Ok, now I really feel pregnant
Yesterday I felt so big and couldn’t get comfortable in any position. I can no longer get out of bed or a chair without a routine and sleeping is so much more difficult. It was painful every time I moved or the baby kicked.
I have two weeks left until the babies ETA and I have been suffering from lots of other symptoms, but this is the first time the weight of the baby has really been an issue. I have gained around 25-30 pounds. (It is hard to tell exactly since I was on a mini-diet when I first found out I was pregnant). I am so glad that I am no longer working.
My belly does not feel as hard or extended today. I had always expected the growth of my belly to be linear, not up and down like it has been. I know a lot of the differences are due to gas and constipation, but it still is weird. Oh, that reminds me: time for my daily prune juice.
Not far now
Only 24 days to go until the baby’s ETA date. Although of course I realize that it is not likely to be on that actual day. I have started finishing up things at work and it feels weird that I won’t be around.
I went grocery shopping yesterday I bought milk which had a later expiry date than my due date. That struck me as very strange. Months ago, it felt like I would be pregnant forever, but now the date is approaching. I hear that the waiting after the due date is the longest wait of all, and first babies do tend to be late. But I still am counting down the days.
Another side of me doesn’t want the pregnancy to end. I like the looks I get and being treated special. Also, I think I am really going to miss the baby kicking (except the kicks to the bladder). Most nights I am up 2-7 times to go pee, which I guess is good training for when the baby is here. But it would be nice to not have to plan my errands around bathroom trips. The other day I was at Yonge/Finch and the bathrooms were locked since it was after 6:00, luckily there was a dentist office there and they let me use their bathroom instead (Thank you).
Other symptoms:
- Occasional abdominal pain due to kicking or Brakston-Hicks
- Carpal tunnel: I wake up with painful hands each morning and cannot close my right fist for a while. Also, part of my left thumb is numb always.
- Weird painful spot on the upper outside of my calf
- Constipation – I must say that “Prune Nectar” rules. When I actually remember to drink a glass each day, this really helps.
- Swollen ankles – good thing I have boots that fit
- Mood swings
No Abdominal pain today
My tummy feels good today! I have been dealing with abdominal pains for the past few weeks, but I hadn’t realized how much it had been affecting me until today when the pain is gone. I am much less aware of my belly, and can even forget that I am pregnant for bits at a time. At first I was worried that I didn’t feel pregnant anymore, but I think how I feel now is more normal. The baby is still moving occasionally, although sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between movements and gas 
I went to a cardio aqua bellies class last night and I think that might have really helped since I haven’t been exercising much due to the ad pains that I get even when walking. I had some pains during the class, but nothing more serious than I had experienced walking, so I kept going. It could also be because I got a really good sleep last night.
Abdominal Pains in second trimester
I know that ligament pains can be quite common, and I have been having these pains since around the 5th week. They never lasted very long and once I realized what they were it was ok. It makes sense that the uterus has to stretch.
I am at the beginning of the 5th month now and in the last couple weeks I have started getting abdominal pains that are much more general and last for hours. My doctor said not to worry about them, and just to avoid walking if that aggravates it. However it is difficult to avoid walking since I still need to get to and from the subway. Last Thursday they were really bad, they had kept me up during the night and at work they were so distracting that I didn’t get much done. The pain itself wasn’t that bad, but it was the worry about what the pain meant. I called the doctor’s office and they said that as long as I wasn’t bleeding and the baby was still moving then not to worry about it. I can feel the baby move, but it is still rare since the placenta is at the front and I am usually moving around a lot during the day.
They recommended I take some Tums to help with any gas, and I also ate a bunch of prunes and apricots to help with constipation. I think it helped. The joys of pregnancy!
I am going to try a cardio aqua bellies class tonight (“Aerobic workout in the pool – water resistance & buoyancy strengthens pregnant bodies, improves circulation, massages & relaxes working muscles.”). Should be good, except I hate the chlorine. Hopefully it won’t be too bad.
