how do you stay positive in pregnancy?

[misseskimo]

Am currently 26wks with my first. Before I say anything else, I'll say that DH and I were TTC for 4yrs and had been referred to fertility specialist before finding out I was pregnant (surprise!). So don't get me wrong, I really want a baby, and can't wait to be a parent... But atm I just feel very negative about the whole pregnancy lark and just want it to be over! (as in to have my healthy baby born, nothing sinister!)

I've had a pretty crappy pregnancy so far. At only 6wks I was in the EPU due to cramps and bleeding, this carried on until 10wks, and before it stopped and changed to migraines, fainting, constant dizziness and vertigo symptoms until around 13wks. So I ended up having scans at 6, 8, 11 & 13wks to check all was ok with 3wks signed off work due to it... Finally started feeling a bit better for a couple of weeks before getting worse again, the same dizziness and nausea as before. Roll on 17wks and I started getting sciatica on my left side, then hip pain a week later. Got a referral to physio, but they wouldn't see me until 25wks - though I managed to get an emergency cancellation at 24wks, by which point my hip and back pain was/is so bad I can now barely walk, and even sitting down in a chair is painful after about 15mins!

Baby was measuring small at 20wk scan, so had to go back at 24wks for another check (all came back ok that time thankfully). I had an awful ear infection at around 22wks which lasted 2wks before the Dr's finally gave me antibiotics, literally got rid of that for a few days before getting a horrific head cold which I've only had 2days now and I just feel awful! If it wasn't for the fact that I'm still managing to get up and do things, I'd worry I was getting the flu! Never experienced a cold like this before, and I get them all the blooming time usually! I'm wondering though if its the lack of being able to take anything other than paracetamol that's doing it...

I'm consultant led due to an existing gynae issue, and am HR for prem. So on top of all this I've got the normal mw apts. Then various consultant apts. In between, they've put me at HR for PND so have had to start counselling sessions weekly, and physio once a week... So far the past 6wks I've had at least 2 apts a week every week, and this is going to continue until baby is born...

So anyway, sorry for the rant, but I'm sure you can imagine, at just 26wks I'm now utterly fed up of being pregnant due to constantly being ill! Work is very busy for me atm, and I'm struggling to keep up due to feeling ill all the time. I'm really wondering how the heck I'm going to manage upto 14more weeks of this?! how do you cope? X

By not pretending that generally anything but a pretty shit time!

I think the women who enjoy pregnancy are in a minority. It's physically hard work, emotionally it's quite difficult 'sharing' your body with someone else, anxiety is heightened and your hormones go ballistic!

I'm 36 weeks at the moment and have had a horrible day, I've been a complete bitch to everyone and cried four times! But it does have an end point, it's not forever, you will get back to you!

Sorry you're having a difficult pregnancy.

I just try to focus on the fact that I will be holding my daughter at the end of it :)

I know how you feel though, I had a straight forward first trimester, a bit of bleeding but nothing alarming. Then at 15 weeks I suffered from urinary retention and ended up in A&E twice and had to wear a catheter, consultant said that I had an incarcerated uterus which flipped itself out in the end thankfully. Once that was over I then caught a sickness bug, then two horrible colds all within a month. Then saw the consultant and was told I have a shortened cervix and had weekly appointments up to 26 weeks (now fortnightly) have also had three weeks off work so far. Have to use progesterone pessaries three times a day and had steroid injections as at risk of pre term and am currently 32 weeks. Also have a seperate gynae issue that could be a problem when labour starts.

I also focus on seeing every week as another step closer.

So, I know it can feel totally sh*te at times but focus on looking after yourself and maybe treat yourself to a nice pregnancy massage to help your back and a few little treats :)

I've also had a hard pregnancy and can't wait for my girls to be here. I had terrible nausea in the beginning. An ectopic pregnancy scare. A further bleed. High blood pressure. Signed off work due to dizziness (anemia) and now suffering with SPD. Can't sleep. In constant agony (I'm 27 weeks) my hormones are everywhere and also have lots of apts with my consultant, midwife, extra scans and GP visits. I'm not one of those people who love being pregnant.