Hello, 28 Weeks! (The Good, The Bad, The Ugly)
When it comes to parenthood, I have heard the saying, “The days are long, but the years are fast”. I think I can say the same thing about pregnancy, obviously switching years to months.
My pregnancy blog posts have been the most popular Success Secrets so far. I was surprised to see that, but then again... it's personal and it's my journey. And I LOVE reading about other's lives- I can't possibly be the only one!
I wanted to share the good, the bad and the ugly with you when it comes to growing my baby thus far. I know a group of women who are thinking about conceiving and will be reading this so please know every body and each pregnancy is different (and I am all about keeping things real over here... I wish more people were candid with me about this process so that's what I'm dishing out!).
The good.
Some days I feel incredible and honestly forget that I am pregnant. I said that to my sister and friend the other day and they totally understood what I meant. It’s like I feel like my normal self-no pains, no aversions, no insomnia, a ton of energy, and I can get a whole heck of a lot done. Then when the baby starts going wild or I hit my belly on the counter trying to wash dishes I am yet again reminded that I am for sure, pregnant. I am still loving my baby bump. It hasn’t been too hard to dress (I know that may start to change now), but I am able to fit into my pre-pregnancy over sized sweaters... and leggings are hands down my best friend. I love that I am growing over the fall and winter- it just seems easier than being hot, big and finding things to wear in the summer. I definitely thought of that before we conceived and I am glad I did. My face has been very cooperative and shall I dare say “glow-y” for the past couple months which has been very nice. I am still able to get in some solid workouts and am grateful that my tailbone pain has subsided- yikes that sucked! I am not turned off to too many foods right now which has been awesome and I am finding a great balance of treating myself, yet getting in super dense nutrition for him and I (but stay tuned for "the bad" with food). Mike has been adorable with our baby- spending time rubbing my belly, talking to him and even playing music waiting to watch him move around. We are finding little moments to stop and just be because we know things will change in a couple short months. We just had two baby showers for the little man and he is so ridiculously spoiled and loved already. I can’t even take it. We feel so fortunate and lucky.
The bad.
Insomnia. I would say about three to four nights out of the week I struggle with sleep. I never have a problem falling asleep, but I always wake up from him bumping around in there, having to go to the bathroom, hunger, or extremely random thoughts that will keep me up for hours. I treasure my sleep so much so this has been difficult. Oh and yes… we know it’s true… the baby is getting me ready for what’s to come when he is actually in our presence (not much sleep). Another thing I’ve experienced (which I consider semi-bad) is the amount of food I can eat in one sitting. My portion sizes are either exactly what they used to be or even smaller. I feel as though my stomach must be squished because I either do not have an appetite some days or I can not eat much. It is very frustrating at times. I have learned that grazing throughout the day on very small meals or even snacks is the best thing for me. Otherwise, I will feel like the food is up to my throat which is so uncomfortable. I have gained about 13lbs thus far and I truly think that is the reason why I haven't put more on. The baby is measuring great and he is getting everything he needs which is what I and the doctor care about most! What else? Oh, round ligament pain. I have a super tight pelvic floor because of my medical condition which causes any growth and stretching to become much more sensitive to my nerves down yonder. I just have to listen to my body and call it quits when necessary and put my feet up. I had to hang up my running shoes around weeks 21-22 because the pain was just unbearable. That was a bit sad, but the elliptical, hiking and Beachbody on Demand has saved me! Lastly, Mike and I can not get it together to figure out a name for this dude! We will love a name one day and then hate it the next. Talk about flip flopping opinions. Sheesh. Wait no, I have one more thing to say. Baby brain is the worst and it absolutely exists. I forget everything.
The ugly.
Gas, acid reflux, sneezing and peeing. Yes, I said it. Pregnant women can become very gassy. In my experience, I have been more gassy in the upstairs department with burps… they get trapped and Mike literally has to pat my back until they come up. It is always at night time before bed and is sometimes so embarrassing that it's comical. There is nothing left to do, but laugh! I also get acid reflux from chocolate which is so sad because if you know me, you know I love my chocolate. I still eat it though, just in smaller amounts and follow it with a lot of water. I also already had an issue with frequently having to urinate, but it is exaggerated while pregnant and that can become a hassle (or cause anxiety. I always need to know where the closest bathroom is). Oh, and I'll forget about ever having a normal sneeze again without getting my panties a tiny bit wet. Oh my goodness, I am hanging my head chuckling. Lastly, I have let out some ugly cries the past couple of weeks out of no where. Think about the lip quivering, cherry faced, crocodile tears. Fear will creep up out of no where, or little things that normally would not be a problem are. I have to say, on a day to day basis I do not believe my emotions are out of the norm at all, but they definitely save themselves for a good show about once a week!
Before I sign off, I want to say that water has become my absolute best friend. Whenever I have any little ache, pain, hung over feeling from being sleep deprived, or my left toenail hurts, I chug water. It is the best medicine for myself and pregnancy. I am grateful for water and that it is free! I am also in a serious "don't get sick" mode. I just started burning essential oils, drinking shakeology, doing the netti pot, and eating a ton of fruits and veggies at this moment. Here's to hoping it works!
Cheers to the last three months, all for your support, advice and love. xo
