Once again, it's been a few weeks! And a few things have changed since my last post.
Back on the Shots
No, the aches and annoyances I’m suffering are still there. It’s all part of my chronic condition others call pregnancy. What has changed is that I’m back on shots of progesterone, and back to weeping or war mongering—or both—without any provocation. Yes, my poor family.
To back up a bit, it all started with a bit of a scare at 22 weeks. I was feeling a lot of pressure below the baby belt after working a full day at an event, shopping, and doing 400 other activities like my Type A life usually compels me. So I visited my OB, who measured my cervix and declared that it was thinning due to contractions (same thing happened with Sophie before they put me on full bed rest–but much later in the pregnancy). Obviously, he was deeply concerned that I could lose the baby (worse case scenario) or need to have a surgical procedure on my cervix to prevent pre-term labor (2nd worse case scenario) or need to go on full bed rest (3rd worse case scenario). So off he sent me the next day to a peri-natal specialist in SF to see if anything could be done.
As it turns out, the specialist determined that my OB mis-measured my cervix! Everything is absolutely perfect and normal. Before we got the good news, though, Heidi was an absolute wreck, it threw my mom into a deep depression, and Charles was understandably worried. It was 24 hours of hell. Only my dad and I were reserving judgment until the specialist weighted in.
The end result is that because of my history having Soph four weeks early, the specialist put me on weekly shots of progesterone (250mg) to prevent pre-term labor and has told me to take it EASY. And I’m trying. Really, I am.
Thank goodness for Charles, who has become part-housekeeper, part-butler to me and part-nanny, and my mom who often skips her Saturday routine of attending services at synagogue to tend to me and the kids. I count myself very lucky to have them around. And thank goodness they still care about me despite the fact that I turn into the Hulk at the most unpredictable moments.
Personality Predictions
The baby kicks are more frequent and fervent than before. I'm starting to think that the boxing gene clearly runs deep in the Sanders genetics and this babe is wasting no time getting some practice sessions in.
This baby also love music, though not all kinds. It’s quite still when I have my old 80s and 90s stations blaring in the car or on the stereo at home. But turn on any genre that was popular before 1950—jazz, 50s crooners, Edith Piaf, classical—and this babe starts to bop. If you believe in reincarnation, makes you wonder what era this soul hailed from.
Pregnancy Rants
I have an iPhone app called BabyBump which is my go-to resource for a) checking my countdown clock (92 days left!); b) seeing what size the baby is now in terms of a fruit or vegetable (last week she was a hothouse cucumber, and now she’s a rutabaga!); and c) reading or posting on the community forums.
I decided to post a “rant” about my biggest pregnancy pet peeve to date. Little did I know how much company I kept. Here’s what I wrote along with a selection of my favorite responses. If anyone is reading this who isn’t pregnant, be forewarned. NEVER ask a pregnant woman the following question!
My post:
Annoyed by, "How are you feeling?"
I know this may sound silly, but I am so tired of everyone asking me how I'm feeling—with a look of great sympathy on their face as if my dog just got ran over. I understand they're just trying to be nice and make conversation but can't they say/ask something else?! Because I know they certainly don't want to hear the truth...that I constantly feel like crap!! When I have told people how I really feel, their eyes just glaze over. So now I just always respond, "Great!" and smile. But I'm so tired of doing this little song and dance every single day!!! Thanks for letting me get this off my chest...
Responses:
- OMG -I know!!!! I'm out of work now, but the SAME people would ask me that SAME question everyday. It really started to p*ss me off because you know they don't want the real answer (feel like crap), so why try to make conversation? Just leave me alone!!!!!
- I feel the same way. I told my DH it would be nice to walk into work without a billion questions and comments...be invisible! It gets old! I am 29 weeks and finally have a belly...I am looking like I smuggled a basketball but I still don't think anyone in their right mind would call me big. I've gained 15lbs, all in the belly, and am very athletic. Well, yesterday at work I was all stressed out and this lady came up and said "wow, you're getting big…how do you feel"? Me: I'm good, thanks (standard response nowadays!). Her (barely gave me time to answer) "oh, just big?" Seriously? I wanted to say no, bia...just annoyed because you're talking to me and being rude! I feel the same way...I really do feel fine and people don't like to hear that. People, I think, want preggos to feel like s*** because they did or their wives did, ugh. Sorry, rant over. I wish maternity leaves were 3 months before your due date and 3 months after, ha! By the way, are you feeling okay? Hahaha!
- Oh man I hate that! It's like the first thing people say to me now. "How're you feeling?" “About the same as I have been, if anything changes though I'll let you know!”…some people just don't realize it gets annoying and tiresome. I miss the old "it sure is a nice day outside" conversation starters lol.
- Haha I answer truthfully too. I tell them I'm ready to have this baby and I'm so over being pregnant. But the same people keep asking me and I give them the same response. It gets old. I'm still a person with more going on than just baby.
- How about another approach? As an experiment. Coworker: how are you feeling? Preggo: fine thank you! But most importantly, how are YOU feeling? (Probably will be stumped at your question.) CW: why do you ask? What do you mean? Etc P: oh I'm asking because you look a little stressed/upset/tired/bored. (follow with a worried look and head tilt to the side!) See what happens!
- Glad it's not just me!! I wanna say leave me the eff alone already!!!! I don't care about your birth experience! I don't care about your so called medical expertise or lack thereof. I don't care if u think my belly is shape like a girl! I had an amnio. My baby is male! Fudge!
- Haha my MIL always acts as if pregnancy is a painful terminal illness! Whenever I'm like "oh I'm great!! I just went for a 5mile walk" she freaks out then starts naming symptoms and asking if I have them. I mean yea, I do have really bad heartburn, but I'm in my third trimester so it's expected... I just deal with it & don’t make a big deal out of it. So my answer is always "great I'm doing awesome!!" Haha
- Omg that is so true!!! I am so tired of people asking me how I'm feeling with this sad look on their faces! I'm married, 30 years old, happy as all hell that I'm pregnant so stop looking at me with this pathetic look on your face!!!!
- I always reply that I feel with my fingers how do you feel?!? Or I tell them that I feel round today. Usually shuts them up pretty fast lol
- Hahaha!!!! I get asked how I'm feeling so many times a week I can't even count!! I'm so annoyed with it! Sometimes I pretend I didn't hear them!
To sum up: If you have to ask the dreaded question, please don’t tilt your head to the side and sound sympathetic. Ask it with full gusto and the implication that you’re ready to really listen to the pregnant gal dish for 30 minutes about how miserable, bloated, fat, gassy, weepy and/or bowling-ball-esque she feels. Or don’t bother!
