I have been making a running list in my head lately of all the things I just didn't have a clue about before I got pregnant. The list is long. But I was driving back from Old Navy this morning and started to think I should document these. So tonight, I will give you the first three that come to mind, but I plan on adding to the list as I continue to be surprised.
1. Nothing in pregnancy is unique to you.
This is a funny epiphany, especially when everything is so brand new to me. I will actually think that I may be the only one who has experienced symptom x, because it's just so odd. But I'm starting to come to the conclusion that a lot of things during pregnancy are just odd.
For example, I have been having trouble sleeping lately because I wake up when my right hip falls asleep. It basically goes numb, just like a foot or a hand would. But it's my hip. It's so weird...and really uncomfortable. I have to lay on my side now, and as a typical side sleeper anyway I thought this would be no problem. But the second I heard I shouldn't sleep on my back any longer it's like a switch flipped and my body decided that it would much rather sleep on its back. But I can't. So I sleep on my left side with my right hip numb, sometimes burning and annoying enough that I have to get up, walk around, rub it a lot, and then try to sleep some more.
So when I got on babycenter.com in the dead of night to look up if this crazy phenomenon has anything to do with pregnancy, and found 32,000 other women already talking about this symptom of pregnancy, I was very surprised. Numb Hip is not unique to me.
2. The amount of time it took for my belly to show.
I remember being in Minnesota for Easter and I was 10 weeks. And I made comments about how I couldn't tell if my belly bump was a baby or just the burrito I ate the night before. But deep down, I was sure it had to be baby. Now that I'm 22 weeks along and just recently started showing I am pretty sure back then it was just the burrito. I just had no idea it might take so long to show. So each week was sort of a let down. I'd talk to my baby, tell it I was ready for the world to know I had a baby in there and that it could stretch out if it wanted. But baby took its time and I just had to be patient.
3. You really shouldn't buy maternity clothes assuming they will fit when you get bigger.
My best friend, Heidi, tried to tell me this one. She said both of her pregnancies looked so different on her body that she never even grew into some of the clothes she bought. I heard her, but I didn't heed her advice. Instead I went to Target and bought some great tops that I assumed would get me through the summer. But they are still too balloon-like to wear and make me feel frumpy. So today I went to Old Navy and bought some sweet outfits that fit me right now, with probably will fit for another month or two. Or maybe they'll fit me until November. Again, I have no idea how this baby is going to show itself. But I do know I got some fantastic outfits today and that I strongly believe a pregnant woman should have some feel-good outfits in her closet.
I've got more, but I'll save them for another day. Anyone out there remember being surprised by anything specific during pregnancy?
4 comments:
I slept on my back. I knew it was wrong and I did it anyways. I didn't even feel guilty :)
the last month of pregnancy I slept the first half of the night in my bedroom on one side or another, then when they were both numb I would transfer to the couch and sleep on my back the rest of the night kind of at a slope since the middle of the couch sort of caved in a bit.
oh the joys.
My biggest surprise were Charlie Horses! In the middle of the night, in my feet and calves. I would sit bolt-upright in the middle of the night, surprise! Unbelievable pain, feet contorting into strange shapes! It got where I could sense them coming, and could do certain stretches to ward them off. I can still feel that twitchy threat and shutter...
Jamie! I'm so happy to have a fellow Numb Hipper.
And Team Hasselhoff :)
The charlie horses are astounding. ASTOUNDING. You just would never believe your toes could freak out in so many different directions.
I can so relate to taking a long time to show, and in the meantime wanting to make sure everyone knew I just wasn't packing on the pounds. I didn't really start to show until mid-May, which was about week 25, and even then still had a hard time fitting into maternity clothes (that sounds so funny) until a couple weeks later.
I love reading your stories and wish you and Rory all the best as your belly continues to grow (don't worry, it will!). :)
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