Approaching the end of pregnancy...

"It is an exciting and hopeful time for me and my family. It is approaching the end of my pregnancy, and sometimes I feel that my stomach is in the way."

Pregnant women undergo emotional and physical change, I know this is normal and I'm so thankful to my husband who's been very supportive of me. Now, that I'm approaching the end of pregnancy, I am definitely larger. People tell me they can’t quite see it, while others tease me about my frontal rotundity. Getting dressed every morning is a struggle for pants that fit. If only that was the only thing different. I honestly have too much complaints on my second pregnancy. By everything you’ve ever heard about pregnancy, number one on my list is the morning sickness. I also experienced  the “it’s time to eat again or else” sickness. I go from normal to starving Sally Struthers style about every two hours. It’s when I don’t answer that call that I get nauseated and struggle even more to find something I feel like eating. I don’t have any weird food aversions or cravings, but there are foods that make me happy. Among them – because it varies from day to day — are 'pansit', banana or chocolate milkshakes, spaghetti 'pinoy' style and boneless bangus dip with calamansi and anchovy sauce. I drink normally and have turned my nose up at the strawberry shakes I would order before. And as much as I always loved a spicy food like thai food, the thought turns my stomach which I’m not sleeping on. Paranoia has me off my back as well. I just turn from side to side, feeling like a fish flailing from side to side all night long. Sleeping is uncomfortable even with the body pillow. Waking up when I get up for potty breaks is hard for me because I can't go back to sleep right away. 

One thing I couldn’t have anticipated at this stage is sore hips and thighs. It's more painful than my experience on my first pregnancy. It’s like my joints are on strike. I stiffen quickly as if it will rain any minute. And sleep must be a really big part of the preparation. I’m so sleepy all the time that I feel lazy. And when I’m not sleepy, I’m just plain tired. Every day, it’s like I’m playing catch-up with my fast-moving life. 

As accepting as I’ve become of actually being pregnant, my approaching acceptance that I do need more food, more sleep and to keep taking my omega3 vitamin. I’m really just responding to feelings that seem to get hurt a lot more often though I pretend otherwise when it involves friends. 

It’s pretty clear that while I’ve got the physical stuff down, I’ve got to work on the emotional side of pregnancy. So, if you don't see me where I should supposed to be, know that I'm not milking the whole pregnancy thing. I'm just struggling my way forward and probably on my way somewhere to go cry about it when my indescribable mood swing attack.