Being pregnant has been very easy for me- not like "Oh I want to be pregnant forever" kind of easy. But more in the sense that I haven't had many of the 'normal' issues so far. You know... those horror stories of things women say about expecting- morning sickness, food aversion, super sensitive to smells, swollen feet, severe mood swings etc...etc...etc...
Sure I've had some sciatica nerve pain, aches in my back, and even the occasional chest pain-but truthfully (As of right now) all of that is gone thanks to my magic egg crate foam pad. (Seriously though I think it's a miracle purchase...like forget the Snoogle and just buy the pad!)
Yet there have been a few days - like today - where I just needed to cry. There's no real reason to be emotional (well except the cutie inside me messing with all my hormones on a daily basis!) but I've learned to listen to myself and just go with it. Sometimes that means lying in bed for an extra 15 minutes before getting up or being 'okay' with just one more episode of "30 Rock" before getting dressed.
If I'm being totally honest, today I was discouraged at my body. It sounds crazy to even say (or type) because Hellllooooo I'm growing a human so of course I'm going to be different physically. But I am a little tired of people saying "How long?" then having this surprised look of "Oh my gosh you're already that big and you have THAT long" spread across their face. See- I don't FEEL like I look that big (most of the time) and I yeah yeah I know everyone's body adjusts to pregnancy differently. However being compared to other people isn't fun for a pregnant girl- especially 1st time moms. If I could go back in time to when I was first pregnant- I definitely would have laid off the carbs, hot chocolates, and other indulgences for the first 8 weeks. I could have saved myself like 8 extra unnecessary pounds.
Truthfully though, I'm kicking ass right now. No I don't fit into ANY of my regular work pants- but I have been going to the gym 2-3 times a week for cardio and weight lifting. Plus on my in between days I've been working out at home (yoga, weights, strength) all in an effort to NOT gain a bunch more weight than needed. I'm proud to say I pretty much have a "belly only" pregnancy without a lot of extra fat. Sure I've got curves (never could get rid of them!) but there not a single thing to feel bad about. My eating has been relatively good- I do give in once in awhile- but for the most part I'm consciously taking each day as a new opportunity to fuel my baby and my body.
So after tearing up and getting frustrated at how much my hips and thighs had gained- I finally yelled at myself. Like literally- in the closet- wiped the tears away and told myself "You are 7 months pregnant! You are growing a healthy baby inside you! Of course your regular clothes don't fit- they shouldn't! You work hard to exercise and make reasonably healthy choices because it's what you and your baby need. You will fit back into these things- but right now it's not important."
I write this post as a reminder to myself how owning your emotions is important. But not letting them dictate your day or progress is equally important to a healthy life. So instead of feeling bad all day (like I originally wanted to) I drove down and hugged my husband at work, did some cute maternity bargain shopping, and baked delicious lower-calorie pregnancy ready desserts. Because my baby and I are worth it.
