We are having a Baby

We're so excited to share with you that we are having a baby! If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you probably already saw the news. We were trying to keep it secret for a half year about and it was almost impossible. Just few weeks ago we announced about our little baby and it feels so good now to be free to post everything about my pregnancy, how it was in the start, how is it now, the gender, the questions and many more.

LET'S JUST START FROM THE BEGINNING... HOW WE HAVE FOUND OUT

Me and Harry wanted to have a baby a lot! Once at the end of January I was feeling very strange and unusually hot. So I decided to make a test since I had a feeling that it's the only right thing I should do. The test showed 2 lines just in 20 seconds and here we are: I was pregnant! There is really no way to express the mix of feelings I had inside myself: happiness, blessing, hope, satisfaction and even a bit of fear of the unknown future. Everything just changed in an instant. It was the moment when our journey has started and here we are now 7 months pregnant.

FIRST TRIMESTER FOR FUTURE MOM AND DAD

Well my first trimester was one big drama. I was feeling so bad like never ever before in my life. At that moment I really couldn't understand how other pregnant women don't just die during their pregnancy. Why so tragic you will ask... Well I was actually dying at home, doing absolutely nothing, going nowhere, just laying in bed and crying from exhaustion. I was shocked that pregnancy can be so hard for the body. I mean I was feeling very very bad... As a result, the endless amount of analysis I've made, showed that I had a big problem with the thyroid. It was working on a maximum level but still wasn't enough for me and the growing baby. I've got thyroid inflammation during the pregnancy and started to take pills every day. From that moment my health changed back to the normal and I started to feel much better. I still can't imagine that without that pills it wouldn't be possible to carry the baby for me.

Harry was so kind and gentle these 3 months of my life. He was cleaning the house and plates, cooking food and taking care about our pup. We were always visiting our doctor together and I couldn't ask for more. He was doing everything and even more! Nowadays I feel so happy knowing how proud he is to become a father of our little baby. However when he is telling to his friends about the first 3 months of the pregnancy, he always says that it was very big shock for him to see me in such a difficult helpless condition.

SECOND TRIMESTER AND ENDLESS MEDICAL CONSULTATIONS

During the second trimester I've visited so many doctors! You guys just can't even imagine how many medical tests and examinations are expecting every pregnant woman in Greece. First of all we were visiting our gynecologist every month to make the ultrasound, to see how the baby growths and to check my health in general. After 4 months being pregnant I've started to have some problems with my skin which was itching everywhere! I went to the dermatologist and he told me that I have neurodermatitis. Neurodermatitis is a skin condition that’s also known as lichen simplex chronicus. It causes patches of itchy skin that lead to scratching, which makes you feel even itchier. The craziest thing is that I had it from the stress about my pregnacy, baby and work. I didn't even know that something like that is existing.

Lucky me from the second attempt I got the right treatment and everything went well. But still I was visiting otolaryngologist and dentist. There are also important examinations you are doing at the second trimester: for Down's Syndrome, for congenital anomalies of the fetus and for the Glucose. Well since it's my first pregnancy I made all of them, but at the second time I will definitely cut some. The bad thing is that doctors ask you to make them without any reason - just because... On my personal opinion it's not necessary if you have no complaints during the pregnancy.

As you can see I'm not into all these medical stuff but the truth is that without the results of analysis I would never find out why I'm feeling so bad and I wouldn't get the right treatment. So there is no doubt that the progress achieved by modern medicine can really save your life and help you to carry your little baby without troubles and risks.

WHAT I LIKE TO EAT DURING THE PREGNANCY

Well my top favorite is potato! Jacket potatoes, boiled potatoes with butter, potato wedges, potato pancakes... I love potato so much and it is just perfect with traditional Greek Salad. It's also very simple to cook which is important for me since me and Harry are working every day and we don't have time to cook something special at home. Actually we are eating outside a lot. I guess I was never eating so often at the restaurants like this summer.

The second thing is seafood: fried, with pasta or with rice. It's one of the most popular dishes in Greece during summer season, so I eat it all the time. Actually if you are following me in Instagram, you have definitely noticed some seafood plates on my feed.

The third thing is cherries. I was eating so many of them almost every 2 days for over one month sure. Kilos of cherries! It was true insanity, but nowadays I don't want even one cherry. Can you imagine! However nowadays I'm obsessed with nectarines and cold green ice tea. Well you never know what pregnant woman want to eat... Even I don't know for sure. Thanks God my darling man is always bringing me anything I ask for.

Well I also like fresh carrot juice, smoked turkey slices, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, pistachios and some creamy greek sweets.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE TO EAT AT ALL

Chicken! Just a week before my pregnancy I had chicken poisoning at taverna and first time in very many years I had to vomit for all night long. It was terrible and very hard for me, so I can't even see chicken... Maybe after some more time I will feel better about this kind of food but not now. To continue the list I am staying away from burgers, cabbage, chocolate, espresso, orange juice, olives, peas, garlic, zucchini, milk and anything grilled.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT PREGNANCY IN GREECE

Well Greece is a good place for pregnant women. First of all there are sun, sea, fresh fruits and vegetables, kind greek people and clean air. The second important thing is the insurance which covers all my pills and vitamins (there are tons of them every month), the biggest part of my analyzes and even the process of birth itself. Even with the fact that we pay for doctors by ourselves, there is much economy on many things from the goverment. Greek doctors are taking care a lot about the way you feel, what you eat, how baby growths and always explain even the most little details of the process by answering on all question. It's really nice that they guide you through the whole pregnancy and taking care about everything. Mostly I'm speaking about the private doctors who take money for the appointment. Anyway it's fair: money = service.

The only problem is hot weather which is hard to come clear with. Sometimes I feel like my skin is burning while I drive the car. There are also moments when I feel like there is not enough air for me and it makes me to feel dizzy. I also couldn't imagine that it will be so hard to be pregnant and to keep working since there is always something paining or you are just tired, want to sleep, to eat, to pee and many more.

However I've realized that I'm not alone anymore and there is always one more human with me. INSIDE ME! The little baby sending me signals and trying to explain what is needed. That's why I feel that it's my priority to take care about my body and health as well. I've stopped caring about troubles, silly people and different problems which I worried so much before. With the little angel in my belly I'm trying to stay as positive and calm as possible.

Speaking about my Shiny Honey Blog during the pregnancy period, it's a bit hard to keep it updated as often as before since I'm working every day and pregnancy by itself is also not a simple thing ;) . Anyway I will try my best to stay in touch and to tell you about the most interesting things I'm living at the moment. Thank you very much for staying with me and for your kind words on our big happiness. Kisses!