Pregnancy Blog – Update 4

It is officially 6 months into this pregnancy and the time is flying by. After ‘popping’ last blog update, I definitely feel the baby growing and my belly expanding.  Some days it just depends on what I am wearing.  I know it is all in my head, and weight gain is expected, and necessary, but after being small for so long, and knowing what it is like being in shape, gaining just these 20-25lbs in these past few months, makes me feel at times, uncomfortable.

Many people ask me if I am still sick.  I have not had that hung-over feeling in about 3 months.  Which has been great.  My energy is back as well.  Which I love as not having energy to do the things you need to get done in the day, can be very frustrating. Those few months of pregnancy that you don’t tell anyone about that you are dealing with the nausea, vomiting issues, and extreme fatigue issues and by the time you let everyone know you are pregnant (the 3 month rule), it is all over, yet, it is new to everyone else.  I am lucky as I have had a few friends feel terrible the entire length of the pregnancy.  I cannot imagine feeling that way, and then trying to do it a second or even a third time.

I feel the baby moving, rolling, and kicking a lot. It is mainly when I am lying down, but in the past 2 weeks or so, I can feel movement during the day when I am a training client (s). It is exciting for sure to feel the movements. I do remember this [the movement] the first time with my son, who is 9 now, but not as frequent.   Perhaps there is much about my first pregnancy that I don’t remember.  The birth on the other hand is another story, as I remember ALL of that.

Things I am feeling at this point in the journey:

• Water retention and swollen feet by the end of the day.
• Back pain – Lower back pain as this ever changing body shape tends to be a bit front heavy, and puts me a long term boo-tay pop.   I also have a vertebrae that can get misaligned and since things are loosening up, it is more likely to move, and cause me pain until it pops back in.
• Harder to put on my shoes – my belly is in the way when I lift my leg.
• Moderate hip pain and pelvic pain – to be expected, just trying to ice/heat when needed, and lay flat to help ease the pain.
  
  The most frequent and noticeable issue is dry skin that can be itchy at times.  I would get this normally as winters and cold weather in Canada can be pretty drying, but it is worse now due to the stretching of the belly.

I have collection of lotions that I use to ease the itch and dryness. I have sensitive skin; so anything with perfumes etc., is a no-go for me. I do remember this part of my last pregnancy, although at this point I was probably up double the weight.

Training consistently has been awful.

I looked at my training log today – and I believe I forgot to log one day but today I according to my notes I trained on November 27th, and then not until today Dec 7^th.  So I am averaging 2 maybe 3 workouts per week.   They are really short – 30 minutes. They definitely make me feel better, accomplished, and keep my strength/stamina.

I do a pole fitness class once a week, and I really enjoy going to this class. It allows me to have some sense of normalcy of who I am, while progressing through my pregnancy.

The moves are more holds (and pinch the thighs like a bitch), and spins (no problems with grip strength).  What is noticeable to me is my loss in my upper body strength, and abs of course.   I am more winded during the class, than I would be normally, but do what I can, and feel amazing afterwards.

What I am eating this week:

Sandwiches (cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, balsamic mayonnaise), protein pancakes (egg whites, oatmeal), protein shakes, chocolate (coffee crisp bites are my favourite right now).

I have a strong aversion to all meats, and fish. I have, however, had a craving for vegetables last week and have returned to eating salads, and anything related to salads, dressing, extra topping etc.   I have for so long had an aversion to salad as well – did not want any vegetables whatsoever.   Glad that my vegetable love has returned, and I am sure my meat aversion will subside after the baby is born.

I have very small appetite. With the frequent heartburn, and through experimentation, think it is due to the volume of food not necessarily the kind of foods I eat.   I just have remind myself to not fill my belly, and stop eating when I am just no longer hungry.  Sounds like the kind of advice I would give my clients.

When I look at these photos, I enjoy my pregnancy shape.  There are moments when I feel really big, fat, bloated, uncomfortable. But for the most part I feel really good in my skin.  My rational brain understands this shape is just temporary, and part of the journey. I do feel very comfortable in my own skin emotionally, but physically I feel uncomfortable as I have a hard time sitting up, and putting on my shoes, due to the bigger belly, and have back pain when I would normally have none. Basically I have a hard time moving around in life.

Clothing options continues to be an uphill battle. I have not had a chance to go shopping but at this point I believe I need to, as I will have nothing to dress up in over the holidays. I currently live in sports wear as I am in the gym all the time, in my mind I think ‘what’s the point?’

I have to mention that the maternity clothes sold in my area, are frumpy, and not very cute at all. They are all so maternity.   I am proud to be pregnant but I feel still very young at heart, and these clothes just strike me as dated and old.   Most look like boxes, with arms, and legs.   With me being so boxy/square to begin with this structure is just not suited for my shape.  Anyone who lives in my area knows the shopping is terrible. On an aside, we did get a Starbucks reopened after our Target closed, and apparently it is open now.   Does not help my clothing issue, but it could cheer me up if a day at the mall shopping does not work out.

I still need to find a good way of supporting the girls as everything I try on digs, pulls, not enough support or itches – I am considering Additional Elle? Thoughts? I can see why bigger endowed girls complain so much about this one issue – it is hard to find something that is reasonably cute, sexy, and still gives you the support you need without it looking like your grandmas bra from a box. Which I hear are majorly comfy, so that is why they are bought and continue to keep stores like The Bay in business.

Feel free to like, share your own pregnancy woes, or comment.

A.