What to Expect When You're Expecting...

In my lifetime I have been around A LOT of pregnant woman. I thought I knew a lot. I have always asked questions and heard lots of stories, yet I find myself wishing I had read "What to Expect When You're Expecting" before this whole experience started. Here's why...when something weird happens I would just think "oh that's ok...it's normal" instead of running to my pregnancy books to find out what the heck is going on. Here's my list of things that I never knew about that are apparently completely "normal"

-When you are a pastey white person like I am you can develop weird red spotches all over. I am lucky enough to get them on my lips and all over my neck and chest because those are areas that are so easily covered. :)  I actually noticed one before I even found out I was pregnant. I guess they are blood vessels? I just hope they go away. You also can see ever single vein that runs along your entire chest and stomach. Looks like a road map. Weird.

-I knew about the swelling (technically called edema), but didn't know it happpend in so many places! My hands, feet , face and thighs often blow up like a balloon. I know that sounds like an excuse for getting fat, but some days it goes away, so I'm going with edema, My hands are the worst. They hurt! Again, according to my books, 25% of pregnant woman develop carpal tunnel syndrome while pregnant. What's that about? So not only are my hands fat, but I can't even open a water bottle and drop stuff all the time because I can't grip it. The kids laugh at me at school (and I laugh with them) because some days I drop the pen I am writing on the board with several times. It's getting a little better to manage, but again, I hope it goes away.

-The warm belly thing. It has been cold lately. So cold in fact that I spent last Friday's yard duty with my teeth chattering so much my jaw hurt. Yet my belly is always hot. Ever other part of me can be freezing, yet the baby is nice and warm in his little home. I love that God made such a safe and warm spot for him.

-The breast changes. I'll spare everyone the details, but let's just use the words weird, hugeness and not pretty to describe them.

-The waddle. I've seen many people do it, but it really is impossible to walk correctly when you're belly is the biggest part of you.

-Sleeping. It's a lot harder when pregnant. I never knew you couldn't sleep on your back. I'm still trying to get used to this one. I watched a movie the other day where a woman was very pregnant, sleeping peacefully on her back. That doesn't work! If I am on my back for 5 minutes I literally feel my heart start to beat faster and within 10 minutes I cannot breathe. Heart beating and breathing are pretty important things so I am forced to turn on my side. Sigh....

-Height matters. For those of us under 5'4" there is a lot less room for the baby! Hence the can't breath thing that happens while laying or even sitting down.

-Baby kick are are weirdest, yet coolest thing ever. I think people don't talk about these too much because you can't really explain them. The most surprising thing is that I think my little guy actually dances in there. I know he's trying to escape because he pushes his foot or head or hand straight out trying to poke a hole in my belly, but I swear the rest of the time he dances. It really is the most amazing thing I have or will ever experience. It's the part that I love the most. :)

-The emotional side of being pregnant is HUGE! I know everyone has different hormones and different experiences and deals with things differently, but for someone who is usually pretty calm about things; I feel out of control sometimes! I cry for the most random reasons and  have breakdowns over things that really aren't that big of a deal. I have yet to make it through a church service without tearing up  and get excited about random stuff like a baby blanket. And this is the one that  I am starting to wonder the most about - I talk to my baby all the time. I mean I talk outloud to him. Is that normal?

-Ok this one I have heard lots about, but I'll end with it. Pregnancy truly  is the most amazing experience a woman can ever go through. It is completely amazing how God uses your body to create another life. It causes you to love more than you thought you could and forces you to be a stronger person. Only 11 weeks to go! Yippee!