I read and heard so many stories about pregnancy collateral effects, symptoms, etc, that I don’t know what is true and what is myth about it, so here is the Myth & Truth Guide to Pregnancy According to My Own Experience. Just few snippets of it, I mean.
* Sleepiness (TRUE) – 2nd and 3rd months are the worst ever. I could sleep 48 hours without even wanting to eat. And boy, how I get quiet and grumpy when I’m sleepy! Ask people at work. After that, energy levels went up and I was a brand new person. Now, end of the 7th month I’m back to yawning every 5 minutes again.
* Tiredness (TRUE) – that’s my middle name. Going to work or coming back home is just a nightmare. One of these days I was walking with some colleagues at work to an event and I was walking fast – not too much though – and talking – ate the same time, and at some point I had to stop because I thought I was going to faint with lack of air and extremely fast heart beat. Damn.
* Cravings (MYTH) – I didn’t crave for anything I wouldn’t normally crave for. In winter, all I wanted to eat was pasta and comfort food; nothing new there. I tried to reduce sugar – and the more I reduced the more I wanted to have it. Again, no new news. I love condensed milk. But I reduced it as it is not healthy. I don’t crave it, but wouldn’t mind eating more often. One thing I’ve noticed: I’ve been drinking much more water than before – I feel so thirsty all the time. ALL the time. I wake up in the evening at least twice to drink water, which I didn’t before.
* Eating for two (MYTH) – I would say I eat less, maybe more frequently but less quantities definitely. And if I eat “normally”, I throw up. As simple as that. As a matter of fact I throw up at least once a day every other day.
* Sickness (TRUE) – in the first months of pregnancy I couldn’t stand smell and taste of coffee. I’m now back in business, but I don’t enjoy it that much. I don’t normally feel sick with smells – coffee was the main thing – but I feel sick after eating and unlike some women, I don’t just feel sick, I throw up every time I am sick (see above). Oh, and I feel sick if I don’t eat (but then again, I was like even without being pregnant).
* Pee-pee time (TRUE) – oh dear, my worst nightmare. My bladder hurts soooooo badly. Every 10 minutes I need to pop to the loo. I wonder what will be of me at in mid-April.
* Moody (TRUE) – this is part of my nature – as a woman, as a person from Rio, as my mom’s daughter, as a Cancerian, as part of my personality. I might be a bit more now – but not by much. Because I can get away with being moody/grumpy thanks to my ’state’, I think I tend to hide it less.
* Heart burns (TRUE) – Geez, that has been really strong for a couple of months now. REALLY strong to the point I don’t sleep in pain – at least not so frequent. 2 or 3 times a week? I have it now. But again, I have always had stomach problems since I was younger.
* Out of balance (MYTH) – I don’t think I’m at this stage yet. I walk funny, but it’s because I always wanted to get pregnant and have that penguin walk most pregnant women have. I see my pictures of 10-15 years ago, I’m always with one hand on my tummy, and sometimes with the other on my back, like a pregnant girl. If I put myself together, I can walk like nothing is happening.
* Nose blocked (TRUE) – yeah, my allergies increased and my nose gets blocked at least 3 x a day – I’m back to using nose drops to unblock them. Either that or I can’t breath.
* Sleepless nights (MYTH) – I can’t blame the baby. It’s all because of work! I dream about work, I can’t sleep at night if I have a meeting on the next day, I have neck and back pain after a long stressful day… but on the weekends or quieter days I sleep like a baby for hours and hours and hours. And all positions work well for me – except tummy down but just because Baby C doesn’t like it; sometimes I manage to sleep on my tummy for half an hour or so.
* Teeth problems (MYTH) – no problems there. Sometimes bleeding gums, but less than what they say it’s normal.
* Cramps (PARTIALLY MYTH) – I had a couple of legs and feet cramps in the last couple of months. They hurt! Not ofter, so I don’t care.
Photo from last Saturday, 6th March, after eating loads (fish pie + sticky toffee pudin + great orange juice + loads of water).
I L-O-V-E to feel and see her moves.; it’s just the best feeling ever!
