i have never met a woman in her last month of pregnancy who has said, "i love how this feels...i hope the baby stays in there a couple of extra weeks just for fun." nope, i'm pretty sure the last month of pregnancy is tough on everyone. don't get me wrong, i'm still happy to be expecting and thrilled for the upcoming little boy but every once in a while, it's refreshing to be real about why the last month of pregnancy totally bites. so, here it goes. if you are in the middle of your first pregnancy, don't say i didn't warn you.
1) cankles - do i really need to say more? you will swell. you will cease to recognize your own legs. you'll wear socks that, when you take them off, will leave a half inch indentation on your legs. it won't stop there. you'll be puffy everywhere. your face will look like you've spent each night crying. it's fabulous.
2) loss of bladder control - this may not happen with your first baby and it may not happen often... but i'm pretty comfortable in saying that at some point in your last month of pregnancy, you'll sneeze, cough, laugh too hard, jump up and down and you'll be stuck changing your pants. yep, it's awesome. doctors will advise on the importance of kegels but at some point, there are not enough kegels in all the world to keep you from peeing on yourself. welcome to parenthood...where your own personal embarrassment takes on a whole new meaning.
3) weight gain - at some point in the third trimester, as you are reading pregnancy books or bulletins, you will hear the great news that "from this week forward, you will gain about a pound a week and almost half of that weight will go to your baby." we're supposed to read that and be happy. i'm thrilled about the half a pound a week that is going to my infant...just not so pleased with the half a pound that is going to my thighs.
4) sleeplessness - how often have your heard people say, "get your rest now because you won't be sleeping when the baby comes." that's pretty laughable in the last month of pregnancy. the baby will pretty much be sitting on your bladder. you'll get up in the middle of the night numerous times to trickle out what would be a full bladder's worth if you were a two year old. then you'll go back to bed for a couple of hours and do it all over again. add to this the fact that you are only supposed so sleep on your side and that rolling over takes as much effort as a half marathon and you'll wake up pretty tired every day. add to that contractions, the baby kicking, your husband snoring and any other kids waking up and you'll find you pretty much walk around in a coma for the last month of pregnancy.
5) people's comments - things like, "what, you haven't had the baby yet?" or "you're huge! are you sure you're not carrying twins?" or "wow, i can't believe how quickly the pregnancy went." will pretty much make you crazy. first of all, all a pregnant woman wants to hear is how skinny she looks, how slim her thighs are and how all she's carrying is baby. besides that, she doesn't want to hear how quickly the pregnancy has gone for everyone else. i'm pretty sure i've been pregnant for the full 36-40 weeks like everyone other pregnant mother. just stick to telling me i'm skinny.
okay, there are my top five. what about you? what would you add to the end of pregnancy woe list? i can't wait to hear.
The comments bothered me too. I had a coworker who was really good at telling me I was looking VERY pregnant every few days. Ummm, thanks?
ReplyDeleteas opposed to only being "kind of" pregnant??? I hated that comment too!
DeleteThe last month is just so painful. Your hips are KILLING you. You walk at a snails pace and huff and puff. Walking up the stairs takes 10 minutes and you have to take a break half way up. You can't get up from the floor unless you crawl to a table, chair, wall, other supportive object.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what you are talking about.. tiny birds fluttered and twittered about me as I glided about as if on a cushion of air... you are obviously doing something wrong!
ReplyDelete... ok lets see.. been a while -
Stretch marks that bled
private parts that swelled
ripping feeling on my sides that turned out to be ligaments letting go after 6 pregnancies
.. shall I go on???
Thinking happy thoughts for you and sweet baby!!! (really)
Maddie
The last month was just like you said for the 1st pregnancy..the last 2 pregnancies I was already fat, so I just had huge boobs and looked like I had a gut..
ReplyDeleteThe cankles, the bladder control (or lack thereof!), and the comments are all too real. Sleeplessness is definitely a killer. I remember feeling like I was constantly running a marathon just to roll over in bed. To distract myself, I found playing simple games like Bitlife oddly therapeutic during those sleepless nights.
ReplyDeleteUgh, that last month! Relatable content alert, for real. Anyone else remember their feet morphing into actual balloons? Seriously though, the struggle is real. Then, the constant bladder tango, oh the horror! And let's not forget the unsolicited opinions, everyone suddenly becomes a pregnancy expert. Makes me want to scream. Years ago, I was working a double shift waitressing, super pregnant, and sneezed so hard I actually had to go home and change. Absolute nightmare fuel. Sharing this anecdote makes me a true block breaker of awkward pregnancy moments.
ReplyDeleteIsn’t pregnancy just a delightful rollercoaster of surprises? From cankles that resemble tree trunks to loss of bladder control that keeps you on your toes, it’s a whirlwind journey. I remember my discomfort as I navigated sleepless nights, much like when I stumbled into wild conversations on Omegle that kept me awake. Embracing every tiny bump, quite literally, surely makes for some unforgettable memories.
ReplyDeletePregnancy certainly brings a rollercoaster of emotions and physical changes that few can fully prepare for. Weight gain, sleepless nights, and unsolicited comments can really test anyone’s patience and sense of humor. I remember when I was expecting my first child, just like in the article, those middle-of-the-night bathroom trips were endless. Monkey Mart visits for late-night snacks only added to the fun!
ReplyDelete