How Did I Go from Hating Pregnancy to Loving it? Half Way there!

I started writing this blog entry two days ago and this is what I started with…

“I can’t decide if I think this pregnancy is going fast or extremely slow. When I think about the fact that I’m almost half way done (19 weeks), it seems like the baby will be here before we know it. But on a day to day basis, I feel like time is dragging. I think I’m in a weird stage right now where the horrible 1st trimester symptoms have gone away (well almost all of them – I still have no motivation or energy) but I have yet to feel my baby. Why can’t I love this pregnancy? It’s really bothering me that I don’t love it.”

Well, that was Wednesday and my feelings have TOTALLY changed since then. I’m LOVING being pregnant now! Ha. So, what happened?

1) WHITE DRESS 2) NECKLACE 3) LIP COLOR

I felt my baby kick!!!! It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced! I was sitting on the couch watching TV and had my hand over my tummy and all of a sudden I felt this big/little kick. It was almost as if a finger was inside my belly and slightly pushed on my skin from the inside out. It was surreal! I grabbed Kevin’s hand immediately and put it on my tummy and he felt the baby kick too! Twice! I felt 4 strong kicks in total. Over the past few weeks, I thought maybe I felt the baby when I felt little pops in my belly or little bubbles, but it was always too hard too tell if it was my little one or just everyday stomach movements/sounds. I never wanted to say “I felt the baby!” because I just wasn’t 100% sure. But yesterday there was no way to doubt it! I’ve read that the mom usually feels the baby from within before the baby can be felt on the outside, but that’s not how it happened for us. I love that we were both certain of feeling the kicks at the same time, rather than me feeling it first and then Kevin feeling it a week or two later. It was such a special moment for us as parents. Something we will never forget.

After those first few kicks yesterday, I have now felt the “flutters” twice. It’s so weird to me that now I can all of a sudden feel the flutters (which I should have felt before the kicks) but I couldn’t before and the first thing I felt was a huge kick (so big my belly moved from the outside). Maybe the baby was in just the right position to really get my attention and is saying “Hey, notice me moving! I’m here!” Ha! Also, it didn’t go unnoticed by me that yesterday was National Drinking Wine Day. I would so have LOVED a sip or two (or 10) of wine, but I’m just not comfortable even having a sip at this point (more on this topic in a later post), so maybe the baby was also telling me “You don’t need any wine. You have me!” This child knows exactly how to cheer me up! 😉

1) WHITE DRESS 2) NECKLACE 3) LIP COLOR

Now I am so excited for the weeks to come! I can’t wait for those kicks to get stronger and to feel more connected with our little babe. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still exhausted. But feeling this baby has given me a new sense of motivation and allows me to start knowing what it feels like to love being pregnant! Honestly, I never thought I would get here. It wasn’t easy for me in the beginning. In fact, it was really hard. But I am so excited abut the future and can’t wait to bond even more with my little love.

Thanks for reading this. As of this Wednesday, I will be 20 weeks – we’re half way there! Cue the Bon Jovi song Living on a Prayer! This is the most special and intimate journey of my life and I want to share it with all of you.

Love you guys!

xo Ali (Kevin and Baby Manno)

SIMILAR DRESSES TO THE ONE I’M WEARING…

14 Thoughts

14 thoughts on “How Did I Go from Hating Pregnancy to Loving it? Half Way there!

  1. This has hit home for me. I’m 7 weeks along and am currently lying in bed because I’m always exhausted and nauseous. I feel like a literal bump on a long, and mostly just so guilty that I’m not working out more to stay fit.

    The exhaustion is…well…exhausting. Haha. It takes such a toll on you mentally and physically.

    But now I can look forward to the day I get to feel my little peanut kick!

  2. Ali, you are seriously awesome! I love being able to follow your journey! When do you find out what you’re having?! I look forward to all of your future posts 🙂 Love you!!

  3. Thank you so, so much for this post! I will be 19 weeks on Monday and I’m still in that in between stage. I thought I’d love it by now and feel so guilty that I don’t! This made me feel so much better and am eager to feel those first kicks 🙂 I think that will be my turning point!

  4. I felt the same way, and felt baby kick for the first time at 19 weeks exactly- it changed my whole perspective on pregnancy. I’ll be 27 weeks on Sunday and there are days I wish that my little one didn’t kick so much or so hard (especially at night when I’m trying to sleep), but the kicks are still so worth it! Enjoy!

  5. They have a non-alcoholic wine called Fré that helped fill that void during my pregnancy. The red blend and Chardonnay are definitely the best ones!

  6. Enjoy these moments, you will be a great mother for sure and also with a realy great men next by your side. you both realy deserve this happiness.

  7. Reading this got me so excited that I might be getting close to feeling my baby kick! I’ll be 16 weeks tomorrow and I’ve been wondering when it’s going to happen. Ahhh can’t wait to experience it! Love reading your pregnancy posts!:)

  8. Thank you, Ali! This post is exactly what I needed today. I am 18 weeks along and really haven’t enjoyed pregnancy yet…at all. Now I am so excited to feel the first kick! Btw, I just subscribed to your blog last week and I have already purchased 2 items (the blue Lush dress and the madewell tee). Please keep wearing cute dresses so I can figure out how to dress this bump as spring and wedding season begin 🙂

  9. Hi Ali,
    I’ve followed you since your time on the Bachelor, always so happy for you when good things happen! I was in high school when you were on Jake’s season and thought you were the coolest chick ever. Such a great role model.
    Anyway, congratulations on starting a family with the guy who makes you so happy! Do you think one day you could post a tutorial on how you style your hair? I’ve tried to emulate your messy/wavy long bob look but I haven’t quite gotten it yet.

  10. Hi from India, Ali! I love reading your posts. I am a mom of an almost 4 yr old and I still remember how incredible it felt to feel that 1st kick. That’s when I knew that all that severe nausea was worth it! I am so glad you are enjoying this journey now.. I can’t wait to read more of your posts. Take care and be blessed!

  11. This is encouraging news! First trimester literally crawls by. And the exhaustion and nausea is for real. I feel like an alien! I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on wine during pregnancy. I’ve had a few sips here and there in my first trimester and plan to have a little more moving forward. Glad you’re enjoying it now can’t wait to feel kicks!

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