makins of a jenkins

body talk. 

i think there’s a huge part of us as women that associates pregnancy with ommmg whats gonna happen to my body?!  and i definitely thought all that thru out my life. there’s such a mystery with pregnancy….you just dont know what type of pregnant gal  you will be. will i totally blow up? will i look like i swallowed a basketball? will i get stretch marks? will i have complications. its all a mystery. then you slowly live it out and see what happens.

i think i would have thought i’d be more concerned about body and changes, but really once i was pregnant its really wasnt like what i thought at times thru my life, its not a big anxiety or thought to me. you cant predict where your mind will be at, but im happy to just let it be and feel myself.

before getting pregnant, i was doing hot yoga 3-5 times a week and loving it. I have since stopped hot yoga since its not advised (boo), but have tried to keep up with normal not heated yoga. and i was happy with where i was at body wise pre-pregnancy. body image changes thru out our lives, and i feel like i am/have been at the healthiest, best place about body image. i eat healthy and good real foods. i enjoy something if i want it. and i try to take care of my body. but im far from an exercise-in-love anxiety if i dont get it in gal. i’d rather be on this side than the other, but thats just me. i do love the feeling of getting out of the house and those endorphins of course.  since being pregnant…in the beginning, i was just so tired, i didnt do much and then the 2nd trimester has been harder with weddings and travel. i would be completely zonked body wise for a day or 2 after a wedding, then try to get into yoga or walk, then it was wedding time again and i didnt want to be sore from yoga so i’d ease off at the end of the week. so weeks could go by quick with only doing something 1-2 times a week and i would have liked to get more in than that.

now, im 26 weeks and getting bigger and feeling more pregnant and this last set of months, im feelin more of the reality that i need to get more active. after hurting my back last month, yoga was painful and i was just trying to heal, so i really didnt do more than shooting when i had it and resting up in between my 3 weddings in a row and travel work. so that month went quick and i did nothing physically basically. woops. i can definitely tell the difference either from taking a month off or just being more pregnant, and i want to try to counter that these next couple of months and gear up for birth and getting bigger. now that i have less weddings, i feel like i can commit to more and know i wont be sorry for it come saturday and already be physically so tired. i want to feel like i am going into the birth with more strength and also before i doubt i’ll be doing a ton when i first give birth.

WHATS HAPPENING IN THE BODY AREA 

// I’m definitely looking more pregnant. month 6 has brought some cute cellulite on my ass and thighs which i’ve never had before and so that is pretty cute. welcome fall and long dresses.

// ribs ribs ribs. i sit a lot working in front of a computer and by the end of the day i would love a little button to release my ribcage. she’s getting bigger and stuff is being shoved up…so my ribs have a good amount of pressure on them. this is probably my biggest complaint right now. my ribbbbs. and i know it will obviously only get more pressure from here on out. im trying to get up and move and not sit toooo long working to give them a break, but its basically unavoidable to some degree.

// sleeping positions. i now have joined the pillow pregnancy club. being surrounded by so many pillows. in between my thighs, hugging one, a wedge behind my back. CJ and i are now separated by the grand canyon of pillows. ive been mostly sleeping on my left, but night after night, that gets actually sore, sleeping in the same exact position. so i’ve been trying to do one day left and one day right. and i do wake up on my back somewhat…i wish that was the best position to sleep while pregnant! damn artery in the back, whyyyy.

ALL IN ALL.

overall, i feel good and fine. i know your body changes with pregnancy. its a part of it. i couldnt have predicted what i’d be feeling body wise before it happens, you just cant. i would say that i’ve been happier and content with myself thru the changes. im just happy to be pregnant and carrying a healthy girl. really. i know some women feel hella sexy and sexual while pregnant…i wouldnt go that far. i definitely feel more sexy non-pregnant, but for the most part, i feel like myself and confidence is the sexiest thing of all, eh.

its a little weird now to feel like i’ve reached the stage where i just dont have control over what is changing (read: cellulite) because i havent really changed my eating habits too much but stuff is still changing. i havent been eating ice cream every night and desserts, i dont feel like pregnancy is my ticket to eating shit and loads more. but i guess there are just changes that happen regardless so it is what it is. check back with me after pregnancy….there’s the next mystery with body changes and what things go back and what has to really be worked for. wish me luck.

MY PREGNANCY CLOSET!

this has been the biggest joke of pregnancy, i literally owned like one thing i could wear while pregnant. not kidding. my entire wardrobe is crop tops and high waisted things. all of it.  stuff you dont want to wear when you’re preg. so i quickly did some F21 orders and bought a few full length shirts (yep, didnt own those) and some dresses that werent tight. for a long time, i was wearing only real real loose things when i was in the in-between and growing section. did she eat 12 thanksgiving dinners or is she pregnant. i really didnt start wearing anything tight until end of august or so. 5 months pregnant or so. i wanted the question “is she pregnant” to be answered on its own….so flowy and loose it was for many a months. i bought a few items and have been wearing them on serious repeat. i didnt want to buy a whole bunch of maternity specific stuff, however, now at 6 months, i can see it being a little more of a necessity. so i’ll add in a few items where i need to.

YES’s

flowy dresses // tee shirt dresses // a-lined sweatshirts // dresses dresses and dresses.

NO’s

pants // jeans // denim // crop tops // anything high waist // sports bras in yoga (lets go full tanks, thank you)

Here’s some of what i’ve been recycling thru. 

Floral dresses, loose and flowy. // This blue dress to get ready in, lose and tons of room. still working at 6 mo.

tee shirt dress  lots and lots. i bought 4-5 of them, for like $9 from F21 and wear them around the house, during errands and working from home. no restrictions, nothing tight = the best.

GapFit racerback tank  // i just started wearing this last month for a tank, as my yoga athletic tops are just a little too tight. i really am not feeling anything thats tight and restrictive, so an actual maternity top has been helpful. really like this one from gap and I can wear it athletically or just a normal outfit. i just ordered another one so i could have one for yoga and one for normal wear. i also got the long sleeves version for winter. (size small, Gap runs true to size)

two of my most favorite and most worn items.

Rose print “mini dress” from F21 that i wore with leggings early on. i wore this 100 times. it was so pretty and comfy and i can still wear it now at 6 mo. love this piece. here are some similar ones from F21.

The off the shoulder nasty gal dress from Nasty Gal. i cant find it online anymore but there are heaps of off the shoulder items online. its sexy yet still really comfy and loose. love. off the should has been my favorite item for still feeling sexy and feminine but not complaining about my outfit. other denim dresses on F21.

loose tank. i wore this more early on with leggings. was nice just to have something full length.

black, backless dress. i kinda forgot about this one and found it again last week. this is great for all of pregnancy bc its stretchy and loose. (the waistband is elastic) they have it in white right now on F21. (small)

i just got this white dress as im trying to get a few more Fall/long sleeve dresses i can keep wearing (sorry im never wearing pants) there’s lots of room in the belly, hopefully the waistband doesnt get too tight, but it seems like its at a good spot so far. (size small)

maternity leggings. (ASOS / $26) these are my only maternity pants i’ve liked and worn. i’ve worn these 100 times already. they arent cotton or full on thick leggings which was great for summer, might get a little cold for winter. but they are full panel above the belly which i like, as my normal waist leggings were getting old and not comfy. i’m ordering a new pair for how much i’ve worn these. maybe. or i might get a pair of Blanqi leggings which i think look amazing. (anyone have these?) however i read some reviews on amazon that said they snag easy and basically sound like the ASOS ones i’ve bought but with a more recognizable brand name (hence the price) so im undecided bc the $26 asos ones work great. these are the ONLY pants i will wear. i hate wearing pants. i ordered a pair of full panel maternity jeans, which were great in theory, but its just not comfortable. my thighs are bigger than i’m used to, so jamming myself into jeans and walking around, i just am not a fan of the feeling, so dresses are where its at. i’ll stick with these leggings and just plan on dresses + cardigans for winter. // (I’m wearing size 8-10….ASOS does UK sizing, so i feel like thats more like a 6 US.)

bodycon tee-shirt dress // (F21) now that im A-ok on wearing tight things that actually show my shape, i’ve worn this tighter tee-shirt dress a handful of times. its a nice stretchy fabric that i feel comfortable in, yet its still tight.

Off the shoulder jumper // (F21) If i found this earlier, it would have been better. i’ve worn it twice and loved it, but last week at 25 weeks it just got uncomfortable by the end of a dinner out. its not maternity, so although there is some stretch, its made for normal stomachs so by the end of the night it felt so constricting and hurt. so this baby is done for now. i really loved it tho and off the shoulder for the win. would have been great 4-6 months along. (size medium)

Overalls // wore these overalls from Zara last month, which was fine but again…not a huge fan of pants. i really bought them for after  pregnancy when i want to wear jeans but dont want to put on some tight ass high waisted jeans. (size 6)

Bell Sleeved Romper Dress // we got this little number in SF at Zara. i love it. there’s short underneath but you wouldnt know, it just looks like a dress. the shorts are really loose so its still working for me at 6 mo. really comfy and i think i’ll be able to wear it for a few more month (i think i hope). they also have it in pink…if it goes on sale, i might grab the pink too. (im wearing size small, runs true to size)

Calvin Klein bras // i havent been wearing underwire bras a ton just because im usually at home working, so no need. but i think its time i upgrade to a bigger one tho, so my ribs arent as tight. but ive been rotating thru a few Calvin Klein bras, they are super cozy and stretchy and good. they dont really hold up that well thru wash after wash which i was surprised about…but they are pretty cheap.

CHECKING OFF MY LIST: 

• We just signed up for Penny Simpkins birthing class starting in November. really excited to start those and learning together as a couple.
• Signing up for the placenta encapsulation thru Puget Sound Placenta. i think i’ll be doing TCM method (chinese method) ….anyone have experience with this?
• Reading part way thru Baby Wise. loving it and will probably read it again the week or so before I’m due.
• Added a lot to my registry this week and feel pretty good about it. anything you think most people forget on theirs? tell me!
• Getting a date, list of names and invites looked at for my shower. woo!

Well this marks another addition of andi pandi: working my way thru pregnancy. see you next time!