I have really tried to put on a good face for the last 8 months, but I've got to take the time to state the fact that growing a human is seriously the hardest thing I've ever gone through. I know that I've had/have a lot of complications that most other women I know haven't had to deal with. From losing 20 lbs in 5 weeks due to hyperemesis gravidarum that lasted through my first four months, to placenta previa and marginal cord insertion, to posterior placenta and velamentous cord insertion. Even though none of those things could have possibly been my fault, the mental struggle of knowing your body isn't doing the right things it should be to bear a child, things you've heard a million times that your body should be capable of and is meant for, is more challenging to handle than I would've ever imagined.
Aside from even that, just the "normal" things that have come with pregnancy are much more challenging than I had thought in the past. The morning sickness, headaches, moodiness, heart burn, weight gain, back pain, number of times you have to pee a day, number of doctors appointments you have to get to, pregnancy brain, hunger, cravings, getting kicked in basically every internal organ you have every day/night for months, nose bleeds, dealing with a uterus that literally grows so high up you can't sit up at all with out your ribs digging into it, night sweats, not being able to see/reach parts of your body you are normally use to being able to, having four pounds of extra blood in you so apparently every mosquito in the world is now hunting you, sleeping for sometimes days at a time and not feeling rested one bit, not being able to sleep because you are THAT uncomfortable no matter what position you try to lay in, Braxton hicks, and on top of all of those things not being able to have a drink to take any of the edge off, still wanting to be social, but feeling like you can't go anywhere with out strangers touching your stomach and literally all anyone asks you about is this human you're growing and then dump all of this crap about how the first six weeks of being a parent is the hardest part, when you already feel like things are so difficult right this second that you just want to give up and never do this again. But every woman says you forget exactly how hard it was and eventually think "it wasn't that bad, I want to do it again". And I only named the list of "symptoms" that I have personally had and left all the gross stuff out for you, because trust me that list should be MUCH longer and will continue to grow during and after delivery. I know this is all about to come to an end and it will be so worth it once she is here, and maybe in some ways I will miss these days. To those women I know that enjoy being pregnant, I will just never understand that. To those women that have been there-done that and relate to my post, I am in a little bit of a shock that you went through these things, and for a lot of you, multiple times! I am so just at the end of my rope with pregnancy right now. To women that go through this when you are in your teens, or in your late 30s, I'm in my prime and can barely tolerate this stuff! More shock. To women that work a job or are already a stay at home mom and doing this. I have been on bed rest virtually my entire pregnancy, but even if I wasn't I don't see having the slightest desire to do much of anything through this. To women that do this with out a partner, that is the biggest shock to me by far. I could not do this with out my man. He has been so wonderful and helpful through all of this, and I just don't know where I'd be mentally with out his support through every little thing. And lastly to men, because you will never have the opportunity to experience this even if you wanted to, yet a lot of you have to put up with a woman that does go through it. Not being able to empathize on any level, but still want to be there for your partner that is giving you a little human of your own, but we are at our worst and most of the time there's nothing that can actually make any of it better. I'm sorry to every man that goes through those feelings of hopelessness when you'd just like your woman to feel better. petite mother of the bride or groom dresses short
Pregnancy is so rough and these are all things I hope I never forget, at least now Facebook will remind me once a year.