45 & Pregnant or... Oh.

For the ladies...buckle up, girls, for an inside glimpse of the continuing journey...

45 & Pregnant or... Oh

by Sherri Caldwell - The Rebel Housewife® - All Rights Reserved.
For more information, contact Sherri@RebelHousewife.com

I remember waiting for It to start, in a very Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret kind-of-way, with excitement and growing concern, as all my friends seemed to start before me. I was 13 when It finally happened, and then I wasn't so excited anymore...what a pain!

Thirty-two years later, after the blessing of three healthy children, I suddenly find myself at the other end of the reproductive life cycle, waiting for a period that doesn't seem to be coming. I just hope, at forty-five that it's NOT pregnancy, God forbid; with three teenagers -- we're done! But the other reality, in many ways, is just as disconcerting.

Really? Is that it? Menopause. There, I said it.

WebMD tells us menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when she has not had a menstrual period for one year. That twelve-month transition is called perimenopause, and actually begins much earlier, as the equipment gradually begins to shut down. Perimenopause usually starts in a woman's 40s, but can begin earlier.

How's this for clarity:

"The average length of perimenopause is four years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years. Perimenopause ends the first year after menopause (when a woman has gone 12 months without having her period)." -- WebMD Menopause Health Center

Well, now that I may have had it, that last period leading into menopause, it makes me sad that I didn't notice. I wasn't paying attention, and I am suddenly faced with my body shutting itself down and what...getting ready to die?

No, that is more than a little dramatic. Considering the alternative to this situation (pregnancy), there are many positives to menopause. I'm sure...thinking...

Well, for one thing, once the factory shuts down for good, Prince Charming and I can enjoy a spontaneous sex extravaganza (sorry, kids!), without the risk of another baby coming along...that’s sexy, right? (Prince Charming, God love him, assures me it is.)

If you believe those ED commercials, we'll be sexy, silver-haired seniors, humping it up all over the place -- riding motorcycles, sailing exotic locations, taking romantic bubble baths in the middle of the week -- oh!

It's not like I didn't see it coming. Just as my daughter entered her time, with all the resulting mood swings and drama, I noticed changes, enough to think it was ironic: just as she was going through puberty, I was entering the extreme after-puberty, all perfectly normal:

Hot Flashes = Check
Mood Swings = OMG, Check
Difficulty Sleeping = Hello, my 4AM Facebook crowd!

There's more, but you get the idea.

Last year, my OB/GYN said it was "much" too early, but look at my hair -- I am 100% silver. My chiropractor, who, after 16 years, is a good friend and trusted doctor, gave me some herbal horse pills about the same time, in response to my whining, and I am addicted. ProFema™ made those early uncomfortable symptoms abate somewhat, even making the mood swings more, but not completely, manageable. (No, I am not getting paid for that mention!)

You don't miss something until you lose it. I don't miss it, I am just shocked that's where we are now, trying not to feel old and used up. I am Cougar, hear me roar. Meow.

- - -

Update - pregnancy test. I've only had to take a few more in my life than I was prepared for (meaning hoping for positive results). Forty-five years old, with a senior in high school, buying a pregnancy test, as quickly and inconspicuously as possible...peeing on a stick, waiting for lines to appear: two = pregnant, hoping for the single = not pregnant...3 minutes...

Single line, folks. You know what that means -- yay?

Literary Rebel & New Rebel Review - Aug 2012

August 2012 - Atlanta

The kids are back to school already in Georgia, as of August 6th, so The Rebel Housewife is back at it (even though I still have one at home in virtual school with Georgia Connections Academy).

I am pleased to announce I am writing a new blog IRL for Midtown Patch - Patch Media, part of the Huffington Post Media Group, is an AOL company:

Literary Rebel - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

"Literary Rebel, Sherri Caldwell, blogs about books, reading and literary events in Midtown. This week, Midtown Book Group ventured forth on a field trip, in search of HeLa cells at Georgia Tech."

While RebelHousewife.com is not all about books, all the time, sometimes it is, especially on Rebel Reviews, so check out the companion piece (it's different than the Patch article):

Rebel Review: BOOK GROUP REVIEWS: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
"Fascinating Science - Tragic Biography"

Literary Rebel & Book Group News

In Real Life, as we say, your Literary Rebel coordinates the long-running Midtown Book Group in Atlanta at Barnes & Noble/Georgia Tech. Book group is one of my most-favorite offline commitments and something I look forward to on the 2nd Wednesday of every month -- for the last SIX YEARS, come September 2012. I love my book group!

In honor of Six Years of Reading Together in Midtown (and a new blogging gig - Literary Rebel), I am posting The List of Books We Have Read here on RebelHousewife.com in Rebel Reviews for bibliophile reference and consumption(!).

Over six years, our very diverse group read winners & losers, stinkers & the sublime, books we loved & books we hated. Way back in September 2009, the group started rating each book, so I include those Midtown Book Group Official Ratings, as well, and update them each month for our members and The List.

If you are looking for book possibilities, for yourself or your book group, check it out:

Midtown Book Group: Books We Have Read

Furthermore, for your biblio-fanatic pleasure and temptation...

Midtown Book Group: Upcoming Selections

August (08/08/12) - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Sept (09/12/12) - Atlanta's Ponce de Leon Avenue: A History by Sharon Foster Jones
October (10/10/12) - The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
November (11/14/12) - Fahrenheit 451: A Novel in honor of the late RAY BRADBURY
December (12/12/12) - POETRY - Native Guard: Poems by Natasha Tretheway

Happy Reading!

Exercise After Baby! - GUEST BLOG by Katie Moore

I am pleased to welcome a Guest Blogger today on The Rebel Housewife Blog! Katie Moore is a talented writer, new Mommy and emerging blogger. I am so happy to have her on RebelHousewife.com -- Enjoy!

Exercise Guidelines for the Post-Partum Period

by RebelHousewife.com Guest Blogger, Katie Moore

After the initial fatigue of childbirth recovery wears off, many new mothers are excited at the idea of getting back into an exercise routine. Often, mothers with uncomplicated deliveries experience a surge of energy about three or four weeks after their babies' births. For the first time in months, they are not experiencing heartburn, backache and overwhelming fatigue, and the idea of working up a good sweat sounds like fun. I was a mom who exercised before pregnancy and couldn’t wait to get back to feeling fit and back to my pre-pregnancy size.

Exercise in the post-partum period does have some benefits. Performing light physical activity can decrease post-partum depression and curb the appetite for sweets and junk food. Exercise can help your body stay flexible so that you can avoid pulled muscles when you get back to your normal fitness routine.

Most doctors tell new moms to take it easy during the post-partum period. After all, childbirth is extremely hard on a woman's body, and it takes time for the body to heal. It is important to speak to your doctor about your post-partum health and exercise routines. My doctor was so helpful to me during my planning time for delivery, informing me of options like pain management, cord blood banking, and breastfeeding, and continued to be the best source for information about my post-partum habits and health.

Generally, if you had an uncomplicated delivery, there is no reason that you cannot do some light exercise, like stretching and walking, even before you visit your doctor for your six-week check-up.

Most importantly, you should pay close attention to how your body feels during exercise. If at any time you feel light-headed or weak, you should stop immediately. Additionally, exercise should not cause your bleeding to increase or turn bright red. If it does, you have done too much and should take a break for a day or two. A big surprise to me was how tired I would feel after about 10-15 minutes of exercise; its important to give into the feeling of fatigue, rest, and then come back to exercise later. Breaking up my workout routine helped me get in a least 30 minutes a day.

You will want to stick to gentle, low-impact exercises for the first few weeks after childbirth. Walking short distances at a moderate speed is fine. Yoga, my favorite workout, and stretching are also good for the post-partum period. Jogging, high-intensity aerobics and kickboxing will need to wait until the doctor tells you that it is okay.

If you were very physically active before you got pregnant, you may be frustrated in the body changes that pregnancy brought to you—I certainly was! You probably will have lost some flexibility and endurance and gained some weight. You need to remember that you can get back to where you were physically once again. However, this process will take a little time. You should be patient as you work your way back into your fitness regimen. If you try to rush the process, you will simply injure yourself and increase the amount of time that it will take to recover from your pregnancy. For me, it was constantly reminding myself that if I got hurt, I couldn’t take care of my daughter to the best of my ability. Remember that rest and recovery are important first steps before exercise and weight loss.

Caring for an infant around the clock takes more energy from a new mother than many might think. Being unable to sleep for more than three or four hours at a time can sap a new mom's energy. If you do not feel like exercising for a few weeks after childbirth, that is perfectly fine. You should not feel that you should push yourself to workout if it is all you can do to feed and change the baby. Exercise can wait until your baby sleeps a little longer at one stretch.

The highest priorities for a new mother in the post-partum period should be caring for the baby and rest. If you feel like you have the energy to exercise after taking care of those priorities, then you can safely begin some gentle exercise.

Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.

GAME CHANGE

Big Night Out recently, much needed: Hubby was my +1 to Atlanta Press Club/HBO screening of GAME CHANGE - Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin, Ed Harris & Woody Harrelson - focus on McCain/Palin campaign in 2008. Wow, it was great! Discussion w/co-exec producer after.

I don't even like Sarah Palin, but I am more sympathetic to her after seeing GAME CHANGE -- and after my own little collision with politics on a local scale. The political system will chew you up and spit you out in little pieces. Palin came out of it stronger for the experience, certainly well-known and embraced as an extremely popular political figure. She is very charismatic and wily/cunning, but frighteningly ignorant of basic history and foreign policy.

Love her or hate her, you will enjoy the movie GAME CHANGE.
Check out the Rebel Review: MOVIES: GAME CHANGE on HBO