pregnant surfing

One of the hardest things about pregnancy is putting things you love on hold -- sushi, alcohol, soft unpasteurized cheeses. For me, charging challenging waves is also on that list. Even so, I had fun surfing through my fourth month and probably would've kept going, if it wasn't for winter's snowstorms, freezing water temps, and top-entry 5/4 wetsuits. Since most of the stories I read on pregnant surfing came from pros like Bethany Hamilton and seasoned water-women, I thought I'd blog my experience.

Some background: I've been surfing for about four years. I have a good grasp on catching waves, going down the line, and doing some turns, but I'm by no means amazing; I still wipe out during sessions. Here are some lessons I learned and things I did while pregnant surfing:

1. Surfed the leftovers. For me, my greatest concern wasn't wiping out; it was getting hit by another board. My break is crowded Rockaway, so I always opted for the emptier beach, even if it wasn't breaking as nicely. I also avoided crowds by sitting away from the peak.

2. Swallowed my pride. To avoid wipe-outs, I only went for waves that I knew I could make for sure, which meant passing up steeper waves where I was in prime position. I trusted my instinct; my protective urges were already in high gear. Once in a while, I got a "that scared girl blew it" looks, which, if you know me, is the thing that pisses me off the most! But then I'd envision my baby, safe in sound inside, and my annoyance would immediately disappear.

3. Told people in the lineup. Even before the second trimester, I told my surf buddies that I was preggo. I'd also mention it to other surfers I'd chat with in the water -- just in cased anything happened, and also so they'd be careful around me. I joked with my friends that I wanted to write "PREGNANT" or "BABY ON BOARD" on my wetsuit to keep people from dropping in me.

4. Accounted for the extra weight. In my third and fourth months, I started to notice that I wouldn't make waves that I'd normally make - because of the extra belly weight. So I took that into account, and sat a tiny bit deeper and skipped the "maybe…" waves. I surfed my 5'10" the whole time; it has plenty of volume and my 4/3 wetsuit provided enough padding to keep it from getting uncomfortable (although I tried to spend the least amount of time on my belly).

5. Ditched my board. I can duck-dive on smaller days, but on bigger days, I'll make it about half the time. If I ever felt like I wasn't going to make it on a paddle out, I'd dive deep and let my board go -- of course, only if I knew for sure I wasn't surrounded by anyone.

6. Protected my belly. Because I was so careful, I rarely wiped out, but when I did, I'd grab my belly first to shield it from a flying board.

7. Paddled in early. Usually, I'm the queen of four-hour surf sessions. But I forced myself to call it quits before I felt ready. With pregnancy, exhaustion and dehydration can hit like a ton of bricks out of nowhere. Also I know I'm less careful when I'm tired. So I paddled in before I was tired, and made sure that I ate and drank a ton on surf days.

8. Knew when to call it quits. I've had a little FOMO since I stopped, especially during these East Coast swells and our annual girls' trip to Costa. But, much to my surprise, I don't feel bad about it. Maybe it's that mom instinct kicking in, but keeping baby safe is my number-one priority, and everything else pales in comparison. Plus, I know that the waves will always be there -- and I'm sure I'll be back on my board in no time!


Bonus: Blurry baby on a baby wave in Rincon:

6 things...

…I did this week:

1. Did a TV appearance (see makeup-face above). Hosting and public speaking don't come naturally to me, and I usually spend the day or two beforehand scrambling to put together an appropriate outfit and feeling stressed. But I think it's important to do things that challenge and scare you, and force you to step outside of your comfort zone. In the end, it went great, and I had a fun time. Personal growth!
2. Felt grumpy. This week was a perfect storm for grouchiness: I was dealing with my nerves, deadlines, and pregnancy fatigue, while Erik was battling a nasty cold and business dealings. To add to that, we were trapped inside because of the snowy slushiness. It made me thankful we know how to defuse our irritation without taking it out on each other. The highlight was when Erik was trying to help, and I snapped, "Let me be angry and wash some dishes, dude! Aughhhh!" We both dissolved into giggles.
3. Hired movers. I still can't believe this is happening.
4. Got massaged. I've been dying for one, but pre-natal massages are so pricey. So I wandered into the Chinese bodywork place, and laid on my side to accommodate my growing belly. Best 50 bucks I've ever spent.
5. Had my wallet returned. On the way back from my massage, my wallet must've dropped out of my pocket, and I didn't even realize it! (Hello, pregnancy brain.) The sweetest woman buzzed my door and gave it back. What are the odds of that happening? I'm the luckiest.
6. Watched baby in my belly. I can see my belly move now with her little kicks!

snow days

Late Friday evening, winter storm Jonas hit, blanketing the city in nearly 30 inches of snow. It was the perfect excuse to hole up inside. I slept in, cooked, edited, wrote, watched movies, researched furniture, and chatted with my brother. So relaxing. On Sunday, the blizzard finally ceased, and I met a friend for coffee and a quick grocery shop. In the evening, Erik and I watched baby-care YouTube videos and practiced holds on our cat. I have a feeling Erik is going to be the baby whisperer around here. Ha!

our little thumb sucker

On Friday, Erik and I went for our 20-week anatomy scan. Our little girl is healthy and absolutely perfect. It was magical to see how much she's grown. We could see each tiny finger and toe, and she even did some drinking and thumb-sucking. We were in awe! Some stats: She's seven ounces and in the 77 percentile, and I've gained a total of nine pounds. I can even feel her kicks now, usually in the evening and morning; it's like the lightest tickle-tap from inside my belly. That sensation is one of the very best things I've ever felt in my whole life. It's funny how something so natural can seem like such a miraculous feat. As Drake would say, what a time to be alive!

pregnancy lately: 17 weeks

This pic is actually from two weeks ago, and my belly's grown a bunch since then! Thought I'd do a little round-up of how I've been feeling lately for posterity's sake:

How I'm feeling: At 15 weeks, I had a surge of energy and thought I had made it out of the first-trimester fatigue…but nope! Figured out that baby #chinolatinomarino grows in spurts. Every so often, I'll get completely wiped out with overwhelming exhaustion, insatiable hunger, and a pounding headache for a day or two. When I re-emerge from the fog, my belly is noticeably bigger. Crazy. Also still logging a solid 10 hours of sleep a night, although I really need those two extra hours for work.

What I'm wanting: Eating smaller meals more frequently. I can't stop, won't stop with cheese and crackers paired with a fruit juice spritzer.

What I'm surprised about: It's been fun to join the parenting club! It's like I've learned a secret handshake; suddenly, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers notice my belly and want to commiserate on pregnancy and parenting. On New Year's Eve, one of Erik's homies pulled me aside and (drunkenly) waxed on about having that "next-level love" for his daughters. I laughed, but it was so sweet and touching.

Also, what is UP with all these weird pregnancy symptoms? They warn you about the nausea and sore boobs, but hello, ache in my knee. Also, my guidebook tells me that I might experience vision loss, bleeding gums, and constipation?!

What I miss: Exercise; it's such a big part of my life. I've been walking a bunch and doing pre-natal yoga and workout videos, but I miss a good sweaty run or four-hour surf. Also, I'm dying for a glass of wine (or three).

What I love: Talking about the future with Erik, who is the absolute best. Beyond grateful to have him as my life partner.

happy 2016!

Happy New Year, everyone! What a year of fun adventures, personal growth, and tough challenges. I kicked off the year with an icy dip in the Atlantic for the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge, and didn't stop trucking for the next 365 days. I did a lot of traveling, with trips to Sweden, San Diego, Costa Rica, Los Angeles, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. I logged a lot of wonderful surf days at Gilgo with Tom and the girls; a snowy weekend in Montauk with Sara; and sunset Rockaway Fridays with Jon and Siv. Work-wise, I kicked butt, filling in on staff, taking on a few ongoing projects, and scrambling to make countless deadlines. As for setbacks, I've been dealing with my mom's accident and her ongoing care. It's not (and probably never) going to be an ideal situation, but we're doing the best we can. I'm so grateful to have Tim as brother and partner in this, and the built-in support that my dad left long after his passing.

Of course, the biggest and most monumental change of the year was getting pregnant! It's been such an exciting ride so far. Pregnancy has come with its fair share of sucky days (exhaustion, headaches, crazy hormones), but the experience is also pretty rad: hearing her heart beat, seeing her profile, marveling at my growing belly. Perhaps the greatest thing of all has been sharing Erik's joy; he is truly going to be the best dad and co-parent. I'm so stoked! I know 2016 is going to be a roller coaster of a a year, with our daughter's birth, huge move cross-country, and (probably) our moving of Mom, too. But I'm as ready as I'll ever be; sometimes you've just got to take that leap.

I know that life isn't going to unfold perfectly, and I'm going to make plenty of mistakes. But I also know that I'll be able to take it all in stride, and find joy, laughter, and happiness along the way.