Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Good-bye positive body image....

As I started writing this blog, I realized that it was becoming much more "woe is me" than I expected so instead let's just do a pregnant body update and of course the good things associated with that. Belly is slightly bigger than "normal" or expected or something. About two weeks larger. Be that there are no stretch marks *yet* and it's a cute belly, I'm loving it. As of last week, I was about a pound away from gaining all of the weight back that I lost during the first trimester. Since I've been gaining a pound a week, I bet that I'm back at my pre-pregnancy weight now. Not too bad, eh? Especially considering the "normal" weight gain is a pound a week ON TOP of gaining back any lost in the first trimester (for my size).

According to What to Expect, little Haylie's hearing quite a bit now and should be able to be felt moving around to different sounds and disturbances. Since she's a bit bigger than what's expected by them, I bet this is what she looks like right now:



I think she may even be bigger than this, or my abdomen is smaller because she's able to kick my ribs. But isn't that tiny baby cute!? Yesterday she was moving around more than I've ever felt her before and almost every time I could feel the movement on the outside of my stomach. Kris, however, still has yet to feel any of them.

Wanna hear some of the pregnancy symptoms and issues that I'm noticing I either didn't take serious enough when reading the books and listening to friends and family? Since pregnant or soon to be pregnant women are most likely to read these kinds of blogs- these are for you ladies :) In no particular order.....
-Leukhorrea. Not even going to give any details.... just be warned.
-Leg cramps. Oh my freaking goodness!!!! They are not just cramps and they are not just one part of the leg or one leg. OH NO! Be prepared not to be able to walk. And if they start feeling better and the baby is on the sciatic nerve? Just give up now and stay in bed! Poor Kris has been awoken to screams and crying more than once lately because of these.
-Leg weight gain. My stupid butt didn't believe the books or friends that said my thighs, hips and butt would explode. Definitely didn't expect it now while I'm gaining so little. Something about pregnancy weight gain makes it totally different than normal weight gain. I had hoped gaining weight in my thighs and hips would give me curves like my sis-in-law/bff Kari, or equally cute and womanly. Yeah, no. The weight gain is not equally placed and not cute or womanly. (on a side note, I hope that my husband and my Kari both don't mind that when I think of cute and womanly figures, I think of my husband's sister)
-Sleeping on your side sucks! They recommend not sleeping on your back after 4 months (i think) but even when I accidentally do, the baby flips out and kicks or puts pressure on places that hurt me. And... sleeping on your stomach is obviously a no-go.
-Exhaustion. Exhaustion. Exhaustion. Making a baby is hard work! And the bigger the baby gets, the more of your energy they zap!
-Breast changes. Not comfortable giving specifics and maybe that's why I didn't fully know what to expect. Even if someone was giving me full on specifics, I doubt I was taking in everything. I was probably just cringing and taking it lightly.
-Pregnancy gas. Oh yeah, it is as deadly as Jenny McCarthy says it is. And just as sneaky. Learn to walk downwind of your loved ones.
-Change in eating habits/ cravings. They're just like nothing you experience in non-pregnant life. mmmmmm.... apples.....
The two best ones: Feeling your baby move and the love you feel for one you've never met! Everyone and their mother says that there's nothing like it and you can't imagine it and it's so true :) But, in all honesty, the love I felt for my niece the moment I knew she was coming is quite similar. No love will ever be as great as the love for your own children but to the incredibly loving aunts out there that haven't had a baby yet- you're not entirely missing out on this one.

OK, that's all I can think of for now. I'm learning to enjoy pregnancy more even though there are obviously parts I hate. Thank God for the baby I get at the end of this whole fiasco! ;)