Carrying on as normal is this Ok?

[2017Babyontheway]

Hun

I am 22+4 weeks pregnant and apart from the tiredness at the beginning I havnt felt any different.

I'm quite an active independent person and people keep telling me I need to slow down but I don't feel any different and don't want being pregnant to be used as an excuse for not carrying on with day to day things.

I still lift objects, running around all day, am bending over the bump, was even on my hands and knees clearing out under the bed earlier. Although now I feel knackered and like I've pulled a muscle at the top of my bump!

What I want to know is what damage can I do by carrying on like this? Should i listen to people and take it easy or if I do feel ok shall I just carry on doing what I'm doing?

Apart from the week after a bleed at 13 weeks when I took it easy I just carried on as normal throughout my first pregnancy. I was lugging boxes for work and standing for 7 hours at a fair at 38 weeks! I just felt fine so carried on as normal.

Do listen to your body. If you still feel OK of course carry on. Bear in mind everyone experiences pregnancy differently. Being pregnant is not an "excuse" for not doing things, it's a completely normal reason to adapt your activities in order to protect you and LO! Is someone putting you under pressure to carry on as if you're not pregnant? E.g. at work?

I'd say focus on lots of breaks through the day, eat well and drink plenty of water. These habits will help when you hit the third trimester and also when your LO is here!

The only person putting pressure on myself is me! I don't want to see weak and that this pregnancy will stop me from doing stuff so am trying to carry on as if nothing is happening!

You will be in need of care and support following birth, if you're not comfortable with accepting or asking for support then now is a good time to practise and get comfortable with it. Equally if you're not in the habit of self care both physically and mentally then now is a good time to practise - as a mum you do not get a day off to recover, you have to manage your energy as best you can so you never go beyond the limits.

I'm now 32 weeks and have exactly the same mentality as you 😂 so far, so good. I've had to slow down a little now but I still do as much just a tad slower. My midwife has fully supported me in this all the way through. Just listen to your body and be mindful of overdoing it, as time goes on you may have to adapt how you do things (I recently got stuck trying to climb through the fence...I've since learned to go over the top instead haga) Xx

16 weeks and I'm the same! If I'm really struggling I'll ask for help but I hate asking and I don't like to seem weak either, thought I was the only one!

I carried on as normal until about 28 weeks. We were so short staffed I was unloading lorries! We were also having a restructure so as management we were screwed. I was putting in 12 hour days on my feet and I had mild spd. At just over 28 weeks my spd worsened and my legs started to swell. I had to cut my hours down and then on doctors orders I went on early maternity at 30 weeks. I wish I slowed down abit and looked after myself as I don't think I would have gone on early maternity. But saying that everyone is different. I had bad sickness too so that might have contributed there was only 2 months in the middle I wasn't throwing up.

So as others have said listen to your body...

OP I know exactly what you mean, and I'm the same, but now I'm 36 weeks, I'm struggling. HATE asking for help and not being able to do things.

I was using a chainsaw at 20ish weeks (but husband hefted logs) and mowing the lawn til about 3 weeks ago. I stopped rowing as I was getting tired and frustrated at not being able to do as much as I wanted.

As I keep saying, when they say 'carry on as normal', I don't think they mean anything other than normal for a 50s housewife as I have not been able to do my normal for ages. And it's taken some adjustment.

I carried on as normal my whole pregnancy (I wasn't working before I got pregnant, and took time out from my studies). But I carried do doing shopping, cleaning, and so on.
I've been told I was showing off about this in the past, but on my due date I did a pile of ironing. And i stood on the London Underground past my die date. I went to the shops with my mum past my due date. I felt fine so why not.
I couldn't be one of them women who sat with their feet up just because I was pregnant.

I carried on as normal but didn't lift things. If you get an abdominal muscle separation it will take a VERY long time to heal after the baby is born (if it ever does). Bitter experience.

Kel, to me, your normal is doing a LOT less than mine- I could do that.

But, doing my garden properly, rowing my boat, running with the dogs, moving furniture to get the dog hair, nope. It depends very much on what you expect of yourself

And intransige- I assume you mean Abs not going back postpartum? Mine have definitely got a gap at bump just now, which midwife doesn't see as an issue. And I can tell they don't work just now- I can't even lift the vacuum cleaner!

You can tell if you have an abdominal separation when you're pregnant by trying to lift your head up and sit up while lying down - if your bump goes into a triangle kind of shape they are separated.

The midwives won't care, as apparently it's considered normal in the UK to have a destroyed stomach that looks permanently slightly pregnant for life, although it's not in other countries. Pilates post-partum (gentle, no sit ups, nothing with head off the ground) will help to slowly fix it.

I carried on as normal until I didn't feel 'safe' doing stuff - but my normal is a bit more extreme than popping to the shops or doing a bit of hovering as we have livestock. I stopped doing stuff with cows when mobility was affected, but kept on with sheep until about 36 weeks when I got jumped on (couldn't move fast enough, so ducked down and got used as a springboard), bruised shoulder and got major bollocking from midwife.

Just do as much as you're comfortable with, every pregnancy and every person is different - I have friends who rode horses until the day they gave birth, and others that were on bed rest in hospital. All of them had a baby and everyone is fine. There is no right or wrong way, just your way. Enjoy it.

I think you just need to listen to your body & it will tell you when it's had enough. You just need to make sure you listen when it does & stop then. It's carrying off after your body had said enough that's the issue.

When I was pregnant with DS I kept doing everything as normal right up until he arrived. I got very frustrated on holiday in Italy when I couldn't climb all the steps up the towers & had a little melt down in the middle of Florence but other than it was ok. Some things I had to stop just because I physically couldn't manoeuvre to do them but I was ironing, shopping, walking the dog etc right up until he arrived two weeks late. I did have one wake up call after a particularly stressful time at work & realised I'd been pushing it so took a day off & did nothing. It was more frustrating for me after he was born & I'd had an emcs & I could literally do nothing.

This time round I'm a lot more tired & asking for help a bit more often. I didn't listen to my body when it told me to rest & ive now been off work 4 days with a cold that's really wiped me out. Normally I wouldn't dream of being off with a cold but I've got to put the baby first. I have been good & actually rested rather than seeing it as an opportunity to get housework etc done while DS isn't here.

@intransige

Mine have definitely gone, but I don't see how they can't during pregnancy as they're two bands down the bump and the area they cover separates due to the bump!

I'll be keeping a close eye after though to try and sort them back. I miss being able to sit up unaided! And need them to try and do my 'normal'

I'm so worried as I feel ok to do everything I'm doing however so worried in case I'm not looking after myself and the baby properly and something will happen.

I feel like I've hit a brick wall this week. I'm so emotional today. Anyone who talks nicely to me today I feel like I'm just going to break down. I feel like I'm carrying on and pushing myself at work and at home to please others and to not seem weak.
I had my 20 week scan 2 weeks ago and my husband and family all wanted a surprise so we didn't find out the sex. I'm so regretting it as I really wanted to know so I could bond with the bump as I feel I can't at the minute. I feel like I made that choice to find find out the sex to please everyone else and I'm not doing anything for myself.

Sorry for the rant. Having a low day today which is very unlike me.

Do you have a bit of spare cash for a private scan? If your husband really doesn't want to know the sex, then fair enough don't tell him. And to be honest it's bugger all to do with the rest of the family - it's your choice.

Have a strong cup of tea and a biscuit, I'll tell you to fuck off so I'm not talking nicely to you, and try to have a little relax today and a good sleep tonight and all will be better in the morning.

I found pregnancy was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster A good antenatal multivitamin helped me (I used the Together one) and just taking it one day at a time.

There is no "standard" pregnancy, take care of yourself if you need to rest. It's ok not to be superwoman.

OP- we didn't find out either and it seems to be the first bloody question everyone asks, every bloody time. I think I could have seen on the last growth scan if I hadn't looked away.

Look after yourself, do what you feel able and remember your hormones are going to affect your mood. Listen to your mind and body and get OH to help when needed/ hug when needed/ let you rant or just go the flip away (mine has had to do all of the above!)

sorry I misread- you wanted to and noone else did.