The First Half of Pregnancy

This space has been pretty quiet because Punkin has been kickin my butt.  This first trimester has been rough, rougher than I remember with Munchkin.  I’ve debated writing this post because it’s probably going to by whiny.  I’m writing it so I can look back and it will help me remember.  I have started feeling better around twenty weeks (like with Munchkin) and I’m so thankful for that.

Here’s how I’ve been feeling:

1. Exhaustion: I remember being tired with Munchkin and taking a lot of naps because I could.  Since I now have a toddler to chase after, I don’t get quite as many naps.  I’m doing my best to nap when she does but I can’t kick the exhaustion.  I’ve been going to bed the same time she does-around 8, 8:30- but the early morning wake ups kill me.  I am NOT a morning person but my daughter is.  I’m hoping this is getting me ready for even less sleep once Punkin is here.

2. Food Aversion: I don’t have any particular food aversion (I couldn’t do bananas last time) but food in general is yucky.  Nothing sounds good and I very rarely feel hungry. I know I need to eat when I start to feel nauseous.  I’ve been trying to watch my carb intake due to getting GD last time but wouldn’t you know some of the things that taste best for the comfort foods that I only want when I’m pregnant?  They include box Mac N’ Cheese, Chef Boyardee Beefaroni and frozen chicken pot pies.  Crazy, I know.  I’m trying not to eat them all the time and am semi succeeding.  The nice thing is that in the second trimester I’ve been craving grape tomatoes, raw green bell pepper and salads.  And beef.  I’m  loving red meat!

3. Sore Breasts: They hurt so much more this time around.  I keep thinking that they shouldn’t since I’ve made breast milk before but maybe that’s why? Who knows. I’m hoping they don’t stay this sore forever.  I was still nursing Munchkin during the first 6-8 weeks and that made the soreness worse.  I think it also contributed to me not feeling well.  I felt SO much better once she weaned!

4. Hormones: Oh my.  My hormones are all out of whack.  I’ve had so many meltdowns it’s not even funny.  The simplest thing can set me off.  I cried in the bathroom one day because my husband told me he loved me.  Yes, I’m officially hormonal and might possibly melt at anything.  You’ve been warned.

5. Heartburn: I had wicked heartburn with Munchkin.  It wasn’t bad in the beginning but in the end I was taking a 24 hour prescription and eating Tums like candy.  I’m already there and it’s only the first trimester.  I’m a little afraid of what’s to come.  I’m guessing that Punkin is going to have a full head of hair like Munchkin.

6. Congestion:  I’ve been super congested since getting pregnant.  Add that on top of allergies and I’ve been miserable.  I’d like to be able to breathe normally.  When going to sleep it takes about an hour to get my nose clear to breathe through it instead of my mouth.  It’s a pain.  It will be nice to breathe again.

7. The Need to Pee:  ALL. THE. TIME.  I know it’s going to get worse but it’s pretty bad now.  I feel like I go all the time.  The upside is that I know where all the bathrooms are in places from last time!

8. Acne:  I’ve been breaking out like crazy.  On my face, on my chest, on my back it’s insane.  I don’t normally have this many pimples and I usually don’t get them on my chest and back. I’m looking forward to them all going away.

9. Constipation.  The extra progesterone cursing through my body slows down the digestive tract and when you add an iron rich prenatal vitamin on top of that….everything came to a stand still.  It’s not fun.  It hurts (mostly in my lower back) and doesn’t help with the eating issues.  It’s hard to eat fiber filled food when you don’t want to eat anything.  Stool softeners and added fiber (the kind added to liquid) helped get things moving.  It’s an ongoing issue though.

Around 10 weeks I started feeling really yucky when eating too many carbs.  So lucky, lucky me gets to take the glucose test early at twenty weeks.  Thankfully if I fail it my midwife is willing to just say that I have GD (Gestational Diabetes) since I had it before.  Having GD will complicate having a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) so while I prefer not to get it, I’m not hopeful that I won’t.  I’m  not worrying about it though and will just wait and see how the cookie crumbles. 

That’s been the first twenty weeks….only 20 more left to go!