Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I have realized I had a lot of expectations about what pregnancy would be like for me. Come to find out, most, or all, were completely wrong.
Not to let anyone down on a current "bump" shot.. I meant to do this last week but well.. I'm little more forgetful these days, and I needed my husbands help. Here I am:
Physically I feel..
Pretty dang uncomfortable in most any position for more than 5 minutes. Sitting, laying, leaning, standing.. each provides some type of relief for the first few minutes, followed by some new discomfort and lots of fidgeting. Ever heard of sciatic nerve pain.. yeah, had it since about 10 weeks, and it's only gets worse.
On the bright side, my little man is moving like crazy, and I love it! I have days that he literally moves non-stop for hours on end - rolling, kicking, punching, stretching. You name it, I can feel it. In the ribs, on the bladder, stomach, belly button, hips bones. He's crowded in there.
I'm convinced he's going to come out of me sprinting. I have felt him move since the end of week 13 My doctor actually told me I was an "overachiever," ha! I can't imagine a fetus this active becoming a newborn who spends much time sleeping, but who knows! I'll keep my fingers crossed that he got a little of my husband's character and will be a bit more easy going than he feels.
Other good news, I have been sleeping (a little) better despite sore ribs which means I feel mentally, a million times better. I still crave a nap most days, but it's nothing like those first few months. Also, running seems to be one of the best feeling activities right now.. as long as I do it in moderation. Wesley is so high right now, that I can really feel him pushing on my lungs making breathing much more difficult. Running is the only time that doesn't seem to be the case. mmm.. oxygen!
What expectations do you have (or did you have) of being pregnancy?
- I will not know I'm pregnant, and could go months without prenatal care. I thank "I didn't know I was pregnant" for this complex. I also didn't really know what to expect from my period without birth control (BC). Before going on it, I was alway so irregular that I never quite knew if I would have a regular 28 day cycle when I stopped. The truth: Without a missed period, I should have been suspicious, but in the first few weeks of my pregnancy I was training (and competed in) my 2nd half marathon, while on Daniel's Fast. It never crossed my mind that my slow exhausting runs, extreme thirst, and extra need for sleep, could be pregnancy. Until I finished the half and realized I had gone 40 days without a period that. When I realized that, I knew I had to be pregnant, other symptoms or not.
- Getting pregnant will not be "easy" for me. Pure skepticism. I had no valid reason to think this except an irregular period and having never gotten pregnant. I felt like it wasn't going to be that simple.. but if it was meant to happen, it would. The truth: Well, I'll just say it didn't take long. I guess all that talk from my mother and grandmother about how incredibly fertile our family is was true.
- Morning Sickness won't be that bad, I can tough it out - stomach of steel! Oh please.. The truth: This one just makes me laugh. What on earth was I thinking. Any person who "toughs out" morning sickness, does not have morning sickness. That nausea stuff just doesn't go away on command. I felt a little wimpy at times and didn't want sympathy but at the same time, I did.
- My stomach will be huge, fast. I only remember the big final months with other pregnancies, so I felt like it happened fast. The Truth: All bodies are different while pregnant just as they are when not pregnant. My pregnant body did not have much of a bump till close to 20 weeks, and even then, other people were totally surprised (or acted so) when I told them I was pregnant. The last few weeks, the little man has grown like crazy and I have strangers coming up to me asking the usual strand of questions - due date, sex, name.. it took 6 months for this.
- Will not be emotional or moody. This was me thinking I could control this.. The Truth: I don't know how others feel about me on this, but sometimes I feel like I'm lucky to have friends and family that still talk to me. My filter is virtually non-existent, my patience is gone, and I've never been one to cuss, its not natural on me, but lately, the words just slip out and I don't care a bit. To top it off, my instinct to protect and nurture is exponentially higher and extends to anyone I'm close to. I am easily biased to the side of whomever gets to me first about a fight, and I'm fast to say "that B!*$#" Thank god my husband still has patience with me these days..
- Crazy cravings. You know.. like pickles and ice cream. The truth: Big Disappointment. When you first find out your pregnant and finally tell people, they LOVE to ask what crazy food you've been craving. My sad answer.. nothing. If you want to hear my list of food aversions.. it's endless, but cravings. Not so much. If you count only eating potatoes for months because it's all you can eat with out dry heaving for hours, then great.. I crave potatoes.
- I can control unhealthy cravings. Ha, again me thinking I can control these things. The truth: I know this may sound silly after I just said I didn't have cravings, but these aren't "crazy" cravings... these are just unhealthy food cravings. All of which started in the past few weeks and primarily includes sweets. I always thought I could fight off the urge to eat a candy bar, slice of cake, and maybe some ice cream all in one day, but the truth is, when I want something, it feels like I NEED it and it becomes top of mind till I fill that need. Fortunately, these don't happen everyday and even with these days, my weight gain as been completely normal so I'm not too worried. I guess I'll really know if this is a problem when I go in for the 28 week glucose test next week though..
- Working mom and proud! never in a million years did I think I may want to be a stay at home mom. Work has always been incredibly fulfilling for me, and I love my job, so I always expected I would go back to work no problem. The truth: Since I've been pregnant, I think about staying home with him daily, and it pains me to think that that's really not an option for us financially. I will cherish every minute I get with him and hope that going back to work will be as painful as it sounds right now.
Not to let anyone down on a current "bump" shot.. I meant to do this last week but well.. I'm little more forgetful these days, and I needed my husbands help. Here I am:
My husband insisted on my face being in this... I should have posted HIS "bump" photo. =P
27 weeks (6 months), officially into the 3rd trimester
Physically I feel..
Pretty dang uncomfortable in most any position for more than 5 minutes. Sitting, laying, leaning, standing.. each provides some type of relief for the first few minutes, followed by some new discomfort and lots of fidgeting. Ever heard of sciatic nerve pain.. yeah, had it since about 10 weeks, and it's only gets worse.
On the bright side, my little man is moving like crazy, and I love it! I have days that he literally moves non-stop for hours on end - rolling, kicking, punching, stretching. You name it, I can feel it. In the ribs, on the bladder, stomach, belly button, hips bones. He's crowded in there.
I'm convinced he's going to come out of me sprinting. I have felt him move since the end of week 13 My doctor actually told me I was an "overachiever," ha! I can't imagine a fetus this active becoming a newborn who spends much time sleeping, but who knows! I'll keep my fingers crossed that he got a little of my husband's character and will be a bit more easy going than he feels.
Other good news, I have been sleeping (a little) better despite sore ribs which means I feel mentally, a million times better. I still crave a nap most days, but it's nothing like those first few months. Also, running seems to be one of the best feeling activities right now.. as long as I do it in moderation. Wesley is so high right now, that I can really feel him pushing on my lungs making breathing much more difficult. Running is the only time that doesn't seem to be the case. mmm.. oxygen!
What expectations do you have (or did you have) of being pregnancy?
My expectations for pregnancy were for it to be just the like the first time, which obviously is silly :)
ReplyDeleteYou look great and congrats on still running!
I'm dumb and don't check my blog enough, so I just saw this. Thanks!
DeleteAnd.. holy crap, my body hurts and running feels impossible these days. It makes me sad. I planned, paid for, and attempted to run a half in March.. I had to stop at the relay exchange. bleh! One day I'll get around to blogging this none sense.
On a happier note, reading how many miles you manage each week is encouraging!! My 4-month old is still waking every 1-2 hours from 2 a.m. on to snack or fully feed even though his pedi told me he is plenty big and has no reason to be waking. His encouraging words of wisdom.. "one day the sleep fairy will choose you and you'll all get a full night sleep." Thanks doctor, that was helpful.