Preggo-ness

Let’s start out with my 22-week update from the other day by my beloved PregnantChicken because it is absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, I won’t post all of it because it then gets into pregnant bodily functions that not everyone needs to know except for myself…

WEEK 22

Guess who’s about the size of a Barbie doll? Hint: it isn’t you. Yep, your baby is about the length of a Barbie but it weighs about a pound and doesn’t have big tits and unachievable body proportions. Although, your baby does have real eyebrows and eyelashes now, which is more than we can say for Barbie – suck on that, doll.

Hahaha!! Do you see why these updates bring me joy? Now then, I thought I’d do a post on my preggo-ness so far since I really haven’t given any details on how I’m doing, especially since  the #1 question asked by people is the infamous ‘how are you feeling?’ I think I’ll break this down into my trimesters so far:

First Trimester

• Extremely tired all the time! I would get home from work at 5:30 and pretty much go to bed by 8:30. What a toddler! I would be exhausted at the end of the day and even considered leaving work early several times just to go home and sleep.
• On top of being sleepy, I was not having very restful sleeps. This was due to bathroom trips in the middle of the night and just not feeling comfortable.
• Not much of an appetite. I thought this was a gift from the Gods! I had only heard about preggo moms who chow down an elephant but for me, I could barely finish a dang quesadilla! I looked at this as a great way to not gain a hefty 50 lbs.
• Super bad back pain. It was so harsh in January that I even booked myself a massage appointment (before knowing I was preggers) which did nothing for me. For weeks, I felt like I literally had been moving heavy objects all day and had a knot the size of a softball below my shoulder blade.
• Morning sickness a bit in the morning and more so at night. I would be gaggy on a daily basis.
• Looked chunky, not pregnant.
• Headaches seemed to be somewhat frequent. Thank goodness Tylenol is allowed.
• Hello, oily skin. This is not a pleasant thing for me since I am someone who’s never had oily skin or breakouts…even as a teen I wasn’t one of those girls who needed to wash their face every night because my skin didn’t need it, and if anything, would actually dry my face out. But now I can tell there is a slight increase in oils, and I have face wipes for night. They are refreshing.
• Hair and finger nails grow more quickly. 

Second Trimester

• Not nearly as tired. I have now gone back to my night-owl routine of crawling in bed around 11:30…maybe later if I need to finish my exciting Lifetime movie.
• Sleeping more restfully now except for the occasional leg cramps that pop up out of nowhere when I’m innocently stretching my legs out. Freakin’ painful charlie horse!
• Feeling more aches and pains. Every so often I’ll get a stretching pain around my hips/abdomen…I guess it’s a normal thing due to ligaments just stretching out and adjusting. On top of that, I’ve had a sore tailbone and even some pelvic pressure already that is so uncomfortable. I’ve had to bring a mini pillow to work to sit on for extra bum cushioning…no, not the inflatable donut.
• Feet are chunky! I am pretty sure I can say I have cankles. I look down and say “Those are NOT my feet!” They are poofy little marshmallows already, making most of my sandals unwearable because they’re too small or tight. It bothers me to wear boring, unattractive flip-flops but good heavens, they are gems! Also, I’ll be investing in pedicures now. I can’t smush up my legs to my body to paint my toesies anymore.
• Alas, my appetite kicked in. This is bad because now I want 3 dinners…and snacks…and those fruit popsicles I bought are probably the yummiest thing ever. Cuss.
• Stretchy maternity pants are the greatest invention ever! I don’t want to go back to buttons or zippers again.
• Hardly gaggy at all. But, it seems I’ve traded that in for some heartburn. Joy. I’m now on the Tums bandwagon.
• Started feeling baby kicking around week 19. It’s the oddest popcorn, bubbly feeling. I’ve only felt it with my hand on the outside a couple of times, but inside there is a party going on. Jake and I have also done the stethoscope experiment to see if we could hear anything, and we’re both convinced we could hear him moving around, I’m sure mixed with normal stomach juice sounds. No heartbeat though.
• No stretch marks on my belly at all, yet!...thighs are a different story. Eff. Thank you, genetics.
• Congestion has been common, especially when lying down and I realize I can’t breathe out of my nose. Additionally, I’ve occasionally had nosebleeds which are also common during pregnancy.

Overall, pregnancy has been such a unique experience. I had no idea there are so many changes your body goes through. If you think it’s just a big belly, melons for boobs, and puffy feet then you are in for a treat! In reality there are so many other things happening that make it a full body experience. Who knew! As the weekly update said, I am definitely not Barbie during all of this and don’t know who in their right mind says they enjoy pregnancy…oh, maybe those skinny moms from the maternity clothes magazine that have no butt or hips and look as if life is the greatest thing ever with their long, lean legs and high heels. Phh, (insert profanity). Anyway, I can’t believe I’m already half through my pregnancy and have been in total nesting mode with buying baby clothes, books, registering for items already, and scouting out the perfect crib and bedding…the fun stuff! That’s the part that gets me excited and keeps me focused on the positive things instead of the fact that I soon won’t be able to see my feet when I look down.