Pregnancy --What You Might Not Expect

Forewarned is forearmed!

I didn't expect to have morning sickness ALL day.

Even though I only threw up a few times toward the end of the first trimester, I felt nauseated all day long almost every day from six weeks on. At work I kept lemon drops in my pocket and every five minutes I was popping one in my mouth. It seemed to help to have something sour and to constantly keep my blood sugar even.

There are several different remedies that you can try to help alleviate morning sickness.

A lot of foods just didn't appeal to me, so sorry to say, I ate a lot of boxed cereal during my first trimester, which is not something I would normally do. I really craved anything sour and spicy and I LOVED most fruits--especially lemons!

Chicken often tasted strange and Thai food was off limits. Thai food is something I usually like, but I couldn't even stand to be in the house if my husband was eating Pad Thai.

After the first trimester, I was able to eat more healthfully. I ate cage-free organic eggs, raw milk, and as much organic meat and produce as possible when finances would allow. I continued taking Now or Biotics prenatal vitamins, the Greens First and Dream Protein shake, and Cod Liver or Krill oil for Essential Fatty Acids.

I felt that these were the most important things for me to concentrate on and that they are the most essential to having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

I realize now that I should have drank more kefir and/or taken more probiotics to protect my baby's digestive tract and immune system. I also should have eaten less sugar for the same reasons.

I didn't expect that I wouldn't look obviously pregnant until after the sixth month.

Some people STILL didn't notice until the EIGHTH month! It probably didn't help that I wear scrubs at work and they hide a multitude of sins! But there came a point when I wanted people to know that I was going to have a baby, and not just assume I was getting thick around the middle!

It was also the middle of winter so I was always bundled up when I was out and about. I swear next time I will be pregnant in the summer so I can show off my belly! Every woman's belly grows at a different rate depending on your size and shape, your baby's size and shape, and if it is your first baby or not, as well as your abdominal muscle tone.

Some ladies need maternity clothes sooner rather than later and vice versa. There are several options for maternity clothes that you might not have considered.

I assumed that I would continue with my work-outs until the last few weeks.

I have always been very athletic and active so I assumed that I would continue on with my work-outs as usual, just making room for my growing belly. I certainly didn't want to be one of those pregnant women who laid around eating bon-bons!

You can imagine my dismay when I started cutting back in the first trimester just because I was so fatigued and nauseated. I continued to belly dance and practice yoga. I also walked on a fairly consistent basis. But, it was a far cry from what my work-outs had been before.

Again, every woman is different, and some women DO continue strenuous work-outs until right before the baby comes. It IS important to keep exercising while you are pregnant, even if it is only walking. You will want to keep your joints supple and keep your stamina up for the birth and afterward.

You have to trust your body and your intuition finding what works for YOU.

I had to pee all the time--for the whole pregnancy.

Not just during the first trimester and then again towards the end like all the books say, but all the way through. Baby was just low down the whole time and sitting on my bladder!

Sex was as good as, if not better than, before pregnancy.

Although perhaps not as frequent. At first my husband was simply turned on by the fact that I was pregnant and then as my body changed he was quite appreciative of my rounded appearance. It did become humorous at the end when my belly was getting in the way and we had to be a bit more creative--all part of the fun!

Everyone experiences challenges in this area as their family grows. Good communication with your partner is the best remedy.

I was surprised by how soon my body started to ache.

My lower back and hips started to ache at the beginning of the second trimester. All the way to the end until after my baby was born, my SI joints were loose and sore, as well as my hips, and then later on my legs and feet. Prenatal massage was a godsend. I tried to make it a point to go for a massage every other week.

It really does make you feel like a queen!

I was surprised that not all midwives are willing to work together.

I had a miscarriage shortly before becoming pregnant with my daughter and I wanted to get checked out early on to make sure things were okay. I knew I wanted a homebirth and most homebirth midwives don't usually do a prenatal checkup before about 12 weeks. At any rate, my midwife did not do the lab testing that can be done by nurse midwives with access to labs.

I contacted a local nurse midwife to have these tests done and to reassure myself that things were progressing normally. When she discovered I was planning to have a homebirth and would not continue under her care she quite rudely refused to see me.

I was pleasantly surprised that I did not get any stretch marks.

I only got the linea nigra--the dark line down the center of the belly. I used massage oil on my belly, hips, and breasts almost every day. Earth Mama Angel baby has a wonderful belly massage oil and body butter cream. I don't know that it prevented stretch marks, but it certainly felt good and it was bonding time for me and baby. I would sing and talk to her while I massaged my belly.

I was surprised by some very strong emotions.

Even though I was expecting some strong emotions, the intensity of it hit hard. There is a dark side of pregnancy and motherhood that no one talks about. I was somewhat expecting it, as I have a history of chronic and severe depression.

I developed moderately severe depression and became very worried that it would continue into postpartum depression. There were lots of heated discussions between my spouse and I and lots of crying and deep sadness.

If you experience depression while you are pregnant, please know that there IS help, there ARE resources out there--you WILL get better.

We are all different and everyone experiences life, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood differently. But, I hope that by sharing my experience and some of the things that I've learned, it will make your path that much smoother.

If you're looking for something to alleviate all the discomforts of being great with child--check out this Pregnancy Pampering Kit that contains tea for morning sickness and heartburn, belly massage oil, and even a foot soak for your aching feet!

For more pregnancy information check out the following articles

Iron Rich Foods --Preventing Iron Deficiency Anemia

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