Well, here we are at 27 weeks. 13 weeks to go. It feels like such an eternity. (40 weeks gestation is the calendar I follow. Why even consider a 36-38 week pregnancy and then feel let down when the delivery date surpasses 36/38. Just go for 40 & hopefully it won't stretch out to 42.)
However, I truly have nothing to complain about. My pregnancies are not frought with ill health, no sickness, nothing high risk, etc. Yet I find myself struggling with a poor attitude and focusing on the little idiosyncrasies of pregnancy (like a tight sacroilliac area and an inflamed pubic symphysis). What is my problem? Maybe it's the fact that I haven't even hit the blossom and bloom stage yet feel and look larger than when I delivered W. Now, this isn't all in my head because I have had three people in the past three days confirm my size. At one point in my pregnancy with W I measured around my belly and it was a whopping 4"9. 4"9! That's a person's height. It was funny and shocking at the time. However, in light of there being 13 weeks to go and this little one hasn't begun to fill out, I am in BIG trouble. Bloom. Blossom. Just call me Audrey....the man eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors....it's impossible to think of this future growth spurt as a lovely dainty flower blossoming as the spring sun shines forth.
How will I cope? How will I pick up our toddler? How will I SEE him through the shadow of my girth if he's standing near me? How will I rock & sing during his bedtime routine? Where will my energy come from? Now here's a mystery....what amazes me is that I had only gained 3 lbs at my last Dr's appt, which was two weeks ago. How can one gain 3 lbs and appear 9 months pregnant at the same time?
Audrey it is.....
Don't worry Mmmmaaahvelous; nature has it in for us. After your first pregnancy you're never the same again. All those muscles are already stretched and so it is so much easier for the second baby to push out and make a little more swimming room (I don't know if it's the baby or not but I like that idea). Same thing happened to me looked enormous so early. Heck people thought I was pregnant before I was and worse people still think I'm pregnant.
ReplyDeleteAs for the attitude I relate completely. Z was healthy and there was nothing wrong with my pregnancy - but it was still hell. My sciatica starting hurting the second month, the nausea never really went away etc etc. AND IT SUCKS. You don't get nearly the attention as you did the first time cause hey you're experienced now and of course there is that other being that is demanding 110% of your attention/energy/self. I found it took much longer for me to feel any bond with the invetro baby. You just don't have time to focus on the kicks and dreams of the future like with the first one. Dare I say it the second pregnancy feels a lot more like something a job to cope with/get through/survive than the miracle of expectations of the first. I was so so glad Z was two weeks early! I could not wait for her to be born. I would seriously consider more children if I didn't have to be pregnant for 10 months first.
Thx Mrs. Sweet Peas....your words of wisdom & experience do make me feel better...a little more human.
ReplyDeleteI've been feeling much less than patient this pregnancy as well. I expected this to be so breezy compared to the twins, but it does feel more like a chore. And I don't feel smaller!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you sister!