Thing I'm Not Going To Miss About Being Pregnant!

Phewww! As I creep into my 39th week, I am just really really looking forward to getting Baby A out of me. I just want my body back! As selfish as this sounds, I might as well blog about all the things I am not going to miss about being pregnant, just as a reminder for me when we decide to have #3! (If there is ever a #3!)

Extreme back pain.

I had extreme back pain as soon as I entered my 7th month. The pain was right at the end of the spine and because of it, I found it very hard to get up after from being horizontal. Hubby had to help me whenever he was around. My gynae suspected that carrying 4kg Aiden may have had an effect on my pelvic bone so she prescribed physiotherapy and aquatherapy exercises in the swimming pool. After my initial assessment with the physiotherapist, we found that my body anatomy is imbalanced, making me prefer my right side to support my body weight. In the end, I ended up getting Hubby to give me back massages and depending on AcuStop (medicated patches) to reduce the pain. 

Extreme itchiness.

Wow, this one was really extreme. It started as soon as I entered my 8th month. Hubby suspected that it had to do with consuming seafood (although I have never had any prior allergic reaction to seafood), but the itch persisted even after I started avoiding any kind of seafood. I only succumbed to lobster and Fatty Crab, and of course paid dearly for it afterwards. The itch was so bad that I would scratch myself in my sleep until it bled. I would itch at all possible areas of my body (even behind my ears!) and the absence of a rash made it hard to predict where I would itch next. All my hard work religiously putting anti stretch mark creams went out the window as I couldn't stop scratching at the tummy area as well. There was one night when we went to Setia City Mall and I developed an itch at the chest area. I ended up buying calamine lotion at a nearby pharmacy and nearly poured the whole bottle on myself as soon as we got into the car. No matter how much stretch mark cream, calamine lotion and anti rash powder I slather on to myself, it merely eased it for half hour then the itch sensation would flare up all over again. In the end my gynae made me do a liver function test to rule out Obstetric Cholestasis, but that turned out negative. Finally, I was prescribed Piriton allergy tablets and I continue to depend on that until today.

The "sinking" feeling.

I don't know how to explain this, and I probably never will. Although I have to admit the sinking feeling has somewhat reduced itself to only happening during the third trimester, as opposed to having it throughout the pregnancy when I was carrying Aiden. The sinking feeling is similar to what you will feel when you are on a roller coaster. I can't explain why I have it and what triggers it, but whenever I experience it, it feels like something really bad is going to happen and the hormones just surges over me making me want to just sit, bawl and cry. I notice that it usually happens when I am taking a shower. Sometimes I shake it off, sometimes I will just crawl into bed until it disappears.

Heavy, huge, expanding tummy.

Try carrying (or rather waddling) 20kg extra everywhere and tell me if it ever is enjoyable? Probably if the weight is evenly distributed then my legs may cope, but when it is concentrated on just the tummy area, sometimes I even have to arch my back just to balance myself. And why is it that no one seems to be able to judge how much space my protruding tummy takes in an elevator and ends up brushing his/her body against it?? Of course, the huge tummy makes me breathless, and forget about bending down to pick up anything. If ever I need to sit down on the floor, god forbid I need to stand up again! But yeah, when I finally do need to stand up, Hubby helps or I end up on all fours then scramble to hold on to something to support my weight to help me stand. And yes, I am carrying a huge baby (another 4kg??!!) and I do have the license to eat, so stop annoying me by saying that I look huge! Trust me, I don't want to be this huge.

Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position.

The first thing I am going to do after giving birth is roll over, tidur meniarap and have a really good sleep. Despite all the pillows I use to support my tummy, to hug between my legs and to even support my back, I wake up in the morning facing flat up. My body doesn't like being told that it has to sleep sideways and rebels during the night by turning itself. See #4 for explanation on heavy tummy and #1 on back pain, combine these two together and you will understand my frustration whenever it is time to go to sleep. Duduk pun salah, baring pun salah! *sigh*

Baby stretching in my tummy and hard kicks to the bladder.

Honestly, I rather have Baby A out of me so I can actually play with him, instead of him being inside me wiggling and playing with (read: kicking) my bladder! Also, whilst I actually enjoyed the small kicks and turns Baby A made during the early phases of the pregnancy, I didn't really enjoy the stretching during the early third trimester as it kept making me feel like I needed to pee. (Amazingly those stretching stopped at the end of the third trimester probably because there wasn't much space left for him to do that.)

The need to pee!

Yes, the need to pee ALL the time. Especially when you're out and about in a shopping mall or driving in a traffic jam. It has gotten to the point where every time I stand up, I feel the urge to pee. Imagine my frustration when I finally summon the courage to pee in a petrol station toilet and had lined the toilet bowl with so much tissue until it met my hygiene standards, only to find that I only needed to pee a teeny teeny weeny trickle. Not worth the effort! And I hate having to wake up in the middle of the night to pee so nowadays I make sure I drag myself to the toilet just before I sleep. Did I mention peeing a little each time I cough or sneeze? So please don't forget to kemut and do your Kegel exercises!

Being hot!

And i'm not talking about being sexy hot. I'm constantly feeling warmer than everyone else and it is very frustrating. Hubby keeps complaining that the car/room aircond is too cold and we end up wrestling for the aircond button/remote.

Protruding belly button.

I hate it when people prod my belly button! Aiden especially likes pushing it in, and got very excited when he discovered that my belly button will "sink" in whenever I am lying flat on my back. (Some people complain that their tummy becomes public property once they get pregnant, everyone touches it - but I guess I have a higher tolerance than some people. So yeah, I don't mind you touching my tummy, but don't prod my belly button!!!)

Not being able to shave down "there".

I hate having to depend on Hubby to help me shave. *period*

Skin and hair and water retention.

When carrying Aiden, at least I was blessed with good hair and glowing skin, but started developing oil seeds on my forehead which never went away even after the pregnancy. This time around, the oil seeds got worse (even with religious cleansing and monthly facials), and my hair just wouldn't cooperate - especially after the perm I had during my 4th month. As for the water retention, it officially started when I felt the water retention in my fingers whilst I was running 5km at 33weeks (never again!). However, the water retention in my feet and fingers is significantly less than when I was carrying Aiden. The Fitflops I bought two sizes two big, to accommodate for the same water retention during Aiden, still feels big until today. I can even wear my normal flat shoes! But the bloating of the facial features? *sigh* Check out my huge nose... *double sigh*

Unfashionable maternity clothes.

Did I mention how expensive they are too? They cost a bomb, and they don't make you look good. I swore I was going to depend on leggings and long tops during my entire pregnancy, but I ended up rotating between two black (black is good!) non-pregnancy slacks from Marks & Spencer and Mrs Read, and reusing all of my old maternity clothes. Stretchable and comfortable but soooo unfashionable!

Heartburn, morning sickness and cramps.

Way down on my list since I made Gaviscon my best friend, and knowing that stuffing myself silly with food will ease my morning sickness and nausea, which magically stopped after the first trimester. As for the cramps, I think I only woke Hubby up once during the night to help me with a cramp. Other times, whenever I feel a cramp coming, I manage on my own by just pulling my feet back until the sensation disappeared. Oh, and no bleeding gums this time!

Checking into the hospital tomorrow. Wish me luck and bring me a plate of Sashimi when all this is done!

Baby's face on Hubby's birthday. It was the last (and only) time we got to see his face because he's forever shy, covering his face with his hand, and then afterwards he turned downwards to get ready to engage.