Friday, 31 August 2012
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The Emotions of Pregnancy
I can't tell you the carousel of emotions that's been going on in my mind since finding out we are pregnant. Most of them are hormone-based: irritation, weepiness, sadness (today). Some of them are byproducts of bringing a new life into the world: excitement, fear, worry. Today I woke up feeling kind of under the weather. I'm planning to do some prenatal Pilates to help combat that. I'm also feeling pretty anxious today because I wasn't feeling the need to use the restroom as urgently throughout the day yesterday, and my appetite has slacked off a little, as well. I also thought I was beginning to feel some morning sickness, but I'm not feeling that today, either. Part of me is beginning to think pregnancy is so full of symptoms in order to keep new moms from worrying about whether the baby is still growing inside them! Because I am equating symptoms with the assurance that I am, of course, pregnant. I'm trying not to stress it, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not worrying in the back of my mind. I'm almost desperate for that ultrasound, it can't come soon enough!Also, I spilled the beans for the first time yesterday to one of my friends. I had told her before that we were trying to conceive, so I could have one person to confide in about it. But I forgot to tell her not to ask if it had happened because we didn't plan on telling people right away. So when she asked the other night how "things" were going and I told her "my lips are sealed," she knew! LOL! So we got to talk about it yesterday, and it felt good to have someone to be excited with, and to have praying for us during this time. Funnily enough, I also went with her to get a pregnancy test, as she had been having pregnancy symptoms, and it came out yesterday that she had never tested when she missed her period about a month ago. She wasn't pregnant (which was fortunate for them, as they just got married in June!), so that was good, even though it would've been fun to be pregnant together for the first time. It's feeling more real every day, and having someone else excited for us helps that.
I want to post my "early pregnancy symptoms," in case they might help anyone else. I always assumed my boobs getting bigger and/or sore would be the first sign, as it is the most commonly mentioned symptom. I never had that, and my boobs just now started getting bigger (back to the size they were while I was on BC, actually!), but they still aren't sore (thankfully!). The first unusual thing I experienced was excessive cervical mucus/discharge. Normally after you ovulate you have a dry spell, and I had a progressive feeling of wetness, and even a gushing sensation on a fairly regular basis. I kept thinking I was starting my period, but it was just a clear, odorless discharge. I also was progressively hungrier, with a hunger that was intense and more frequent. I was eating more at a single sitting and snacking late at night because I was SO hungry. I joke now that this baby must grow at night, because the hunger is still worse from the evening on than it is the rest of the day. I had a few headaches in there, which is unusual unless it's right before my period. I saw a woman on another forum, who was hoping she was pregnant, say that her "uterus had been super busy this month," and while that was a funny way to put it, I kind of get what she meant. I had a lot of sensations and feelings down there - some occasional very brief, sharp pains, some cramping/feeling full, a warming sensation once, and just some general feelings of movement or something going on down there (that I kept questioning "is it gas? Is it digestion?"). I also started forgetting things, which is really unusual! We're already having mishaps on a regular basis because, apparently, my husband relies on my memory too much. And the final symptom was napping. I didn't have general fatigue until more recently, but the week before I found out (before my missed period), I started needing a nap every day.So far, I love being pregnant, difficult symptoms and all!
What were your early pregnancy signs? Do you remember the emotions carousel?
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About the Author
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- From: PreMommy@xanga
- Name: PreMommy
- About Me: I am a fairly-newlywed with a heart for kids. I blog about the things I'm thinking about and doing to prepare for becoming a mommy, and welcome readers who are in the same boat, and also experienced parents! We are now expecting our first baby in May 2013!
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Comments (13)
Congrats! How far along are you?
I'm 27 weeks and it's pretty crazy... in an amazing way. :)
This is a great post for those trying and hoping and trying to interpret what their bodies are telling them!
You know, I don't remember having any early symptoms, except for a strong craving for vinegar a few days after conception. I had no idea I was pregnant, but I remember sitting on the couch and just
needingto have something vinegary.
Then, when I thought I started my period, which was just some implantation spotting, I had a really strong urge to take a pregnancy test, even though I didn't think I could possibly be pregnant. I guess I just knew...So I guess my body had changed already, but I wasn't consciously aware. That's kind of amazing when you think about it.
But I do remember the emotional roller coaster, surprise, shock, fear, excitement...I couldn't focus at work and didn't get much of anything done for the first month or so.
I just...felt different. It's hard to explain. Overall I felt different. Then my boobs started to hurt out of nowhere. It was like the slightest touch HURT!! Even when changing clothes. Then my pants got tight. I had to squeeze into my jeans. So the day of my period, I felt the urge to test so I ran to the drugstore near the movie theater my husband & I were at & took the test in the bathroom. Then we found out we were preggo! I fully believed it after 4 tests though! XD I was just shocked it happened so quick & showed up so soon. Most women have to wait almost a week after their missed period to test.
As for emotions, I get very irritable but I'm not preggozilla yet.
@Still_Bruhaha@xanga - Thank you, congratulations to you, too! I am only 6 weeks along, as of tomorrow! We found out a week ago.
My first pregnancy, I told a friend, "It's like having the flue when you're 13 and on your period, but it'll be totally worth it if I have a healthy, happy baby at the end of this." I didn't actually throw up that often, but I was badly nauseous. I had bad cramps and lots of thumping and jabbing and things like that coming from my uterus. I didn't really notice my breasts getting bigger, but I did notice them being tender. The only "craving" I had was when I was packing my lunch for work the next day, and thought, "if I don't eat this pepperoni burrito RIGHT NOW, I am going to die". I was terribly depressed because it was my fault we got pregnant, and we didn't have much money. At 11 weeks (the day after Mother's Day last year), I found out I had a blighted ovum, which is a type of miscarriage where the baby itself doesn't develop but the placenta does. My body was trying to take care of a baby that was never there. As luck would have it, my husband found a job a week or two later. I'd been worried that I would miscarry, because my symptoms had faded.
My second pregnancy, my pants got snug pretty quickly. The nausea wasn't as bad that time, but I splashed vomit and toilet water on myself two or three times at work. That sucked. I later realized that it was the vitamins making me throw up and not so much the pregnancy itself. Same as the first time on the thumping/cramping. Cravings... again, not so much, but I did throw bananas, ice, and a little water in a blender. My husband thought I was nuts but it was yummy. I didn't notice my breasts getting bigger that time, either. But after I miscarried (at 8 weeks), I noticed they looked... deflated. I knew I was going to miscarry because I'd started spotting a day and a half before, and my symptoms faded again. The bleeding and cramping got worse and the cramps started coming in waves.
My early symptoms with my first son were cramping, bloating and hunger. Never had morning sickness or more peeing than usual and the breast tenderness and growth didn't start until i was closer to my second trimester. With this pregnancy (Also a boy) i had a lot of discharge, cramping, insane mood swings. peeing constantly and the hunger was crazy! My boobs exploded by 7 weeks and hurt so bad i was in tears. I again had no morning sickness, thankfully!
I know what you mean though, by about 9 weeks i no longer felt pregnant at all, i was so scared and anxious that something was wrong - but everything was and still is going great. (I'm 23 weeks) Don't let it get to you. :]
Just wanted to say congratulations. Have a happy, healthy, and simply marvelous pregnancy.
Glad you and hubby are enjoying this time together. It's such a personal thing, yet we want to share with the world as well! It's always fun now days for parents to get that ultra sound that tells them the sex. We didn't have that when I was pregnant, so it was always a joyous surprise, and we'd look at each other immediately after the birth and just break into laughter, because we'd guessed wrong. First pregnancy was hyper emesis, which meant that by 7 months I'd gained 5 pounds and had been very sick. The second was better, but with a ton of heartburn last trimester. Again, the greatest surprise was the doctor telling us the sex just post birth. It was like a party where a new guest arrived.
is memory loss an early sign of pregnancy? I dont remember having that symptom with my first. but then again, i dont remember much of anything these days. i had a test done when i was in the hospital a few weeks back, but it came out negative. i still keep feeling like im pregnant though. and it wouldnt be the first time i got a neg preg test at a hospital/dr office...
I'm right about at the end of my second pregnancy, and I think I've had a fairly easy time with both. The first pregnancy I experienced morning sickness a few times, usually triggered by a smell (eggs) or taking my prenatal vitamin without eating anything. This time though, I've had morning sickness one time. And basically the rest of the physical symptoms each time have been normal and not too bad. I get heartburn pretty regularly, and my boobs are bigger but not really sore. The only physical thing that I can't stand is the constant need to pee. Apparently the baby just squishes my bladder to the size of a peanut, because I am running to the bathroom all the time. Emotional changes are a different story though. I get irritated and frustrated on a consistent basis, over things that I probably wouldn't care about if I wasn't pregnant. And depression seems to always creep up on me. But again, I've been really lucky. I'm 21 and already pregnant with my second child and I'm pretty much all belly. I still wear the same clothes, just with a button undone, and it was the same way the first time. Idk if that's because I am still young and my body just naturally bounces back easily or what. Still, I thank God, because I know that for some women pregnancy can be a living hell.
This is exciting! I have been trying to get pregnant for 5 months now and have had no luck; however, in the last 2 weeks or so I have been experiencing all of these items you mentioned (especially the hungry and the sleepy) it seems like I have been eating none stop and I have been so tired all of the time! Congrats on your pregnancy and I will keep my fingers crossed that I am as well!
soooo hungry! it started waaay before my period was due. metal mouth taste once or twice. tired a lot. retained water. boobs were sore! so sore that it hurt to drive, especially turning...i got sick once or twice. then when my period was a week late, I tested. i was also weepy, sad, crying more. when it ended in miscarriage a week after testing, every symptom went away within 2 days. but ya know, these things happen. and you cant beat yourself up for it. and some women will have them and then the symptoms will go away a day or 2 then come back. what matters is you do all you can to be healthy.