Last night, as I was lumbering out of bed like a seal for the 9th time (literally 9 times) to go pee, it occurred to me that, although I am grateful, blessed and humbled to be growing a human, there are a few parts of pregnancy that are NOT joys of pregnancy.
I started to write this post in my head, then realized it was 4am and I'd probably have to pee again soon (I did), so I should try to get some sleep before the alarm went off (I didn't).
Now that I'm getting a chance to sit down and write, I've suddenly lost all my thoughts. Not surprising. Notes and lists abound when I'm pregnant!
So, after much remembering, here's my list of what I DON'T enjoy about pregnancy (in no particular order)
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1. I have to pee. A lot.
Now, I'm not going to say “all of the time”, because that's not quite accurate. And, depending what kind of baby you're building, how he/she is sitting through your pregnancy, etc. this may not be true at all.
With my first I didn't seem to notice as much (or maybe I'm just forgetting), but with this babe it takes about one ounce of water to make me have to head to the loo.
I guess a bladder makes an awesome trampoline for a tiny baby, because anytime I feel a kick down low (often), I have to excuse myself.
He/She seems to like just resting against my bladder, as well. If I get up too fast or move too suddenly all bets are off! Seriously, when I move faster than a snail I have to visit the little girls' room.
Last night's 10 trips were not appreciated. Thank you pregnancy (even if the fluids before bed were my fault)!
How to combat it: Stop drinking liquids before bed. While getting your water intake is important through pregnancy, try to have it all in and out of your system by 8 pm – aside from your nighttime mini-sips.
If tea seems to go right through you, avoid that in the evenings as well. I know, I know, you enjoy your warm drink as much as I do, but trust me, the extra sleep is worth it.
2. I become forgetful.
Now, I've heard that this isn't a “real thing”, but I beg to differ. Coming from someone who normally has an acute memory (at least I did before babe #1), this is particularly impacting my life. My mind never truly recovered after Sweet Girl was born, and now that I'm preggers with #2 it's even worse.
How to combat it: Notes, lists, phone reminders, memory tricks, a string around your finger, wake up calls, hieroglyphics. Anything to help you remember to pick up the mail and feed your kids.
3. I'm treated like I'm in a bubble for the duration of pregnancy.
Just the other day I was in the lake trying to get onto a Neat Seat. This probably deserves a post in itself, but I'll just let you imagine what a 5'2″ lady in a bikini with a watermelon-sized belly trying to climb/jump onto a flotation device looks like.
Anyway, both of my parents and their cabin-neighbor friends were all shocked and worried for my life and the baby's as I tried to conquer this floating bed.
Yes, I understand they're concerned. However, nothing I was doing was going to be harmful or terrifying. What they should have been focusing on was how hilariously ridiculous I probably looked!
I'm constantly being watched over and told how careful I need to be by older women (and a few men) in my life.
When I was pregnant with my first, my family doctor (whom I trust explicitly) told me there are only 10 things pregnant women should not do under any circumstance:
- Skydiving
- Water Skiing
- Water Slides
- Roller Coasters
- Rock Wall or Mountain Climbing
- Hot Tubs
- Change the kitty litter
- Drink Alcohol
- Take Non-Prescription Drugs
- Airplane Travel in the third trimester
Having experienced a few of these activities (sans baby), I really don't see why I would feel the need to do so while with child, so, really, anything in reason is fair game. Notice how I said “in reason”. I am not a doctor, nor is this substitute for medical advice.
My children were prayed for and planned. We love them with every fiber of our beings. There is no way I would intentionally harm them or myself. I know my limits and when to ask for help (or just not do things to avoid having to ask for help). My babies and myself will be safe thankyouverymuch.
How to combat it: If you're the outspoken type, just straighten up and tell people to back off. The worst that will happen is they will think your hormones are out of balance from the pregnancy and you are presently moody. If not, continue to do what you always do (as long as you're being safe) and let them figure it out for themselves.
4. My appetite is whacked.
Firstly, cravings haven't really been an issue to me. Some women have the craziest stories of cravings, even desiring certain things like toothpaste or sawdust. My first doctor told me weird, non-food cravings can be a sign of a lack of nutrients, so he was always asking if I had any.
Food aversions can also be a very real phenomenon in pregnancy. Especially if you suffer from morning sickness. Luckily I've had it pretty smooth in this department.
For both of my pregnancies I have had a totally sporadic appetite. For the first trimester I would have very little desire to eat, and when I did, I would only be able to fit in a few bites, regardless of how hungry I thought I was or how tasty the food was.
Second trimester means I'm hungry more frequently, no matter how much I eat.
I'm now heading into the third trimester which will probably mean I'm back to eating like a non-pregnant me… with a dose of “eating for 2” mentality.
So, as much as you hear the stereotype of the pregnant lady eating all the food in sight, it really isn't true! We don't need to double our caloric intake (although, some days, that ice cream cone and pizza combo is a must) to support the little growing baby, like some may think.
How to combat it: Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Think 6 instead of 3. Keep them healthy, packed full of nutrients, and yummy (check out pinterest for some great ideas). Drink lots of water (even though you'll pee a lot), and take your multivitamin. There are many multivitamins out there that you can try, one of which being Power Life (you might find out more through Power Life reviews – see here). Supplements are highly recommended for keeping up energy levels.
5. It's really difficult to do certain things!
As much as I get defensive when I'm told to be careful or watch what I'm doing when I'm pregnant, there are a lot of things I physically can't do, or find hard to accomplish!
Simple things like holding/carrying a child, painting or cutting my toenails, shaving my legs, weeding the garden, picking up a fallen item, getting out of bed, or reaching across a table or counter can become nearly impossible with a growing bump.
As stubborn as I am, I do at least attempt to do everything I normally do before I give up or find an alternative method (grabber stick, anyone?)
How to combat it: Let people help you! When your mother-in-law offers to give your older child his/her bottle, let her! Even though you'd rather be the only person ever in the history of the world to give nutrients to your children, sometimes it's better, easier, and less stressful to just succumb to the help.
As mentioned above, find alternatives. Can't paint your own toenails or shave your legs? Hit the spa or share duties with a (super) close friend who is also pregnant. Instead of breaking your back to pull all your weeds by hand hire a handyman or a local student to rotor-till for you.
ALSO, the person helping to raise this child you're carrying should be offering to help when he sees you struggling. If not, give him a gentle reminder. Like, maybe, a burnt supper because you couldn't bend over to get the roast out of the oven.
Additional annoying parts of pregnancy for a lot of women:
- Sleepless nights
- Morning (all day) sickness
- Headaches
- Emotions
- Back pain
- Swollen feet and legs
- Kicks to the ribs
- Comments from strangers
- Belly rubs from…everyone besides your husband
- Waddling
In conclusion…
As amazing and fun it is to be experiencing pregnancy, to feel those first kicks and hiccups, and to daydream about what kind of person he/she will become, it is also hard some days! My pregnancies have been fairly uneventful. Even, dare I say, easy, but there's still the odd symptom that throws me off and makes me count my blessings.
