This post is in no way intended to be a complainy post about pregnancy because heaven knows we wanted to be pregnant for a long time before it actually became a reality. This is more of a "i had no idea" what it was going to be like post...because really, you can't know until you experience it first hand (as i sit here typing this realizing how uncomfortable it is getting to sit in a chair and breathe at the same time :])
disclaimer: I have had a fairly easy pregnancy. i only got sick a little at the beginning and had one (throw up...gross) incident (in which my husband freaked out with disgust). The above picture was taken a week ago, and since then, i feel like i've gotten huge. yikes.
You know those pictures of cute pregnant girls (no i'm NOT looking for compliments and reassurance)that you see on facebook, instagram, pinterest etc....they make pregnancy seem so...easy. like your clothes always fit you, you never get heartburn, you ALWAYS shower and get ready for the day etc. I have learned that that is not always the case...DUH!
Here are some things i've learned about pregnancy (my own, i realize everyone is different) that i had no idea about until i got here. 28 weeks. 12 weeks out from having a KID! a kid people!
.you know that point when you are like "i should probably start eating better and working out more"?? and you do. and you start to feel better about yourself, maybe you drop a few pounds even...yeah. I've been at THAT point for like a month or so. Where i keep thinking "i should really do (this) better or (this) better" and surely that will make me feel less like the michelin man. NOPE!! no matter how much i TRY to exercise (which hello is like exhausting some days)and eat better, there will ALWAYS be a growing belly, a face filling out, clothes that get tighter, and cravings for sonic's chocolate banana milkshakes. i've come to accept that it's ok to feel this way, but somedays it's kinda hard to love what you see bc your body truly has been taken over by this little human you are growing (which is amazing)and you don't always feel super...pretty. or normal.
.cravings are WEIRD. its like this. you see something on a commercial, or someone mentions something, and you HAVE.TO.HAVE.IT. like sit there and think about it A LOT have to have it. I've tried to supress these cravings by not giving in right away. If i am still thinking about it rather consistently a few days later, i will succomb and go get whatever it is thats on my mind (ie starbucks chocolate creme frappachino, cinnabon cinnamon rolls, sonic milkshakes etc).
.maternity pants are a little bit heavenly. i know a lot of people try to stay in their own clothes as long as possible (and i admit i do too, the shirt above is not maternity, and i have been able to extend some pieces of my wardrobe for quite a while) but seriously, when it comes to pants...just give in. that glorious belly band, however ugly, is amazing on your stomach.
.i genuinely had to ask myself, and then my husband, if i had cankles today. WHAT?! depressing (for the record, i don't. i think. eek)
.getting up with a baby in the middle of the night should be no problem in 2 months because as it is i'm up ALL NIGHT LONG! i toss and turn and flip sides constantly. not to mention up to go to the bathroom. I know this will only get worse in the coming months. and ps...what i wouldn't give to sleep on my stomach for just.one.night!!!!
.its getting hard to climb in and out of our honda. insert a little bit of huffing and maybe some grunts. awkward. but true.
.eating is an entirely new game. I've never had to think so hard about what i REALLY want to eat. and once i get to the eating part, i take a few bites and am done. its annoying. especially when out to eat. so instead i tend to overeat at restaurants which leaves me feeling like death for HOURS after. not worth it.
.heartburn. i have never ever had heartburn or indigestion. ever. until now. i have gone through 2.5 bottles of tums. what the?!
.people stare at pregnant girls. i'm a little bit shy in big group settings, so when i see them starting at my stomach, and then my face, it makes me uncomfortable. even though they probably don't think twice about it, i instantly think they are judging how puffy my face is, or how awkward my stomach looks etc. i'm an idiot.
.sometimes Chris will look at me and say "you're pregnant" with kind of a suprised look in his face. I'm 99.9% sure thats his way of saying, "whoa, your stomach is getting large". It's not a bad thing, bc sometimes i feel the same way. its just kind of...funny.
.i still try to suck in sometimes while taking pictures or in certain outfits. it doesn't work. this goes hand in hand with not really feeling super different, until i look down and realize that i have a huge stomach RIGHT THERE. or i go to put a shirt on that CLEARLY will fit because it always has, and then it waaaay doesn't fit.
.lastly, feeling a baby move is really super cool. if i had to try to describe it to someone who has never felt it, i would say its kinda like that rumbling gassy feeling when you have a stomach ache and your stomach is churning and moving all over the place...except not painful at all. and when you eat anything sweet or cold its like a party in your stomach.
that's all for now. if you stuck around to the end of this list, i commend you.
