I’m almost eight months pregnant, and with my due date fast approaching, I thought I would share some helpful bits of information about pregnancy no one ever told me. This is my first pregnancy, and while this seems to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it’s more rewarding than I could have imagined.
- Staying active is harder than ever. Before pregnancy, the gym was my life. I spent at least two to three hours in the gym each day. All of my meals were mapped out and every calorie accounted for. What I didn’t expect was that at seven months pregnant I would have NO gym membership and that my former diet of grilled chicken and eggs would turn into an unhealthy obsession with Hot Cheetos and sour candy.
- Pain comes from all sides. You are never safe. If it’s not back pain, it’s rib pain, and if it’s not that, it’s most certainly leg cramps or round ligament pain. I was never someone who had body aches, so heating pads and messages have been my new best friends.
- You might not look pregnant until the seventh month. I’m nearing the end of my seventh month and people are just now starting to notice that I’m pregnant. I’ve been desperately wanting to show for seven months and now that I do, I want to show less!
- You will never feel more judged.You’re going to breastfeed, right? You’re putting the baby in daycare? You’re not going to quit your job after you have the baby? You’re not using cloth diapers? You’re not having an epidural? I was not prepared for all these questions and felt like any answer I gave was the wrong one. I’ve learned to keep opinions to myself and just smile and nod when people start badgering me because the badgering part is inevitable.
- Hot flashes will come with a vengeance. I’m still in my twenties and I’ve been experiencing hot flashes since the beginning of my pregnancy. This doesn’t seem right!