Pregnancy woes

I thought I should write and list down all the pregnancy woes I have experienced so that whenever I get pregnant the second time round, I can compare the difference and also prepare myself once again.


Pregnancy woes when I have baby Caleb:
#1-Sleeplessness: Due to a lot of factors like pelvic pain(refer to #2), kicking or constant hiccup from Baby Caleb, frequent toilet visits (refer to #3), leg cramps (refer to #5)

#2-Pelvic pain : Due to release of hormones that loosen the ligaments in the pelvic area to prepare for birth. Pain in going into and getting out of car, pain in walking, excruciating pain in going to bed and tossing in bed, pain when getting out of a seat...etc

#3-Frequent visits to toilet during sleep: Due to reduced size of bladder because of growing baby.

#4-Increased appetite: I do try to eat as per normal but I do not deny that I have more occasional snacks/tidbits in between meals. No cravings though.

#5- Leg cramps in the calves at night when sleeping: This is something I used to experience during my swimming training when I over-exert myself. It is super pain as the muscle in the calf area tightens. Keep you immobilised and suffering. So, to prevent it, CT does stretches for me before we sleep by straightening my legs as he pulls back my feet. However, some nights we forget or I sleep earlier, so I do experience it once a while.

#6- Soreness in the leg: the enlarging uterus interferes with the blood flow from leg back to heart. So, soreness or swelling is quite common. However, I do not experience much swelling but once a while, my legs get sore and I just do some strectches or ankle rotations to stimulate the blood flow.

#7- Physical changes: At times, I stare at the mirror and think how big I am now. It is scary as I have never seen myself like that before and it kind of takes some getting used to. It is worse when I flip through my old photos and see how thin I was in the past and how depressing my figure is now. Especially when a week ago, I could still put on my shirts, but one week later, my tummy is showing or I cant button up anymore.Haha..

#8-Stretch marks: I have been putting stretch marks cream on my tummy right from the time I knew I was pregnant but guess what? I neglected the sides of my tummy and now, there are stretch marks. It is a sight which is not really nice to look at. So I splash the cream now in all parts of my body to prevent more marks from appearing...sigh

#9-bleeding gums: Due to pregnancy hormones (higher progesterone levels)which make your gums react more to the bacteria in plaque, and by an increased blood supply to your mouth. So, must take care of your teeth and gums even more when pregnant.

#10-Breathlessness: times when I feel I can faint anytime because I can't breathe suddenly especially when it happens during the singing of national anthem in the mornings. This is due to the growing uterus putting pressure on your diaphragm.

#11-Forgetfulness: This is a good "excuse" for me whenever I forget something during my pregnancy. I would always say,"Aiyah, my pregnancy hormones lah..cant help it." CT always say that is an excuse whenever I use it..but its true. I tend to forget more stuff..

#12-Back pain: Because of increased weight and how the hormones are relaxing the joints and ligaments throughout your body. I experience it when I get up from my seat or sometimes when walking.

Ok, so far, I can think of only all these. Will add more when I can think of more. :)