Well, they never told me anyway.
First, when I say "them", I mean anyone who ever told me anything about being pregnant. The health department people who came and spoke to us in high school (who told us if we got pregnant in high school, our child would be sickly and would probably die, and that we would live in poverty for the rest of our lives...), the basic health I got from school, and my mother. I guess I had friends who were pregnant as well, but we never talked about pregnancy specifics. So, that being said, I thought I would write something out to remind myself...because in the almost 3 years since I was pregnant with the boy child, I had forgotten how very uncomfortable the beginning of pregnancy is. This is just as I have experienced it- and I seem to remember, now, that I had these same things with the boy.
Pre-pregnancy test/right after testing
This is BEFORE you even suspect that you might be pregnant, and directly after.
1. Headaches. I am talking headaches for no reason...that can range from dull annoyance to splitting, localized or ALL over. Horrible.
2. Heartburn. I am not saying I never have it unless I am pregnant, but this is different. This is for random foods that normally do not bother me.
3. Hunger. I mean the sudden onset feeling of STARVING TO DEATH- I HAVEN'T EATEN IN 15 DAYS...except I ate 2 hours ago.
4. Vivid dreams (I ran out of H's). I always have very vivid dreams, but pregnancy dreams are crazy. They up the vivid level about 5000x and are either so real it is ridiculous, or so imaginative that it makes me wonder if I took drugs before I fell asleep.
5. Achy boobs. Sorry- maybe TMI, but true. With Roy, they just hurt. This time, they tingled. I think it is supposed to be a sign that you are going to need them to actually do something besides fill a shirt soon...but it is kind of uncomfortable.
6. Exhaustion. I mean UTTER exhaustion. The need to take a nap is not so much a need, but a necessity. And little 30 minute power naps are not an option...3 hour sleeps are what are called for. This will not get better for a while.
7. Strange food cravings...and those that make ya yarf. With Roy, I craved ham before I found out I was pregnant. I hate ham...but I HAD to have a sandwich. Last week....I ate ants on a log (peanut butter on celery with raisins) TWICE...Please note- I hate celery, peanut butter, and usually raisins. There was also something I ate (I wish I could remember what it was) that tasted very off.
8. Morning sickness. Although "they" tell you this doesn't start until about 6 weeks, and before then you don't have the hormones in your body to give it to you...THEY LIE. With every pregnancy I have ever had, I have been sick from day one. This is no exception. Random bouts of nausea.
9. Sickness...not of the throwing up kind. I have gotten snotty nose sick EVERY time. Which, is fine. I can handle a little cold. EXCEPT, when you are pregnant, there are very few things that you can take for anything. Regular strength Tylenol for pain is about the extent. There are a few things you can use, but nothing that will actually work like the "good stuff". Right now I have some sort of cold that is in my ears and my chest. I have been eating cough drops today, so maybe that will help some? I totally forgot about the being sick part. It just kind of makes it worse, since you already feel kind of crappy anyway.
10. Didn't I JUST go to the bathroom? Yep, with the desire to increase liquid intake (I drink a lot of water anyway, but as soon as I find out I am pregnant, I always increase that amount), you have to pee...ALL the time. This, also, will not get better. I am sorry to say.
Now, I JUST found out that I am pregnant. I am pretty in tune with how my body works, so I notice the little changes. I knew that something was up, and took a test- which resulted in a positive. I am about 4 weeks pregnant (a lot of tests will JUST NOW pop positive), but a lot of people will not even realize they are pregnant until they are farther along. I also will not announce to anyone by my mother (and dh to his mom and dad) until I hit the 2nd trimester. The risk of something happening after you hit that mark is slimmer, so we just choose to wait a bit.
