Top Five Biggest Pregnancy Surprises

Leave it to me to wait until the end of my first trimester to finally begin a blog about being pregnant.  I guess since I’ve become expert at being late for things, this should come as no surprise.

But here it is, and here I am, all knocked up and nowhere to go.  Well, as of right this moment, anyway.  Actually, I have found that pregnancy is primarily about being constantly on the move and doing crap you don’t feel like. 

You have that appointment with the OBGYN, then you need to pick up your prenatal prescriptions, then you need to get your blood work done, and then you need to come back to the OBGYN.  And all the while, you are bombarded with the pressure to “take it easy.”

 And then there are the diet restrictions; you need to eat, even when the thought of food makes you want to retch.  Just make sure you don’t eat anything on this loooong list of foods, many of which are the only ones that DON’T make you want to retch.  Ugh.

People kept telling me what I could expect when I was expecting, like the nausea and cravings.  But now that I’m deep into it, I’ve noticed some things have come up that I would never have predicted. 

So for fun, I thought I’d share my personal Top Five Biggest Pregnancy Surprises:

1.) The *yawn* Fatigue-

Many of my friends warned me that I would be tired, but I had no idea just HOW tired.  I could be standing in front of my refrigerator, contemplating on what to eat for dinner, when all of a sudden my legs begin to wobble and my head nods back, willing me towards a soft surface.  Or Joe is trying to tell me something and I simply sag into the couch and pass out.  My only reprieve is on the weekends where I can wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and wander back into bed for Slumber Part 2.  It’s no wonder the days seem to slip away from me- I’m unconscious for most of them.

2.) The (seriously) Unexpected Cravings-

No, no pickles and ice cream for me, although I did have a strong hankering for French fries on pizza a few weeks ago.  Then it was all about the fried chicken.  After that it was onto the meatball sub.  Most folks who had cravings seemed to stick to one thing, but my cravings are more like a bunch of rubber balls hitting random walls.  And if that’s not weird enough, I was getting cravings for things I don’t even like, like Spaghetti-Os or onion rings.  I didn’t indulge in these, though we’ll see what tomorrow brings.

3.) The (seriously) Unexpected Aversions-

To be totally honest, when I first realized I was pregnant, I was a little bummed because I knew that my occasional beer and wine would be put on hold for almost a year.  With Joe’s and my birthday around the corner, along with all the summer festivities, I thought it was going to be agonizing surrounding myself with party revelers while I was forced to sip an iced tea.  But much to my surprise, I am finding that I don’t miss the booze.  In fact, the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.  I’m sure once I have the baby and some time has passed, I’ll be ready for that cocktail.  But for the time being, it’s a relief to know that I don’t want one of the things I can’t have anyway.

4.)  The Burping-

Holy Rolaids, Batman.  I have never burped so much in my life.  It’s awful and embarrassing, but it’s become so frequent that I have stopped bothering to stifle them as much.  So if you’re around me often enough, please excuse me and the chemistry experiment that is going on in my body.

5.)  The Calm-

Perhaps the biggest surprise so far is how calm I feel at times. Not all the time, mind you, but I am seriously shocked at how peaceful I feel from time to time.  It’s as if my anxiety-ridden mind has been given mood-altering medications, allowing me to feel some level of relaxation as I try to comprehend the hugeness of this change.  I still get plenty freaked-out, especially when I consider all the safety precautions and expenses waiting for us at the end of this roller coaster.  But at least for a little while I can simply breathe and enjoy the journey.

Ok you mamas out there!  Let's make this a conversation.  Let's hear about your biggest pregnancy surprises and don't forget- sharing is caring :)