The Trials of Being Pregnant (Episode 1)

This post is for those ever curious family and friends that can handle the "Too much information" category of being pregnant! Read no futher if you can't handle the truth. Otherwise, proceed with caution.

Being exhausted, nauseated, averted to anything with a scent and hormonely out of balanced is just the beginning.

Things were progressing fine until about week 11. I started bleeding and cramping. I was convinced something must be wrong, but an ultrasound showed us our first look at our little one and that everything was fine. I quickly overcame the fear of crying in public or becoming hysterical around someone I have never met, because as soon as I saw that little heart beating I immediately started to cry. And I cried and cried, I think the whole way through the visit. We saw our baby move, we saw it's heart beating!

We had crossed a huge obstacle that stopped us in our tracks with my first pregnancy. Instead of seeing a little heart beating and life beginning when we had our first ultrasound, we saw a life that had ended. It is something I will never forget. That image reminds me every day that successfully passes with this pregnancy what the TRUE miracle of life.

Another episode of bleeding and cramping at week 13 sent me back to the doctor and yet another ultrasound. And still things were fine. Then later in that week, as the bleeding continued, I passed a blood clot. I thought for sure, that was the end of this little one's journey. Something was wrong.

I had yet another ultrasound at 14 weeks 5 days to try and determine where the source of the bleeding was coming from. I have a low-lying placenta. Which means instead of a placenta attached near the top of my uterus, as it usually is, mine has attached dangerously close to my cervical opening.

Monitoring will take place and the hope is that by my next ultrasound at 19 weeks - it will have started to move with my uterus and away from the cervical opening. If it does not, it poses a threat to both baby and mom. But I feel confident that this will all work itself out.

But all an all, I am feeling SO much better. I can eat again, and the smell of garlic is starting to have its appeal once more.

Now those of you that know me, know that I am somewhat of a foodie, and I LOVE to eat. This has been a very challenging part of being pregnant for me. Foods that I would normally eat and enjoy, no longer taste good to me. It is like my taste buds and brain on on different tracks and heading opposite directions.

The things I do like are: Raw spinach, low fat cottage cheese, oranges, apples, pears, peaches, ARBY's roast beef sandwiches (madly), any kind of ice cream, cheese, and hashbrowns, hamburgers (which is really weird) and pasta. Thank god spaghetti has still tasted delicious. Oh and I am wanting the Koerper's Venison saugsage like nobody's business!

Not so keen to: Garlic, onion, peppers (sadly they will have to wait), olives, rye bread (this was a hard one), chicken noodle soup, peanut butter, strawberries, eggs (totally out of the question), anything sweet-spicy, BBQ sauce or BBQ smell - just to name a few things off the top of the list.

My belly is starting to show that I am pregnant, my breasts are slowly starting to get bigger, and I no longer can wear belts with my pants, or anything that is tight on my legs like nylons, or knee highs. I feel like I am turning into a giant ball of goo, although I have only gained a pound. I swear it looks like more - unless my body is shifting weight...to my butt and belly. :(

I feel VERY fortunate to have friends and family, near and far that are willing to be open and honest with me about their experiences, what they learned, how they adjusted their lives to meet the ever changing lifestyle of having a child, and what I should know about going into motherhood. It was perfectly stated in a book Emily gave me that says "The things the doctor won't tell you!".