More Q & A with Julie Mintenko

I had a lovely chat with Global News Saskatoon Anchor Julie Mintenko last week. {Don't miss the feature story about her journey into parenthood.} Here are a few more questions I asked Julie about her pregnancy.

Q: Have there been any stories that were challenging for you to cover during your pregnancy?

A: I have always been an emotional person, but with hormones raging, I am a little more emotional than normal. With the odd story, I would pull out my ear piece so I couldn't hear the reporter, then at the end of the story I will put it back in. I generally know ahead of time what the content is so that I can prepare, but images in a story package can be quite powerful.

I have always heard moms in the business say they become more emotional. The longer I am a journalist, the more I get used to compartmentalizing. I have had to cover many tough stories over the years. As a professional, I need to do my job delivering the news. Later, when I get home, I can deflate and feel the awful pain of it and let the story hit home.

Q: Did you experience any mad dashes to the washroom during commercial breaks? 

A: Yes, the one-hour late show can be a long time. We have been doing a special Your Neighbourhood series and were at the Saskatoon Ex when I lost track of time and realized the washroom was way down the fairway. Halfway through that long walk, I was regretting it.

Q: Did you find out if you are having a boy or girl? 

A: My husband and I know, but we have decided to keep it a surprise. With three sets of grandparents it is fun to mess with them a little. I think we have both slipped up a few times.

Q: You said you were a little worried that, at 5'1", you might become "more baby bump than anchor." Do you feel like you have reached that milestone yet? 

A: I am starting to feel this way.  I see myself everyday and I don't think my bump is that big. But, I see my coworkers after a few days and they are like, "Woah!"

Q: How have you been trying to prepare yourself for this new stage of life?

A: I have read a few books. Someone lent me the classic What to Expect When You're Expecting.* My favourite was the Canadian equivalent by Ann Douglas [The Mother Of All Pregnancy Books].* I found it really informative and great for information that is relative to the Canadian health care system.  I have also been trying to move. It feels good to get some exercise, walk the dog for a half-hour or so. It helps me to mentally stay calm. My husband and I have also attended the Health Region's prenatal class and that has been great.

Q: You are in the home stretch. Any nesting going on in your home? 

A: A little bit.  I think I am a little more tidy. Just cleaning and that kind of thing.  I think, for the most part, everything is done.  The nursery is finished, and my 2-year-old nephew was up last week playing with some of the baby things. It was great to think that we will soon have a child playing with those things.

The first time we walked into a baby store, my husband and I both just looked at each other in astonishment. There was so much stuff, and we felt a bit overwhelmed. On that first visit, we only walked out of there with a diaper genie. There is just so much marketing. Having a baby has certainly become a business.

Q: Are there any special preparations you have to make in the office to prepare for your leave? 

A: There is not much prep-wise with files to take care of that people in other careers would have. Someone will take over, so I don't have to worry about that. Everyone has been very supportive at work.  I have a female boss with two grown sons and she has been very sensitive to my needs. Leading up I didn't know how I would feel. I didn't think about reporting at eight months, outdoors, and it being 38 C with the humidity!  We have been prepared with extra breaks, freezies, ice cubes and cold water.

Q: How do you envision your maternity leave going down? 

A: It is so tough to know what it is going to be like. I said to my boss, "I feel ready for my fantasy baby, maybe not for the real-life baby."  I can ask parents a million-and-one questions, and their experiences might not be ours. I am just trying to be informed and I am hoping there will be people around me with great suggestions and advice when we need it.

I think I am being realistic when I picture it being hard for the first part . . . well possibly for my whole life. I expect some sleep deprivation, and I would like to try breastfeeding. It's fun to visualize our life with a baby. We have been ready for a long time and we are so excited for it.

Q: Do you have many new mommy friends? 

A: Most of my friends have kids who are in the 8-to-10 range or are heading into their teenage years. My sister-in-law who lives in Yorkton had a child not too long ago. I am hoping to meet other moms with kids around the same age.

Q: Are there any mom and baby activities you have scoped out to try?  

A: I have been looking a little bit at the mom and baby stroller groups, mom and tot swimming and Movies for Mommies. I have flagged some other individual groups and community organizations online. I had also heard of the great online resource, Saskmom.com. Who hasn't, right?

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