but pleased with our purchase. Now our compact car sits idle as we zip around in our new family car.

Clothes!

I also made my way into my first maternity store yesterday and purchased—you guessed it—maternity clothes. I was a little disappointed I didn't find more trendy clothes. Those that I really liked were way too expensive. I tried several stores and found a couple of basic items I can wear often. As you can see by my photo this week, I had to make a change from my jeans—I couldn't even zip them up!

As Baby is growing bigger in me, we are spending more time and thought on what is to come. It's wonderful to spend an evening talking and planning and I am truly pleased to be having this experience. I'm learning it can also be an expensive venture, depending on what route you choose to take—but it sure felt good to treat myself to a couple of things this week!

Sarah's Stats

Waist measurement: 35 inches
Weekly weigh-in: 160 pounds
Pregnancy symptoms: Definite baby belly happening! I am finding I need to eat about every three to four hours. I have a couple of favorite snacks that I try to keep in stock in my kitchen.
My pregnancy advice for the week: You're eating for two now! Really—you can tell. It's great to enjoy healthy food and know that it is helping Baby grow and develop.
Pregnancy "first" of the week: Telling friends when you see them out and about. It's been interesting running into friends who I don't see very often and have them ask, "What's new?" I'm pregnant!
Doctor's visit: None.

About the Photo: The above picture of the author was taken during her 15th week of pregnancy by Dean Lipoff.

Read the next installment: week 16