So far, this trimester hasn't been as difficult as I feared. *knock on wood* It recently occurred to me that, despite my seemingly constant whining, it certainly hasn't been as difficult as Squirt's last trimester, which is a relief. With her, my pelvic pain was nothing short of debilitating throughout the last pregnancy - oh the pain! It kept me awake at night and drained everything out of me throughout the day. Every step was a test of endurance. Very early in the third trimester, the edema kicked in and quickly got miserably out of control. My ankles, my hands, even my face... I didn't recognize myself in the mirror and, wow, it was painful! Not to mention, I had every single symptom of having developed gestational diabetes, but was never tested, so never knew. I was assured this stuff was normal, harmless, and just part of being pregnant, so I didn't even know to question the cause or try and find out what could help (stupid).
When I very first noticed the super faint positive line on my pregnancy test earlier this year, one of the first things I thought about was the misery of Squirt's last trimester - not the traumatic birth or hospital stay, not the sobering reality that I was bringing another human into the world and all of the huge changes it would bring, but that last, miserable trimester. This pregnancy quickly threw me a curve ball with horrific nausea and pelvic pain that started about five minutes after that first faint positive - I really didn't expect that, since Squirt's first two weren't that bad (heck, her second was awesome!). Really, it's been one thing after another - puking at the office (or the bushes on the side of a very busy street, or the bathroom at Costco, or...), being unable to walk far or pick up Squirt because of the pelvic pain, alarming blood sugar readings... But, unlike last time, I've determined to actually learn what was really going on and manage any underlying problem, instead of just brushing it off as "normal" pregnancy problems. I think that might be why, so far, this last trimester hasn't been so... well... terrible. Between chiropractic care, physical therapy, and being veeeeery mindful of movement, my pelvic/hip pain has been kept mostly in check - it's still there, and I do have some really rough days, but so far, it's actually better than it was in the second trimester (weird, but I'm not complaining!). Because I am pretty certain I had gestational diabetes with Squirt, I have been very mindful of my diet to ensure my blood sugars stay within a healthy range, which is probably why I also haven't really had any swelling yet. So... better than last time. My feet hurt, though, worse than they ever have (relaxin, I guess) and I struggle with insomnia - not because I'm in pain like last time, but because I just can't get back to sleep. It will be hard to resist the deep urge to slug the next person that says it's just my body getting ready for a newborn... Don't worry, I'm way too fatigued to even try throwing a punch. I'll just sit down somewhere and give them a really, really dirty look. Oh, and the on-again, off-again nausea... at least I haven't puked in any public places in a while (trying to look on the bright side).
All things considered, though, this trimester hasn't been that bad. In a way, it's actually been the most pleasant trimester this pregnancy. If it stays mostly like this, these coming weeks (and weeks and weeks) won't be as tough to get through as I feared way back in January. In fact, I'm a bit worried they'll fly by all too fast. While I'm so excited to meet Deuce (and regain something of my "normal" body once again), I'm not yet ready to give up having Squirt all to myself (not dismissing daddy, but she is undeniably a momma's girl right now). She is my best girl, my little companion, the sweetest little friend (she's also a huge pain in the butt and a giant handful, but I digress), and I'm not quite ready to give up the "just-us"ness. I absolutely know, deep in my heart, that we will all adore little Deuce, who will brighten our lives and fill our family with more love and joy than we could imagine! But... there are only so many weeks left with just Squirt and every single day is so special. Soon, very soon, she will be a big sister (which she will very proudly declare), but for now, for ~ten more weeks, it's just us.
Looking a lot more chipper than I feel...
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