Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Pregnancy is not always glamorous

We're well into the second trimester & days away from the official halfway mark (gasp!).  I'm still feeling very good - knock on wood - & the baby bump seems to pop more everyday.

13 weeks

17 weeks

We're due for another picture (as of blog post date, I'm now 19.5 weeks) & I believe there is a fairly significant change, but then again, the baby bump seems to grow significantly more by the end of the day (bloat, food, you name it).

Due Date: September 27, 2014
Symptoms: Nothing significant, just a few small nuisances.  In the first trimester, I was starving all the time & had to keep food with me everywhere I went.  It was crazy.  After 15 weeks, I hit the magical "honeymoon" phase & noticed increased energy & a decrease in extreme hunger.  I still keep food with me in case of emergencies but if I'm late eating my lunch, I don't turn into a catatonic, food-crazed bundle of hormones.  
Nails are growing rapidly but I haven't noticed a significant change in my hair.
Pregnancy comes with a wide variety of experiences - heartburn, hemorrhoids, acne, weird rashes, dry skin, stretch marks - & I will neither admit nor deny any of those listed.  It's not always glamorous.  If you haven't seen the movie What to Expect When You're Expecting, I highly recommend it.  It's [mostly] hilarious, with a few heavier, more serious topics thrown in, but it sheds a funny light on the joys of pregnancy.  One of my favorite, & now most relevant, clips:


Clothes: Now into full on maternity wear.  And damn these clothes are comfy.  About 16-17 weeks, I could no longer comfortably wear my pre-pregnancy pants (jeans or dress).  I was lucky to have a bin of donated maternity clothes from a friend that I was able to pull out several tops & a few jeans to wear; a few weekends ago, we hit a few stores to pick up a few more items.  
Weight: As of today, I've gained approximately 14 lbs; approximate because I weighed at the end of the day & typically I weigh first thing in the morning. In my world, time of day can be a difference of 2-3 lbs.  I'm not stepping on the scale regularly & happy to not focus on weight; if my midwife is concerned, she can discuss it with us (& thus far, she has not expressed any concerns).  Since reaching the second trimester, I've noticed the rapid weight increase, as second & third trimester average a pound per week.
Running/Working Out: I'm still comfortably running & training for my June half-marathon.  My increased energy levels assisted an increase in motivation.  I'm trying to maintain light strength training 1-2X/wk.  I bought a maternity band, highly recommended by a few women runners as their baby bumps expanded & the need for ligament support during a run became a necessity.  No matter how empty my bladder feels, I've now reached the stage I must potty before a run.  The jostling is no bueno on the bladder already being squished by growing baby.
Cravings: Oranges, orange juice, chocolate milk, grilled cheese.  Dessert will always be a passion but I noticed I'm more particular about what I fancy when it's time for sweets.  Smoothies for breakfast are a must - I can cram plenty of protein & a day's worth of fruit into an easy drink.
Aversion: Meat.  Except fried chicken.  More specifically, chicken strips.  I'm like a 5-year-old when we go out to eat - chicken strips & french fries.  I can eat meat if it's put in front of me but if I had to choose at every meal, I'd probably avoid meat.  Hamburgers, meatballs, steaks, ham...it just doesn't sound appealing.
Rings: Still comfortably fit on my fingers.

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