In fact, it can be a great excuse to get things you want! I would tell my husband "I'm so hungry...Let's go to McCalister's for supper." And we would. Just because I played the pregnancy card. Are you hot? Crank up that a/c - you're pregnant after all! Are you tired? For cryin' out loud, take a nap! You're busy growing another person. Nobody else is working that hard!
Anyway, I just thought I'd share a few low point and high points of my experience. I started with the lows so we can end on a good note.
Lows:
1.
Besides the extreme exhaustion, I felt great for a couple weeks after I found out I was pregnant. And then it hit. I made Broccoli Cheese Soup one Saturday and was looking forward to it all day! As soon as it came time to dish it out, I couldn't stand the smell of it or even look at it. Nope, not happening. Applesauce it was for me that night. And the sickness lasted the entire pregnancy. I took Zofran throughout and it helped immensely. If you are dealing with all day sickness that won't go away (no matter how much ginger ale you drink or if you wear those "sea bands" all day), get a prescription for Zofran...seriously, it was a lifesaver for me!
2. Heartburn/Indigestion
I didn't even know what heartburn or indigestion was until I was pregnant! Finally I figured it out and took a Zantac everyday and popped Tums like they were sweet-tarts. I was just careful to not overeat and I had a "cutoff" for supper each night. 6:30 was the latest I ever ate during my third trimester. My husband would ask if he had time to do something before supper and I'd say "Nope! Remember my cutoff!" Poor guy!
3. Swelling
I was pregnant during the entire summer, and I swelled up like a toad. My wedding ring didn't fit, I could only wear a select number shoes, and I had to wear heavy, thick compression tights during August. I was hot, hot, hot!
4. Going to the bathroom all the time
Well that's just kinda par for the course, isn't it? Take two sips of water, better head to the bathroom! Seriously. All. the. time.
Highs:
1. Telling my husband, our families and friends
I'll never forget my husband's reaction when I told him he was going to be a dad. He couldn't believe it and was so thrilled! We wanted a baby for a while, so when I told him it was so special. We loved telling our families and hearing their squeals of excitement. My father in law found this song somehow on youtube the day or two before we told them our news. He excitedly told my mother in law "Chelsea's pregnant! And she's gonna have twins!" She rolled her eyes at him, but turns out he was right! I was pregnant, just not with twins. So now he thinks he has a "gift." Ha!
2. OB Appointments and Lunch Dates
My husband went to just about every OB appointment with me and we had a lunch date afterwards.
3. Hearing his heart beat, ultrasounds
The first time my husband and I heard the heartbeat and saw our little peanut on the ultrasound screen it was so surreal! I looked forward to every appointment to hear his heartbeat and LOVED the 20 week ultrasound. Seeing him kick and squirm around on the screen nearly brought tears to my eyes. We even got to see him swallow and suck his thumb.
4. Feeling him move
I don't know how to describe how incredible it is to feel your baby move for the first time. It is a beautiful thing. I called my husband over several times to feel the baby move, but as soon as he would get over there, the baby would quit. It was like our little man was playing games with us before he was ever born! When he finally did kick for his dad, his eyes lit up and he grinned from ear to ear. By the end of the third trimester the movement slowed down because he was simply "out of womb," and the kicks I did feel were usually in my ribs. Ouch!
5. Baby Showers
People love to buy gifts for new babies. Plain and simple. They love to make blankets, buy tiny little pajamas, socks, and towels. We were so blessed to have three great baby showers with family and friends. I loved seeing how excited they all were for us to welcome our little man. So humbling.
6. Friendly people
Before I got pregnant I heard so many women complain about the unwanted belly touches and comments like "are you sure there aren't twins in there?" I didn't get too much of that. I did have so many people ask how I was feeling, when I was due, offer to carry groceries out to the car, and say how "cute" my belly looked. By the end of my pregnancy, I'll admit I was done with the "How are you feeling? How much longer?" questions. I remember one night before church praying for patience and that I would respond "I feel fine, just a few more weeks" with a smile on my face. Ha! ...As I stood there feeling big as a barn and wearing my compression stockings, jeans, and tennis shoes in August...
Obviously, every little pain and discomfort was worth it when I saw my baby for the first time. I won't say I forgot them, but I lived through it! It really wasn't that bad! Pregnancy is hard work, and I pray for the women who have a lot more difficult and risky pregnancies. It is a long nine months, but it is just the beginning of an even longer journey of being a mama to that precious little baby!
What are some highs and lows of your pregnancies?
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