Bemusings of a Baby Life:  More Symptoms

My symptoms in my 4 – 12 weeks of pregnancy.

For all you ladies who would like to know what to expect when expecting!  I sure did!

1. Cramping

   This concerned me at first.  Especially since they felt almost exactly like medicated period cramps.  Medicated is the key word and why I wasn’t as concerned as I could have been because I was not on any medication.  None-the-less, I wanted to be sure my body was rejecting the baby.  After a little reading I decided I was normal and shouldn’t fret.  In my reading I learned that this kind of cramping signifies the expansion of the uterus.  My body was just making room for baby.

2. Dizzy spells

   Sometimes I get dizzy when I am malnourished or ill and stand up too fast.  When I’m in a really sad condition I may even see stars as my world spins.  Well, with this baby growing up in my belly I find that I am almost always malnourished and in a really sad condition so I happen to see stars a lot lately.  Don’t worry, I don’t fall over, but I am surprised I haven’t yet.  To solve my problem I finally got in the habit of carrying food around with me everywhere.  It helps.

3. Hunger

   This doesn’t feel like I’m starving.  It also doesn’t feel like I’m just, plain hungry.  No, it feels like my body has become a monster and taken over my mental facilities in desperation to get food instantly.  Finally learning to keep food with me 24/7 also helped this problem.

4. Rashes

   I usually get alligator skin when the dry winter hits.  I think because of that and pregnancy hormones my skin is breaking out in rashes at random.  They are particularly permanent and angry on my shins and hands but sometimes they also attack my belly, my elbows and my bum.  These rashes aren’t just any ‘ol rash either!  Picture being bitten by 50 mosquitoes almost on top of each other, feel that itch, then compound that itch by 10 times because that’s what my skin feels like.  The itch is absolutely insatiable!  My secret to ease the pain: coconut oil.  It doesn’t immediately dull the itch but if I put it on and determine not to touch my warring skin I win the battle and the itch subsides until the next attack.

5. Cravings

   I rarely experience the raw sensation of wanting something so bad it won’t abate until I devour whatever item holds my attention.  On the occasion I do come up with a craving it is much to the disappointment of my hubby.  He loves fulfilling my cravings.  I just think he wishes more of my cravings were things he wanted to enjoy with me.  So far my cravings have been things like cheese and crackers, miso soup, sushi, fried rice, prunes, beer cheese soup, carrots and ranch dip, and blueberry muffins.   If he had it his way I would only crave pizza and ice cream 😉

6. Crying

   I don’t cry.  Now I’m pregnant and I get teary reading books, watching movies, witnessing a mildly tender moment, and in moments when I feel intensely loved.  But look out if I’m stressed then the whole dam breaks loose and the flow doesn’t relent until my teary reservoir is emptied.  The tears have never flowed like this!  There is no stopping it.  They gush out.  It’s like I have extra fluid and the only way it can be released is by crying it out.  Also, this is ugly crying.  I am a hyperventilating hyena and by the end of it I’m sporting some pretty serious pot head eyes.  And yet, I’ve decided I’m ok with this.  Growing up my mom would get teary when she was proud of me, when I really did something great for her, or when I was in tears.  Crying like that is a gift, and I’m excited to be able to give my sappy mommy heart, tears and all, to our little baby.

Symptoms I did not experience in my 4 – 12 weeks of pregnancy.

1. Nausea

   Ok, I was not entirely spared.  Occasionally I experienced a queasy sensation rumbling in my belly.  But, based on the horror stories I’ve heard of other women’s pregnancy woes, I have nothing to complain about.  I have not vomited and I figure that would have occurred by now if it was going to happen.

All of this being said.  I am far from miserable.  All of my symptoms pop up every now and then and I consider them a blessing because it is a reminder that I am carrying a precious one around in my belly.  Without symptoms I might actually be concerned the baby was having trouble.  So thank God for pregnancy woes! 😉