Friday

ruminations on the beginning of pregnancy

With each of my pregnancies, the beginning has felt somewhat surreal.

During the first trimester, YOU know you are pregnant, and you may even feel a bit pregnant (which I do), but you don't look very pregnant. The idea of an actual human baby eventually appearing on the scene seems so far off and hard to imagine.

Since it's been nine years since I was last pregnant, in many ways this feels like the first time all over again, and yet I do find myself comparing how I'm feeling to how I felt carrying H, J and E.

I am really hoping this will be an easier pregnancy than my last one, nine years ago, when I started feeling nauseated early and stayed sick and exhausted 75% of my waking hours for about six months straight. Friends tried everything to help me, including fresh ginger, "sea bands" for my wrists, etc, but nothing really helped except lying on the couch, fanning myself. I was so grateful for my sister and other good friends who helped with H and J so I could rest and sleep a lot, because that's mostly what I wanted to do during that pregnancy. I think a lot of that was stress.

With my first pregnancy, 15 years ago, I felt great all the way from beginning to end. I had a few episodes of nausea, but they were short lived and other than being more tired than usual (my biggest pregnancy symptom with all 3: lethargy), I just felt terrific.

With my second pregnancy, 11 years ago, I caught a nasty virus in the first trimester (cytomegalovirus) and had to be hospitalized for a week at 10 weeks pregnant, but after I got over the illness, I felt wonderful throughtout the entire pregnancy (but for the fact that I felt rather sloth-like with regards to my energy level).

My symptoms so far are minimal: I feel a little spacy; I look like I already have a nursing baby; I want a nap a lot. And I feel the need to spend more time than usual sitting in a warm bathttub, which would be even more pleasant if I could drink a glass of red wine. Why am I craving something I absolutely cannot have? I have no idea.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have you given your baby an in-womb name? Willie was dubbed...
1. The Human Bean
2. The Little Alien
3. Whitey (his dad's last name is White)
But, when he was born, he was an unmistakeable Willie.
becky
PS Today at my courses I teach at the Magnolia Ave. branch of our community college, I mentioned the list of "black" and "white" names about which Katie formerly blogged. Many of my students are African-American. They assurred me that, indeed, the list was correct. Willie is a "black" name.

Laura said...

congratulations!
i am very happy for you guys.
a baby conceived in love is always a wonderful thing.
happy gestating to you.

Anonymous said...

I have been told by three different OB/GYNs and one child psychologist that very small amounts of alcohol every once in a while during pregnancy will not hurt the fetus. I only have one friend who actually took her doc up on this and did as he eventually recommended (drink one finger-width of white wine mixed with Sprite in order to relax) and it was only a few times in her 8th month. (She was 37 and less hysterical about breaking with tradition than friends my age who are procreating.) Her twins turned 2 in June and everyone is great.

FWIW. . .

Anonymous said...

If you feel lethargic make sure you are taking elemental iron. It works miracles!
Take Floradix (find it in the health food store) it does not give you green poop or make you constipated or nauseous. Excellent natural source of iron from herbs and vegetable extracts.

Anonymous said...

I know dance diva means well,
Please think carefully and do your own research before you drink alcohol while pregnant.

If the craving is not addiction related, it is probably from some missing nutrient in your diet. Do you follow Dr Tom Brewer's pregnancy diet? It is excellent and the gold standard of diets for pregnancy shown to prevent pre-term births and toxemia.

Now I will stop giving advice. :-)

Anonymous said...

actually I was told to stay out of warm baths. it can hurt the baby.so I took showers only. lukewarm showers. I was very careful.
and I wouldnt drink. you can do without it for nine months. if you cant, perhaps you need to go to AA.

Vol Abroad said...

In Europe, women are advised to cut back on alcohol but are not told to give it up altogether. Small amounts (particularly with food) are considered ok.

Fetal alcohol syndrome - in fact - has only been linked to alcoholics.

Anonymous said...

I hope you have an easy pregnancy this time.

I was literally sick the entire 39 weeks and 4 days with my son. Nothing says miserable like a hugely pregnant woman bent over the toilet bowl, sweating from the August heat, and vomiting while her full-term infant punches her in the cervix.

Oh and my cravings? Soft cheese, wine, sushi and saunas. The only thing I wanted that I could have was lemons.