things i've learned: being pregnant

Ever since finding out we were pregnant, I've been reading, researching, and asking other women about their pregnancies. After filling my brain with a lot of baby information, I've come away with a few thoughts that I thought I would share. Now, remember, these are my personal thoughts after being pregnant for only just about 16 weeks. I am in no way an expert, this is more of a journal entry than a research article.

1 \\ Every pregnant woman has a completely different experience

I'm almost positive this is true. From what I've read and the women I've talked with, it seems to me that every pregnant woman is given a random assortment of 10-20 symptoms (or more!!) out of 1,000 total symptoms. If your best friend is constantly constipated, chances are you won't be. Chances are your hair will be thick and luxurious. No relation whatsoever. Some women have it "easier" and some women seem to have been blessed with all 1,000 symptoms. So, when Aunt Mary Sue comes to you and says, "Just you wait... *insert some horrible symptom here*..." don't get really anxious about it. You are most likely going to have a completely different experience. I think some women like to scare others with their horrible symptoms because they either feel some sort of pride from it or they want to find some place to identify with other women. It does seem pretty accurate that a good percentage of women experience a range of sickness, a range of increased hormones, and a range of extra peeing. Also, it does seem fairly accurate that your mom is probably your closest guess at what you might feel like during pregnancy.

2 \\ Being pregnant is generally a roller coaster

You see all of those glamorous women on the cover of baby/pregnancy magazines and you think to yourself, "I'm going to have glowing skin, thick luxurious hair, and I'm going to be filled with thoughts of bringing new life into the world." Yeah right... maybe if you got lucky on thought #1. Chances are, a majority of your pregnancy is going to be spent feeling some range of sick, with some crazy range of hormones making you cry at the turn of a hat, and stressed out about giving birth for the first time. Sure, there will be moments and weeks that are better than others, but it's definitely a roller coaster. One worth riding, but if you're expecting a cruise boat, be warned that you might experience Space Mountain instead. Don't get me wrong, I've absolutely loved being pregnant and my experience. I think it's just healthy to know that you might need to give yourself some grace throughout the process. I've really enjoyed keeping a journal and writing down all of my thoughts - whether good or bad, emotional or feeling distant.

3 \\ It's about to get really weird for your body

It's incredible the amount of changes that your body goes through during pregnancy. Not only as you look down at your morphing stomach, but I'm convinced that your body is susceptible to almost anything during pregnancy. The side effects I was most surprised by were: hemorrhoids, kidney infection, rhinitis, tooth decay, gum disease, drooling, spider veins, and varicose veins. I've not experienced any of these (yet! *crossing fingers*) and hope I don't. Savannah and I have a joke now whenever we talk about something weird going on with our body, we just say it's probably just another side effect of pregnancy.

4 \\ It may take a while for you to feel pregnant

I know for me, it's taken a while for me to actually feel like I was pregnant. Although we saw the sonogram at 8 weeks and have heard the heartbeat several times, it's only been in the past 3 weeks that I've started to feel like I was pregnant. Part of that probably has to do with my growing bump, but I think it's just generally taken me a while to let it sink in and really understand what is happening. In the next few weeks, I'm supposed to start feeling flutters and I'm sure that will make the whole experience even more real.

5 \\ It helps to have a solid support system

I really don't know what I would do without Drew, my family, and my closest friends around during this time. It's been such a beautiful time for me to share my excitement, cry about my fears, talk through my feelings, lean on others for help, be vulnerable as Drew helps me while I'm sick, allow others to serve me in various ways, and to encourage others in their own lives. It's been important for me to remember that, although they have been so wonderful to me, life doesn't revolve around me being pregnant. I try to not make every conversation about the pregnancy or the baby, but instead look for intentional ways to talk with them about what's going on in their lives and how I can best support them. It's the best way I can show them how much I appreciate their extra kindness during this season of my life.

Well, those are my thoughts for now. Like I said, I've really enjoyed the ups and downs of pregnancy so far and I can't wait to experience the next phases of baby's growth and development. :) Especially the part where we get to find out whether it's a he or she! :) Thanks for listening!