I love being pregnant. I really do! I love and enjoy pregnancy. After I had Ginny, I missed being pregnant and couldn't wait to do it again. The reason I love being pregnant is knowing that I have a little life growing inside of me. Feeling the baby move inside of me only makes it better.
However, I would not say that pregnancy has been all fabulous or that I have had easy pregnancies. In fact, pregnancy is not glamorous and not always fun.
I do find that when finding out you are pregnant, you "know" that there will be rough spots at the beginning but figure it will be a piece of cake after that. If you have had a baby, then you know that isn't necessarily true. If you have never been pregnant (and especially if you plan to become pregnant someday) there are some things that you don't realize until you get there. Surprising and sometimes unpleasant things. If you plan to be a mom someday, I encourage you to read The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy. Not only is the book funny, but it does prepare you in a way that isn't frightening.
My blog may not be quite as entertaining as the book, but I thought I would share my wisdom/experiences and what I faced through my last 2 pregnancies.
Morning Sickness:
Morning sickness is a misnomer. It doesn't just happen in the morning. For me, I would get sick after brushing my teeth (before eating breakfast). There is nothing quite like "losing" acid every morning. Then, I would be sick in the late afternoon and evening...unable to keep down dinner.
Additionally, morning sickness is NOT just a first trimester experience. Once you enter the 2nd trimester, it doesn't magically go away. It may start to taper, but it can last a few weeks into that 2nd tri. With Ginny, my morning sickness lasted until I was around 34 weeks along...way into the 3rd trimester. I "lucked" out this time around and was only sick until the 24th week.
That being said, there are some women who don't get morning sickness. These women infuriate me, in some ways. How can I be tortured so but they avoid it? My sister was one of those women. Grrr! However, at the same time, after 3 miscarriages, I found morning sickness to be reassuring. Weird, I know.
Extra Saliva, otherwise known as Drool:
It is a known fact that women, when pregnant, will often deal with the production of excess saliva. Apparently, women who suffer morning sickness are MORE likely to have this issue than women who don't get sick. The extra saliva can be fine when you are awake, but for me, it always gets bad when I'm sleeping. I am not normally a sleeping drooler, but while pregnant, I have found that drool is something I deal with....constantly. It is quite annoying.
Ouch...Don't Touch My Girls!
I have found that during pregnancy that my "girls" (i.e., my boobs) seem to become possessed. Apparently every woman has a different experience with this. I'm naturally large busted. While my "girls" did grow during pregnancy (and more so with BFing), they weren't especially sensitive during the first couple of months. Some women deal with a lot more pain early on than I did. However, what I deal with has been random pulsing and pain in one boob or the other at odd times. The worst is when I'm at Mass at I have a particularly painful twinge. That is not the time to call out in pain. Now that I have a toddler, I find myself defending my "girls" a lot. My lovely daughter has a tendency to kick one or both of the "girls" when I am changing her diaper or even she decides it is a good time to climb me when playing (her elbows are wicked weapons).
Spotting:
Spotting, quite frankly, freaks me out. I hate it. I have read that it is normal for women to spot. Before I got pregnant with Ginny, though, I lost 3 babies. With 2 of the pregnancies, spotting was a sign that I was losing the babies.
But....I did have "normal" spotting while pregnant with Ginny, in particular. Some women have very sensitive cervixes. I was one of these women. If I got an internal exam from my OB, I would spot. If I had intimate relations with my DH, I would spot. If you spot, discuss all your options with your doctor and let them know right away.
The Cervical Trampoline:
Speaking of the cervix, I did a lot of reading about what to expect as a pregnant woman. One thing I never read was how my cervix might someday turn into a trampoline for my unborn child. It was shocking (literally) and unexpected the first time it happened. My daughter, Ginny, kicked or stomped on my cervix (obviously, from the inside) a handful of times. It feels a bit like lightening and will stop you in your tracks the first time it happens (if it happens to you). I'm currently 8 1/2 months pregnant. This baby has acted like my cervix is a trampoline. I have gone through 2-3 hour time periods where she seems to be jumping up and down on it. Not fun.
Asthmatics, Beware:
One of the biggest struggles I have dealt with in both pregnancies is with my asthma. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was around 8 years old. Before getting pregnant, my asthma was completely under control. After, well, not so much. I didn't know this at the time, but approximately 1/3 of asthmatic women who become pregnant will have their asthma worsen. The good news is that 1/3 get better and 1/3 stay the same. I just happen to fall under that 1/3 group that got worse. I have had to go on additional medications to make sure my asthma stays under control and that my baby gets the air it needs. I look forward to giving birth so that I can get off the additional meds. :)
Where is the Bathroom? And Why Did I Have to Sneeze?
Throughout each pregnancy, I have found that it is important to always be aware of the closest bathroom. Beginning to the end of the pregnancy. It becomes even more important toward the end as your baby is likely to be pressing against your bladder constantly. Currently, if I am sitting I am usually fine, but the moment I stand up, I have to run to the bathroom. If I hear water running, I have to run to the bathroom. If the baby is particularly active, you got it....running to the bathroom. My daughter Ginny loved to kick my bladder, especially when I would stand at Mass.
The other issue along this line is sneezing (and laughing or coughing, etc.). Practice those Kegel exercises throughout your pregnancy. They will help you out, trust me. If I know I'm about to sneeze or cough, I apply those exercises to prevent any "accidents" from occurring. It gets worse the further along you go. From what I understand, it keeps being an issue once you are done having kids. Oh joy.
In Conclusion
While pregnancy may not be glamorous or fun (and I haven't mentioned the new pains you may have, the issues with the sciatic nerve you may face, or the inability to bend over), it is worth every thing you go through. For some reason, I love being pregnant despite all the crap I described above. Right now, my little one is dancing inside of me. I love "playing" with her a bit and feeling that movement. I love knowing that she will be in my arms soon. And, I imagine I will miss being pregnant again. Insane? Maybe, but a blessing I am quite thankful for.
:-D
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