THE FINISH (OR I SHOULD SAY THE START) IS AROUND THE CORNER

If I was compering my pregnancy with an Ironman race I would be somewhere close to the finish line now, let say about 4-5 ml away. That would be right because during those last few miles that's when you start counting every minute and start looking at the watch more often than during entire race. Same happens here with a three or so weeks to go I can't wait to get to the finish and to see the best reward :-) ever and more and more often I am looking at the calendar. Now I finally stopped counting time by the weeks and started doing it by each day. A few miles before the Ironman finish adrenalin and excitement are still rushing through and keeping you going but you kind of feel exhausted. And another similarity is that my legs are cramping the same way like they would do in the long race :-)

Since I am coming to the end of my pregnancy I would like to share my experience of a pregnant Pro athlete or just another pregnant woman. 
I am 37 weeks pregnant, it considers a full term and safe for the baby to be born at any time now. So far I am having a perfect pregnancy as my midwife says. I don't think I am doing anything for my pregnancy to be perfect it is like it is :-). 
What I did and what I didn't do:
I didn't:
- I didn't take my vitamins as recommended through the whole pregnancy. I was very strict during the first Trimester and beginning of the second one. But then they were just making me feel sick :-( even though I've tried the different once. Yet, I had a good Iron levels at the beginning and at the end.
- I didn't drink enough milk as everybody recommends 

- I didn't write a journal. I started several times, could never stick to it

- I didn't finish reading any of my many "pregnant" books which I got at the beginning of my pregnancy (sorry, Dina, I am working on it)
- I didn't learn Spanish. I started though. 
- and I didn't train for at least last 7 months
- I didn't stop having a coffee. I've tried, but my blood pressure was always low and I was recommended to have a cup of coffee  

I did and I still do:
- I do eat plenty of fruits vegetables and healthy foods
- I gave up wine completely and surprisingly I never even craved it 
- I exercised and I still do: the first 3-4 weeks I was actually still training hard, getting ready for Ironman Arizona. Once I stopped training I gave up biking almost completely, I was just doing a short rides to the pool once in a while. It wasn't something I enjoyed much while pregnant. I was running, swimming and I started to do yoga 1 or 2 times a week. I stopped running around 30th week and switched to walking 3 times a week, swimming 3 times a week and one class of yoga. All my exercise sessions are 30-60 min long around 6 days per week. I'll try to swim until I feet in my bedding suit, I switched from size 30 to 32, then to 34 and now is 36 and I don't want to invest in a next size, it's scary. 
- I work. I am coaching a few athletes and I am helping out my husband at the bike shop "Epic Cycles" as a bike fitter, as a mechanic (I am still learning) and sometimes as a seller (I am not really good at this one). 

The choices.
- we decided to have a baby natural way. This means that we found a midwife, who is following my pregnancy and all of my appointments with her are taking place at home as well as most of lab tests. I am going to have a baby at home too most likely in the water. It doesn't mean I am brave it means I don't really know what I signed for :-))). But honestly, we just think this is a right way to do it.
- we decided to wait until the birth of the baby to find out if it's a boy or a girl. There are not too many surprises left in life and we want to enjoy this one. Also there are many cute things in yellow, red and green colors

- I am planning to come back to racing, but not this year. I don't want to rush into it and make it my priority in stead of enjoying being a mom and slowly learning how to manage my time after the big changes in my life. I really admire those women who came back to sport after having a baby and hope to be able to do the same. 

There are many Pro triathletes who are becoming new moms this year and I though that it's just because I am pregnant there are so many of us around, but look at the list...
- Nicola Spirig had a baby boy in March
- Laurel Wassner had a baby girl in January 
- Pip Taylor gave birth to a baby girl in April
 Expecting moms:
- Kathy Tremblay, Olimpian from Canada
- Tine Deckers, Pro athlete from Belgium;
- Maki Nishiuchi, Japan;
- Desiree Ficker
- Kate Major
- Kim Loeffler 
- Sarah Haskins
- Amanda Lovata

I want to Congratulate all of them and wish them the best luck. 
I'll try to keep everybody posted......, 20 more days :-)