Moms Q&A with Megan Kelly Botha

I’m a huge fan of Megan’s blog, I have no idea where she finds time to write 2 blogs plus be a full-time mom. Megan happily agreed to answer our ‘famous’ Moms Q&A. This is a series of blog posts, we get to know moms from all walks of life.

1. Was your pregnancy everything you hoped for and expected it to be?

My pregnancy had many ups and downs but the ups definitely outweighed the downs. I had morning sickness right through the pregnancy right down to the morning Axl was born! I also had other common annoyances like heartburn, swollen ankles, pregnancy brain and the most ridiculous emotions. However, for a few months after giving birth, I longed for my pregnancy: the healthy hair, nails, that ‘glow’ and of course, my little bambino’s flutterby kicks.

2. Did you have any cravings and what was the strangest one?

Funny enough, my husband and I were discussing this the other night. I didn’t really have the cravings like in the movies, where you wake up at 3am and come hell or high water my hubby will get those zinger wings. Nope, I constantly wanted chocolate milk (CONSTANTLY) I am pretty sure that I owned shares in Steri-Stumpie. We would go to Makro and buy 18 bottles and before the end of the week, I was done and needed more. I also loved the slabs of peppermint crisp! And a jar of peanut butter (extra crunch) was considered a meal in my household. All three items are some of my favorite things but during pregnancy it was more of a need.

3. What was your reaction when you found out the sex of your baby?

Relief. I’ve always pictured myself to be the mom of girls until I found out that we were expecting a boy. My husband has an intense fear of having a little girl as he can’t picture handling the dating years all that well. He still joked that if it were a girl, he would walk around the hospital until he could find a fellow dad to swap with. Although, we found out the gender at 17 weeks, when Axl was born, the first thing I asked was, “does he have a penis?” The doctors found this hilarious but it was genuine concern! Now, all I can picture is having boys! If we ever have another kid, I do hope it will be a boy, too.

4. Did you exercise while pregnant? Share with us some tips.

I wasn’t allowed any strenuous exercise during my pregnancy due to risk of eclampsia. In the end, I was induced due to hypertension but leading up to it, the doctors told me to take it easy. I do suggest walking! It does help. The day before I was admitted to hospital, the doctors had explained that they would probably need to induce me. I was so scared and really wanted him to come naturally, so my hubby and I took a 5km stroll along the beach. I remember wanting to cry towards the end, my body was just sooo big and the sand was swallowing my ankles. I was grateful the next day, though, as Axl had shifted and moved down, just waiting to make his debut.

5. Did you have Natural or C-section? Was it exactly like everyone told you it would be?

Natural (but induced). No, it wasn’t anything like people told me it would be. I am so tired of hearing that it is like really bad period cramps. If that is what your period cramps are like, well girl, you need to get the doctor to take a look at that. My contractions were forced by the solution that they gave me after breaking my water. They were extremely painful and made me vomit and pass out. However, it is never too much for you to handle! So if you’re pregnant, hang on to that. Pushing him out was the easiest part, and took all of 5 minutes. Darren thought that I should mention that the movies and what people tell you, are all lies, he was expecting me to scream and swear like a sailor but I was pretty much mute for the entire thing. I covered a lot of my birthing experience on my blog: http://babyblogza.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-birth-story.html.

6. Did you have a birthing plan and did it turn out the way you wanted it to?

No. At the time, I didn’t know what a birthing plan is. I gave birth at a government hospital where even epidurals are unheard of. However, my birthing experience was EVERYTHING I could have asked for. My husband and I were treated so well and despite the scary circumstances, I always had reassuring doctors and nurses around me to assist me.

7. Do you breastfeed or did you breastfeed?

Axl is 6 months and is still breastfed. I am an avid supporter of breast is best and wish that more moms would breastfeed their tots. It is one of the greatest gifts that you can give them.

8. Do you have a sleep schedule with baby? Would you try sleep training?

We have a rough routine that Axl naturally falls into. However, I don’t see myself doing sleep training. I spoke to a panel, recently, with regards to this and after describing Axl’s tendencies, they described him as a social butterfly. This means that whether he sleeps for just 5 minutes or a full 3 hours, should he wake, he is completely awake – there is no niggly wigglies to rock him back to sleep. Which makes sleep training difficult as much of it is about teaching your little one to soothe and fall asleep on their own. I feel that Axl will grow out of it and become independent, but for now, I am okay with gently rocking him or holding him while he falls asleep.

9. What are your favourite baby products?

I love Purity and Elizabeth Anne’s range of products. From bathing to feeding, they have this household covered. Axl loves their carrot, butternut and sweet potato purée and I am a huge fan of their shampoo, as it leaves him smelling so good! Baby Sense has a variety of products that I highly recommend, some of my favourites include their dummy chain, taglet, cuddle wrap and the summer sleepy-sack. Also, one item that I cannot be without is my baby sling. I got mine from Game’s in-house brand, ‘Little One’ and it was the biggest help! Before I had Axl, I stocked up on popular branded dummies but found that Axl rejected them. We tried the new ‘Made For Baby’ range from Clicks, which sells 2 dummies with plastic covers for almost half the price of a single dummy from bigger brands.

10. How do you manage your career while being a mom?

I am very fortunate! My career is based solely at home. I work as a virtual assistant to an American based company booking and organizing kid’s parties, fundraisers and corporate events. Due to them being based in America, I work odd hours (6pm-11pm) which is great as Axl usually goes to bed around 7pm and wakes for a feed at 10:30pm. There are times where it gets challenging, especially when you have 14 people enquiring about the same date and you have a 6 month old who is overtired and screaming, in the background. However, it helps that my husband is home by then and can take over, while I focus on work. I take my hat off to moms who go back to work after having their babes. I look at my husband and how it completely tears him apart when he finds out that he missed out on something while he was at work, and am exceptionally grateful for my opportunity.

11. Do you think moms lose their mojo after having kids?

Yes. There is always something to be done! Whether it is folding clothes, taking a shower or just trying to eat a meal, the truth is when that kid goes down for a nap, there are a thousand and one things that you need to get done, and you’re lucky if you cross two of them off the list. Sadly, your relationship takes the backseat. Suddenly your time that is usually focused on your hubby has to be shared with a very demanding newborn, and because he/she is so demanding – the time isn’t really shared equally. You end up feeling really guilty and bad about it, but in all honesty it is just part of the whole journey. That too shall pass.

12. Please tell us about your baby and how he influences you?

I have never known such happiness and pride before having Axl. He is all that matters in mine and my husband’s life. Since having him, we have both become such happier people and we care! We care about the future and what comes of it, so that our son has something to look forward to, we care about the people around us and how they will influence us and more importantly our son, we care about the people who we are and if it’s a good role model for him to look to in times of need. I never want Axl to feel that he has to settle, he must have the drive and passion to fight and get what he wants out of life. Money and fast cars mean nothing to me and I want him to learn to embrace the life we’re given but the only way to teach that is to lead by example.

13. Share with us some of your quick style tips.

Being a breastfeeding mom, I have to think of clothes that are convenient for feeding my tot. Usually, if I am wearing jeans, I will pair it with a light top but underneath I’ll wear a cami, convenient to pull down for feeding. It is spring and nothing is better than wearing maxi dresses! I absolutely adore maxis. I always look for ones that are easy to slide down or to the side, so that feeding isn’t too much of a mission. A maxi can make you feel sexy and stylish, while still being really easy and comfortable to wear. You can dress it down with an attractive sandal, or up with heels, and pairing it with beaded necklaces (Axl loves to play with my amber necklace, while he nods of to sleep) big sunnies and a giant handbag to store everything from wet wipes, to bum cream and lipgloss.

Thank you Megan for sharing your special moments with me.

You can get to know more about Megan on her blogs:

Beauty: www.beautyblog.co.za

Baby: www.babyblogza.blogspot.com

Image credit: www.pro-design.co.za