Holy moly! I'm 26.5 weeks pregnant. Where did the time go? There are days where I feel like I've been pregnant for 18 months (which would make for an interesting delivery), then there are the moments that I realize, "Oh my gosh, we're going to have a real baby in 13 weeks...holy &$%*!" (Yes, we're still working on our profanity, or less usage of profanity. So that's going well. Good thing we never really started The Cuss Jar - Avery would have her college, wedding and first house paid for at the rate we're going.) Now, I've certainly had my freak-out moments where I question how in the world we're going to care for another living being, or whether or not we're going to be good parents. But this entire experience has been such a miracle and an incredible gift. And I have the most wonderful man in the world to share this journey with - he keeps me sane. For the most part :) The closer the big day gets, the more excited we become!
Now, I'm going to be brutally honest. Don't judge me when I say this, but I don't
love being pregnant. Some women are probably cursing me six ways from Sunday right now, but I feel the need to be honest. Don't get me wrong, we are truly blessed. And I wholeheartedly mean it when I say that this has been an amazing journey. I can appreciate the fact that some women love being pregnant. There is a part of me that feels really guilty when other women rub my belly and ask, "Don't you just love being pregnant?" I usually smile, lie and say, "Yeah...it's...great!" But it's not. I'm going to tell those of you who are still reading this (and haven't permanently written me off) what most people don't tell you about pregnancy. You're welcome.
Exhaustion. During the first trimester you are seriously so utterly exhausted, and it's sort of unexplainable. You haven't gained any weight (in fact, some women lose weight). Life really goes on as normal the first 12-14 weeks, but there are so many times that I could've fallen asleep at work, driving, cooking dinner, etc. Thank goodness that passes fairly quickly.
Heartburn. I started having heartburn around week 14 or 15 and have had it every single day since. Thank goodness for Pepcid AC. I don't particularly love the idea of taking a pill every morning, but you get over it when drinking a glass of water causes reflux. You simply hit a breaking point.
Linea Nigra. What in the H-E-double hockey sticks is this? It is a darkish line that runs from your belly button down your belly. It's really unattractive and I don't fully grasp the reason I have it. Nor do I understand why some women are blessed enough not to have it at all. It's also really upsetting to learn that it takes several months post pregnancy to go away. Perfect - can't wait for swimsuit season! Nothing says bikini ready like a dark line running down the middle of my stomach.
Weight Gain. Being bikini ready for summer brings me to my next topic. I won't be bikini ready this summer...or probably ever again. Pregnancy changes your body and I just don't foresee my body ever going back to the way it was pre-pregnancy. (Unless Victoria Beckham wants to send me her personal trainer for a few months. Thanks, Posh!) There is a fine line between healthy weight gain and not so healthy weight gain. And it can go either way. Some women use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want and unfortunately, it can have some pretty serious side effects. On the flip side, you can not gain enough weight, which can also have very serious repercussions. So pregnant women are in a constant state of questioning whether or not they are eating enough, too much, or eating the right things.
Hip Pain. Now, this is just from my own personal experience, and a lot of women do not go through this. Unfortunately, this has been one of my worst symptoms and it started pretty early on for me. It's a sharp pain that radiates from my left hip, into my lower back and down my left leg. It's so severe at times that if I stand up or change my weight too suddenly, my leg actually gives out on me. It's excruciating.
Bathroom Breaks. Another fun side effect that started very early on for me. I remember being at my 12 week appointment and telling my doctor that I had pee all the time. She just smiled and said, "It's only going to get worse." And it did. I wake up 3-4 times in the middle of the night. My co-workers have threatened to keep a tally of how many times I use the restroom throughout the day. Sometimes I go to the restroom, walk back to my office, and before I sit down I have to pee again. I think Aves thinks my bladder is a trampoline :)
Memory Loss. This is one symptom that I heard about, but didn't think much of it at first. I have always prided myself in the fact that I have a decent memory. However, pregnancy has changed all of that. If I don't write down what I have to do or what I am thinking about, I will forget. Bobby has affectionately named my memory loss PB (pregnancy brain). What was I talking about? :)
Now that I've told you all of my not-so-fun pregnancy woes, there is absolutely nothing I would change. There are moments that make every pain and discomfort completely worth it. I love feeling Avery kick me all day long. When I finally rest at night, we play a little game where I push on one side of my stomach and she kicks me on the opposite side (it's probably in my head, but fun all the same). It's amazing to watch my stomach move as she kicks or moves her arms up and down. I can't wait to hold her in my arms oh so soon :)
