It's that time again... This week I entered my 28th week of pregnancy, which, according to most sources, means that I am officially in the third trimester. So, let's review the interesting occurrences of the last several months.
~Round ligament pain. There was about a week where I was experiencing shooting pains in my groin when walking. Sitting was uncomfortable. Turns out this was the dreaded "round ligament pain." That's the ligament that supports your uterus, by the way. As your belly and uterus grow bigger, the ligament has to stretch and it sometimes protests by causing severe pain. Thankfully, this only lasted a week for me, but many women have pain throughout their pregnancy. I really think the fact that I am doing yoga has helped.
~Fluctuations in energy level. After the first trimester I regained a lot of my energy. But as the weeks progressed, that energy subsided again. And then returned. And then went away. "They" say these down times reflect growth spurts for baby. Who knows. Another thing that can have an effect on your energy level is your iron level. Thanks to heavy periods, I've had issues with iron-deficiency anemia in the past, which has meant taking iron supplements. Everything had normalized though. Unfortunately, babies have a habit of making LOTS of women iron-deficient anemic. And, during the second trimester, my doctor confirmed that my levels are dropping off again. Yay, iron supplements!
~Constipation, again. You know what goes hand in hand with iron supplements? Constipation! Yahoo!!! Which, again, can already be a normal issue in pregnancy thanks to all your organs getting squished by the little bundle. Miralax is your friend.
~Leg cramps. Especially at nighttime. Super fun. I don't know if there's any connection or not, but in our birthing classes our instructor has recommended a high protein diet (80-100 grams a day!!!!) and since I've started this, the cramps have decreased. By the way, high protein diet? Also a contributor to constipation. Cramps or constipation--pick one.
~Braxton Hicks contractions. Another normal pregnancy thing. Your stomach becomes a rock. And then it goes away again. It's NOT painful like real contractions would be, just an uncomfortable tightening. Frequency and duration vary from person to person. I get a couple a day now. After being sick recently though, I went through a period of a few days where I was having 8-10 an hour. Not fun. And yes, I went to the doctor. But everything checked out fine. Which taught me another lesson... it's okay to call your doctor and go get checked out if you have any reason to be concerned!
~Bigger boobies. Early on in the second tri I had to go out and buy new bras. My old ones just weren't cutting it anymore. Now, The Girls have not gotten huge, but I was small before so any increase is noticeable to me. Overall, I have only gained a cup size. However, what is more surprising is the fact that my...ahem...nipples... have greatly increased in size. We're talking National Geographic style here. Apparently, this is normal. Along with changes in color (check!). Weird, right? Nobody told me that would happen. Now you know.
On the plus side...
~Feeling movement!!! Including hiccups! Weird!!!! Movement has gotten FAR more frequent. AND, especially towards the end, movement is regularly visible on the OUTSIDE of my belly. Yes, I can look down and see my stomach moving. I have caught little hands poking me. Little feet kicking me (in the bladder!). And a solid round lump that I can only assume was a head. Or an ass. :)
~A growing belly. Obvious, right? There are a lot of things that change as your baby and belly get bigger. There's a lot less room for your other organs in there. I have started getting winded going up stairs. Getting dressed in the morning is a lot more of a challenge. There's no bending over to put on socks or shoes. Slip-on shoes are your new best friends. Your belly button probably looks a little different. Mine is hovering dangerously close to becoming an outtie. You may want to start sleeping with a pillow between your knees or under your belly. You'll also need to find a new position to shave your legs in. And you probably can't see your nether regions to keep that area "neat" anymore. Just sayin'.
A growing belly brings on a lot of other things too...
~Feeling insecure. Most days I'm good. But there are those days where I feel fat and gross and sloth-like. And why on earth would my husband be attracted to *that*?! Your whole body is changing. Of course your self-image is too! Sometimes guys don't realize that you need reassurance. This may lead to crying fits when you manage to convince yourself that your man thinks you are gross. He doesn't. He just doesn't know that you need more convincing than usual. Yeah, guys are dumb sometimes. Trust me though, he thinks you're hot as hell because your man knows that HE is the reason you look the way you do. Which brings me to...
~Sex. Keep at it, yo! Just be aware... your bodies won't fit the way they used to... Adjustments will need to be made. Also, don't be surprised if the belly is a bit of a distraction. Hypothetically, your man could feel some kicking going on in there and get a bit weirded out. Hypothetically.
Final words of wisdom... try to find a way to stay active. Water aerobics. Yoga. Working out if you're used to it. Even just walking. Whatever! Staying active will really help with the aches and pains. The second trimester may also bring out the crazies. I faced my first rude comment! An older bachelor in the halls at work saw me and proclaimed, "Must be soon!" Imagine his surprise when I told him I still had over three months to go! You will encounter idiots. Don't take it personally. Most of them just don't know any better. This guy obviously didn't.
Weight gained to this point: right around 20 pounds.
Inches gained at waist to this point: I have no idea. The doctors don't measure that way anymore!
Goodbye second trimester! You brought some interesting changes. I have a feeling there's more to come.
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