14 weeks on Sunday here and still not feeling pg!!! I am 5'4, BMI just over 25 but I weigh about 10kgs less than I did at the start of my pg with DS and last time I looked pg by now. I dont look pg and I dont feel pg! no extra weeing, no massive boobs, nor boob pain. Most weird. Seeing the consultant on Monday so hope he can reassure me.
I am upset because I am so tired I cannot exercise, not even swim, and I am eating crap, if I am managing to eat at all. I was quite healthy before, so I hope to get back to that soon.
I definitely have insomnia - although no where near as bad as it was last time in the 1st trimester. Luckily it disappeared in the 2nd so am hopeful the same will happen this time.
For those of you worrying about weight gain - dont!!!! it will happen and pg is a good time to get used to people interfering in your life and making unwanted comments. It only gets worse once the child arrives and continues throughout their life. Pg is a good time to grow a thicker skin and to start to rise above all the comments, to ignore the majority and only take what you want from others.
I gained more than 20kgs last time but I now weight 10 kgs less than at the start of that pg (DS is 3 1/2 yo) so go figure! I have lost 18kgs in the last year BUT bf did not help me lose weight at all, in fact in the weeks after DS was born I put on weight and was back up to my birth date weight within 6 weeks!!!!!! My mum told me she never lost weight bf, but did as soon as she stopped. Similar story here and repeated all over MN as far as I can tell. The good news is that women who bf tend to be skinnier than their non bf counter parts later in life, suggesting bf offers some sort of life long protection against obesity - or it could just be a coincidence of course!
I was told you should put on around 10-12kgs, unless you are obese in which case the aim should be to stay weight neutral - ie dont put on any weight at all!!!!! I was also told that if you are really skinny (not me!) then you should expect to put on more than 10-12kgs because the female body is an amazing thing and will try to ensure you have enough reserves to cope for the 1st year after baby arrives (didnt Catherine Zeta Jones gain about 50 pounds / 22 kgs? I always found that story so reassuring; also Kate Winslet & Charlotte Church who both gained 4 stone according to the Daily Fail - ie 25kgs each!!! www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1283772/Celebrity-pregnancies-There-different-camps-battle-bumps.html)
For those travelling: I am flying back to the UK at 16 weeks, economy seat on an 11 hour overnight flight - eek. However I went round the world last time!!!! Left the UK at 17 weeks, for LA, arrived in Melbourne at 18 weeks, went to Sydney and Adelaide, had a scan in Sydney and then flew from Sydney to Johannesburg at 20 weeks. Stayed there for 12 weeks, saw a gynae there every 4 weeks and flew back to blighty at 32 weeks when I was HUGE. Was a pain organising travel insurance but so worth it for the peace of mind (did you see the story of that couple who went to the US and ended up having a preemie there - their insurance wouldnt cover it - blimey).
My top tips for long haul travel in the 2nd & 3rd trimester:
- GET INSURANCE and confirm it will cover you for any problems incl hospital treatment for a problem and scans, a natural birth or CS & after care, preemie baby, your other half to stay in a hotel and repatriation (dead or alive - sorry to put it like that) if needed;
- take a letter from your dr stating how pg you are and your due date AND a copy of your notes
- take a copy of your travel insurance with a note of all the emergency numbers and local maternity hospital contact details nearest to where you are going; make sure your OH knows where all this info is being kept;
- wear layers so you can add/remove depending on how hot / cold you get before / during / after the flight
- take a large empty water bottle onto the plane with you and ask the steward to fill it up for the flight (& / or a couple of small bottles of water which you can buy airside before you board - need quite a lot tho!),
- tell the air stewards as soon as you get on the plane how pg you are, they will make sure you are well looked after, well hydrated and not too hot (which can both trigger early labour)
- drink lots and lots
- wear those terrible flight socks to stop DVTs (higher risk whilst pg)
- move often whilst on the flight - get up and walk every 30 mins, wiggle toes, rotate ankles etc
- if you are over 25 weeks avoid economy; rather go premium economy or better. Some economy seats just have no room and it gets really uncomfortable to travel long haul in a cramped space and with a pg belly and needing to move lots
- sit in the aisle seat so you can move, pee, get water etc without disturbing others (or make your OH sit there and make him look after you!!)
- if you have any hip, pelvic or knee problems order yourself a cripple wagon (to take you to/from the plane) in plenty of time before the flights and call up the day before to confirm