What parts of this pregnancy lark have come as a shock to you?

[TheScenicRoute]

Hello,

Well I can definitely be accused of romanticising the idea of being pregnant before I got here, but one or two things have come as a shock (and I'm only 8+4 so I'm sure there's more to come!!!)

Here's my three....

The exhaustion! The EXTREME exhaustion, the fact that I'll go to the lengths of secretly locking myself in the grubby work shower room at lunch time with a blanket on the floor and a pillow to shoe horn an extra 1/2 hours sleep into the middle of my day! I wouldn't cope working full time if I didn't do this!

The soles of my feet are on fire! I'm one of life's 'cold' people, my feet are NEVER hot, this is so weird and a little uncomfortable.

Finally, the romanticised idea that when I got pregnant the baby would be mine and my partners. But oh no! What I didn't anticipate was that EVERYBODY would have a stake in these (twins) babies, and everyone has an opinion. It's made me dread the announcement at 12 weeks because then there'll be even more opinions.

So what were your shock factors?

Heartburn. Seriously, why?

And like a poster further upthread, hating my body for its physical limitations. I've always tried to keep fit, but now become breathless after a really short walk.

That the famous and much-promised "2nd trimester energy/horniess burst" doesn't neccessarily happen. Yes, the extreme exhaustion of the 1st trimester does pass, but you're still knackered all the time!

And the increase in heat of your entire body - I cannot remember ever being cold. Its horrendous being pregnant during a hot summer!

12+5 here.

Yes to no hot drinks. Must have ice in drinks. Can no longer drink tap water at work.

Yes to increased discharge.

Cannot exercise and feel like I want to but too tired to, and also too sick.

"Morning" sickness that lasts all day.

Only being able to eat white carbs.

Constipation.

Hormones. Had a shouting argument with DH last night over whether we should call the emergency plumber tonight or tomorrow because one of the toilets is blocked. Floods of tears for hours after, even when we'd made up.

Crying at item on news where a woman's baby was taken away from her on the grounds that it might one day happen to me - not because I think I will be a bad mum - but - wait for it - because a mix up in identity might happen and they might mistake me for someone who had had children removed in the past.

My name is unusual and there is only one other person in the UK with it

-the bone crushing exhaustion early on.
-the rage!
-almost done and really ready for him to get out, but I'm surprised at how much I'm going to miss him moving around. he does this little kitten kneading movement with his hands near my hip that is already the cutest thing that's ever happened in my life.

1. Sick/nauseous/food aversions for nine months and then beyond. The food thing omg I had McDonald's most nights as it was all I could eat. Now my baby is 8 weeks the problems with Hg and food haven't gone. I long to eat normally again.

1. Sheer rage and irritation at everyone, particularly bad in my last trimester. I turned into crazy pregnant lady ranting at any stranger who dared cross my path. Dh was pleased that went away after the birth.

1. Sore joints. Oh so sore. Hands, wrists, ankles, feet, knees. I kind of expected hips but the others were not fun.

And I did not realise all of the above didn't magically stop as soon as the baby arrived. It carries on. The amount of time it is taking me to deflate is ridiculous.

Sorry should have said am still prone to mood swings! The angry has however subsided somewhat :)

Nose bleeds. Random, all i had to do is sneeze and it started one off. Woke up most morning with blood all over my face and hands. So scared the first day.

How easy it has been. I'm around 18 weeks and so far it's been a breeze. I've loved it.

No doubt I've my share of misery to come but so far so good!

Sorry, two more. Swollen ankles. I knew about them. But I had no idea how huge they became. And again, still waiting for it to go away.

And this is tmi but varicose veins swelling ahem down there. I had no clue.

All of the swelling also seemed to happen randomly just down my right side.

And it's a myth the second trimester is a honeymoon trimester. I spent mine asleep, unable to move much!

For me it is just how poorly I have felt. I had hyperemesis until about 18 weeks and then SPD since and also I'm really quite anaemic. I can't do a bloody thing (am 34 weeks) as even going for a walk kills me.

BIG FEET. Also been told sometimes they stay big.

The tiredness and exhaustion, caused by the simple things like walking up an incline, or going upstairs to the loo. Urrrgh.

Hormone swings. I want to kill my sister today, and shes 20miles away! Arrgh! No doubt tomorrow or even this evening we will be friends again. Shes done nothing!

Zzzzz

Another one shocked at the level of total exhaustion I feel, and I'm only 7+6! It wasn't like this with DS, when I quite merrily worked full time and hardly noticed the first trimester! Now working part time with a toddler I can barely lift my head off the sofa and it's driving DH mad already, I really think he thinks I'm just milking it or being lazy

The inability to plan for anything as I just don't know how I'll be feeling. I can be great one day and just so tired/aching/sick the next. Was out for a couple of hours today and feeling fine, bit of shopping and lunch and then in M&S just had a funny turn where i got hit with waves of stomach pain and dizzy ness so we had to go home. Was fine when I got back but when I need to lie down now it's just URGENT GOT TO LIE DOWN HERE NOW NOW NOW. 37+1 now so might just have to stay in until he's born :(

I'm 16 weeks.

The rage is taking me by surprise. Today my lovely husband in a weaker moment told me that the way I'm speaking to him is getting him down. I didn't even realise it but when I thought about it I realised that he's right. I just get really angry about nothing and I can't seem to control it. I'm so horrible to him. He does nothing wrong yet he just winds me up.

He's out with his pals just now and I'm sitting here crying about what he said because I feel so guilty. I miss him and I want him to come home.

Also the relentless headaches.

The dribble! I wake up with a wet pillow around my face every night, it's awful. Sometimes it starts before I go sleep.

1. How depressing the first trimester is. Weeks worth of extreme exhaustion and nausea.
2. The fact that although the tiredness does ease after the first trimester, you are still more tired than normal and staying up past 10pm seems near impossible.
3. The sheer lack of sex drive that I was promised would re-appear in the second trimester.
4. How fed up I would get of answering the same questions all the time. E.g, 'when's your due date', 'do you know what your having' etc etc.
5. How hot I would feel. Having always been a 'cold' person, feeling uncomfortably hot all the time is a real novelty.
6. How much you end up peeing, especially in the third trimester. I swear I am getting up ten times a night sometimes, and I'm exhausted.

1. Horrible horrible heartburn, so bad I'd sit up crying at night
2. Forgetting I was pregnant even when huge - I'd catch people looking at me and think "what's she looking at?"
3. Being so fed up at the end that I prayed for labour.

How bad the heartburn really is (I drink gaviscon out the bottle now, spoons do not cut it anymore )

Quite how swollen your feet/ankles/hands get. And how much it bloody hurts to walk anywhere.

All maternity clothes are wank and expensive. I cannot wait for my non Elasticated days to come back!

How much I just cry at anything, sponsor a donkey adverts, don't tell the bride, when we run out of milk, when someone offers me a seat on the bus, I could go on

My mastermind specialist subject would now be "every item mothercare stocks"

But despite this, how much I am completely in love with my unborn baby and how I already would do anything for him and I'm counting down the days til we finally get to meet him

36+1, the end is in sight!

The itching it a killer, & knowing I shouldn't itch....

Hot feet- arrghh this drives me to tears. We have a foot spa somewhere but can I find it to fill with cold water- no!! Debating on any other bowl type object I can submerge my feet in with the fan in as well...

Never being comfortable

My massive bump bashing into people or them being so blind they can't see me wobbling about

The crying, at everything- what is that all about??

Oh & SPD.... It's horrendous, so painful & makes life miserable for me & everyone around me....

Never even heard if it before I found out it had it...

Does anyone else get that "is it just a burp or will I get a bit of reflux sick at the back of my mouth?" moment? :(

My burps disgust me. They sound like I'm going to vomit/explode.

1. the period like pains
2. the constant worrying (I was so relaxed before) - the knicker checking every time I go to the bathroom, even at 30 weeks
3. the blocked nose
4. the hairy stomach
5. the not being able to do anything physical to the same extent as before