The Stages

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I have had my nose in just about every pregnancy book and/or website that I could get my hands on. I want to know as much as possible so that I won't be freaked out with what's going on inside me and so I'll be prepared for the "big day".

I know that most of the books break things down to the very basics, but I honestly don't think that there is anything that can prepare you for the experience of being pregnant until you actually are! For instance, before I got pregnant I thought to myself, "If I can only get pregnant, I will deal with whatever morning sickness is thrown my way". Until I was hit with the morning sickness AND the exhaustion all at once, I had no idea what I was in for!

I was practically non-functional for a solid two weeks. The nausea and bone deep exhaustion were really taking their toll on me. All I ate was soup and tried to keep down water and crackers. This would last each day from the time I woke up until around 3-4pm. Morning Sickness had become my full time job!

One of the other things they don't really prepare you for is the bloating. OH MY GOSH - now those who know me know that I can eat...alot...however, when things are moving along as they should, I became VERY uncomfortable VERY quickly and still feel that I'm about the size of the Good Year Blimp (the problem is I'm still hungry)! The hard part is that I'm only 9 weeks along in my pregnancy, which means that I'm really not supposed to be showing any outward signs that I'm growing a baby inside me - but hello, that bun in the oven must have too much yeast!!! Around people that know about pregnancy and when you should start to show, I find myself trying to suck my belly in a little since I'm totally feeling like the fat girl right now. But there's only so long I can hold it in when I'm that uncomfortable! The books might warn you about the bloating and constipation, but they DO NOT warn you about that in-between fat girl stage!

The books are right on with the emotional roller coaster. I pray that I don't run Jeffrey off by the time this baby is born! I mainly find myself crying every day when I watch The Baby Story or 19 Kids and Counting (no, I'm not having 19 kids!) - I did also cry my eyes out at a Folgers Coffee commercial and at the end of "Grand Torino". I get the giggles alot too - and often crack myself up to the point that I almost start crying!!!

Oh well - even though it's been a bumpy road to start, it's definitely been interesting! I do have to give the authors of all of these books credit for trying to warn women about what they have in store - it's just that hands-on experience that no one can prepare you for!