It's taken me a while to feel like I'm really pregnant, because I don't really look like it now. I look puffier, and like I had a nice steak dinner (which is the only thing I ever want to eat, if you're looking to take me out to dinner), but not preggers, yet. I'm sure as soon as I do, the novelty will wear off quickly!
I'm in my 16th week, and a few weeks into my 2nd trimester already, and I haven't really blogged at all about my experiences thus far...I promise to keep it PG, kids, and not too gruesome. But, really, I think I've had it pretty easy.
I found out for sure I was pregnant as early as you can; two weeks after conception. We went through a fertility treatment, so I was well-tracked (which satisfied the color-coded daily-planner part of me nicely). The exhaustion hit almost immediately, and naps became a necessity. And those that know me well know that I HATE naps...but I was soon using them as pure sustenance. And, speaking of sustenance, food became an interesting issue. I felt queasy most of the time, but never threw up (until the night I tried fancy prescription pre-natal vitamins), but felt most sick when my stomach was empty. So I pretty much ate a few bites of food every hour of the day. That got old real fast.
I haven't started wearing maternity clothes, other than the Bella Bands, which I still don't really get...although I can imagine getting a lot of use out of them just for support and hiding any stretch-marked skin later in my pregnancy. They're basically a tube of spandex you wear under your shirt that hold up your pre-maternity pants, unbuttoned, so you can wear them for a longer time.
But, now the magical 2nd trimester is here! All the books speak of it as the true pregnancy promised land, where you glow and feel beautiful and have loads of excess energy and grace, where health and well-being abounds and nausea and forgetfulness are things of the past! Why wouldn't we all want to live in Second Trimesterland? Well, because I haven't found it yet. When I do, I'll send you a postcard.
Other than that, we're busy making plans for the nursery, and I'm attempting to practice grace and humility when people (of all ages) give me pregnancy and parenting advice. My friend (and new mom to beautiful baby girl Maddie!) Kim gave me the best advice of all, however. She introduced the phrase "What worked for us..." to be said before any advice-y sounding sentence. Let's all take heed of THAT brilliant advice! I know I will be!
9 comments:
beth, i'm sure you are far more glowing than you give yourself credit for :) but if it helps, i don't think i ever found second trimesterland either. let's just say i'm enjoying my baby infinitely more this side of the womb! so much so that i'm already willing to entertain the idea of one day having a second one. baby steps to meeting baby D! (by the way, GIRL is my official guess...)
I think "what worked for us" is a great phrase to keep in mind for more than just pregnancy.
Also, when you feel forgetful, just keep thinking about how much of your brain is currently occupied with running the Womb Factory. And it is SO hard to get good help there....
Kim, you are the first to guess girl! We'll see!!! :) And YAY for Baby O, Part 2!!!! Or at least the idea of Baby O, Part 2!
really?! no one else has guessed girl, eh? i don't know...could be the excess pink around our house these last four (FOUR!) months, but i'm just feeling girl. (it should probably be noted that i've guessed WRONG on the last three babies to be born...my OWN CHILD among them. do with that what you will, but i'm bound to be right one of these days!)
way to try to be graceful when accepting pregnancy advice. I think I would have a really hard time with everyone telling me what to do! I'm glad you finally wrote down some of your thoughts, it was nice to read them. And just so you know you are still pulling off your non-maternity clothes super well! That blue sweater dress you had on on Sunday looked great! :)
Just wait until strangers start touching your stomach. Real cool.
I hate to admit it Beth, but I never found second trimesterland in any of my pregnancies. I personally didn't find the experience of being pregnant all that thrilling. I must have missed the "glowing mother" part somehow. I have to agree with Kim and say it was much better once they were out of the womb! You get less sleep, but overall, I didn't mind that one bit compared to being pregnant. Also, don't feel guilty if you're not into the "sharing my pregnancy with everyone" thing. I was never too keen on having people touch my stomach or listening to unsolicited advice. My best friend, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of it. We're all different and that's OK. Just enjoy being YOU and knowing that God has selected you to be the mother for this special child! (Just an FYI - my official guess is also GIRL!)
Okay, I've been thinking about it some, and my official guess is a boy. But I am usually wrong.
One of Dan's favorite quotes (from a father right after the baby is delivered): "A girl? That was the LAST thing I expected!!"
Bright side: someone on this comment thread who thinks they're bad at guessing is going to be pleasantly surprised in about six months!
Not to say that Baby D is not a bright side in and of him- or herself. :)
Here's to second trimesterland, whether its terrain is typical or not. Beth, you're going to rock it out.
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