Pregnancy 1: Week 14

Week 14:

Symptoms: Nausea occasionally, vomiting, headaches, neck pain, back pain, fatigue, constant peeing, (same food cravings continue!).

Weight: Currently I am still maintaining my previous weeks weight at -5 lbs (this has increased since starting my breakfast essential nutrition drinks).

Eating: I am like always hungry, but I can’t keep some foods down. UGH! I managed to round out this week going to teach the class I do at the church with my mother-in-law (MIL). I arrived and was fine for few minutes but then naturally I had to hurry to the bathroom. Me, this toilet, and bathroom floor became quite acquainted in the ensuing hour. I sent this picture to a friend of mine, because this is what you will hear repeatedly after you tell people you are pregnant, and still in the 1st trimester, you may even be told this when people don’t realize you already are in the 2nd trimester. Either way I have heard “It will get better, a few more weeks you will hit the 2nd trimester and be golden/better.” The reason I share this is because though for some this is true, don’t do what I did, counting down for when you hit the first day of that next trimester, as it is not guaranteed you will feel better then and can make you feel more frustrated that it continued.

Headaches & Sleep: Man I have been struggling with sleep. I have tried to use so many different pillows we have in the house. I even tried at about 6 weeks to start using a U-shaped pregnancy pillow but it was too poofy and I was just so uncomfortable. However, this week I pulled the pillow back out as a last resort. I have had such bad headaches for the past week and a half and I started realizing that they were at their worst when I woke up and my neck was hurting. Tomek and I figured this was because of my pillows so we started switching pillows around again. So, what a blessing nearing the end of this 14 week period Tomek convinced me to try the U pillow again, and I am so glad I did! I still had to wake to pee (typical since becoming pregnant) but I was actually able to sleep and I woke back up with no pain after actually getting to sleep in!! YES! So happy! Made the start of my day so much better. I highly recommend trying different pillows and finding the one for you. My U-shaped pillow is by far the most expensive pillow I have gotten, $50, but it is definitely worth the money spent!

Stretch Marks: So this week I started having an itch and pain on my upper side (just above the hip bone) I noticed a stretch mark and was a little devastated at first. Why? Well I was doing all the “treatments” to avoid stretch marks. I was using Argan Oil,Cocoa Butter, Lotion and yet I still managed to get them. Tomek, being mister wonderful talked me off that emotional ride that I didn’t need to take. The more I thought about these marks on our bodies the more I realized that we all have them. People get them for different reasons, quick fluctuation in weight (either increase or decrease), having a baby, some even get them when they go through puberty and grow fast. So why do we as a society have to be so negative about them? We tell women not to have them, sell lots of products and “remedies” to lighten or prevent (not typically proven) stretch marks.

Bodies: When in reality we should be accepting everyone for their bodies, just the way they are. The more I think about this the more I truly understand the body painting artist and winner of the first ever Skin Wars, Natalie Fletcher, and her drive to do her tour, “Bodies Across America.” I participated in this and was asked to fill in a blank: “I like my body because ______” I responded with I like my body because I am alive and it makes me unique. I don’t disagree with my response but I do think I have struggled with wanting to accept my body at times, when I saw that stretch mark it took me back for a bit. But I quickly hit this point of acceptance and pride. I hope to do more work with Natalie and am just so proud that I was able to be painted by her as it has truly opened my eyes to our perceptions of our bodies! A take away from this section I would say is please learn to accept and be proud of your body. We are all different, some of us are genetically predispositioned to be bigger, smaller, a certain shape, etc. and none of them are wrong! So instead of fighting your body learn to embrace it, respect it, and LOVE it!

Genetic Testing: This week I got a phone call letting me know our blood work testing baby was back. I hurried to say on the phone “we don’t want to know the gender!!” I felt like a weirdo but my OB told me I would need to do so. The lady then calmly yes, I know I see that here on the sheet. (Oh cool I didn’t have to sound like a crazy lady). But we are happy to report the baby’s testing came back all normal with no genetic anomalies!! YAY!! I explained this before but the reason we had then list the sex of our baby as well is just in case our baby is as rotten as we are ;) and won’t let us see whether they are a witch or wizard but we are definitely having our family witch or wizard reveal the same weekend!

While on this topic I have to say I told Tomek that everything came back normal with no anomalies and even teased him about how technically I could log into my healthcare chart and we could see whether we are having a boy or girl. Naturally after telling him that multiple times he has told me about how much he wants to know. Prior to this week we just accepted 20 weeks as our go to date but now we are both wanting to know so much more! However, we are still holding out because we both do want to see our little magical one first.

Our next post will include St. Patrick’s Day which is Tomek’s 25th bday! Excited for it and nervous about the environment I will be in….more on that then!