Friday, February 12, 2010

The Good/Neutral/Bad lists

So! Nearly 22 weeks in (come tomorrow), and I thought I'd compile a list of things that were Good, Bad or just Noteworthy about this whole pregnancy process so far.

The Good
  1. I AM A GOD!! Ok, perhaps not, but bringing forth new life is a pretty awe-inspiring process. Even if rabbits do it with a lot more pep and vim than I have.
  2. Ultrasound pics. I have to say that it's pretty cool going to see the little Jellybean hopping about inside. For all of my ultrasounds so far I haven't actually felt any of the activity, so it's pretty bizarre seeing a little one-man rave happening in there.
  3. Boobs. I has dem. Yup, prior to pregnancy I had one of those figures which the Australian Govt is trying to keep out of pornography. Presumably because small-breasted wimmin excite paedophiles, or something like that. If I actually knew anything about bra-sizes, I reckon I'd be almost a full A-cup by now!

The Bad
  1. Nausea, nausea and more nausea. If I'm not going through the queasies of morning sickness, it's because I've smelled something funny, or because I'm probably hungry. It gets a little exhausting when this is the ONLY way your body likes to communicate with you.
  2. Bloating. Well, hey, it's not nausea, but it's almost as good. It sometimes gets to the point where I seriously wonder if I'm going to run out of lung space, and I've had more than my share of 'drowning' and 'suffocating' dreams. Frankly, I'm just thankful when the gas evacuates. By ANY orifice.
  3. Down days. This one a contribution from da man. I tend to withdraw when I'm feeling gacky. I don't want to go out, I don't want to do ANYTHING but curl up and try to sleep away the yucks. Which makes it tough on my boy, who is the sort who just likes to make things right, and see me happy. I think we're both looking forward to the part of parenthood where everyone has their own body to look after.

The Neither
  1. Weight gain. Of course it was always going to happen, but I'd kidded myself that it was going to be 90% baby bump. Along with baby, I appear to be developing a healthy layer of blubber. I'd go the beach and bask, if I wasn't concerned that some well-meaning eco-saviour would try to roll me into the water. The only thing that keeps me going is the constant promise from rels and websites that "once you start breast feeding, it'll melt away". That, and the 3 bags of kettle chips I like to eat each week.
  2. The Wriggling Monstrosity. Yes, at nearly 22 weeks, I'm feeling movement. It's sometimes like a little prod to the bladder from inside, at other times it feels like I have a bag of writhing eels stashed under my skin.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

I touch myself...

Not, not in the Divinyls' way .. Just in the compulsive way that many gravid women seem to: rubbing their hands over the ever increasing belly. Part of it, I admit, is novelty factor. I've never had a taut round gut like this. It's hard to believe I've gone from flat to bulgy in just a few months.

The other part is the discomfort factor. I've moaned enough in previous posts (why break a habit?) about all the fun pregnancy feelings, which are pretty much all centred around the gut.
Either I feel incredibly bloated in my stomach (just after downing a glass of water, say), or I just simply feel that there isn't room in my midsection for all the stuff that needs to fit in there. Liver? Do we really need it? Pancreas? Gall Bladder? Come on guys, something has to go!

And you know, I'm only 20 weeks in. This is peanuts compared with what's to come. Which is a scary thought. If only I could somehow increase skin elasticity, just to relieve cramped conditions for a little while.