Those of you who are also on their third trimester of pregnancy or have been pregnant before will most likely be able to relate to this……..IT’S SO NEAR YET SO FAR!
I’m due to give birth on March 13. That’s approximately 53 days to go and I absolutely cannot wait any longer! It goes without saying that I am very excited to finally see Ziggy for real and to be able to hold him in my arms but aside from that, I really want this third trimester to be over. Don’t get me wrong. I love being pregnant, for the most part, but the third trimester is usually the most challenging one for me. Why? Because every little thing you have to do gets harder and takes more effort. Plus knowing that you’re almost near the finish line but not quite yet is excruciating. I guess, you could say that I’m a little impatient but if you can just feel what I’ve been feeling this past month, you’d understand. Allow me to give you an idea. Below is a list of my third trimester pregnancy challenges:
- Braxton Hicks contractionsBraxton Hicks are like practice contractions, wherein the muscles of your uterus or womb contracts. It’s supposed to make you more ready for when true labor begins. I’ve been feeling this since my 6th month, and unlike my previous pregnancies, this time the contractions happen more often and are stronger. When it happens, my tummy gets really hard and breathing is even harder. I know they’re just normal but I hate them especially when they come one after the other. The only “cure” is to change positions, which works for me sometimes but more often than not, I just try to sit tight and let it fade away.
- Leg Cramps – They happen to me right when I wake up. I try to move before I get up and then it just strikes, most of the time on both legs. I don’t know if it’s due to how my legs were positioned while sleeping. It sucks especially when I’m in a hurry to get up.
- Hand Cramps – The first time it happened to me I didn’t think it was pregnancy-related. It also happened when I woke up. Then it started happening more often after that, always at the time I wake up. I’ve never had this during my previous pregnancies, so I’m still trying to figure out why this is happening now. I imagine it’s what arthritis feels like. Certainly not a nice feeling.
- Back and Abdominal Pains – I don’t think I have a strong back to begin with so having to deal with back pains is really, well…… a pain! And let me just say that it never goes away no matter what I do. The abdominal pains, on the other hand, don’t occur frequently. But when they do…..haaayyy…..
- Insomnia – I am actually what you would call a night owl. I usually sleep late but the insomnia I have now is just ridiculous. Do you know what time I fell asleep last night? I fell asleep at 4am….and I had to wake up 30 minutes after to prepare Zoe for school. Nice, right?
- Nasal Congestion – I haven’t had a cold for a while now but I’ve been having the sniffles for months. I don’t sniffle the whole day though so I didn’t think it was related to the pregnancy but apparently it is, according to the What to Expect When You’re Expecting site.
- Dryness in the Eyes – I didn’t think this is pregnancy-related either but it is. It makes wearing contact lenses a real inconvenience. So, I guess, I’ll be sticking with my glasses for a while.
- Flatulence – Gas….. enough said.
- Exhaustion – I am always, always, always tired no matter how many times I take a break. It doesn’t help that there’s just so many chores to do at home. Energy is a thing of the past.
- Non-stop somersaults – What I mean is Ziggy’s non-stop kicks and cartwheels inside me. They say it’s normal because he’s a boy but I’m just not used to it. The kicks are just so hard sometimes that they literally take my breath away. And though the somersaults can be amazing to watch (sometimes it looks like there’s an alien moving inside me), they can also be painful. He keeps going at it even while I’m sleeping. Sometimes the kicks are so hard that I wake up. I try to enjoy them though. I’d rather Ziggy keep moving than not move at all!
So, there you go. If you had them, wouldn’t you be impatient too for all this to be over? As for me, I guess there’s nothing else I can do but to try and wait (patiently?). 53 days and counting.