How We Knew We Were Ready For Baby ☕ Pregnancy Tea Time

[@StephKarian]

I’m someone who has lived with anxiety my whole life. Once I became a mom, my anxiety decreased so much. My baby forces me to be present and in the moment, and to enjoy all the small things! I hope this helps you to have a positive outlook on the future. ❤

[@asiaclayed]

Wow so amazing to hear this!

[@DelphineSerenity]

Same here! It's helped my anxiety a TONNE. And things I used to worry about or think were important to stress over suddenly are such trivial things, it's like my entire outlook on life and priorities have had a reset to what's truly important and worth my time & energy 😊

[@beverleyspugsandhomestead.]

My daughter had her first baby in 2022 when she was thirty, he’s gorgeous, birth went well but she did have to have a blood transfusion, but she’s fine now. She suffered from anxiety pre baby but is fine now. ❤❤

[@Mejiaelis]

Same for me too!

[@katerinarouskova8232]

For me it is exactly opposite unfortunately.

[@CrownedLily]

I'm 39. And my husband and I had been trying for almost 5 years and we really didn't think it was going to happen. We had made peace with the idea of being childfree. So when my period was late in September I didn't think it was pregnancy. My mother was menopausal at my age so I thought well this it is, I'm starting menopause. Yeah nope, I'm pregnant. I'm so glad I get to have the baby I've always wanted. I just wish I could have gotten pregnant younger.
I've been so so scared of miscarriage. And I think my age and the fact that it took so long only heightened my fear. I've had spotting/bleeding too that was scary. But I just had another good ultrasound yesterday and the heart rate was high so I'm feeling good and I'm in my 2nd trimester on Monday. So I'm not allowing myself to worry anymore.
Oh my gosh!! Yes I have that peach fuzz on my belly too!
I'm considering a water birth. And I don't want the epidural and I don't want a c-section unless it's needed.
I should be finding out my baby's gender in 2 weeks and I'm so excited.

[@Celebrinthal]

Congratulations! 🎉🎉🎉 This must be amazing 😊 my mom had me at 44 y.o., a surprise after 2 kids in her 20s, I bet there was some menopause-related confusion at play 😅

[@TheRubyFeline]

Congratulations! May everything go super smoothly for you!🎉🌸

[@micaschist4028]

I can relate! I’m 38; my husband and I tried since we got married (5 years). I got pregnant in the spring and we were shocked. Sadly we lost the baby. At the end of September I found out I was pregnant again. It’s just unbelievable that after so long it happened twice in less than 6 months, and we weren’t doing anything different. I’m almost 14 weeks and have heard a strong heartbeat so feeling more confident. Hope you have a good pregnancy and a healthy baby!

[@desireedeboer9811]

Hoi Lucy, wat ben je nog lekker actief bezig met je lichaam. Ga je ook naar zwangerschapsgym? Het is zeker een hele vooruitzicht wat er gaat komen. Geniet de laatste maanden van je zwangerschap. En ben benieuwd wat voor babykleding wat je zelf gaat maken. Er zijn gelukkig genoeg bladeren waar je leuke patronen vindt, ook losse patronen. En je eigen kleding natuurlijk.
Groetjes Desiree

[@slapperorange]

As some reassurance, in the Netherlands only 20% of women give birth in the hospital without a medical necessity. As a result, an epidural or c-section is very much not the norm, and many people would prefer to give birth at home or in a bath if they can. I would totally see if you can go for a waterbirth if I were you!

[@jennicathlin]

CONGRATULATIONS! I love that you are excited about having this baby. I was scared to have kids myself, and very worried about being "ready" for it. And I totally wasn't ready. Except when that baby came, somehow, I was. You can do this. You will do this well. You will be a wonderful mother. Good luck and good health!

[@Dwynfal]

Lucy, this video made me smile all the way through. I'm much older than you, old enough to be your mom really, and all you talked about reminded me of various friends going through that stage of their lives (I am childless by choice).
I would like to peep in re languages from friends of mine (living in Flanders, Belgium); she is Greek, fluent in Greek and English with reasonably good Dutch, he is Flemish, fluent in Dutch and English. They spoke English at home before baby was born. Once their daughter was born, she spoke Greek and English, he spoke Dutch and English, a friend that was there regularly spoke only Dutch to her. Another friend spoke only English to her. I, a French and English speaker, spoke French to her. 20+ years on, the "baby" is now fluent in Dutch, English, Greek and French, as well as Japanese because she got interested in the language as another friend was studying it.
As a side benefit, dad is now reasonably fluent in Greek, mom perfected her Dutch, and both learned more French too. "Baby" now has an amazing job with the EU thanks to her languages.
Do not shortchange your child on languages. Throw everything you have at them! They may take a while to figure it out but you will be amazed at how they do it. And they will benefit from it in so so so many ways!

[@katewest]

Oh, I see you're ready. Have you heard yourself calling Robert "daddy"? That's so sweet! I've been watching you for years now. I watched you grow up through videos on YT because I stayed at home and raised my little babies. Now they are teenagers and you will have your own little baby at home. It's all so amazing! I am very happy for your happiness.

[@InThisEssayIWill...]

Oh Lucy! I'm so glad you were able to use us, your audience, as a positive motivator to get tips/experiences/encouragement! I hope you are so proud of the loving community you've grown here, I'm so touched to have been a small contributor to easing your mind. You are going to be such a good mom!
💚

[@sdb9884]

I love how open-minded and flexible you are! I had two c-sections with my kids (first was breached, second was over 10lbs!), and I wasn’t bothered by it at all. I have the same attitude, as long as they are healthy, it doesn’t matter how they are born.

[@labhrais6957]

I've never experienced a stronger love than what I feel for my 2 kids. It's indescribable. I'm so happy for you!

[@SandieMitchell]

You and Robert will be wonderful parents because you're wonderful people. When you see your precious baby for the first time, you fall head over heels in love with them! It's magical! The clothes you have are so adorable, and the colors are perfect. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

[@TheShhSecret]

As a 30 y/o who is planning to be pregnant in the next few years but also freaking out, I'm encouraged to see that you felt able to go ahead with the pregnancy even with the same anxieties I am currently having about it. I haven't really come across that in the RUclips space. Good luck to you 💖

[@Bookwormscififan]

It warmed my heart to hear how your maternal instincts have kicked in already: having all these preferences for your delivery, but always stepping back with the “as long as baby’s healthy I’m happy” 😊
I can tell you’re going to be a wonderful mother!
Was your hair curled at the start of the video? I didn’t notice 😂

[@PinkKissedLips]

I am pregnant and a little bit earlier than you with my second baby. I’ve learned at this point that social media is not healthy at all for me as a mother. While it’s wonderful people are sharing their experiences online with pregnancy, birth and motherhood, it triggers my anxiety tenfold. I’ve removed everything but RUclips and Pinterest from my phone and do little engagement there with pregnancy. As a second time mom who struggled with anxiety and postpartum disorders, this is my advice. Just stay off social media. The endless amount of misinformation, fear mongering, and wildly unrealistic expectations is astounding and pervasive. Protect yourself! Just because it feel like it everyone online is doing something one way does not make it the best way for you or your sanity. I literally would work myself into an anxiety attack when I started my son on solid foods because of “baby led weaning”. Am I going to repeat that- no way. I am not going to get sucked into the void of upsetting stories of infant loss, child loss, and all the horrendously painful things that happen to other people. I am not going to get sucked into the void of Montessori toys, beige babies, Amazon lists, small businesses, this crib vs the snoo and mockingbird stroller or Kate Quinn baby clothes. NO!
Trust yourself, trust your mentors, doctors, friends and family. Shop at local stores. Follow your gut. Prepare your mind, ask for help.
Birth advice- prep freezer meals. Have food for the first 3-4 weeks that you can eat. You’ll be so hungry when your milk comes in. Snuggle your baby. It’s ok if you nap together. Sleep training is a myth. Let people hold the baby when you’re not feeding just to feel like your body belongs to you. Go outside but don’t push yourself. Be gentle and give YOURSELF compassion; you just created life!

[@okinawaBallerina]

Yes! About to have my second baby also and the social media is terrible for my mental wellbeing. It's like everyone is telling you to do something different or that you're wrong. Stay away from it!

[@annes9247]

This is so true ❤

[@DieRoteMohnblume]

I had postpartum anxietey because of low progesterone. My doctor prescribed me natural progesterone capsules to take orally. It helped so much.... I highly recommend it. Really calming.

[@okinawaBallerina]

@@DieRoteMohnblume Wow, I should ask my midwife about that, I had postpartum anxiety too and it totally sparked again with my current pregnancy. I'm almost done and bracing myself for another rough recovery.

[@DieRoteMohnblume]

@@okinawaBallerina In my case, I also have anxietey or feel very nervous when I eat foods high in histamine. I did not know about the low progesterone and histamine Problem after the birth of my first child. 6 months after birth I felt horrible and got a lot of bloodwork done. First everything looked normal. Then my OB gyn suggested to check the female hormones. So the low progesterone was detected and I got to take progesterone orally ...not progesterone cream because that gets processed in the body differently and does not help with anxiety. Later I found oft about the Histamin because I had a bad anxiety attack 24 hours after I ate some fermented foods.
With my second child I already knew about the progesterone and histamine problem and could avoid getting anxiety by taking progesterone and avoiding histamine rich foods.

[@annmahoney8921]

As an American Slovak, I was never exposed to the Slovak language. I’m very sorry about that. I’m happy you will introduce your child to all your languages. Not only is it a great skill to speak other languages, it also develops the child’s brain. You and Robert will be thoughtful , loving parents. That is all a child needs. The rest will fall into place

[@evalineikandradottir3956]

I became a first time mum 6 months ago and I just wanted to recommend you a podcast that I listened to lots when I was pregnant and helped so much in preparing for birth: its called 'the positive birth story podcast', led by a midwife and is absolutely wonderful. It's on spotify! Also congratulations! I'm on my mat leave at the moment and seeing you get to experience pregnancy and motherhood makes me so happy for you!

[@krystallights1325]

Congrats on your pregnancy! Sidenote your hair looks stunning here

[@ippygupta9986]

That is the most coherent and actually understandable description of pregnancy I’ve ever heard. For someone never have experienced it, this made sense and was imaginable. Thank you! ❤️ Also, congratulations! xxx

[@merrieearnest1348]

It’s so fascinating to hear about pregnancy healthcare in the Netherlands. So nice that you have ample hospitals and can choose midwife support from start to finish (with medical help at the ready if needed).
And that you even have post partum nurse help!! That’s unheard of as far as I know in the US.
Continued best wishes for you and your family ❤

[@tvdsje]

It has roots in history but the Kraamverzorgster or 'Post-Partum nurse' is standard since 1923. Let me know if you'd like more info!
Also you don't choose Midwife support, if you aren't high risk or a specific reason they won't even let you see a gynaecologist if you wanted to haha.
It's really sad in the USA and honestly shameful how Women are treated.

[@beans4853]

The US has the worst prenatal care for a first world developed country. It's terrible

[@robinvollenbrock6540]

Jouw verhaal lijkt zoveel op wat ik afgelopen jaar heb meegemaakt. Ook ik was heel snel zwanger zonder actief te proberen, en ook eerste kleinkind aan beide kanten als eerste kindje in de vriendenkring. Ik ben nu 3 maanden moeder van een prachtige dochter en dit zijn de dingen die ik je wil meegeven van nieuwe moeder aan nieuwe moeder:
- Ik ben thuis bevallen zonder pijnstilling en wat ik vooral jou man wil meegeven (mijn man vond dit de allerbeste tip) is het moment dat je in blinde paniek roept dat je het echt niet meer aan kan, dat is het moment dat de baby komt en kan hij jou daar aan helpen herinneren. Verder zal het je echt niks uitmaken wie of wat er in de kamer is als de baby komt, ik was volledig in mezelf gekeerd.
- in de eerste paar dagen na de bevalling functioneerde ik en mijn man nog op adrenaline, maar storten op de derde dag een beetje in. Mijn tip is houdt er rekening mee dat je je waarschijnlijk de eerste paar dagen prima voelt en pas daarna de uitputting zult tegenkomen.
- meer een waarschuwing dan tip, ga niet al te snel een stukje wandelen. Ik wilde in mijn tweede week na de bevalling 5 min buitenlopen en heb daar toen 3 dagen van moeten herstellen. Pas na een maand durfte ik het weer te proberen...
- tips voor als de baby er is, wol is je grootste vriend. Een baby moet warm blijven ook bij hoge temperaturen en wol is het beste geschikt.
- koop niet te veel schattige outfits voor je baby, twee wollen rompertjes (dilling heeft hele goede) en 3 wollen slaapzakjes zijn genoeg, je wilt je baby toch niks anders aan doen de eerste 2 maanden (veel te veel gedoe en ze slapen het grootste deel van de dag dus een slaapzakje is super handig).
- je weet pas welke kleertjes je nodig hebt als de baby er is, dan pas is het echt tijd om te gaan shoppen (vanaf een maand of 2 wordt t pas echt nodig en leuk).
- ik geef mijn dochtertje alleen borstvoeding dus hier wat tips over borstvoeding. Allereerst boek een online masterclass bij een borstvoedingscentrum, ongeveer 25 euro en zeker de moeite waard.
- borstvoeding geven is zwaar, in elk geval fysiek en jammer genoeg voor mij was t ook mentaal zwaar door dysforisch toeschietreflex. Mijn ervaring is dat het pijn doet tot ongeveer 4 a 5 weken en dat het daarna steeds makkelijker gaat, geef dus niet op het wordt bij de meeste mensen echt beter.
- houdt nadat je kindje weer op geboortegewicht is geen rooster bij voor de voedingen, voeden op vraag heeft het voor mij veel relaxter en rustiger gemaakt.
- koop de gewone hakkaa en de ladybug. De gewone heeft ervoor gezorgd dat ik geen borstontsteking ontwikkelde in de eerste maanden, en de ladybug is wat discreter in gebruik als er gasten zijn 😅.
- en als laatste tip, niet te veel tijd (geld) en energie stoppen in de kinderkamer. Het wordt aangeraden om in elk geval de eerste 6 maanden, maar liefst tot een jaar, in dezelfde kamer als je kindje te slapen hier. En om je nachten minder zwaar te maken investeer in een co-sleeper!
- wij zijn in de tweede week begonnen met wasbare luiers en zijn zeer tevreden en vinden het zeker de moeite waard. Nieuwe pakketten zijn duur maar tweedehands zijn ze goed te vinden.
Ik hoop dat je er wat aan hebt, als je nog met specifieke vragen zit of ervaringen wilt horen over het moederschap en alles daarom heen schroom niet om een berichtje te sturen ❤

[@andrear6566]

Aw ❤ the clothes are so cute and the healthcare sounds amazing. Especially having someone check in on you to help you out

[@yasminceleste3844]

Can I say you have such a wonderful approach to the whole pregnancy- being so open to how things can change etc etc. I’m wishing you all the very best ❤

[@bethanyhutchinson6714]

I have a friend that absolutely raves about the benefits of hypnobirthing! She was dancing in the delivery room and so at peace! Especially if a hospital birth would stress you out, I think you should give it a shot to give yourself the best chance to relax. The sooner the better you can take the class so you can practice the techniques before labor begins! Good luck!! ❤
The clothes you chose are precious!! 😍 As a veteran mom, I do recommend you choose some simple on and off items for nighttime, bc no one wants to deal with buttons or ties in the middle of the night! Even snaps were a pain! I loved baby gowns with elastic around the bottom for nighttime diaper changes-no closures at all! 😊

[@hadassaslok269]

dutch momma here, I've had 1 induction hospital birth and one home water birth. some things to keep in mind: your own midwife might not be allowed at your hospital birth, since hospital births are usually attended by hospital midwifes but you can opt to discharge your midwife on the spot and take her in as a support person, just check with your midwife and hospital beforehand so you don't have any unexpected inconveniences. the availability for gas at a home birth depends on your midwife practice not all of them provide it so it's good to check if you want it as an possibility. don't forget about the baby/birth package you get from your insurance, it's very helpful for your home birth, basically has everything you need that the midwife isn't bringing. and at last the pain during birth is objective, I did not experience pain with either of my pregnancies it was more pressure and discomfort but it's different for everyone also trust your own instinct if you feel something isn't right it's better to get checked and if your midwifes feels you need an episiotomy but your body tells you you only need one more push don't be scared to ask for one more try before they intervene

[@elinlund9449]

Congratulations! I’m in week 27 with my first baby and it feels nice to have someone to follow along with ❤

[@-ParisTexas-]

A lot of women I know get more relaxed and less anxious once they become mothers. Simply because otherwise it is impossible to live. I hope that that happens for you!

[@MistyMtFamily]

This was my experience! There just wasn't room for my sanity to exist with my anxiety. I chose my happiness and peace over my dread and anxiety and my children and I are all the better for it! 😁

[@justathumb]

this is SO TRUE! as someone who has always had crippling severe anxiety, ive never been better since having my baby. they really teach you how to live. i heard a quote once, "while you teach your kids about life, they teach you what life is about" 😊

[@Ehbschen]

No time to overthink :p

[@brendinguis]

I’m so excited for you and Robert! I’ve watched your videos for a long time and have always connected with you regarding environmentalism, your love of research/history, minimalism, cooking good meals at home, etc. So I had to comment and share that I had my first baby this August at the age of 32! I’ve been a high school teacher for eight years, so I’m used to creating calm from chaos and adapting to the needs of young people. Still, it’s true that NOTHING really prepares you for motherhood, and knowing that it will be unpredictable and that you will just have to deal with its challenges shows you’re as ready as you’ll ever be! I’ve noticed that motherhood forces you to live in the present and meet your baby’s ongoing demands. Also, once that baby is born, life starts to go at x10 speed, and you’ll wish you had more take to step back and process. Parenthood is a barrage of mixed emotions that show you how complex being a human being can be. You’ll miss your alone time/downtime, but you won’t want to leave your baby. You’ll want a break, but you will feel guilty about taking one. One moment you’ll think you aren’t doing anything right, and the next you’ll be so proud of yourself. You’ll be amazed just how much your brain rewires!

[@slapperorange]

Voor sporten, mijn moeder zweert bij zwangerschapsyoga! Daarin ben je specifiek oefeningen aan het doen voor de voorbereiding van de geboorte, en leer je hoe je je ademhaling kan gebruiken om pijn te verlichten zodat je thuis kan bevallen. Bijkomend voordeel is dat je andere moeders in spe ontmoet, een van mijn moeders beste vriendinnen heeft ze in die yogasessies ontmoet.
Mijn moeder gebruikt die ademhalingstechnieken nog steeds als ze tanden moet laten trekken zonder verdoving (die werkt niet voor haar wegens medische redenen)

[@DelphineSerenity]

I am so relieved to hear you talking about your intentions for birth, and how well educated you are so far! Knowledge really truly is power in birth and postpartum, going in blind really isn't the way, and gives a much higher chance of birth trauma (by being blindsided to what's going on, not understanding what your body is doing, not knowing what the various interventions and processes are etc). I'm so amazed that the Netherlands is really home and natural birth focused and that midwives are first point of care, many other countries should take note! I'm in Australia and while our system isn't as bad as some other countries (USA etc) it definitely doesn't sound as good as the Netherlands haha. But I think social media has really helped spread the message of what birth can and should be, how we can achieve empowered births and the best outcomes for mum & baby, so hopefully things will improve over the next decade. Fear is the leading factor in interventions and more pain so I think you knowing the hospital won't help you in the process is a really good realisation! Hypnobirthing definitely will be great for you I reckon, it helped me a lot in releasing fear and trusting myself and my baby 😊 Also a quick note about tea, look into raspberry leaf tea for preparing your body in the third trimester, and eating medjool dates in the last few weeks! Again just so happy for you guys and it's lovely to see you've been able to settle your mind a lot already on some of the things that gave you a lot of anxiety in the past ♥ There is so much love, beauty and fulfilment in your life to come from having children, so much to look forward to! You've got this!! 💪✨

[@Samantha-je3iw]

Pregnant Czech fan here, lol. Never knew you spoke Slovak and Czech, which is kinda nice. Hope everything goes well with the pregnancy. I'm also jealous for the options of home births etc. My country does love hospitals a "doctors delivering a baby". We do however have a pretty solid paid maternity leave, so I guess there's always something good and something not that good
You look really happy now ❤️

[@BetsyTacyGirl]

Congratulations :) This is such a sweet tea time :) I enjoyed sipping orange tea while watching. You will be a great mom :)

[@sophiamauritzson980]

That peace that you talk about is something I recognize! I have had my fair share of anxiety before, but as soon as became pregnant last fall I became so calm and anxiety free (except regarding the baby sometimes, but not even that intense as I thought it would be). Suddenly what was important was my baby and me and not my different anxieties and low self-esteem.
I had a final meeting with my therapist and found that I had almost nothing to talk about, I was just so content and happy. Which I didn't expect at all!
I really enjoyed being pregnant. It was like I entered my own bubble of cosiness and preparation that I really enjoyed. I hope you will feel so too during your pregnancy! As you say, the chances that everything is going to go great is bigger than the opposite thing happening. Best wishes to you! ☺️

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

Hypnosis in both is amazing!

[@r.d.durfey5862]

Your excitement about the coming baby, is a sweet delight😊. I had a few things happen that I was not prepared for. But for peace of mind will keep to myself. Let's just say there maybe a few little bumps in the road. Otherwise it is a wonderful time to go through. I had a C-section, which I was prepared for. It was a breeze😉. My most treasured moment was that first cry...I had not even seen him yet...and fell deeply in love at that small wee cry. We think we know love until we hold our child in our arms...your heart just swells and grows. My hope for you is a happy healthy baby😊. 👪💟

[@meganbird8538]

I am so happy for you and your husband. ❤️ Congratulations 🎉

[@latterdaycovenantliving]

Having a baby in America compared to Netherlands seems so heartless so crazy

[@zingara76]

One thing I have learned in life is that I wish I had kids younger. We as society put so much negativity on having kids younger. Everyone is like “you’ll ruin your life, said goodbye to your dreams” I even thought I was going to be child free cause I was so afraid of having them.
Now i regret I did not do it younger. I waited to long for everything to be perfect and guess what it’s never PERFECT TIME Cause honestly, in my experience yes is not easy, but at the same time they give you so much power and focus.

[@NatalieCrafts]

For physically preparing for birth, if you can find a way to work on your diaphragm, it will help! It's not one most people think of as being used when you're having a baby, but it's ABSOLUTELY involved. The only time my diaphragm has ever been sore is after childbirth!

[@elliyo4286]

I love this!! For me, who does want kids but isn't sure if they're gonna have them, and as someone who has adored your channel for so long, I am so HERE for this content :D I love it, and I'm so excited, and the theme for the nursery - I am in awe! This also has helped with my anxiety about pregnancy, birth, all that kind of stuff.

[@minounah]

My friend was the most intense, anxious, and SERIOUS control freak before she had her daughter. But somehow motherhood transformed her into the most loving and easy going person I know and this still continues nine years later !!

[@MistressBella1533]

The postpartum nurse would be called a doula in the US. They're becoming more popular in the US. Connecticut is actually going to be covering doulas and lactation consultants for women on state insurance.

[@preciousgem881]

I had a tens machine with my 3rd baby and it was amazing! Helped so much! It really did take the edge off the contractions especially at the end of labour. Before that I only had gas and air which doesn't really take the pain away anyway. Water can slow contractions just be aware that you don't spend too much time in the water. My birth advice would be is go with the flow, try and relax too, stress will make the pain feel worse. I'm sure you will do great and have a positive birth experience 😊

[@SusanLeeNightingale]

I hope breastfeeding works out for you! For me it was quite painful for the first week or two but after that it has been amazing.

[@DelphineSerenity]

Make sure to get as much support as you can I can, like properly certified lactation consultant and such 😊 it's something that Mum & baby both have to learn so it can be a bit of a struggle at first until you get the hang of it, but then it can be so wonderful and gives so many benefits to the health of mum & baby!

[@sarabeacher]

If you’re worried about your vitamins level, you should consider getting a cast iron skillet to help with your iron levels, just try to make most of your meals in them. I love cooking with cast iron and helps with iron!

[@AntoinedeBourgogne]

On the subject of exercise, during pregnancy your body generates a hormone called relaxin. As the name would suggest it loosens and relaxes your muscles, joints and ligaments during pregnancy, enabling the body to grow and adapt to not only the larger belly but also greater pressure on hip joints, knees etc. This hormone also helps with giving birth! However, the downside is that your muscles, joints and ligaments are more easily stretched and therefore damaged during pregnancy if you do workouts that are too intense, as you can for instance overstretch without realising. This can cause permanent damage for example to ligaments. To avoid this, you should consult with your exercise instructor on pregnancy suitable exercises, and they should be able to recommend suitable alternatives and monitor you. I did pregnancy yoga with someone specifically trained in this area of women’s health, which was great because trained specialists are not very common in this area! Furthermore, relaxin continues to remain in your body for a time after the birth, so take extra care when returning to exercise. The female body is amazing, complex and beautiful, and we need to follow our instincts and take care of ourselves, ignoring social (especially social media) pressures about how we look!

[@iamjamilyn]

I love that you are open to using hypnobirthing! I used that for my second birth and it was amazing! I was not sure it was going to work and I was open to using something else if I needed to, but it did totally work for me during labor - me and a birthing ball made it through with no drugs 😊 and when I progressed to giving birth, 3 pushes and we we done! Highly recommend giving it a try.
I was a 100% novice when I did it, and I only used a book with a CD (because this was over 20 years ago) and I did just fine.

[@twinnish]

So happy to hear you so happy and just getting so much confidence about this. You should be confident because your body was built to do this. Don’t forget that. This is so natural and people have been doing it for millennia without any intervention from doctors just other loving human beings that did the best they could with minimal modern, formal education.
I never felt sloshy when I was pregnant. It’s funny because that’s the first time I’ve ever heard. Anyone describe that sort of thing. My biggest pregnancy symptom through all three pregnancies was that eggs cooked in corn/vegetable oil tasted so corny to me, and it was so bad and nauseating. Eggs cooked in butter were just fine. I didn’t have a lot of symptoms, but my third baby felt like he was grinding against my pelvic bone for the last three months. That was occasionally painful, but I love to be pregnant so much. I am now a grandma. Also awesome but having babies just made me feel like god or something and I’m not saying that to be sacrilegious for anybody but there’s something amazing about a body that can do that. But just to be real, most of our biological functions are kind of amazing so there’s that and we’re all doing that make and female, fertile and infertile. We breathe and we think and we move things around and we build -humans are awesome.

[@Amber-us9sl]

Your joy is tangible! Wishing you a beautiful journey into motherhood. ❤

[@ginadelfina5887]

Praying that you will continue to have peace through the whole experience. I know you don’t believe in this way & I respect that, but I can’t help feeling that God was looking out for you in that you did not know you were definitely pregnant until the 1st trimester was so far along, b/c it saved you so much of the 1st trimester anxiety. Netherlands healthcare sounds amazing, btw.

[@miab.christen2913]

I am sorry if I am completely wrong, but I think we once met in the Netherlands and I was someone who looked a lot like your mom, if this is you you may remember...
To me you seemed so familiar, I have stumbled upon your videos here and there maaany years ago..
From the bottom of my heart, congratulations to your pregnancy❤ I am sure you will be a great caring mom❤
I am as well 30 and about to be a first time mom in only a few weeks😊

[@mariacraciun5338]

You are so beautiful and confident! The pregnancy has transformed you in the most amazing way!

[@angelicrobles6292]

Sending you and your family luck and love, Lucy. ❤ Thank you for taking the time to go through all of these things to share with us. ✨ As this Holiday Season kicks in, I hope your baby will feel more of these wonderful preparations of welcome, and be excited to meet you and Daddy too! 😄🥰

[@pursuitofmomming]

I’m so glad you found encouragement from other parents in your precious video and I hope you continue to do so as you enter each season of parenthood!

[@adrianamancuso4917]

Nourishing Traditions is one of my favourite book series on a healthy diet, and there is a book for pregnancy, and a cook book for kids. :) And when it is my time, I will sign up with Positive Birth group for hypnobirthing.

[@idap1879]

I would recommend that you look for a pregnancy yoga class or a pregnancy belly dance class, they are amazing, if you want something else beside swimming when you start to feel like a ball.
If you do a not get anything against the pain, and you have a vaginal birth then I recommend, to use the mantra "my body will only give me the pain I need to deliver a healthy baby", I'm not sure if it's true but man it helps a lot during the birth.

[@rebeccaschadt7136]

I also thought I would be too scared to give birth in a hospital but the pain is so intense you won't care where your at. Also best thing I did was get a midwife though, they saved me from getting a csection. In the US it's an assembly line of them. Also, the nitrous oxide gas helps but for me it stopped working after 2 to 3 hours. If you get back labor though get an epidural because it feels like someone is breaking your back, don't try to tough it out.

[@charoraimondogarcia]

I love the aproach you have with the baby diet. I'm plant based and that is one of the things that had me worried, I don't want to impose that in to my future kids but I also don't going to buy certain things.

[@Loepsie]

People often take an all-or-nothing approach with veganism but you really make the choice at every single meal. IMO choosing the vegan option whenever you can is perfectly fine, and the times you may not be able to aren't a deal breaker at all. Just eat the non-vegan meal and resume the diet after. If baby's only eating plant based when you cook, it already has a huge impact!

[@MydNyteRayne]

Best of luck, I chose to never have kids as its not a lifestyle that I would embrace nor ever felt like I would be missing out on. Too much pressure these days for woman to have kids as if they are missing out on something, motherhood is not for everyone and its too late to find that out once the kid arrives. Child free is my best option, no regrets at all. I'm sure you will be a great mother, your a sweet woman. :)

[@lizdepalma]

OH! You answered my question, I am sooo happy for you guys. starting a family is something great. Wish you all the joy for this such special moment

[@pap3rwings]

I'm not having children myself and am generally disinterested in all things pregnancy and baby but I am honestly so happy for you. You seem so happy and healthy and, without sounding too cliché, glowing 🤎

[@manicantsettleonausername6789]

Really enjoyed this video and congratulations once again

[@Rosy.Cusson]

Random thing, if you are planning to nurse or pump: mint is bad for milk production. I don't know if you drink much mint tea, but I figured it might be useful to know. It's not bad for pregnancy or anything, just if/when you are producing milk. Also congratulations! I'm so excited for you!

[@Velveification]

You look so happy!!! Wish you the best ❤ those little outfits are the cutest ~

[@ShallaBal82]

The postpartum nurse sounds heavenly! I wish they had that in Canada! Oh my gosh, meeting your baby is definitely surreal. You see all of the faces of everyone in your family and your husband's family that you know and love all at one time in their tiny little face. And babies are SO soft. I just stroked my son's head for the longest time while we were in the hospital after the birth because I couldn't believe how soft he was. I'll never forget lying awake while my husband and son slept while we were in the hospital, and thinking to myself how lucky I was that I had this little piece of me and someone I loved so much that was now here with us after we'd waited so long to meet him. I'm so excited for you and Robbert to meet your little one and start a new journey together. Falling in love with your husband all over as he settles into his new role as a father is also an amazing feeling. I think you're really going to love this whole experience. :)

[@ragnhildliavag6390]

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! I've been following your channel for many years now, and I'm currently 14 weeks pregnant with my first child and I see a lot of similarities both with the life situation leading up to the pregnancy (marriage, having a fairly new home etc), getting pregnant much faster than anticipated, and the pregnancy symptoms (the dry heaving/throwing up really is something!), so it feels extra special to follow you on this journey. I really enjoy all of your content and can't wait for more pregnancy/baby-content in the mix! I do need some nursery inspiration, so I'm really looking forward to seeing that. Forrest and fairy-themed seems so lovely! I wish you all the best!

[@martinezanamaria26]

Loepsie girl take your time I’ll keep your videos on repeat to help you to be with your baby😊❤ congratulations

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

Breastfeeding is so wonderful. It's worth sticking with it if you can. There are multitudes of reasons people don't nurse and I respect and honor that, but it sometimes is hard in the first weeks. If you need help, ask your dr for a lactation consultant. It's so great once you get the hang of it! ❤❤❤

[@adriennegonzales2636]

For me the anxiety ebs and flows... my kiddo is 2 and there's new challenges there too with their curiosity and their magical ability to create danger for themselves lol
The best part of becoming a parent is the hard stop I've had in setting and holding boundaries with areas I've struggled in before.

[@melima_]

Thanks so much for sharing how you made your decision! And the anxieties you had previously! It is very comforting to hear from other women of how they weren't sure at some point in their life! I previously mostly heard from women who always wanted children or always knew they did not want them!

[@iwasalllikeomg]

I recognise so many of your thoughts and feelings! I’m sitting here watching your video while feeding my 8-week-old baby, so I’m already at the other side of it. I feel like you will do great! Mindset is a huge part of giving birth and I can honestly say I had an amazing experience. Good luck these coming months!

[@susandevinenapoli7649]

I had my children at 30 and 33 after about three years of medical help. I understand that shock for the positive test.

[@river1235545]

Im so excited for you!

[@melodyrose1985]

Loved this!

[@herebecause]

Glad to hear you're still exercising! Ballet must be great for core strength. There are also some abdominal exercises that help minimize diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles. Over half of pregnant women get it to some degree). And do kegels.

[@tygerlily1700]

Congratulations!!!❤❤❤

[@Noel.Chmielowiec]

I'm really glad you feel good and at peace. I hope everything will be fine and you can have the birth that you want. My mum always said that with getting pregnant everything is opposite to what you expect, she wanted few kids when she would finish uni, then she accidentally got pregnant at 19 and I don't have siblings. So yeah, I'm not surprised that it turned out this way for you 😂

[@eleabolar]

Lucy I am sooo happy for you and your husband. I’ve been a long time follower. I smiled this whole video!! What made me most happy was hearing about how you plan to raise the baby multilingual!! As a monolingual child myself who taught myself to fluent proficiency in a second language, it thrills me to know baby will have the option to be trilingual! You are so calmly entering motherhood and I can’t wait to follow along through the next chapter of your life!❤

[@FlamedWater]

I admire your stance on the child's diet. You can definitely teach your child your values to increase the chances they would choose veganism later on.
Until then, as long as you supplement with the respective vitamins, they will stay healthy and have exposure to various diets and ways to live, which is a great bonus for them as a person.

[@mirelamalli4699]

It’s the best feeling! Holding your baby… there is such thing as love at first sight… ❤❤❤❤❤

[@darymarkova]

Oh it is so obvious you are ready! You guys will be amazing parents, I'm sure of it

[@VivianPinto]

I didn’t see this video you mentioned in the beginning, but being an anxious person, getting pregnant and having a baby was life changing for sure. It’s not always easy, and my anxiety has kinda changed places a little, because it goes to caring for my son and all of that things, and it’s not always easy, but it’s always full of love ❤ congratulations again, you’ll be amazing parents

[@maritzelcastillon1969]

Congratulations ❤ you look so happy

[@croccatcher]

Awwwww your wonderful your going to be the best mum.

[@user-ee1os9ot1p]

As mama of bilingual children I have to say that my family and family of my husband are happy that our children are able to speak to them. My son also started with English very naturally and at the age of three he speaks fluent Slovak, Dutch and basic English. So it is nice that you will speak to your child Slovak also. 😊

[@soulsworn13]

It's so sweet and exciting to see how much you're looking forward to this!
I'm old enough now that there's more and more people in my life that are getting pregnant or talking about it as an option for their futures, and watching videos like this has been so rewarding and affirming. I really want to be a good, supportive friend and know how to be a warm and helpful presence in all their and their children's lives. But man, I'm so glad that my instincts around wanting to be childfree are correct. I think I'm just Aunty material 😅

[@rjz9785]

This is my most favorite video youve made

[@charmedmimi]

I loved every minute of this ❤

[@ezzyez3442]

Aww congrats!

[@turbotoshikiara1931]

Thank you ❤

[@SusanLeeNightingale]

Dutch healthcare sounds pretty similar to Canadian healthcare. Midwives are not the standard here but they are an option that is commonly used.

[@TheRubyRed87]

Look into the use of raspberry leaf tea in the later part of your third trimester, so many benefits

[@DelphineSerenity]

Yes! And also eating medjool dates in the last few weeks! 😊

[@lizzaturnbull]

You are in such a great space! As a mum of 3 , I am a huge believer that a happy, calm , relaxed mama goes a long way to having a happy, calm, relaxed birth and baby. That was definitely my experience - even though each baby was very different, they were all very happy and good natured which makes things so much more enjoyable. All the very best my lovely - I for one will be watching with lots of positive vibes for you both 🥰

[@MichelleH1791]

It sounds like the Netherlands has a supportive system for pre and post-natal. Lisa at Farmhouse on Boone has great advice on natural home birthing. She's a mom of 8 and has done 7 home births. Very happy for you and your husband, Lucy. Be well.

[@elisabethsphilosophy6459]

De pijn van de bevalling is mij persoonlijk heel erg meegevallen. (overigens zonder pijn medicatie, wel hebben ze mij een paracetamol aangeboden hahah) Ik vond het wel erg vermoeiend, een goede conditie hebben zal zeker helpen.

[@pursuitofmomming]

My heart overflowing when you were gushing over the clothes! Also anyone surprised at the nursery theme 😂

[@lisduperou]

Congratulations to you and Robert! I am so happy for you! In case you would like to do another tea time video about this topic, a have another question for you: are you considering cloth diapers as an option and have you heard of elimination communication (EC)? I learned about both when I had my first child three years ago and it was the best!

[@kathrynmccarthy]

CONGRATULATIONS!🥳 If you haven't already, I would add a good bio available supplement for Zinc too. My grandfather spent his career as a researcher for the NIH studying Zinc and according to the many rants I've heard from him, having enough zinc is crucial to proper brain development during pregnancy. Zinc in enough quantities is mostly only found in red meat, so if meat is a no go for you, then a supplement would be the next best option. Good luck to you both!

[@Loepsie]

Yes! My calcium supplement contains zinc as well 😊

[@claricesabrink3670]

Wow, congratulations Mama to be! I have had four babies now and I have been considered high risk for all of them for one reason or another. By God's grace and provision everything has went so well. Praying that your placenta moves. Also you are right on with the idea of hypno birthing, it is so helpful and necessary for birth. Lol I'm very passionate about that :D. Also, are you going to be making some baby clothes because I'm definitely the most excited for that if you are!

[@mariekelley7557]

I will also say that the Bradley Method of birth and Hypnobabies (I did a hybrid of them by the end) really helped me. Not only with pregnancy anxiety, but also with all the changes post baby. It really, really helped my anxiety, because I wasn’t prepared for how my anxiety would explode post baby. Even if you don’t get to labor naturally, you will still benefit from all the tricks and meditations from these methods!

[@NatalieCrafts]

Oh, re: the placenta previa, I've "had" it twice. My experience has been - if they do the anatomy scan before 19 weeks, it will always come up as placenta previa because the size of the uterus in relation to the placenta is too small for the placenta to NOT be very close to the cervix. For me, it has resolved within two months every time. I did a bunch of research the first time. Apparently something like 75-85% of cases seen before 19 weeks resolve themselves.

[@k8eb1rd96]

Wow Netherlands healthcare is so much better than the US 😭😭😭 a postpartum nurse??? Thats unheardof where I live and it makes so much sense

[@clara-sg3vu]

thank you for this lovely tea time and for sharing all these personal thoughts! 😊 a lot of your answers remind me of my thoughts during pregnancy which is nice to think about. Seeing your baby for the first time really is magical! (:
I can highly recommend Pregnancy Yoga if you are interested. For me, it was the perfect way to get emotionally ready for birth besides doing some physical workouts. It is more of breathing excercises than yoga really, but it really helped me to feel at least somewhat relaxed and in control while having contractions and delivering. And during pregnancy it prepared me for labor because I felt like I knew what to do (how to breath), sounds silly but it really helped me. 😊 Maybe it is something for you as well.
I wish you all the best for pregnancy and birth, enjoy this extra peaceful christmas time! ☃️