So, it’s no surprise that you all have figured out by now that I will be having a my baby girl in February. If you have seen my Facebook posts, you’re probably nauseated at the sight of yet another milestone update in my pregnancy…Cravings, Kicking, and Presents (oh my!!!). I am not here to re-list all those moments for you again. What I am here for is much, much more informative and even entertaining. Ladies, I am here to inform you about pregnancy….Not the stuff they show you in the movies. REAL. LIFE. PREGNANCY…
Women…First of all, let me just preface this little manifesto with I am happy that I am pregnant. I am excited to be a mom and I love my little baby lady with all my heart. It’s the physical act of being pregnant that is not my favorite. I wouldn’t trade the outcome of this experience for the world. Sev and I are adding to our family and making it bigger, with more love, that is something I have always wanted to do in my life.
But let me tell you, being pregnant is gross.
As I experience the symptoms of this “beautiful” process I can only think of one movie over and over again. “What To Expect When You’re Expecting”. I cannot get it out of my mind because I was glad that they showed the different ways you can grow your family through pregnancy and adoption. All the while dealing with infertility and even miscarriage. It wasn’t the best written movie, but it did cover a plethora of situations. One character really stands out for me…Elizabeth Banks character. She has the pregnancy from Hell. If there is a bad symptom, this girl gets it…All I can say is I feel her pain…Also, she is my hero.
From the first time I had my first adverse pregnancy symptom this scene is all I can think about… I say BRAVO for tinseltown finally showing the side of pregnancy that is not a world of “pure imagination”. Yes, I just quoted Willy Wonka. So, let me tell you about my little adventure from the jump.
First of all, I am just going to start with the first trimester. The first thing that made me realize I might be with child is I was so tired that I would fall asleep on my lunch break and make trips to the bathroom at work and literally fall asleep sitting on the toilet. Why, you ask? Because it was a dimension of exhaustion that is inexplicable. Fighting to keep my eyes open long enough to finish updating my spreadsheet felt like pure torture. Then came the nausea. This lasted for about seven weeks. It was like waking up with your worst hangover everyday of your life. The only thing that helped me cope was ginger beer (not that kind of beer) and string cheese. Its all that helped. Let’s also say that I was not the nicest person to my husband. Moody does not even begin to explain what I was. I was the grump of all grumps and bitched at him about everything. You guys, this man deserves a medal for putting up with me.
Let’s move on to the adjustment needed to be made to fit my growing body parts into undergarments. It was almost immediately that I grew out of my bras. They were so uncomfortable there were a couple days I opted out of wearing one at all. I was also so sore from the rush of hormones that were swirling about that sports bras became a must. Gone are the days of skimpy cute lace bras, bring on the nasty ugly spandex. Now just when I thought this was all I was going to get, it was time to go to find out the baby’s gender. This is where the first payoff of pregnancy came into view. When the ultrasound tech placed the thingy on my belly and I saw that tiny body inside me, all of those bad things I was experiencing was wiped away. But also at that moment, I discovered another weird pregnancy side effect- uncontrollable crying. I was sobbing so hard that I had snot running down my face as I watched my baby squirm and swim inside me. I think my husband thought I was in pain at first. You should have seen his face when he saw me crying like I just lost my dog. It was the most amazing moment of my life, as the ultrasound tech said Sev and I are having a little girl. I will never be able to fully explain that feeling… Although, we have tons and tons of other feelings to describe because now I have entered into my second trimester.
Now, Ill tell you- the nausea goes away, the tiredness gets more manageable but you also get other side effects. Some bad, some good and some very weird.
First is the headaches, the lovely blinding, hormonal headaches. I have been down for the count more than a handful of times because of them. Fun-fun…Next came the veins I can see through my skin. It’s so strange, I can see bluish-green veins running under my skin on my chest, my belly, and hips. I look like some kind of alien or monster. It’s strange but I cant help but stare at them. The next thing that is crazy about being pregnant is I cry at the drop of a hat. Last night I cried while watching t.v. because someone shot a crocodile. I’m not a super big fan of reptiles, but I cried like a baby. Other weird things I cried about: a story about a dog that was going to be put down, songs, the “mom scene” in “Dumbo”- just to name a few.
But on the other hand, I experienced another event in my pregnancy over the weekend. I finally got to see Ava’s movement on the surface of my skin. I could see the exact point of my body that she kicked. It was amazing and I couldn’t move because I was willing her to do it again. Other things I have experienced, bloody noses, bloody gums, bloating, burping, ravenous hunger, and leg cramps.
It all becomes worth it at the end of the day when I see my bump move because of her. It is my everything. So, I’ll take the next four months in stride as she will be here faster than I realize. Then my little fishy can squirm in my arms.
So, Ladies think long and hard before you jump to getting pregnant. It requires patience, dedication, and the desire to see the silver lining. Its different for everybody, so maybe you’ll get it easy. Just know that nine times out of ten- that glow is just your sweat.
Light and Love,
Coffee, Catharsis, and Chakras 