Pregnancy!
With this being my first I didn't really know what to expect but I was about to find out. Pregnancy never really appealed to me but it turns out for the most part I enjoyed it. I found it fascinating watching my bump grow and spent hours mesmerised watching it move later on. But pregnancy also taught me how rude people can be, even when they don't know you. 'Are you sure there's only one in there' was a common favourite. 'Oh nit long to go then 'actually I was only half way there. I was big and know this but doesn't mean you want everyone commenting on it, right?
Towards the end though I was actually becoming quiet miserable and praying this baby came soon. I found myself one night laying in bed uncomfortably, putting words down. This is what I wrote....
The joy of pregnancy .......
My body started feeling strange, I was feeling sick and off my food.
My breasts started an awful pain, the slightest touch would make me scream. I knew my body wasn't right, there was changes happening and I didn't know why.
Soon it became apparent, I was pregnant!
nerves and joy I didn't know how to feel, excited at first but holy crap it will have to come out now. Maybe I didn't think this through.
soon the sickness came, but didn't last long, maybe pregnancy is not so bad after all.
13 weeks in and feeling great, excited to share the news and can't stop smiling.
Then further down the line, reality, my god they don't teach you this.
Constipation, two hours on the loo, crying in pain and barely a nugget. The dr gives fibrogel, my god I want to vomit, it doesn't mix well, just hold your nose and swallow. With little help from this dr changes to lactulose, at least it tastes better and gradually I get some release.
The downside to this, I now have piles, feels like my insides are falling out, still 6 months to go. They just seem to increase in size as the months go by, is there an ending to the discomfort I cry.
Then thrown to the mix is heartburn to go, my god at first I thought I was going to die. The chest pains so bad, especially at night, I lay in bed thinking my heart will give out. But then I sit up and burp like a bloke, it's severe wind and not a heart attack. This now continues right to the end, so no sleep for me, I need peptic instead.
There's twitches and flutters inside my belly, it reminds me of the joy that's to be. That first proper kick, my god so strange, never get used to seeing my belly move, feels strange yet fascinates, I could watch you for hours, but of course you prefer to kick me at ungodly hours.
Nearing the end, not long to go, and now I have so much extra fluid, my feet are swelling, my shoes do not fit, I try to keep them raised higher than my hips. I have developed a dribble, I wake up soaked, I guess raising your feet makes the fluid go up. Then added to the mix, severe pains in my wrists, I can not hold anything without wanting to cry. I'm told that's fluid compressing the nerves, all will be fine following birth.
So now I'm counting down the days and the hours. I lay in bed, in my mountain of pillows, unable to turn and you squeezing my bladder. I remind myself of the joy that is to come, the day I can meet you and hold you in my arms. Until that day comes with a few weeks to go, I'll pray dear lord make the pain go away. Please lord let me sleep, let my bladder hold out, let me poop but please don't let my insides fall out. Let me lay in comfort, the swelling go down, please no more heartburn and let the dribbling hold out. Dear lord if this is to much to ask, then please just tell baby it's time to come out.
So this enlightens everything I learnt that I didn't know happened during pregnancy, maybe they don't tell you this as it would put everyone off. I hope this makes at least one person laugh.
Next step labour ......
