After weeks of coping with pregnancy pain in her hips, mom-to-be Jayme Ditto finally traded in working on her feet as a PepsiCo contractor for working full-time from her Dallas home on Yeti & the Beast, the event styling and stationery business she co-owns with best friend Allie Hill. Now, the 29-year-old spends her days designing and nesting (collecting vintage furniture for the nursery) with husband and fellow designer Mitchell until the arrival of their baby girl in April.
HOW DID YOU TELL MITCHELL YOU WERE PREGNANT?
I bought [the baby] a pair of baby Vans because I always told him that if you get a pair of baby Vans, it means we’re pregnant. The next morning, I gave him a card with a quote from his wedding vows and the box with the shoes. He didn’t have any idea when he opened the card … but then he opened the box and saw the shoes.
DID YOU WANT THE GENDER TO BE A SURPRISE?
No. I was really anxious to know because I wanted to get an early start on nesting and Mitchell wanted to know too. We’re both graphic designers and very particular about styling our home, so we took the blood test at 10 or 11 weeks to find out the gender early.
WHAT WAS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU GOT THE RESULTS?
Ever since I was little, I wanted a girl but I was preparing for a boy because girls are extremely rare on my husband’s side of the family. With the exception of his cousin’s daughter, there hadn’t been a girl born in his family in 21 years.
HAVE YOU DECIDED ON A NAME YET?
We have. It’s Harriet Walsh. My husband wanted to name her Harriet. My dad named me, so it was really special for me to have Mitchell pick the name. In the end, I really loved the name he picked so we went with that.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN FEELING? ANY NAUSEA OR PAIN?
Lately, heartburn and issues with my hips, but I’ve been going to Cafe of Life Chiropractic which has been so helpful.
WHAT ISSUES HAVE YOU HAD WITH YOUR HIPS?
I’ve had symphysis pubis dysfunction where your ligaments in your pelvic bone become too stretchy too soon and it causes alignment issues. There is pain putting on my pants in the morning, putting on my shoes, walking too long and sitting too long. My chiropractor gave me a little belt to wear. It makes sure my hips aren’t misaligned.
ANY LABOR AND DELIVERY FEARS?
I’m trying to stay really calm about it. My doctor told me that labor is not my show or my husband’s show or her show either. It is the baby’s show. Just knowing that and accepting that early on released any fears and has helped me go with the flow.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN PREPARING FOR LABOR PAIN?
I was introduced to transcendental meditation. Growing up, I lived in an old house and the water heater would go out so quickly. When the water turned cold, I would pretend that I was at the beach enjoying a cold-water shower on a hot, sunny day. And I thought if I could make my body do that, I could do [labor].
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER MOMS-TO-BE?
Go with the flow. You’re not in control. There are things you can try to control but your body is going to do what it wants. Be prepared for crazy changes, to have cravings or to gain a ton of weight or not as much weight as you thought. Take all the advice that people want to give you with a grain of salt because it’s so different for every person.
