Pregnancy Side Effects
I have learned very quickly in my pregnancy that every one's is different. Yes, there are similarities of course and milestones every pregnant women achieves along her journey, but there are far more "side effects" then one knows about going in. Many books talk about the common symptoms and your baby's development as the weeks and months pass by, but its the day to day "stuff" that gets forgotten about. It's like you somehow give birth and everything you went through during your pregnancy is wiped clean and suddenly your faced with new challenges like keeping a human being alive.
Here's a list of what I think every pregnant woman and mother should at least mention:
- Morning sickness (if you have it) is more of a all day thing. I think its called morning sickness because it starts there but defiantly doesn't end there. I got lucky that once I hit the second trimester my morning sickness went away. Thinking back to the thought of constantly feeling and getting sick just makes me sick. If it is unbearable talk with your doctor, they have medicine to help with that.
-Your body will change (I know, shocking). At first your praying for a sign of a baby bump just to let the world know that you haven't gotten fat but that you are growing a human, but once it appears it doesn't stop growing.
-Don't buy all of your maternity clothes at once. Buy them as you grow is my best advice. I never changed pant sizes but my shirts got small fast once I hit the 6 month mark and I really popped (and I'm not just talking baby bump here either). Only buy the necessities. Maternity clothing is overpriced because they know women are desperate for something that fits and will buy anything to feel some what attractive. Buy used if you can, but score coupons and clearance racks for better deals than some of the on-line "bargains."
-Put all of your pre-pregnancy clothes in storage. There is no need for more tears than you already give out and why have a daily reminder of what your body used to look like?!
-Say goodbye to all of your cute underwear and sexy bras. If your stuck on sizes get over it because you will change underwear and bra sizes more than once during the process. My best advice is to go with "roomier" and comfortable. Don't max out your Victoria Secret card by buying new goods because your body continues to change (I changed bra sizes 3 times). I now look like I have a Dolly Parton thing going on and I must say that I have a new respect for her carrying all of that weight!
-Nipples. Where do I start? They hurt from the very beginning and get worse as you go. Not to mention they triple in size (enough to scare small children if seen). I cant help but think how will I breast feed when just thinking about touching my nipples hurts?! Needless to say there's a look don't touch policy now in place in our house (my poor husband). I also need to mention keeping nursing pads on hand as some lucky women's milk comes before baby.
-Stay off the Internet. I'm serious! You worry enough throughout the pregnancy but the overuse of Siri and Google can send you over the edge. Not every ache or symptom means that something is wrong with your baby and the Internet has too many search engines making you believe otherwise. Your doctor and pregnancy books can truly give you a peace of mind when in doubt. Don't be afraid to ask questions but sometimes there can be such a thing as over researching.
-Pregnancy apps are wonderful for learning how your baby is developing and for comparing the fetus to fruit or vegetables for sizes and weight (ok, the fruit and veggie comparisons can be a bit much). However, keep in mind that every baby varies in weight and size and sometimes will achieve milestones later in the weeks to come (I didn't feel her move until 2-3 weeks after most women).
-Hormones. That lovely thing everyone loves to blame emotions on. I have to be honest, maybe I'm a lucky one, but my hormones haven't gotten completely out of whack. I thought going in that my hormones would be all over the place and that I could turn into a witch in a moments notice but it hasn't been like that. I realized that how you are throughout your pregnancy is very similar to how you are during your period (sorry if that means you get "bitchy"). I also truly believe that controlling your anger and emotions should still be in practice during pregnancy and as a human being. I will tell you though, that I cry easier than ever before and it usually isn't over something sad (I cried during a football game as the players ran out onto the field). Just let yourself cry and if people question just motion towards the belly or baby after she arrives.
-Lack of energy. I feel tired all of the time! Some days are better than others, but even with 10 hours of sleep there are many times I feel exhausted. My best advice is to sleep when you can (naps are glorious) but don't change your routines of exercising, cleaning or even social activities. Know when it is too much, but keeping an active lifestyle only helps you- trust me.
-Sex. Going in I was determined, I mean determined not to let my changing body come between my husband and I. I will be the first to admit that it most defiantly has. Your mind will want sex but your body will quickly tell your mind that it is too tired or too big for any sexual activity. Cherish the moments that you do have sex because as your pregnancy progresses the time in between "sexy time" gets longer. As if not having sex is bad enough, when you do have it you will question whether you
will ever truly enjoy it again. I'm hoping to bounce back after baby!
-The movie What To Expect When You're Expecting is scarily accurate when it comes to pregnancy minus the woman in heels. When Elizabeth Bank's character describes feeling as if you have been kicked in the crotch (she uses a different word), she couldn't be more right. I believe, when pregnant, you don't waddle because of the extra weight of the baby bump but instead from the pressure in your crotch area. Its a weird mix of pressure and cramp, and you mostly feel achy. This is a symptom that every other mother forgets to tell you about. Its a symptom that doesn't start until later on in pregnancy and just when you have gotten used to carrying around the baby bump.
-Its your body! Just like parenting advice, you can get a million different opinions on pregnancy. Obviously you want to listen to your doctor but ultimately listen to your body because you know it best. Parents, friends and even strangers can be wonderful resources, but like the Internet it can become too much. Just because it happened a certain way with your friend doesn't mean it will be the same for you too. If there is one thing I have learned so far in the process- it is that you just have to take it a day at a time, appreciate the milestones as your baby grows and develops and count down towards your due date.
Here's a list of what I think every pregnant woman and mother should at least mention:
- Morning sickness (if you have it) is more of a all day thing. I think its called morning sickness because it starts there but defiantly doesn't end there. I got lucky that once I hit the second trimester my morning sickness went away. Thinking back to the thought of constantly feeling and getting sick just makes me sick. If it is unbearable talk with your doctor, they have medicine to help with that.
-Your body will change (I know, shocking). At first your praying for a sign of a baby bump just to let the world know that you haven't gotten fat but that you are growing a human, but once it appears it doesn't stop growing.
-Don't buy all of your maternity clothes at once. Buy them as you grow is my best advice. I never changed pant sizes but my shirts got small fast once I hit the 6 month mark and I really popped (and I'm not just talking baby bump here either). Only buy the necessities. Maternity clothing is overpriced because they know women are desperate for something that fits and will buy anything to feel some what attractive. Buy used if you can, but score coupons and clearance racks for better deals than some of the on-line "bargains."
-Put all of your pre-pregnancy clothes in storage. There is no need for more tears than you already give out and why have a daily reminder of what your body used to look like?!
-Say goodbye to all of your cute underwear and sexy bras. If your stuck on sizes get over it because you will change underwear and bra sizes more than once during the process. My best advice is to go with "roomier" and comfortable. Don't max out your Victoria Secret card by buying new goods because your body continues to change (I changed bra sizes 3 times). I now look like I have a Dolly Parton thing going on and I must say that I have a new respect for her carrying all of that weight!
-Nipples. Where do I start? They hurt from the very beginning and get worse as you go. Not to mention they triple in size (enough to scare small children if seen). I cant help but think how will I breast feed when just thinking about touching my nipples hurts?! Needless to say there's a look don't touch policy now in place in our house (my poor husband). I also need to mention keeping nursing pads on hand as some lucky women's milk comes before baby.
-Stay off the Internet. I'm serious! You worry enough throughout the pregnancy but the overuse of Siri and Google can send you over the edge. Not every ache or symptom means that something is wrong with your baby and the Internet has too many search engines making you believe otherwise. Your doctor and pregnancy books can truly give you a peace of mind when in doubt. Don't be afraid to ask questions but sometimes there can be such a thing as over researching.
-Pregnancy apps are wonderful for learning how your baby is developing and for comparing the fetus to fruit or vegetables for sizes and weight (ok, the fruit and veggie comparisons can be a bit much). However, keep in mind that every baby varies in weight and size and sometimes will achieve milestones later in the weeks to come (I didn't feel her move until 2-3 weeks after most women).
-Hormones. That lovely thing everyone loves to blame emotions on. I have to be honest, maybe I'm a lucky one, but my hormones haven't gotten completely out of whack. I thought going in that my hormones would be all over the place and that I could turn into a witch in a moments notice but it hasn't been like that. I realized that how you are throughout your pregnancy is very similar to how you are during your period (sorry if that means you get "bitchy"). I also truly believe that controlling your anger and emotions should still be in practice during pregnancy and as a human being. I will tell you though, that I cry easier than ever before and it usually isn't over something sad (I cried during a football game as the players ran out onto the field). Just let yourself cry and if people question just motion towards the belly or baby after she arrives.
-Lack of energy. I feel tired all of the time! Some days are better than others, but even with 10 hours of sleep there are many times I feel exhausted. My best advice is to sleep when you can (naps are glorious) but don't change your routines of exercising, cleaning or even social activities. Know when it is too much, but keeping an active lifestyle only helps you- trust me.
-Sex. Going in I was determined, I mean determined not to let my changing body come between my husband and I. I will be the first to admit that it most defiantly has. Your mind will want sex but your body will quickly tell your mind that it is too tired or too big for any sexual activity. Cherish the moments that you do have sex because as your pregnancy progresses the time in between "sexy time" gets longer. As if not having sex is bad enough, when you do have it you will question whether you
will ever truly enjoy it again. I'm hoping to bounce back after baby!
-The movie What To Expect When You're Expecting is scarily accurate when it comes to pregnancy minus the woman in heels. When Elizabeth Bank's character describes feeling as if you have been kicked in the crotch (she uses a different word), she couldn't be more right. I believe, when pregnant, you don't waddle because of the extra weight of the baby bump but instead from the pressure in your crotch area. Its a weird mix of pressure and cramp, and you mostly feel achy. This is a symptom that every other mother forgets to tell you about. Its a symptom that doesn't start until later on in pregnancy and just when you have gotten used to carrying around the baby bump.
-Its your body! Just like parenting advice, you can get a million different opinions on pregnancy. Obviously you want to listen to your doctor but ultimately listen to your body because you know it best. Parents, friends and even strangers can be wonderful resources, but like the Internet it can become too much. Just because it happened a certain way with your friend doesn't mean it will be the same for you too. If there is one thing I have learned so far in the process- it is that you just have to take it a day at a time, appreciate the milestones as your baby grows and develops and count down towards your due date.
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