So you know how I hinted that there would be big news soon? I can spill the beans now: I'm pregnant!
For obvious reasons I've been really incredibly tired, and now that I've moving into my second trimester I can do more than drag myself to work and back. I practised tonight for the first time in awhile and it was, in a word, strange.
My bump isn't big enough to get in the way yet, but boy does my body feel different. I found I was getting tired very quickly and it was like I was operating my arms through a snowsuit or something. Some of that is from not practising so much lately, but it wasn't all that.
Anybody else play through their pregnancy? What was it like?
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Guanaco
24 February 2009 at 11:34 pm
Congratulations Erin! All the best to you.
Kris
25 February 2009 at 8:27 am
Congratulations Erin!
I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, but this is the first time I post a comment.
I’m also an adult cello learner, I started playing about 1,5 years ago, and I really really love it … Anyway, I’m 5 months pregnant now, and I’ve also been very tired lately. Especially last month, it was terrible, and I didn’t practise the cello at all. Now I have the feeling that it’s getting a little better again … I’m very happy with my pregnancy, but I’m also a bit scared about how it’s gonna be when the baby is born: I wonder whether I’ll be a good parent, and also whether I will have enough time and energy left to see my friends, and, especially, to play my cello – because I really don’t want to give up on that. Well, we’ll see …
Anyway, I wish you all the best, and I will surely keep reading your blog, I really love it!
Elaine Fine
25 February 2009 at 1:06 pm
Mazel tov, Erin.
Being a parent will change your life in more ways that you can imagine. My cellist friends who have had babies have usually been able to play until about the 7th month.
Owldaughter
25 February 2009 at 1:24 pm
I played right up until thirty-one weeks, and I would have kept going except I went into premature labour. Like you my first trimester was spent either asleep or moving around like I was underwater. Honestly, the hardest thing was moving the cello around!
I think it’s important to make time for yourself once the baby’s born. Obviously that’s going to be hard in the first few weeks when you’re working schedules and habits and personalities out, but I planned (and stuck to) still going to orchestra once a week so I’d keep playing. I knew if I didn’t, I wouldn’t touch the cello at all. My boy was born the day of a band gig and a couple of weeks before the final concert of the orchestral season so I missed those, but I was back in my chair when orchestra started in September. And through the summer I still rehearsed once a week with band. Making a commitment is a good way to make sure your cello doesn’t stay in a corner.
Your lung capacity and blood volume is changing too; how are they affecting your flute playing?
Erin
25 February 2009 at 8:20 pm
Thanks everyone!
Kris, nice to hear from you! I think we should both take Owldaughter’s advice and try and keep up playing after we have our little ones… I was sort of thinking of doing that anyway just to guarantee I leave the house a bit. I think it’s normal to stress about what kind of parents we’ll be, I know I have a bit of a freak out once a week along those lines.
Owldaughter… I’ve not played my flute since I’ve been pregnant actually, and considering how lax I’ve been with practising I can’t imagine I’ll get to it much.
Oh Elaine, you are right I know, everything will change. I’m just trying to keep an open mind and enjoy the ride at the moment. Seven months hmmm? I don’t think I’ll manage my summer orchestra semester then!
x
Rallentando
3 March 2009 at 6:22 pm
Congratulations!
Have you seen the CD by Julian Lloyd Webber called ‘Cradle Song’? He plays a selection of lullabies and cradle songs inspired by the birth of his own son. Some of the comments I have seen say babies fall asleep – as well as their parents – when this is played in the nursery! I think it is out of production but I got a copy through Amazon a bit ago, though my babies are 37,36 and 26!!
You never know, it may save your sanity!
Erin
4 March 2009 at 11:42 am
Thanks Rallentando, I haven’t seen that CD, I’ll keep an eye out for it. I haven’t even thought about all the accoutrements for babies yet to be honest… not even decided on a pram. Blah. So much stuff! x