When I re-launched this blog, I mentioned I'd occasionally write about my own thoughts and opinions on things. I haven't really done that yet and I want to. Last week, I shared an article I found to be so helpful on what to expect during postpartum. That gave me an idea: why not share my pregnancy and mommy experiences? I enjoy reading other mothers' experiences, for one, because it's interesting, and for two we all know that women love to compare so yeah, I admit, it's fun to compare. It's also nice to see if you relate to anyone else out there in this great big world. And I do realize that women can, and do, have a tendency to suddenly become very long-winded when they start talking about pregnancy, being a mom, their children, etc. I apologize if this happens and you are bored. Feel free to stop reading whenever.
With that said, here is my experience with pregnancy. I have now been pregnant 1.66 (repeating) times.
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| Baby #1, at 28 weeks |
- Throwing up for 3 months straight
- Ballooning into an elephant by the time 9 months was up
- Having maternal powers to predict the gender of the baby
- Experiencing insane cravings that must.be.met.NOW!
- Tirinig
- A beautiful time to bond with my unborn child
What it actually was like for me:
- I am so grateful to say for both of my pregnancies, I have thrown up a grand total of 3 times. I really, truly feel so blessed that it has been such a breeze-of-a first trimester for me. Especially because I know of women who are on bed rest and/or are living over the toilet for 3 months.
- I've experienced selective ballooning with my pregnancies. My arms have stayed the same but, well, other parts of me have not been as fortunate...
- I have had no maternal powers whatsoever to guess the gender of my babies. Wrong. Both times.
- The only cravings I had with #1 were for Taco Bell chalupas and nachos. And they weren't as strong as I thought. However, I have been pregnant during all 3 major holidays with both kids and goshdarnitwhyaretheresomanyamazingtreatslyingaroundthehouse! Zero resistance when it comes to holiday treats...thus, the selective ballooning.
- It has been tiring. As in, I-lie-down-for-2-seconds-and-I'm-asleep tiring. Mainly during the first trimester though.
- Yes, it is a very special bonding time. So happy to have experienced this. I have overall loved being pregnant.
What I didn't expect (that I haven't necessarily enjoyed all that much either...):
- Having to use the bathroom every other second. My goodness, it gets annoying. And most times, it seems so urgent and then it's a total, "wha? that's all there was?!" TMI, sorry.
- I expected feeling the baby move (duh) but not the kickboxing classes/gymnastics exercises! And why on earth do these exercises start right when I lie down for the night? Little munchkin is preparing me for the sleepless nights ahead, I get it...
- Along with the moving thing, it is seriously so freaky to watch your stomach bulge and move. Like something out of science fiction movie. When you stop and think about it, being pregnant is really so weird. You have another person growing inside of you....alive. Inside of your body. Crazy. Cool, but crazy. '
- Random itchy, dry skin. Been through bottles and bottles of lotion.
- Unexplained clumsiness. Not tripping over things or falling but extreme butterfingers. I don't recall this happening before being pregnant so I think that's why it happens. Suffice it to say, it has resulted in the passing of a few plates, cups, and a Christmas ornament...
- The feeling that my abdominal muscles were being ripped from my rib cage. Anyone else have that happen? I had minimal aches and pains but that one, during 3rd trimester, was a killer.
- The belly-touchers. Complete strangers reaching their hands out towards my large belly. Excuse me? Do I know you? I don't mind friends and family saying hi to my belly. But the creepy, Wal-Mart greeter with the flowery-gardening hat on? No thanks.
- On that same note, apparently when you are pregnant you wear a sign on your head that says: "Please, tell me how big I am and that I'm ready to pop. I also would love all the unsolicited advice you can give me!"
Pregnancy scares:
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| Baby #2, at 20 weeks |
- Fortunately, there was only one. Right around 17 weeks for baby #2, I got a call from the doctor (not a nurse or receptionist so I knew it was something irregular) saying that my alpha-fetoprotein levels were abnormal. What? Well, I looked on the hospital's website and read what this could mean:
Cue panic and hormone-induced crying for a few straight hours. Fortunately, fortunately, fortunately we had an ultrasound and everything was fine. But what a terrifying few days before that ultrasound...made me even more grateful for this little boy coming our way."alpha-fetoprotein screening (AFP) - a blood test that measures the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the mothers' blood during pregnancy. AFP is a protein normally produced by the fetal liver and is present in the fluid surrounding the fetus (amniotic fluid), and crosses the placenta into the mother's blood. The AFP blood test is also called MSAFP (maternal serum AFP).
Abnormal levels of AFP may signal the following:
- open neural tube defects (ONTD) such as spina bifida
- Down syndrome
- other chromosomal abnormalities
- defects in the abdominal wall of the fetus
- twins - more than one fetus is making the protein
- a miscalculated due date, as the levels vary throughout pregnancy"
I did warn you. These topics produce long-windedness in females. All you mamas and mamas-to-be out there: have similar experiences? What was different? The whole thing is quite miraculous.
Good luck to any other pregnant ladies reading this!
Same experience with the urgent bathroom use! Also with strangers and belly touching and advice. I also didn't expect how difficult it would become to sleep in that third trimester because each position could only last for 15 minutes or so. Crazy! But so amazing to become a mother.
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