Hi ladies,
As I approach the half way mark of pregnancy, I thought I’d share my experience so far. Given that I was completely clueless when I fell pregnant and was so confused as there are so many things that no one seemed to talk about and googling is hopeless if you actually want an ounce of positivity!
Those cheap dip tests were so much better than ClearBlue/First Response. I knew I was preggers with the dips a week before the expensive tests. Don’t waste money!
The implantation time was very painful - cramping on one side, and pure exhaustion. And the cramping continues (always on one side at a time) due to the preggers cyst you get (ectopic would be severe pain in your abdomen, above the where the normal cramping location is). Oh and did I mention the awful shooting pains down your back that feel like lightening...
I had no idea of the high rate of MC’s, so from week 5 to week 7, I must have checked my knicker lining several times a day. And it’s completely normal to get brown blood or even red spotting at this stage. The sooner you have a paid scan (week 6/7) the better, once you see that little heartbeat, then the risk drops hugely and you can start to secretly get excited!
Did anyone tell you that you’d be plagued by thrush? No me neither, but I’ve had it off and on throughout. Apparently sugar is the main factor as the infection thrives in a sugar body. Damn shame when all I could eat at one point was sweets! And whilst I’ve been tested and there is no reason - I’ve had green discharge off and on, sometimes smooth, other times more stringy. So then you of course panic that your plug is breaking away (which it isn’t). Then about week 12 onwards, you get a see through water-like coming out, sometimes soaking my knickers (again, normal, and no it’s not amniotic fluid!) and this goes on for weeksss.
On to morning sickness. I had hyperemesis. 6 weeks to the day I woke with sickness. And I was sick sporadically throughout the day and sometimes at night up until week 16. Make sure you buy those motion sickness wristbands and always keep biscuits by your bedside. The second I woke, I’d eat a biscuit. You’ll bring up yellow and green bile in the morning. I had a bowl in each room of the house, because it comes up quickly and violently. Oh god and the tiredness... nap time was every day for 2 hours. Hats off to the ladies who had to leave their house for work!
Then there’s the sudden sadness for no reason and the crying fits (nothing was ever wrong!). The horrible bloating and constipation, the headaches, the sore dry nipples and itchy skin... The loss of hair now all over the house.
Trying to sleep now is getting harder. Pregnancy pillow has helped, but still takes an age to flip over to the other side. Oh, and the peeing three times during the night. I’ve also reached the point where my heart is beating faster, so palpitations are now daily.
It’s wonderful to feel the little kicks, but then you have two days where the baby will be completely still!!
All in all, we all deserve medals and I’m sure there is lots more to overcome!!
Anyone else got anything to share or women further along to part wisdom??
Xx