Summer Heat

Middle of July....heatwave. The air is hot and still and fragrant of the summer flowers. The ground is hot to the soles of barefeet. People seek out indoor places with air conditioning or flock to the beach in search of relief.

Not the most comfortable position to be in while 31 weeks pregnant. A heat wave has hit No. Cal. and we are unable to stay at our house, in beautiful 80 degree weather in SF by the beach, because we are having our kitchen floors redone (and hardwood re-finished in the nursery) Needed to get done before baby girl's arrival. As such, we are displaced from our house and are hanging out in 100 degree heat up here in Petaluma this weekend. I am currently hiding inside, with two fans, and a "Misty Mate" ( a water bottle with a misting tube) which I use to mist myself with water every 15 minutes. My hands and feet and face are swollen from the pregnancy and heat combo. I would like to go swimming but the thought of squeezing into a bathing suit is not too enticing.

The baby is active as ever, kicking and squirming. She seems to respond to our voices with her movements. She keeps me company as I march through these final months. ( 2 months to go!)

Pregnancy tips from the past

One of the things I have been doing lately is trying to get my house in order and ready for the new baby. Call it nesting if you'd like but it is long overdue! In doing this I stumbled upon an old book that my grandmother had for pregnancy and the new baby. It is titled "Better Homes and Gardens Baby Book", copyright 1946. It is very amusing to read over the tips and procedures for the pregnant woman back then. Here are some highlights:

"Daily Regimen for Normal Pregnancy"
-Arise, brush your teeth, care for your breasts, take a short walk.
-Eat breakfast, go to the toilet. Relax, take your time
-Do your housework
-Eat lunch
-Rest for two hours
-Visit with friends or sit in the yard or on the porch, sewing or reading
-Prepare and eat dinner. If tired, rest before washing the dishes
-Retire by 10:30 pm.

It then has a section titled "If You're a Working Woman"
It says "Your condition will become rather readily apparent by the fifth month. If your appearance is important in your work, you'll want to quit, or arrange to work at home after that"
Though it does say that perhaps obvious pregnancy doesnt matter, and that "employers are much less squeamish about this than they used to be"
Well good thing for that!

This one is my favorite:
"Smoking"
"Moderate smoking seems to do no harm-that is, under 8 or 10 cigarettes a day. If you're a heavy smoker, doctors advise that you cut down, but dont try to quit entirely, as this is an added strain"

Hilarious. Shows you how times do change quite a bit.