Captain’s Log: Preggy Update Week 16

Captain’s Preggo’s Log
Star date Day nine billion seventy-leven…which in preggo-speak, is like week..(umm, that’s 40, divide by 3, minus 2, carry the 1)…Oh, forget it- I don’t even know anymore! I mean, wait…no, I do actually know – ‘cause I think I’m now slowly reaching the point in this journey where my brain is finally returning to its old trustworthy state. Well, almost. But that’s 16 weeks for ya!

And I say that last statement as if it’s always like that for me – which it’s not by the way! Totally not! This pregnancy is so not like the last one. Or like my first one. And yes, I get it : no two pregnancies are the same. But c’mon! Im the same body that carried it out! Logic would dictate then that the base characteristics of each pregnancy would be the same, right?

And technically speaking, the first and second pregnancies were essentially the same in it’s base: super-duper, unbelievable, hit over the head with a bag of hammers while simultaneously snorting heaps of sleep dust kind of fatigue from week 1, with an almost immediate pelvic pain that makes me move like Quasimodo, and an appetite that far exceeds our personal home budget or Mike’s ability (and patience) to constantly bring me food…Come to think of it – it just hit me- I essentially turn into a zombie. Like a real zombie. I know, not exactly the most amazing of epiphanies, I mean, mombie phrases have been generally coined eons ago, but yeah: Completely brain dead, with an odd, almost scary hobble for a walk, and all I want to do is eat everything in sight…..Im a zombie. (Granted I’m not exactly eating brains…but then again, I’m not puting anything past this appetite of mine right now…)

And this glorious state zombification usually lasts all the way until week 13. And then like magic, I wake up on the morning of week 13 feeling like a normal person, with all my senses and energies back, ready to truly enjoy the journey. And, wrongly or rightly so, that’s what I grew accustomed to. So imagine my surprise when that sweet magic mark of week 13… then 14 and then 15 all came and went, with no magical unicorn ready to carry me off into the rainbow bliss of second trimester. All I did get was more headaches.

So imagine my smile of realization when 16 weeks finally rolled up one morning with a shiny new shipment of energy and life. Not 100% there, but a familiar hint of what’s to come. Yes, I am rounder and heavier than my two previous pregnancies – my girls never fail to remind that, “mom, I can see your bum shaking! Its SO big!” – but baby was healthy and doing great and certainly kicking a nice tiny little storm in my pelvis!

Craving wise, I sorted out my vitamins, doubled up on a few for a short time to boost it, and viola the beer craving finally went away. Hubby can now finally crack open a cold one without his odd wife pestering him for her to sniff it all the time, and lustfully watch him drink it. I am however not in the mood for sweetness. Im not averse to it, I’ll still totally gobble it all up if gifted with it – hint, hint. But I’m certainly not sending my work team members out on sugar missions to the store, like with previous pregnancies.

However, my general appetite is still at full blown can’t help myself levels. Case in point – finally met my good friend’s fiance the other day. Wasnt five minutes into their new home, when I was already asking if I could help myself to their food. My body knows no etique during this time. Fortunately, my friends know me well enough.

So all in all feeling good. And hopeful. In fact, throughout my trimester – which was riddled with a gross amount of work stress, all I had was hope. And alot of that hope was handed to me by my beautiful, fellow preggy fairy, Leigh, of The Mom Diaries.

And you know, I’ve never been the “groupie” type. As in, I’ve never needed someone to go shopping with me, or to go to the movies with me, or need a gym buddy or running buddy, or whatever. If I set my mind to something, all I needed was just me. It was nice to have company, but also for me, it was just as enjoyable going at things alone – and never understood the funny looks I got from others when learning that ive done something on my ace. I’ve never needed external encouragement or anything in that vane. But ever since I became a mom, I have found great value and reward in having that mom tribe. And that there is truly strength and re-enforcement to be gained and shared if you allow yourself to be a part of it. And what’s so amazing about this mom tribe vibe is that it doesn’t matter who you are, that mom badge is a universal vibration that enables you to connect on that level. You don’t necessarily need to be bosom buds, but you “get” each other.

So I won’t lie, having a belly bud like her, who’s about two weeks ahead of me and has gone through very similar trials and challenges (hello, headaches from hades!), has actually made a difference to me. She was able to pass on that flame of encouragement and hope in a real way. I mean, it’s different when someone else who’s experience is so far removed from yours wants to tell you, “it gets better”. Cause, firstly I know that, duh – Fourth time preggo over here, hello! But when you’re co-miserating sharing with someone who truly understands your plight, first hand, it honestly does make those conversations richer in a way – and not just like you’re Ee-awe complaining your life away.

So, come to think of it, here’s to the mom tribe! Totally not the way I was intending to end this post off with, but here we are, and it had to be said. Lord knows motherhood can be an isolating experience – no matter which stage you’re in: pregnancy, or teenagerhood. Everyone needs a group of an incredible women who can remind that they are not alone in their struggle, that not everyone has it together, or that these preggy hormones can be a real biyatch, but in two weeks time you’ll feel human again. We all need our mom tribe in some shape or form. I hope you found yours!
X

Ps. To note, am already 20 weeks preggy already, and all hopes of ever catching up with this pregnancy are slowly thinning. But we may get there one day!